Kawembupon

** Under early construction **

Kawepon / Kawembupon / Kawemalupon

Phonemic inventory
(with Latin orthography in parentheses) ===Consonants === *          w is a velar-bilabial



===Syllable structure === (C)V(R)

C: a consonant V: a vowel R: a consonant other than a stop; i.e. one of /m n ŋ l w/



===Allophony === 
 * Nasals [m n ŋ] become nasals and assimilate in place of articulation to a following stop or nasal.
 * Semivowels [w] persistently become mid-low [ɔ̯] after a lax vowel.
 * Prenasalised stops [mb nd ŋg] become non-prenasalised [b d g] after a stop.
 * Non-back vowels [i ɛ] become central [ɨ ɜ] after a semivowel.
 * Nasals [m n ŋ] become nasals and assimilate in place of articulation to the previous phone between a stop or nasal and a stop or nasal.
 * Semivowels [w ɔ̯] assimilate in laxity to a following vowel or approximant other than [l]. Before a lax vowel or semivowel, [w] become [ɔ̯].
 * Semivowels [w o̯ ɔ̯] assimilate in laxity to a following vowel or approximant other than [l]. Before a lax vowel or semivowel, [w] become [ɔ̯].
 * Unrounded non-bilabial consonants [n ŋg k ...] become rounded [nʷ ŋgʷ kʷ ...] before a rounded semivowel.
 * Unrounded non-bilabial consonants [n ŋg k ...] persistently become rounded [nʷ ŋgʷ kʷ ...] before a rounded consonant.
 * [ɔ̯] become [o̯] before a high vowel or semivowel.
 * Stops [mb p dʷ ...] persistently assimilate in voice to a following stop.
 * Stops [mp ŋk d ...] assimilate in voice to a preceding stop or nasal.
 * Front vowels [i ɛ] become central [ɨ ɜ] before a back semivowel.



I. The Verb.

Paradigmatic contrasts:

Gender, grammatical person and number are not taken into account in the morphological paradigm.
 * 1) ·        Finite-Infinite (and participle)
 * 2) ·        Positive-Negative
 * 3) ·        Past-Nonpast
 * 4) ·        Perfect-Imperfect
 * 5) ·        Realis-Irrealis (i.e., indicative-subjunctive/optative/imperative/interrogative)
 * 6) ·        Formal-Informal-Familiar

Paradigm of Verbs.
Derivational forms

(formal, informal and familiar non-past, positive, realis forms)

Verbal:

Deontic Modalities:

 ·       “must” – it is necessary

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">we-                  wendemalu    wendembu    wenda

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3level1lfo1"> ·       “should”, “ought” – it is advantageous, recommended or expected

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">mbi-                mbindemalu  mbindembu   mbinda

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3level1lfo1"> ·       “may” – it is permissible

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">lu-                   lundemalu     lundembu      lunda

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3level1lfo1"> ·       “want” – it is desirable (for the subject)

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">ka-                   kandemalu     kandembu     kanda

<p class="MsoNormal">

<h5 class="MsoNormal">Epistemic Modalities:

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4level1lfo2"> ·       “evidently” – it appears to be the case

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">pete-               petendemalu petendembu  petenda

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4level1lfo2"> ·       “probably” – it is likely the case

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">kali-                 kalindemalu   kalindembu   kalinda

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4level1lfo2"> ·       “possibly” – it may be the case

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">hgiki-              hgikindemalu            hgikindembu hgikinda

<p class="MsoNormal">

<h5 class="MsoNormal">Coordinative Modalities:

<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2level1lfo3"> ·       simple coordinative

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in">-ka                               demaluka                   dembuka                    ndaka

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2level1lfo3"> ·       “because”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">ndi- -ka                       ndindemaluka           ndindembuka            ndindaka

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2level1lfo3"> ·       “while”, “during”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">membe- -ka               membendemaluka    membendembuka    membendaka

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2level1lfo3"> ·       “in order to”, “for”

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">tula- -ka                      tulandemaluka          tulandembuka           tulandaka

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2level1lfo3"> ·       “for” (someone)

