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luvila-kikongo-grammar

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THE PRONOUN.
SUBJECTIVE PRONOMINAL PREFIXES.
FIRST PERSON SINGULAR.
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The Subjective Pronominal Prefix of the first person singular is the heavy nasal, m or n, in the present indefinite indicative ; but in the present perfect indicative and future indefinite subjunctive, it is the light nasal.
nyambula,, Pres. indef. indic..leave; = I. nyambula,, Pres. perf. indic..left; = ngyambwidi,. nyambula,, left; = I. nyambula,, Fut. Indef. Subj..left; = Ngyambula,. nyambula,, left; = that I may leave.. nyambula,, left; = . nwanda,, Pres. indef. indic..leave; = I strike;. nwanda,, Pres. perf. indic..left; = ngwend...
In applying the Pronominal Prefix of the 1st person singular to the Adjective (see p. 578), there are two forms in the Negative, kianene ko, and ki wanene ko, I am not great.
The Prefixes, e- and ke-, of the 3rd person singular, are used indiscriminately, so also a- and ka- ; but e- is also an alternative of be- in the 3rd person plural ; so is a- of ba-. It follows, then, that the shortest forms of the singular and plural are identical ; this is confusing, and it is therefore advisable to ...
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ka-, Positive, is identical with the ka- of the Unnatural Negative (p. 607); but there is an accent on the latter ka-, which effectively distinguishes it.
Kavìla, he perished ; kàvila, that he may not perish.
It is necessary to choose between the forms in adopting a style, and the full forms are preferable for the above reasons ; they are, however, used indiscriminately, in the same sentence, by the natives of San Salvador and its neighbourhood.
THIRD PERSON SINGULAR, e- OR ka-.
On page 647 it is noted that when a personal subject, or its pronoun, is mentioned immediately before a Verb in the third person, the Pronominal Prefix is o or w (before a vowel) ; when the subject is not mentioned immediately before the Verb, and the Prefix is its only representative, ke-, e-, ka-, or is a- used.
This may serve as a general rule, but further study reveals the following more precise rules. The Prefix o- or w- (before a vowel), or u- immediately before an Objective Pronominal Prefix, is, for convenience in treating the subject, here referred to as the Prefix in o ; while the Prefixes ke- or e-, ka or a-, are refe...
I. When the Subject immediately precedes the Predicate, or even when it is absent, the Prefix in o- is used, in a simple statement.
Your boy has recovered.
O nleke aku osasukidi :
O muntu, ona bayikidi, ofwidi : The man they mentioned is dead.
Wina kwandi muna nzo andi:
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He is in his house.
Ke diambu ko, wenda kwandi :
Never mind, he may go.
Ofongele vana ezandu :
He sat on the market place.
2. When the Object precedes the Verb, the Prefix in k is used, unless the Object is further represented by an Objective Pronominal Prefix, or an Objective Pronoun after the Verb, in which case the Prefix is O.
Mbizi kasumbidi:
He has bought some meat.
Nzo andi kazolele o tunga:
He wants to build his house.
Ntete andi kayekekele muna nzo:
He set his carrier's basket up against the house.
Mwana andi kezidi wukisa :
He has come to have his child medically treated.
Kinkutu kiaku kewomalanga :
He is ironing your coat.
Edi kabenze vo tukwenda :
He thought that we were going (lit. this he thought, that, &c.). Edi kavovele vo mbazi betala kio :
He said that they should see it to-morrow.
Edi kazolele, kenda o unu :
He wants to go to-day.
Where the Object is further represented.
E kuma kadi, o nkanda ame osumbidi wo :
Because he bought my book.
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E nzo andi kibeni oyokele yo : He burnt his own house. Okalokala, e ntumbu, osolwele yo : At length he found the needle.
mwana andi kibeni, umvondele : He killed his own child.
3. When the Verb is preceded by its own Infinitive Noun, the Prefix is always in k.
Kwiza kekwiza : He is coming.
Yela keyelanga kikilu:
He is very sick.
Teka keteka kio o mbatu : He will sell it later on in the day.
4. The Interrogative Pronouns, aweyi, adieyi, ameyi, &c., nki, nkia, kwa, require the Prefix in k.
Aweyi kavovele ? What did he say ?
Nki kasumbidi ? What has he bought ?
Nkia muntu kabokele?
What man did he call ?
5. When a Subjunctive Clause is brought in by VO or OVO, that; or when it is understand, the Prefix in k is used ; but when the Clause introduced is in the Indicative Mood, the Prefix in o is used.
Subjunctive.
Nzolele vo kenda :
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I wish that he should go.
Tuvovele vo keza:
We said that he should come.
Edi bavovele vo kenda o mbazi : They said that he should go to-morrow.
What we want is that he should carry it carefully.
Edi tuzolele katoma kio nata:
Utulombele o nswa, ovo, kenda:
He asked of us permission to go (that he might go).
Indicative.
Edi bavovele vo, okwenda o mbazi : They said that he will go to-morrow.
Nzolele kala vo wenda, kansi owau e ntangwa isakidi: I wish that he had gone, but now it is too late.
We thought that he would carry it carefully.
Edi tubenze otoma kio nata:
6. The normal position of an Adverb or Adverbial Clause is following its Verb, and when it so appears, the Verb takes the Prefix in O (unless some other rule supervenes to the contrary). There are, however, some Adverbs which always precede their Verb, and when they are thus in their normal position, preceding the Verb...
There are other Adverbs which precede their Verb, and also cause it to assume the Applied Form ; these induce the Prefix in k. They are as follows : diau, dianu, i diau, i dianu, i, e kuma, i kuma kiki, nkia kuma, mu nkia kuma and like combinations with bila, elonda, and eyandu , mu nki, mu nkia diambu, adieyi. The Adv...
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sanga, and singa, also require the Prefix in k.
When any other Adverb precedes its Verb for emphasis, the Prefix in k is applied to the Verb.
Adverbs in normal position.
Wele o fuku muna nkonda :
He went hunting by night.
Osumbidi yo o unu :
He bought it to-day.
Perhaps he will raise objections.
Kasikila ofila e mpaka :
Wele kwandi kuna nzo : He is gone to the house.
Ofongele vana etadi:
He sat on the stone.
Ovangidi dio muna diambu dieto:
He did it for our sake.
Ovene kio kwa yeto :
He gave it to us.
Okalokala umvene wo :
At last he gave it to him.
Adverbs requiring the Applied Form.
Dianu kayambulwidi e ngolo zandi:
Therefore he abandoned his opposition (strength).
I kazolele wo : That is why he wants it.