Extra Lesson 3

Extra Lesson 3

This lesson will explain the adverbial relative clause and the definite Relative Pronoun of Time.

Mindaan cih wuht ēepan bɛhn käh ɤäh. Cɛ ɤäh bɛhn thiehɛ kɛ Kuihc nyimau. E jɛh ih cɛ tɛh kɛ juehy mih liaah pahny. Käh ɤähn puɔhnydäh kahn ɤan ɛmɔ ŋahc. Cih ɤähn wäh käh kiihm. Cih kiihm ɛ lar, mih ciɛhk ɛmɔ ɛ jɛn ciɛhk ëë cih bɛhn pan kä jɛ mih tɛh puɔhnydɛ kɛ jueby mih bɛc, bih nɛy ɛ wäh jɛhk käh duɛhl wal. Tëë duɛɛhl kɛɛl kɛ wuht mihn cua ciötdɛ tɛm minwähruhn. Cih nɛy wäh kɔnɛ wuht indaan, küh cih nɛy ciɛhk ɛmɔ kuhlɛ wäh jɛhk thihn.

SYNTAX -- THE ADVERBIAL RELATIVE

All time words which begin with [min] or [mëë] may become adjectives simply by chopping the initial m. To form the plural the [in] changes to [tin] and the [ëë] to [tëë].
The time indicator of the word, i.e. the meaningful unit of time, does not change in the plural except in 2 instances.

indan changes to tin kɔn
ëëdan changes to tëë kɔn.

This type of sentence is used constantly in Nuer and needs to be incorporated into the foreigner's speech.

The following drills are for recognition purposes. Have the informant read them in varied order as you listen acquaint yourself with the presence of these adjectival words of time in a simple sentence. The first group 1A are in the singular. Group 1B are in the plural.

GROUP 1A. (Note: word order) SINGULAR ONLY

Ci wuht indaan jiɛɛn. < min daan
Ci wuht ëë daan bɛhn. < mëë daan
Bi wuht ëë thaar tɛh wanɛmɛ < mëë thaar
Bi wuht ëë pan luhny jɔ̲k < mëë pan
Ci wuht ëë wɛhnkäh li̲h̲w < mëë wɛhnkäh

GROUP 2A. The adjective and the adverb in the same sentence

Ci wuht indaan bɛhn min wäähɔuhn.
Ci wuht ëë dann bɛhn mëë pan.
Bi wuht ëë thaar tɛh wanɛmɛ ihruuhn.
Ci wuht ëë pan luhny jɔk min dan.
Ci wuht ëë wɛhnkäh lihw mëë dan.

GROUP 1A. Translated

The man of a little while ago left.
The man of some time ago came.
The man of last year will stay here.
The man of yesterday will return.
The man of quite a long time ago died.

Note: This type of construction is the counterpart of the English idea: The man who came a little while ago left. This idea is, in English grammar a relative dependent clause.

GROUP 3A

E jɛu duɔɔhr indaan.
E jɛu ruac ëë pan.
E jɛn duɔɔhr ëë daan.
E jɛn ruac ëë thaar.
E jɛn ruac ëë wɛhnkäh.

GROUP 3A . Free Translation

That's the thing of a little while ago.
That's the talk of yesterday.
That's the thing of some time ago.
That's the talk of last year.
That's the talk of quite some time ago.

GROUP 1B. PLURAL ONLY

Ci nyiɛɛhr tin kɔn bɛhn.
Ci nyiɛɛhr tëë kɔn luhny jɔ̲k.
Ci nyiɛɛhr tëë thaar jiɛɛn.
Ci mähn tëë pan bɛhn.
Ci mähn tëë wɛhnkäh li̲h̲w.

GROUP 1B. Translated

The girls of a little while ago came.
The girls of some time ago returned.
The girls of last year left.
The women of yesterday came.
The women of quite a long time ago died.

Change Group 3A into the plural.