Небольшой очерк эритрейского языка Кунама, который является изолятом (макрокомпаративисты включают его в нило-сахарскую макросемью):
http://www.baden-kunama.com/language-THE GRAMMAR OF THE KUNAMA LANGUAGE.html
In this part of our study of the Kunama language, we shall be taking a step-by-step approach to its grammar. We shall begin with personal and possessive pronouns followed by the form and conjugation of the verb in the Kunama language. We shall be adopting the usual pattern, Kunama, IPA transcript and English. Under "Kunama", words are listed which are then transcribed in international phonetic alphabets "IPA" and translated into "English". The Kunama language possesses eleven (11) personal pronouns:
three (3) singular personal pronouns:
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
Aba | aba | I |
Ena | ena | you |
Unu | unu | he/she/it |
four (4) dual or so-called "inclusive and exclusive pronouns":
kime | ^ kime | we two (inclusive you) |
eme | ^ e:m | you and he/she |
ame | ^ ame | we two (exclusive you) |
ime | ^ i:me | he/she and he/she |
four (4) inclusive and exclusive plural personal pronouns:
kime | ' kime | we (inclusive you) |
eme | ' eme | you |
ame | ' ame | we exclusive you) |
ime | ' im | they |
THE KUNAMA VERB
As it will be later described in detail, in the conjugation of the verb, the Kunama language often omits the personal pronouns by replacing them with a series of prefixes through which each person is identified. The Kunama is one of those, known and classified by most linguists, as "Nilo-Saharan or Chari-Nile languages which have only words and syllables that are open (i.e., end in vowels)" *1. We begin with the infinitive forms of the Kunama verbs which therefore, always end with the vowel "a".
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
Kosa | kosa | be/exist |
Inna | ' ina | have/possess |
Mina | ' mina | do/make |
*1. Encyclopaedia Britannica: "Nilo-Saharan Languages".
Like the English, the Kunama verb too has the simple and the present progressive form. The simple present and past tense of some Kunama verbs have an identical form though implying a different time. Simple present tense of the verb "kosa", to be/exist:
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
1. (aba) na-kos-ke (na-kos-se) | ' nakoske | I am/exist |
2. ena no-kos-ke | ' nokoske | you are |
3. unu kos-ke | ' koske | he/she/it is |
4. kime ka-kos-ke | ' kakoske | we two (inclusive you) are |
5. eme me-kos-ke | ' mekoske | you two are |
6. ame ma-kos-ke | ' makoske | we two (exclusive you) are |
7. ime mi-kos-ke | ' mikoske | they two are |
8. kime ka-kos-ke | kakoske | we (inclusive you) are |
9. eme mi-kos-ke | mikoske | you are |
10. ame ma-kos-ke | makoske | we (exclusive you) are |
11. ime o-kos-ke | okoske | they are |
E.g. (Aba) alle `nakoske (nakosse) is a dialectal ending. I am here/present.
The verb "ina", to have/possess:
1. nai-na-ke | nainake | I have/had |
2. ni-na-ke | ninake | you have |
3. i-na-ke | inake | he/she/it has |
4. kai-na-ke | ' kainake | we two (inclusive you) have |
5. mei-na-ke | ' meinake | you and he/she have |
6. mai-na-ke | ' mainake | we (exclusive you) have |
7. mi-na-ke | ' minake | they two have |
8. kai-na-ke | kai 'nake | we (inclusive you) have |
9. mi-na-ke | mi 'nake | you have |
10. mai-na-ke | mai 'nake | we (exclusive you) have |
11. oi-na-ke | oi 'nake | they have |
E.g. (Unu) sana ki`nake. he/she has a job (he/she is busy).
The Kunama language adds a "k" to a verb whenever this implies a different meaning.
E.g. (Unu) sana in`ake. he/she has a job (an employment).
Notice the high and the low pitch of the voice (or inflection) put on the first and second syllables in the conjugation of the above verb in concordance with the inclusive and exclusive personal pronouns.
The simple present and the past tense of the verb "mina", to do/make:
1. na-ming-ke | na`mi-n-ke | I do/did; make/made |
2. ni-ming-ke | ni`mi-n-ke | you do |
3. i-mingke | i`mi-n-ke | he/she/it does |
4. ka-ming-ke | ' kami-n-ke | we two (inclusive you) |
5. me-ming-ke | ' memi-n-ke | you two do |
6. ma-ming-ke | ' mami-n-ke | we two (exclusive you) do |
7. mi-ming-ke | ' mimi-n-ke | they two do |
8. ka-ming-ke | ka`mi-n-ke | we (inclusive you) do |
9. mi-ming-ke | mi`mi-n-ke | you do |
10. ma-ming-ke | ma`mi-n-ke | we (exclusive you) do |
11. o-ming-ke | o`mi-n-ke | they do |
E.g. Fogada na`mingke. I made a mistake.
