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Annotating Konkomba

by Mary Steele

To cite this page see footnote [1]


Your find a discussion of the material on this page's Talk Page.

A bibliography for Konkomba can be found on Mary Steele's user page

Negative Marking

Kaa is made up of two morphemes, a fusion of the clause conjunction ki and the negative particle aa, resulting in the word kaa, meaning 'and did not'. It is both a clause conjunction, joining two clauses, and a negative particle. conjunction'.

There are other similar lexical items, consisting of a personal pronoun, or a class pronoun, fused with the negative particle aa as follows:

  • baa consisting of two morphemes/parts of speech
  • bi 'they' 3rd person pl. pronoun, fused with the negative particle aa to form the word baa meaning 'they not'.

There are other examples like the above, as any class pronoun may fuse with a following negative particle, as follows:

  • laa formed from the fusion of li 'class 8 pronoun' and aa 'negative particle' meaning 'it cl.8 not'
  • waa from the fusion of u 'class pronoun 1, 2, or 3 with aa 'negative particle' meaning 'it cl. 1, 2, or 3, not'

just to give a few examples.

TypeCraft contains at present these examples illustrating annotation of negation in Konkomba:

Kijuk ki bi lijal paab na aa ŋan.
“The knife which is on the chair is no good”
Kijuk
kijuk
7knife7
N
ki
ki
 
 
bi
bi
 
 
lijal
lijal
 chair 
 
paab
paab
 
 
na
na
 
 
aa
aa
 
 
ŋan
ŋan
 
 
Kijuk ki bi lijal paab na aa ŋan.
“the knife which is on top of the chair is not good”
Kijuk
kijuk
7knife7
N
ki
ki
 
PNrel
bi
bi
 
V
lijal
lijal
8chair8
N
paab
paab
on-top-ofLOC
PRT
na
na
REL
PRT
aa
aa
notNEG
 
ŋan
ŋan
good
V
Saan tii mi ii?
S
s
SBJ
PN
aa
aa
notNEG
 
n
n
FUT
 
tii
tii
give
V
 
 
 
 
mi
mi
meOBJ
PN
ii?
ii?
INTR
PRT



Adverbial conjunctions

There is an Adverbial Conjunction aah which immediately precedes the verb and takes an obligatory clause final particle na. This may express Time, Reason (because), (or Manner with an additional particle pu immediately preceding the final particle na).

Temporal

Expressing time with a Nominal Subject

Uja ngbaan aah cha kisaak na u kan upeeman.
“‘When the man was going to the farm he saw an antelope.’”
Uja
uja
1man
N
ngbaan
ngbaan
theDEF
 
aah
aah
while
PRT
cha
cha
go
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
he3SG
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N

‘When the man was going to the farm he saw an antelope.’


Ute aah chuun nsan ni na, uwaa juu u

Ute aah chuun nsan ni na, uwaa juu u.
“‘When his/her father was walking along the path a snake bit him.’”
Ute
ute
3SGfather
PNposs
aah
aah
while
PRT
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
uwaa
uwaa
1snake
N
juu
juu
bit
V
u
u
him3SG
PN


‘When his/her father was walking along the path a snake bit him.’


Uja ngbaan aah bi kisaak na, u ku uwaa.

Uja ngbaan aah bi kisaak na, u ku uwaa.
“‘When the man was on the farm he killed a snake.’”
Uja
uja
1man
N
ngbaan
ngbaan
theDEF
 
aah
aah
while
PRT
bi
bi
exist
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
he3SG
PN
ku
ku
killed
V
uwaa
uwaa
1snake
N


‘When the man was on the farm he killed a snake.’

Expressing time with a pronominal subject

If this Adverbial Conjunction is immediately preceded by a pronoun, the pronoun is assimilated to the Conjunction, with the following possibilities: maah, saah, waah, taah baah, naah, yaah, kaah, laah, ŋaah. The clause final particle na occurs, as with the nominal subject.

Maah cha kisaak na m kan upeeman. ‘When I was going to the farm I saw an antelope.’

Maah cha kisaak na m kan upeeman.
“‘When I was going to the farm I saw an antelope.’”
Maah
maah
I1SGwhile
PN
cha
cha
go
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
m
m
I1SG
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N


Saah bi kisaak na, aa kan upeeman. ‘When you (sg.) were at the farm, you saw an antelope.

Saah bi kisaak na, aa kan upeeman.
“When you (sg.) were at the farm, you saw an antelope.”
Saah
saah
2SGwhile
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
aa
aa
you2SG
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N


Waah cha kisaak na u kan upeeman. ‘‘When he/she was going to the farm he/she saw an antelope.’

Waah cha kisaak na u kan upeeman.
“‘When he/she was going to the farm he/she saw an antelope.’”
Waah
waah
3SGwhilePART
PN
cha
cha
go
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N


Taah bi kisaak na, ti kan upeeman. ‘When we were at the farm, we saw an antelope.

