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5.
Syntax |
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5.1. General remarks :
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Lotha
is a Subject-Object-Verb language. A sentence in Lotha
consists of a noun phrase which functionsas the subject
and the predicate phrase. There can be no sentence without
a predicate. sometimes predicate itself may stand for
a sentence. For example, imperative form itself can be
a sentence, as in,
 kì
rà
come home
home come
In the above sentence, subject is always second person
singular which is understood. Predicate.phrase in turn
may consist of a noun phrase or a verb phrase or both.
However, in Lotha there can be a sentence without a verb
if there is an interrogative word  ló
?
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Example
mp
  lò
¡lò ?
Is he here ?
he here interrogative
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In
the equation type of sentence where a predicate phrase functions
as a noun phrase, copula will not be used to link the subject
with the predicate.
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Examples
-y
 són
I (am) old
I-nom old
n-p
s r à
he (is) tall
he-Dem Base tall
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If
a noun is qualified by an adjective, the adjective comes
after the noun. If a verb is qualified by an adverb, it
occurs before the verb.
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5.2. Types of phrases :
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A phrase
is a group of words giving an incomplete meaning. It does
not have a subject or predicate.
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5.2.1. Noun phrase :
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A
noun phrase may consist of a noun alone or followed by one
or more attributes.
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Examples
kì
mhm
good house
house good
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If
a numeral is used, it is added after the adjective.
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Examples
kì
mhm
nì
two good houses
house good two
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If
a plural marker is added to the noun it is added to the
whole noun phrase. If a numeral form is already there, the
plural marker does not occur.
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Examples
frò
c-á
dogs or those dogs
dog that pl.
°kì
c¢-áN
houses or those houses
house that pl.
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Nouns
denoting kinship take the plural marker directly if there
is no modifier.
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Examples
tá
elder brother
tá-á
®
ótá
elder brothers |
