3.4.5.3.
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The Progressive |
The progressive
or durative aspect is marked for verbs of physical flux, statinary
or displaced movement by -e and by the (referentially)
freely varying -co, -we and by the verb bu
‘to be’ following the continuous participial form of the main
verb for other verbs.
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59. |
1. |
raho1
zhie-e2 |
(the) bird1
is flying2 |
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2. |
pfo1
vu-e2 |
he1
is coming2 |
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3. |
lolia1
lo-e2 |
Lolia1
is going/coming down 2 |
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4. |
osi1
kaxi2 cu ta-e3 |
two2
dogs1 are running
3 |
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5. |
ma ia1
odo2 -li3
ho lo-e4 |
Matia1
is coming4 to3
the field 2 |
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6. |
phodzü1
khe-e2 |
(the) cock1
is crowing2 |
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7. |
odzü1
mala-e2 |
(the) water1
is boiling2 |
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8. |
cükhri1
mohru-e2 |
(the) wind1
is blowing 2 |
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9. |
makhabo1
mozü-e2 |
Makhabo1
is passing water 2 |
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10. |
ocü-sü bübü-e1 |
it is thundering
1 |
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11. |
mikhe khe1
phüphü pra-e2 |
smoke1
is billowing up/out2
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12. |
odzü1
kru-e2 |
water1
is flowing2
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13. |
kheto1
mokro-e2 |
rice1
is coming up2
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14. |
a1
na-o2
kra-e3 |
my1
child2 is crying3
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Among the obvious exceptions to this rule of -e marking
the progressive aspect of verbs of physical movement are kokru
‘play’ and odzü akhrü ‘to wash body parts’ :
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|
60. |
a. |
*onamüi1
kokru-e2 |
children1
are playing2
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b. |
*kaini1
odzü akhrü-e2 |
Kaini1
is washing body parts2
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It is important to note that the interaction of the progressive
aspect marker -e and the verb-final vowel (VFV) does
not end in synaeresis: e is syllabic, diaretic, the
sentence-marker e being deleted.
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| VFV
+ e + sntmrkr e ą
V V + e |
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| e.g
vu + e + e ą
vu-e ‘is/are coming’ |
| whereas,
for instance, |
| |
| VFV
+ O (past tense
marker) + sntmrkr e ą
VFVV |
| e.g
vu + O + e
ą vue9
‘came’ |
| |
| VFV
+ O (present
tense marker) + e ą
VFVV |
| e.g
odzü pa + O
+ e the sntmrkr ą
odzü pae9 ‘likes’liked’ |
|
The continuous participial form of the main verb followed by
bu ‘to be’ and -co mark the progressive typically.
not always, when reporting to a third person who is not seeing
the action. This, of ocurse, does not apply to verbs of cognition
and emotional disposition in whose case there is in any case
no contrast between sen and unseen actions.
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61 |
1. |
lohro1
larü |
{ phro-o bue
}2 |
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{ phro coe
} |
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Lohro1
is reading (a) |
book 2 |
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2. |
hepuni1
cihi2
(kali)3 |
{ rü-o bue
}4 |
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{ rü coe } |
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Hepuni1
is writing 4 (a)
3 letter 2
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3. |
nieomüi-i1
osa |
{ she-o bue
}2 |
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{ she coe } |
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(the) girls1
are washing clothes2
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4. |
kaisa1
opi ku-o bue 2 |
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Kaisa1
is combing her hair2
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5. |
a1
cümüi2 ozhi-o bue
3 |
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my1
wife2 is sleeping3
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6. |
lokho1
larü |
{ modo-o bue
}2 |
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{ modo coe
} |
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Lokho1
is studying 2 |
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7.
|
onamüi 1
|
{kokru-o bue
}2 |
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{ kokru coe
} |
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children1
are playing2 |
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8. |
pfota1
|
{ avu-o bue
}2 |
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{ avu coe } |
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they (excl. pl.)1
are taking meals 2 |
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9. |
ocümüi
1 ye2
oco-sü3 |
{ kozü-o bue
}4 |
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{ kozü coe
} |
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husband1
and2 wife3
are quarreling4
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