Extra Lesson 6
This lesson will explain the construction of the Nuer questions "who?" and "why?" They are in essence a relative
clause construction.
WHO? -- "E ŋa" means it is who? So to say in Nuer who came or who will come? what one must say is:
It is who who came or It is who who will come? Thus the grammar consists of an independent clause followed by a
relative clause with [ŋa] as the antecedent or one referred to.
- The relative pronoun commonly used relative with questions is [ɔ] ([tɔ] pl.) and it occurs as the final
word in the sentence or as a couplet. This is important.
- When the subj. of the relative clause refers to antecedent the verb or verb particle is not conjugated.
- To speak these sentences correctly to be understood it is necessary to learn the intonation.
GROUP 1E -- 1st Aspect of Relative Pron. Couplet -- Sing. Subj.
[ɛ ŋa]
- E ŋa ɔ bëë ɔ täämɛ?
- E ŋa ɔ jiɛy ɔ?
- E ŋa ɔ mihth ɔ?
- E ŋa ɔ ruac ɔ?
- E ŋa ɔ lihw ɔ?
Translation
- Who is coming now? lit. It is who who comes now?
- Who is going?
- Who is eating?
- Who is sleeping?
- Who is dying?
Note: bëë in #1 is an exception since it is conjugated. bëë, tëë, and wëë will occur in relative constructions
where all other verbs are not conjugated.
GROUP 2E -- 1st Aspect with Object -- Singular
- E ŋa nähk ɛ mɔ?
- E ŋa lar ɛ mɔ?
- E ŋa lahr ɛ jih mɔ?
- E ŋa luahk ih mɔ?
- E ŋa cam kɛ mɔ?
Translation
- Who killed it?
- Who says so? (it)
- Who told you? (Who told it to you?)
- Who is helping you?
- Who ate them?
GROUP 3E -- 2nd Aspect -- 3rd Aspect -- Singular
- E ŋa cih bɛhn ɔ?
- E ŋa cih jiɛɛn ɔ?
- E ŋa cih lihw ɔ mëë ciäŋëë?
- E ŋa cih jɛ uähk ɔ?
- E ŋa wih tɛh wanɛmɛ mɔ?
Translation
- Who came?
- Who left?
- Who died the other day?
- Who killed it?
- Who will stay here?
GROUP 1F -- 1st Aspect of Relative Pronoun -- Negative -- Singular
The subj. of the rel. clause ins in the vb.
- E ŋuh cih bäh mɔ?
- E ŋuh cíh míhth ɔ?
- E ŋuh cih niɛɛn ɔ?
- E ŋuh cih wäh mɔ?
- E ŋuh cih ruac ɔ?
Translation
- Why aren't you coming?
- Why aren't you eating?
- Why aren't you sleeping?
- Why aren't you going?
- Why aren't you talking?
GROUP 2F -- 2nd-3rd Aspect of Relative Pron. -- Negative -- Singular
- E ŋuh kehuɛ wɛhn ɔ mindan?
- E ŋuh kehnih jɛ cam ɔ?
- E ŋuh cih bih wäh ɔ?
- E ŋuh cɛ wuhr ɛmɔ bih luähk ɔ?
- E ŋuh kehn wuht ɛmɔ jiɛɛn ɔ?
Translation
- Why didn't he come a little while ago?
- Why didn't you eat it?
- Why won't you go?
- Why won't he help that man?
- Why didn't that man leave?