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">wehita- -ka                 wehitandemaluka     wehitandembuka      wehitandaka

<p class="MsoNormal">

<h4 class="MsoNormal">Nominal:

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       person – one who does X

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">-ku                  ndemaluku    ndembuku     ndaku

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       object – the thing which X is done to

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">-wele               ndemaluwele ndembuwele ndawele

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       instrument – the thing used to do X

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">-pon                ndemalupon  ndembupon   ndapon

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       time – the time at which X took place

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">mbe- -ndo      mbendemalundo      mbendembundo       mbendando

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       place – the place where X is done

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">mbe- -mbu     mbendemalumbu     mbendembumbu      mbendambu

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       purpose – the reason X was done

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">mbe- -kekaku            mbendemalukekaku mbendembukekaku mbendakekaku

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0level1lfo4"> ·       abstraction – the act of X

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">-hgeu              ndemaluhgeu            ndembuhgeu ndahgeu

<p class="MsoNormal">

<h4 class="MsoNormal">Adjectival:

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1level1lfo5"> ·       agency – the quality of something that does X

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">-keke               ndemalukeke, etc.

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1level1lfo5"> ·       objectivity – the quality of something that X is done to

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">-tete                ndemalutete, etc.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<h3 class="MsoNormal">Some Verbs:

<p class="MsoNormal">a                      to love

<p class="MsoNormal">he                    to get, acquire

<p class="MsoNormal">hgo                  to leave

<p class="MsoNormal">kawe               to speak

<p class="MsoNormal">ka                    to help

<p class="MsoNormal">ke                    to run

<p class="MsoNormal">ki                     to make

<p class="MsoNormal">ko                    to sleep

<p class="MsoNormal">le                     to stand

<p class="MsoNormal">lo                     to want, hope for, await

<p class="MsoNormal">ma                   to arrive

<p class="MsoNormal">me                   to swim

<p class="MsoNormal">mbo                to hunt

<p class="MsoNormal">na                    to come

<p class="MsoNormal">nde                 to travel, go

<p class="MsoNormal">ndo                 to walk

<p class="MsoNormal">o                      to hate

<p class="MsoNormal">pe                    to forget

<p class="MsoNormal">pi                     to dream

<p class="MsoNormal">te                     to think

<p class="MsoNormal">wa                   to happen, occur

<p class="MsoNormal">we                   to kneel

II. The Noun.
<p class="MsoNormal">

Compared to the verb, nouns are very much unmarked. However, they do take clitics which refer to determination and case.

Paradigmatic Contrasts of Enclitics:

 * 1) ·        Proximal-mesioproximal-mesiodistal-distal

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-0.25in;">
 * 1) ·        Nominative-Accusative-Dative-Genitive-Vocative

Paradigm of nominal enclitics
<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Use of Gen and Dative.

<p class="MsoNormal">Modifier (Gen/Dat) precedes modified (Nom/Acc/Voc):

<p class="MsoNormal">ende.ndunda le.ndumemambe “that lagoon of the fish (i.e. which has fish)”

<p class="MsoNormal">Dist-Gen.fish MDist-Nom.lagoon

<p class="MsoNormal">membe.talmba mba.downihahgamika “the scripture of this village”

<p class="MsoNormal">Prox-Gen.village Prox-Nom.scripture

<p class="MsoNormal">

g/dREL – ko
<p class="MsoNormal">G-REL – ne

<p class="MsoNormal">D-REL – mbe

<p class="MsoNormal">dREL and gREL are used to represent covert dative and genitive relatives. D-REL and G-REL are for overt dative and genitive relatives. The overt forms are used when further subordination happens within the relative clause.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kende.warunona ende.tem mba.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail + G.man -> N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail G.man N.fish               -->       fish which are a. on trail, b. of man

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">ende.tem kende.warunona nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">G.man + D.trail -> N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">G.man D.trail N.fish               -->       fish which are a. of man, b. on trail

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kende.warunona ko ende.tem nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail -> [G.man -> N.fish]

