12/4 small group meeting notes

More Verb Paradigms

Present tense of 'feed': kha- 'eat' + -(w)a- valency increaser

Subject	Verb form	Gloss
ami	khawai	I feed
tui	khawaʃ	You (familiar) feed
tumi	khawao	You (polite) feed
apni	khawan	You (formal) feed
ʃe	khawae	He/she/it feeds

In addition to meaning 'feed,' kha- 'eat' + -(w)a- valency increaser can also mean to 'treat someone for a meal."

Past tense of the copula

Subject	Verb form	Gloss
ami	chilam	I was
tui	chili	You (familiar) were
tumi	chile	You (polite) were
apni	chilen	You (formal) were
ʃe	chilo	He/she/it was

The past progressive form is constructed by suffixing the past tense form of the copula to the verb root, with appropriate phonological changes.

Ex.: kha- + -(c)chilam -> kacchilam 'I was eating'

Note the gemination of the initial consonant in the suffix, as in the present progressive, if the verb root ends in a vowel.

Future tense of copula

Subject	Verb form	Gloss
ami	thakbo	I will be
tui	thakbi/thakiʃ	You (familiar) will be
tumi	thakbe	You (polite) will be
apni	thakben	You (formal) will be
ʃe	thakbe	He/she/it will be

Note the suppletive paradigm. The root for the future tense thak- is different than it is for the present ach- and past chi-.

Imperatives

Tui forms

• kha - Eat!
• dæk - Watch!
• ghor - Turn!


• duʃʈumi koriʃ na - Be good! (lit. 'Don't do mischief.')
• duʃʈumi - mischief
• [good boy] hɔye thakiʃ - Be a good boy! (lit. 'Stay a good boy.')
• khaʃ na - Don't eat!
• jaʃ na - Don't go!


• kha na - Eat! (emphatic); note that here na is an emphatic particle, not a negator.
• tui kaʃ na - 'Just eat it!' Stress on kaʃ

Tumi forms

• kheo - Eat by the time I'm back!
• khao - Eat now!


• kheo na - Don't eat!

Apni forms

• khan - Eat!
• khaben na - Don't eat!
• dɔya kɔre khaben na - Please do not eat.
• dɔya - care
• dɔya kɔre - feel caring for, have pity on (extremely formal; never used in everyday language except ironically/sarcastically)
• apni dɔya kɔre aʃun - Please come.

Usage of the definite article -ʈa in subject position

• *ɔnek kukur-ʈa mach khae
• *kukur-ʈa gulo...
• *kukur gulo-ʈa...
• *ɔnek-ʈa kukur... (Ok for some, but heavily stigmatized)

Miscellaneous

• ekan-okan jaʃ na - Don't walk around!


• ækɔn - now
• tɔkɔn - then
• jɔkɔn - when


• ...ekane thake - (Someone respected) lives there.


• tui bhalo thakiʃ/thakbi - Goodbye (lit. "Be well.")

Note that there is a slight difference in meaning between thakiʃ and thakbe. Thakiʃ means from the moment of utterance, while thakbe means after the person leaves.

• apni bhalo thakben - Goodbye (lit. "Be well.")
• tumi bhalo theko - Goodbye (lit. "Be well.")

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• briʃʈi raja-ke kukur(-ʈa)-ke khawate bollo
• Brishti told Raja to feed the dog


• briʃʈi raja-ke bollo kukur-ke khawa/khawao/khawan
• Brishti told Raja, "Feed the dog!"


• briʃʈi raja-ke kukur-ʈa khawate bollo
• Brishti told Raja to feed the dog (to somebody).


• briʃʈi raja-ke rani-ke mach(-ʈa) khawate bollo
• Brishti told Raja to feed the fish to Rani.


• briʃʈi raja-ke bollo rani-ke mach(-ʈa) khawa
• Brishti told Raja, "Feed the fish to Rani!"


• A B-ke C-ke D-ke mach(-ʈa) khawate bolte bollo
• A told B to tell C to feed D the fish.


• A B-ke bollo C-ke D-ke mach(-ʈa) khawate bɔl
• A told B, "Tell C to feed D the fish!"