In
conclusion, it might be noted that the system
of negation in Sema is not affected by the sub-classification
of the verb into mobility vs. stationary verbs
or transitive vs intransitive verbs. Further,
there is no difference in negating an affirmative
or an interrogative sentence.
Three
folk tales in Sema are given below. Of these, the first two
are presented with morph by morph analysis. And the last one
has only the translation. The titles of the stories are: (1)
The story of Nisapa and Nisala (a love story); (2) The story
of the squirrel and the pheasant; and (3) the story of Licapa.
nisapà
eno nisalà kma
ili
Nisapa and Nisala dual story
The story of Nisapa and Nisala
khailo
nisapà eno nisalà kma
kimaye.
long ago Nisapa and Nisala dual love.
Long ago Nisapa and Nisala loved each other.
Kile-ace kma
atna sinì -kè
return-make dual life partner decide-past
They decided to become life
ge´unò pulo-wè ace ikemu nisalà
for agree-past make but Nisala
partners. But
Pu-aza-no nisalà pesno
father-mother-nominative Nisala let
Nisala’s parents were unwilling to let Nisala to go
nisapa-kì -lo pu-wú nis-mo-no-
Nisapa-house-in let go willing-not-nominative
Nisapa’s-house
ace. ti
úno nisapà wilò hi-tóy
make. so Nisapa near this-like
So (they) said like this to Nisapa
nanì
ma
ma
kimaye.
úno nisapà wilò hi-tóy
