Nuer Field Project

Nouns Verbs Verb Book Expressions Pedagogical Grammar of Nuer Translation of Genesis in Nuer Others

Lesson 26

This lesson explains the imperative in its positive and negative forms. This is a medical conversation with a distraught father or mother.

Person: Ki̲i̲m, luä̲k ɤä̲. Gatdä̲ li̲wɛ. Guic puɔ̲nydɛ, cɛ thïl gua̲a̲th.
Doctor, help me. My child is dying. Look at his body, it has no place (i.e. very weak).
  Ɣä̲n ba̲a̲ kä̲ ji̲. Bi̲ jï̲n ɛ tɛ̲k.
I come to you. You will make him live.
Doc: Bitni̲, bitni̲, wu̲tɛ! /Ci̲ gatdu̲ bi̲ li̲w tä̲ä̲mɛ. Wal a thï̲n, bi̲ ɤä̲n ɛ ka̲m ɛ.
Quite, Quite fellow! Your child will not die now. Medicine is present, I will give it to him.
Person: Aɤ, ki̲i̲m, ɛ jï̲n ram mi̲ di̲i̲t. Ɛ jï̲n ram mi̲ gɔaa. Kuoth a thï̲n, dɔ̲ɔ̲ bɛ kɔ luä̲k.
Ah, doctor, you are a big (great) person. You are a good person. God is present, perhaps he will help us.
Doc: Wu̲tɛ, jï̲n rɔm lɔcdu̲, kä̲ /cu̲ diɛɛr. Kuoth Jidhɛth a thï̲n
Fellow, you cradle your heart, and don't worry. God Jesus is present.
  pa̲ny kä̲ mi̲ bi̲ jï̲n ɛ ŋa̲th, dɔ̲ɔ̲ bɛ ji̲ luä̲k ɛpu̲c. Ci̲ liŋ?
really and if you will believe it, perhaps he will help you truly do you hear?
Person: Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲n, cä̲ liŋ. Gɔaaɛ.
Yes, I hear. It is good.
Doc: Ɛ jɛn, bër no̲o̲ni̲ gat.
It is so, come, bring the child.

PHONETICS

  1. Continue practicing all drills.

SYNTAX

  1. Imperatives occur in the active voice of both transitive and intransitive verbs. They are formed from the 2nd person singular and plural forms of the 1st and 3rd aspects of the verb. They occur in both negative and positive forms.

Intransitive Formation (without an object) 1st Aspect:

  1. The positive imperative is formed by dropping the personal pronoun ending of the 2nd person singular and plural forms of the 1st Aspect and suffixing -ni̲ in the singular and ɛ̲ in the plural.
    Note: Verbs with a final -r or -l consonant retain these consonants instead of adding -n. e.g. Nyu̲u̲ri̲! -- sit!
  2. The irregular verbs "come", "go" and "stay" have the following imperatives:
      come go stay
    Sing. bër wër tɛ̲ni

    Pl. biaa wiaa tayɛ
      biɛ̈ɛ̈ wiɛ̈ɛ̈  

Transitive Formation (with an object) 1st Aspect:

  1. The positive imperative is formed in 2 ways: in the singular:
    1. Singular: by dropping the personal pronoun 2nd person ending and using only the stem.
      e.g. Nä̲k ɛ! -- Kill it!
    2. Singular: by dropping the personal pronoun 2nd person and suffixing -ni̲ to the stem.
      e.g. Lä̲tni̲ jɛ! -- Do it!
  2. The plural is formed from the 2nd person plural 1st Aspect exactly as is. This is tricky, watch it.
    e.g. Nä̲kɛ jɛ! -- Kill it!

Note: The 3rd Aspect imperative is simply the 2nd persons of the Aspect for the positive. It is used in anticipation. It's uncommon.

Negative Formation of both Transitive and Intransitive:

  1. 1st Aspect: The singular negative imperative is expressed by the imperative negative particle [cu̲] and the verb stem. The plural negative imperative is expressed by the imperative negative particle [/cuayɛ] or [cuɔrɛ] plus the verb stem.
  2. 3rd Aspect: The singular imperative negative is expressed by imperative negative particle plur the 3rd Aspect verb particle and the verb stem. The plural negative imperative follows the same pattern with the plural negative imperative particles.

Usage:

The positive imperative is used mostly in instances demanding immediate action. e.g. Cut it! Turn around! Come here! The imperative is answered to by the 1st Aspect of the verb in the form of a question.

Nuer Field Project Nouns Verbs Verb Book Expressions Grammar Genesis Others