Since the different varieties
that mark the accusative case overtly has k as the case marker, the
same marker is set up for the standardized grammar.
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At the sub-morphemic level, a
zero allomorph has to be set up for the nouns ending in a consonant
for avoiding at the word-final position the occurrence of the
sequences of consonants which are otherwise inadmissible in this
language. This would lead to the difficulty of identifying ana active
agent from a passive one if both the nouns concerned end in a
consonant. Such a difficulty is inevitable in view of the constraints
elsewhere. In such situation, which would be rare, one has to
determine the active agent exclusively on context.
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Dative case :
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When the
accusative is marked overtly, it is not essential at all to mark the
dative also overtly. Even then the dative is marked with the NH class
of nouns, primarily because 14 of 17 varieties studied mark the dative
case overtly with the NH class of nouns. A few mark this relation also
with the other groups of nouns, but this has not been taken into
account for this grammar, and the dative case is set up only with NH
being class of nouns. And since ke marks the dative case for 13 out of
the 14 varieties, the same marker is set up for this grammar also.
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Instrumental case
:
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Since all the 17
varieties studied mark the instrumental case relation overtly, the
instrumental case is set up for this grammar also. Of the 17 varieties
studied 11 mark the instrumental case relation with the post position
l got ‘with’, three marking
with other post positions and the remaining three with case suffixes.
Since more than half the varieties mark this case relation with the
post position lgot ‘with’, the same marker is set up for this grammar
also.
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Sociative case :
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The sociative
case relation is marked by all the varieties and hence set up for this
grammar also. Probably because they have similar function, the marker
used is the same as the one used for marking the instrumental case.
Whereas the instrumental case relation is available only with Nina
class of nouns, the sociative is available only with Nani class of
nouns. The use of the same case marker for marking two different case
relations would, therefore, not lead to any confusion.
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Genitive case :
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This case
relation is marked very inconsistently by different varieties. For
instance, some mark the nouns in the singular with r and others with
the post position laga ‘of’. And in the plural laga alternates with
zero. The inconsistency of using this case relation is still greater
with the pronouns in that the same variety may mark in three different
ways, viz., r, laga and zero by random alternations amongst the three
forms. And in the plural laga alternates with zero, though the latter
has an higher frequency of occurrence. When the zero marks this case
relation, the noun/pronoun is put in a juxtaposition having the
determiner-determined construction where the noun/pronoun in the
genitive case relation would be the determiner (possessed item).
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It is a common
feature with the Naga languages not to mark the genitive case relation
overtly, for instance in Sema :
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htolipu
‘Hatoli’s father’
htoliki
‘Hatoli’s house’ etc.
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Whereas Assamese
mark this relation with the case suffix r. The Naga pattern of not
marking the genitive case relation overtly is adopted for this
grammar, in view of the inconsistencies found with the different
varieties.
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Locative case :
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This case
relation has been further sub-divided into three, viz., locative
proper, allative and ablative. All the three sub-groups of case
relations are marked by the different varieties studied. The
respective markers used by all the varieties are also the same. These
three subgroups of case relations along with the respective case
markers are therefore, set up for this grammar also.
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2.2.
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Grammatical
categories of the verb : |
Tense :
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As far as the
non-locative verbs are concerned, all the varieties studied showed a
two-way opposition in simple tense, viz., past and non-past. The
respective tense markers are : - -se and -bo. The same have been set
up for this grammar also. A simple present tense is not set up as
neither the Naga languages nor the Assamese has a simple present tense
occurring with the non-locative verbs.
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| The LV in all
the varieties shows a three-way opposition, viz., past, present and
future. In all the varieties the base form of the LV itself indicates
the present tense. The future tense marker bo occurring with the
non-locative verb also marks the future tense of the LV in |