Taah bi kisaak na, ti kan upeeman.
“‘When we were at the farm, we saw an antelope.”
Taah
taah
we1PLwhile
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N


Taah ŋeer na, ti ga ŋa tikpin la. ‘When they (noun class 5 plural, the soup leaves tifar) are ready, we will make soup.’

Taah ŋeer na, ti ga ŋa tikpin la.
“‘When they (noun class marker plural, the soup leaves 'tifar') are ready, we will make soup.’”
Taah
taah
they5when
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
ŋa
ŋa
make
V
tikpin
tikpin
5soup
N
la
la
 
PRT


Baah cha kisaak na bi kan upeeman. ‘When they were going to the farm they saw an antelope.’

Baah cha kisaak na bi kan upeeman.
“‘When they were going to the farm they saw an antelope.’”
Baah
baah
3PLwhile
PN
cha
cha
go
V
kisaak
kisaak
4farm4
N
na
na
 
PRT
bi
bi
3PL
PN
kan
kan
saw
V
upeeman
upeeman
1animalred
N


Naah ŋeer na, ti ga buen. ‘When it (neuter) is opportune we will go.’

Naah ŋeer na, ti ga buen.
“‘When it (neuter) is opportune/fitting we will go.’”
Naah
naah
NEUTwhen
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
buen
buen
go
V


Yaah ŋeer na, i ga dan. ‘When they (class 3 pl. animate) are ready they will come.’

Yaah ŋeer na, i ga dan.
“‘When they (class marker pl. animate) are ready they will come.’”
Yaah
yaah
they6when
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
i
i
they6
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
dan
dan
come
V


Yaah ŋeer na, ti ga kan. ‘Whey they (class 4 pl., 6 pl. inanimate) are ready we will get/see (them).’

Yaah ŋeer na, ti ga kan.
Yaah
yaah
theyCLwhen
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
kan
kan
see
V


Kaah ŋeer na, ti ga buu ŋinu. ‘When it (the farm, class 7 sg.) is ready, we will plant yams.’

Kaah ŋeer na, ti ga buu ŋinu.
“‘When it (the farm, class marker sg.) is ready, we will plant yams.’”
Kaah
kaah
4when
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
buu
buu
plant
V
ŋinu
ŋinu
10yam
N


Laah ŋeer na, ti ga kan. ‘When it (the chair, class 8 sg.) is ready we will see/get (it).’

Laah ŋeer na, ti ga kan.
“‘When it (the chair, class marker sg.) is ready we will see/get (it).’”
Laah
laah
9when
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
kan
kan
see
V


Ŋaah ŋeer na, ti ga kan. ‘Whey they (the chairs, class 8 pl.) are ready we will see/get (them).’

Ŋaah ŋeer na, ti ga kan.
“‘Whey they (the chairs, class marker pl.) are ready we will see/get (them).’”
Ŋaah
ŋaah
10when
PN
ŋeer
ŋeer
ready
V
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
ga
ga
willFUT
PRT
kan
kan
see
V


Reason

Expressing reason with a Nominal subject

Ute aah chuun nsan ni na, u bak a. ‘Because his father walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) he is tired.’

Ute aah chuun nsan ni na, u bak a.
“‘Because his father walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) he is tired.’”
Ute
ute
hisPOSSfather
N
aah
aah
because
PRT
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
he3SG
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
 
PRT


Kijuk ngbaan aah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because the knife (class 7 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).’

Kijuk ngbaan aah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because the knife (class 7 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).”
Kijuk
kijuk
4knife4
N
ngbaan
ngbaan
theDEF
 
aah
aah
because
ADVm
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
I1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


With pronominal subject

Maah chuun nsan ni na, m bak a. ‘Because I walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) I am tired.’

Maah chuun nsan ni na, m bak a.
“Because I walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) I am tired.”
Maah
maah
I1SGbecause
PN
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
m
m
I1SG
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
 
PRT


Saah chuun nsan ni na, aa bak a. ‘Because you (sg.) walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) you are tired.’

Saah chuun nsan ni na, aa bak a.
“Because you (sg.) walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) you are tired.”
Saah
saah
2SGbecause
PN
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
aa
aa
2SG
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
 
PRT


Waah chuun nsan ni na, u bak a. ‘Because he/she walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) he/she is tired.’

Waah chuun nsan ni na, u bak a.
Waah
waah
3SGbecause
PN
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
CLroad
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
 
PRT


Taah chuun nsan ni na, ti bak a. ‘Because we walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) we are tired.’

Taah chuun nsan ni na, ti bak a.
“Because we walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) we are tired.”
Taah
taah
1PLbecause
PN
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
 
PRT


Baah chuun nsan ni na, bi bak a. ‘Because they walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) they are tired.’