This verb implies more the past than the present ten:
E.g. (`Ame) fogada ma`mingke. We did/made a mistake.
As it is shown in the above diagrams, the conjugations of most Kunama verbs include three parts: the beginning, the middle and the ending of the verb. In the above verbs, the beginning consists of the prefixes indicating the eleven personal pronouns; the middle (or infix) is the root of the verb and the suffix "ke" is the normal ending of the conjugations of all the Kunama verbs.
For the progressive forms, the Kunama language adopts, as an auxiliary, the verb, "godda" = live/sit.
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
1. go-na-ke | gonake | I sit/sat |
2. go-ng-ke | gongke | you sit/sat |
3. go-s-ke | goske | he/she/it sits/sat |
4. go-d-ke | ki:`me godke | we two (inclusive you) |
5. go-ng-ke | e:` me gongke | you two sit/sat |
6. go-ma-ke | a:`me gomake | we two (exclusive) you |
7. go-ng-ke | i:`me gongke | they two |
8. go-d-ke | ki`me godke | we (inclusive you) |
9. go-ng-ke | e`me gongke | you |
10. go-ma-ke | a`me gomake | we (exclusive you) |
11. go-ng-ke | i`me gongke | they |
E.g. I`me maida gongke. They live well.
Notice the peculiarity of the above verb where, because of both lack of accentuation and the identical spelling for the personal pronouns, four to eleven (4-11), the Kunama language is obliged to use the inclusive and the exclusive personal pronouns to avoid misunderstanding.
E.g. I:` me maida gongke. They two live well.
Adopting, as an auxiliary, the verb "godda = live/sit", the conjugation of the present progressive of the verb "kosa = be/exist" therefore, is as follows:
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
1. (aba) na-kos-gona-ke | nakosgonake | I am being/existing |
2. no-kos-gong-ke | nokosgongke | you are |
3. kos-gos-ke | kosgoske | he/she/it |
4. ka-kos-god-ke | ' kakosgodke | we two (inclusive you) |
5. me-kos-gong-ke | ' mekosgongke | he/she/it and you |
6. ma-kos-goma-ke | ' makosgomake | he/she/it and I |
7. mi-kos-gong-ke | ' mikosgongke | they two |
8. ka-kos-god-ke | kakosgodke | we two (inclusive you) |
9. mi-kos-gong-ke | mikosgongke | you |
10. ma-kos-goma-ke | makosgomake | we (exclusive you) |
11. o-kos-gong-ke | okosgongke | they |
E.g. Tama alle makosgomake. We are (being) here now.
Like the Tigrigna and the Amarigna, the Kunama language too places the verb at the end of a sentence.
The simple present progressive form of the verb, "ina = have/possess":
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
1. na-ina-gona-ke | nainagonake | I am having/possessing |
2. n-ina-gong-ke | ninagongke | you are |
3. ina-gos-ke | inagoske | he/she/it is |
4. ka-ina-god-ke | ' kainagodke | we two (inclusive you) |
5. me-ina-gong-ke | ' meinagongke | you two |
6. ma-ina-goma-ke | ' mainagomake | we two (exclusive you) |
7. meina-gong-ke | ' meinagongke | you two |
8. ka-ina-god-ke | kai ' nagodke | we (inclusive you) |
9. m ina-gong-ke | mi ' nagongke | you |
10. ma-ina-goma-ke | ma ' inagomake | we (exclusive you) |
11. o-ina-gong-ke | oina ' gongke | they |
E.g. E:`me fanaka maida meinagongke. You two are having a good time.
The simple present progressive of the verb 'mina = do/make:
Kunama: | IPA transcript: | English: |
1. na-ming-gona-ke | na ' minggonake | I am doing/making |
2. ni-ming-gong-ke | ni ' minggongke | you are |
3. im-ing-gos-ke | i ' minggoske | he/she/it is |
4. ka-ming-god-ke | ka ' minggodke | we two (inclusive you) |
5. me-ming-gong-ke | ' meminggongke | you two |
6. ma-ming-goma-ke | ' maminggomake | we two (exclusive you) |
7. mi-ming-gong-ke | ' mimiggongke | they two |
8. kam-ing-god-ke | ka ' minggodke | we (inclusive you) |
9. me-ming-gong-ke | me ' minggongke | you |
10. ka-ming-god-ke | ka ' minggodke | we (exclusive you) |
11. o-ming-gong-ke | o ' minggongke | they |
E.g. Mantai mina maida ki `mingogske. Mantai is doing a good job.
