| 3. |
a/ni1 sa2
ka-de3 mamüi kazhü-hi4 a5
pfo-no6 dzü pa-te7 |
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my1 father6
liked7 my/your (sg.)2
beautiful4 weaving 3 |
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| 4. |
ai1 osa ka-de-na- i2
dzü pa3 mo-e4 |
| |
I1 do not like3
the weaving2 17
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The nominal gerund in the subject position is
distinctly infelicitous :
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| ??200 |
baibl1 kophro2
kali-hi3 okha4 mo-e5
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one3 reading2
of the bible1 does not5
suffice4 |
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Its verbal gerundial sentential counterpart
(with a numeral adverb ovu kali once) is sharply more felicitous.
|
| 201 |
baibl1 ovu kali2
kophro-hi3 okha4 mo-e5 |
| |
reading3 (the) bible1
once2 does not5 suffice4
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|
Example 199.3 illustrate a nominal gerund
modified by a genitive determiner a ‘my’ and ni ‘you (sg.)’
|
3.4.11.1.2.
|
The Verbal Gerund |
The verbal gerund has the internal
structure of a vP. In particular, it can take all kinds of (phrasal)
adverbs, a structural property of verbs. It can not, however, take
aspect and mood markers.
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202. |
1. |
kazhie (bvü)1 -lino2
azhü ka-ta-hi3 mala/molo4
mo-e5 |
| |
|
travelling3 by
2 planes1 is4 not5
easy4 |
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2. |
hayi1 ko-sho-hi2
shü-e3 |
| |
|
drinking 2 wine1
is bad3 |
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3. |
hayi1 sho2
zhazha3 -co-hi2 zhü4
mo-e5 |
| |
|
drinking2 ricebeer/wine1
often3 is4 not5
good 4 |
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4. |
khiboli1 kobu-hi2
mazhi-te3 |
| |
|
staying 2 in Kohima1
is very expensive3 |
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| |
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5. |
imela1 { modo-co }2
|
-hi mala/molo3 mo-e4 |
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{ a-modo } |
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learning2 Mao1
is not4 easy3 |
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17. |
This sentence also means ‘I do not like the
weaver’, a case of ambiguity |
| |
between the nominal gerund and the participial
noun. |
|
| |
|
6. |
ni1 hihi2
hrü-kolo-hi3 zhü-e4 |
| |
this2 buy3
of yours1 /you1 buying3
this 2 is good4 |
| |
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|
7. |
zhü1 shu2
-koco-hi3 shü-e4 |
| |
being1 very2
good1 is bad3 |
|
The foregoing illustrate the verbal gerund as the
subject. The following sentences have the verbal gerund in the direct
object position.
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|
|
203. |
1. |
ai-no1 ovu2
kosü3 soka-ha-sü4
sü-we5 |
| |
|
I1 know5
the three3 times2 killing4
|
|
Note the difficulty in translating the
verbal gerund modified by an adverb (ovu kosü ‘three times’ in 203.1)
expounding the direct object into English.
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|
|
203. |
2. |
ai-no1 lopüi-yi2
kakrüco-hi3 a4 pfo-no5
dzü pa6 mo-e7 |
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| |
|
my1 father5
does not7 like6 me1
talking3 (to) her2
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3. |
ai-no1 hayi2
ka-cü-hi3 pfo-no4 okhro
pra-i-e5
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| |
|
he4 was surprised5
at my1 drinking3 wine2
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4. |
pfo1 { ai }2 |
ka-ta-i3
ni-e4 |
| |
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{ *a } |
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| |
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he1 saw4
{ me2 go3 } |
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{ *my going } |
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5. |
pfo-no1 ovu2
kaxi3 olo koso-sü4
pfokrehrü-no5 co-e6 |
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| |
|
pfokrehrü5 heard6
him 1 sing4 twice
3 |
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| |
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6. |
polismüi-no1 pfo-yi2
zhümazhi kalie ho3 ka-da/da-ko-o4
ai5 ni-e6 |
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| |
|
I1 saw6
(the) police1 mercilessly3
beating4 him2 up4
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7. |
ni1 oho2
ka-khe-sü3 co4 -ama5
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| |
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have4 you1
heard4 (the) cock2 crow3
? 5 |
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8. |
adani-no1 siso2
adahra-yi3 akuo4 odo5
-lino6 vu |
{ pra-o }7 |
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{ kapra } |
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{ pra (ko)co } |
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{ pra-ko-o } |
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|
-sü7 a
8
na pfo-o-no9
ni-e10 |
|
| |
|
my8 son9
saw10 Adani1 go up7
leisurely2 to6
(the) field5 with4 Adahra3
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