Baah chuun nsan ni na, bi bak a.
“Because they walked on the path, (i.e. came on foot) they are tired.”
Baah
baah
3PLbecause
PN
chuun
chuun
walk
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
bi
bi
3PL
PN
bak
bak
tired
V
a
a
PFV
PRT


Naah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because it got lost on the way I no longer have (it).’

Naah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because it got lost on the way I no longer have (it).”
Naah
naah
itNEUTbecause
PN
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
I1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


Yaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because they (class 3 pl., 4 pl., or 6 pl.) got lost on the way I no longer have (them).’

Yaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because they (class 6 pl.) got lost on the way I no longer have (them).”
Yaah
yaah
6because
PN
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
CLroad
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
I1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


Kaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because it (class 7 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).’

Kaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because it (class 4 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).”
Kaah
kaah
4because
PN
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


Laah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because it (class 8 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).’

Laah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because it (class 9 sg.) got lost on the way I no longer have (it).”
Laah
laah
9because
PN
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
8road
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
I1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


Ŋaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa. ‘Because they (class 8 pl.) got lost on the way I no longer have (them).’

Ŋaah waŋ nsan ni na, maa ki kpa.
“Because they (class 10 pl.) got lost on the way I no longer have (them).”
Ŋaah
ŋaah
10because
PN
waŋ
waŋ
lost
V
nsan
nsan
CLroad
N
ni
ni
onLOC
PPOST
na
na
 
PRT
maa
maa
1SGnotNEG
PN
ki
ki
again
ADVm
kpa
kpa
have
V


Manner

When Manner is indicated there is also a particle pu immediately preceding the final particle na (…aah … pun a).

Expressing Manner with a Nominal subject

Ute aah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la. ‘He/she is the same as his/her father’

Ute aah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la.
“He/she is the same as his/her father”
Ute
ute
hisPOSSfather
N
aah
aah
how
ADVm
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
 
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Kisaak ngbaan aah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way the farm is.’

Kisaak ngbaan aah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way the farm is.”
Kisaak
kisaak
4 4
N
ngbaan
ngbaan
theDEF
PRT
aah
aah
how
PRT
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Expressing Manner with a Pronominal Subject

Maah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la. ‘He/she is the same as me/I am’

Maah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la.
“He/she is the same as me/I am.”
Maah
maah
I1SGhow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
exist
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Saah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la. ‘He/she is the same as you (sg.).’

Saah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la.
“He/she is the same as you (sg.).”
Saah
saah
2SGhow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
exist
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Waah bi pu na, ti mu bi kina la. ‘We are the same as he/she is.’

Waah bi pu na, ti mu bi kina la.
“We are the same as he/she is.”
Waah
waah
3SGhow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
we1PL
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
exist
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Taah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la. ‘He/she is the same as we are.’

Taah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la.
“He/she is the same as we are.”
Taah
taah
1PLhow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
exist
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Baah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la. ‘He/she is the same as they are.’

Baah bi pu na, u mu bi kina la.
“He/she is the same as they are.”
Baah
baah
3PLhow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
u
u
3SG
PN
mu
mu
also
ADJ
bi
bi
exist
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Naah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way it (neuter) is.’

Naah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way it (neuter) is.”
Naah
naah
NEUThow
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Yaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way they (Pron. class 3 pl., 4 pl. or 6 pl.) are.’

Yaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way they (Pron. class 6 pl.) are.”
Yaah
yaah
6how
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Kaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way it (Pron. class 5 sg. or 7 sg.) is.’

Kaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way it (Pron. class 4 sg.) is.”
Kaah
kaah
4how
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Laah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way it (Pron. class 8 sg.) is.’

Laah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way it (cl.9) is.”
Laah
laah
9how
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Ŋaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la. ‘We like the way they (Pron. class 8 pl.) are.’

Ŋaah bi pu na, ti gee kina la.
“We like the way they (cl.10) are.”
Ŋaah
ŋaah
10how
PN
bi
bi
exist
V
pu
pu
how
PRT
na
na
 
PRT
ti
ti
1PL
PN
gee
gee
like
V
kina
kina
like-that
ADVm
la
la
 
PRT


Noun classes

Singular Plural
prefix suffix prefix suffix
u- # bi- -b/m
unii ‘person’ binib ‘people’
usapɔɔn ‘unmarried girl’ bisapɔm ‘girls’
uja ‘man’ bijab ‘men’
uchaan ‘stranger’ bicham ‘strangers’
ubɔr ‘chief’ bibɔrb ‘chiefs’


Singular Plural
prefix suffix prefix suffix
u- # bi- -b/m
unii ‘person’ binib ‘people’
usapɔɔn ‘unmarried girl’ bisapɔm ‘girls’
uja ‘man’ bijab ‘men’
uchaan ‘stranger’ bicham ‘strangers’
ubɔr ‘chief’ bibɔrb ‘chiefs’

References

  1. Mary Steele. 2009. Annotating Konkomba. TypeCraft Grammar squib. Available online at http://www.typecraft.org. Accessed at [DATE].