| In this way, with
such a definition of ‘word’ if the word is taken to be a base in
a Mundari sentence, there is bound to be either over-differentiation
(i.e., word overlapping with sentence). The structure and the function
of a word hardly parallel in this language. In such a situation
the larger unit of phrase with one or more juxtaposed independent
or dependent morphemes performing a well-defined function can very
well satisfy syntactic requirements. Mundari syntax is therefore
to be treated as phrase-oriented. Function words are used aboundantly
singly or in groups and also in combination with content words as
infixed or suffixed morphemes to give differnt types of phrases. |
| 3.0.2. Verbal phrase
is the nucleus structure: The verb phrase with finite verb is the
main body in the syntactic structure. Subject or object or both
have pronominal representation in the phrases and it is not obligatory
for them to stand apart separately, the postion for which in such
case would be preceding the verb phrase. Adverbs, demonstratives,
inanimate objects or other complimentations as well as the particles
functioning for case relations, if required, may precede this prase.
Except for few cases of permissible change in word or phrase order,
such a verb phrase is the final element in a Mundari sentence and
so along with the terminal contour, it marks the end of a sentence. |
| 3.0.3. There is
no case-inflection: Case relations are expressed in Mundari by means
of certain postpositions, which are used as free forms in other
contexts also. There is no inflection for the nominative, accusative
and dative. Accusative and dative relation are expressed by placing
direct and indirect object within the verb phrase in proper position,
while nominative has a zero. However, Hindi/ke/ and /lai/ i.e. /ko/
and /liye/ which have be borrowed for the purpose fo accusative
and dative respectively are to be expressed with direct and indirect
object standing apart from the verb phrase, which is however redudant.
For instrumental /te/, ablative /ate/ and locative /re/ are suffixed
to the substantive which stand in the respective
case relations. But, by no means those are bound forms not they
effect any morpho-phonemic change in the morpheme to which they
are suffixed. Hence they are postpositions. The postpositons /te/,
/ate/ and /re/ are used elsewhere also as adverbs of manner and
place and can generate adverbial phrases. Therefore, Mundari cannot
be said to have any case-inflection, although case-relations are
expressed either by insertion of direct/indirect objects or by means
of postpostions or adverbial particles. |
| 3.0.4. Distinction
between a phrase and a clause is occasionally lost: In examples
where the subordinate or dependent clauses are incorporated into
a complex sentence, the distinction between a phrase and a clause
is lost in the following cases: |
| (a) Adjectival
phrase may be regarded as adjcetival clause, where the base is participal
as in examples: |
|
da?per?ko a
‘the boy who fills the water’
|
|
or
|
|
‘the water-filler boy’
|
| or, with aspect
marker: |
|
sentan hoo
‘the man who goes’
|
|
or
|
|
‘the going man’
|
| (b) Adverbail
phrase may be regarded as an adverbail clause, where the base is
gerundial as in examples: |
|
kamitad re ‘having done the
work’
|
|
‘if the work has been done’
|
| Thus the form being
the same, semantically the interpretation may vary. This happens
because of the fact that Mundari subordinate clauses do not take
a finite verb. |
| 3.1
Phrases: |
According to their
syntactic functions, the phrases may be divided into four main groups
- Noun phrase, Adjective phrase, Adverb phrase and the Verb phrase.
|