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail dREL G.man N.fish     -->       fish of man which are on the trail

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">ende.tem ko kende.warunona nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">G.man -> [D.trail -> N.fish]

<p class="MsoNormal">G.man gREL D.trail N.fish      -->       fish on the trail which are of man

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kende.warunona mba.tem ne nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">G[D.trail -> N.man] -> N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail N.man G-REL N.fish    -->       fish which are of { the man who is on the trail }

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">ende.tem mba.warunona ne nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">D[G.man -> N.trail] -> N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">G.man N.trail D-REL N.fish    -->       fish which are on { the trail that is of the man }

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kende.warunona mba.tem ne kend.eliwae nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">G[D.trail N.man] -> D.reed N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail N.man G-REL D.reed N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">[fish in the reed] which are of { the man on the trail }

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kende.warunona mba.tem ne mb.eliwae mbe nda.ndunda

<p class="MsoNormal">D{ G[D.trail -> N.man] N.reed} -> N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">D.trail N.man G-REL N.reed D-REL N.fish

<p class="MsoNormal">fish which are { in the reed which is [of the man on the trail] }

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

Some Nouns:
<p class="MsoNormal">akinom                       mountain, hill

<p class="MsoNormal">enda                           animal (usually mammals)

<p class="MsoNormal">eton                            barley

<p class="MsoNormal">eliwae                         reed

<p class="MsoNormal">gambam                     fishing pole

<p class="MsoNormal">hahgan                       syllabic characters

<p class="MsoNormal">hahgamika                 writing

<p class="MsoNormal">eliwaehgan                reed scroll or book

<p class="MsoNormal">downihahgamika      scripture

<p class="MsoNormal">lokawe                        estuary (connected by creeks or rivers to land)

<p class="MsoNormal">ndamba                      father

<p class="MsoNormal">ndembun                   fish bones

<p class="MsoNormal">ndolinoin                    creek (feeds a larger river)

<p class="MsoNormal">ndunda                      fish

<p class="MsoNormal">ndumemambe           lagoon (not fed by a river, except perhaps a few creeks in the

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:1.0in">wet season)

<p class="MsoNormal">tan                              member of another social group

<p class="MsoNormal">talmba                        settlement

<p class="MsoNormal">telwe                           bird

<p class="MsoNormal">tem                             tribesman

<p class="MsoNormal">tenak                          river that leads to a lake

<p class="MsoNormal">tendipew                    river that leads only to the sea

<p class="MsoNormal">warunona                  trail

<p class="MsoNormal">wen                             ocean

<p class="MsoNormal">wendewa                   fish-reservoir

<p class="MsoNormal">wewa                          mother

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Simple sentences

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">kendewendewa endetem ndendunda membu

<p class="MsoNormal">D.fsh-rs G.man N.fish swim

<p class="MsoNormal">This man’s fish (over there) swim (informal) in the fish-reservoir (over there)

<p class="MsoNormal">

==='''Pronouns. '''=== <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">

Adjectives.
<p class="MsoNormal">Adjectives precede nouns and do not take any declensional forms.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">atipi                tall

<p class="MsoNormal">aka                  white

<p class="MsoNormal">akandi                        light                (opposite of dark)

<p class="MsoNormal">eng                  big

<p class="MsoNormal">hehe               heavy

<p class="MsoNormal">iki                    small

<p class="MsoNormal">katondi           green

<p class="MsoNormal">mandu            short               (length)

<p class="MsoNormal">manel             bad

<p class="MsoNormal">ndelu              blue

<p class="MsoNormal">nengu             short               (height)

<p class="MsoNormal">ngengun         wide

<p class="MsoNormal">tapenga          thin                 (outside dimension, as of a string)

<p class="MsoNormal">tapika             narrow           (inside dimension, as of a ravine)

<p class="MsoNormal">tenengin         long

<p class="MsoNormal">tewak              black

<p class="MsoNormal">tewangi          dark

<p class="MsoNormal">wakata            good

<p class="MsoNormal">wake               light                (opposite of heavy)

<p class="MsoNormal">wanu              red or orange