Metin/Grammar

Copular sentences
(bhaa) NOM-NP--NOM-NP

(bhaa) tsime Za tsimetin

NOM-person that NOM-Metin

That person is Metin.

Bhaa is added to emphaisze that the first NP is the second noun phrase in exclusion to several other alternatives; eg; That person is Metin, (not Ishnna or some other ethnicity). Bhaa is usually used to correct people, and can sound somewhat rude.  

Dhaa transforms a statement into a question. It is placed before the NP in question, which is moved to the front of the sentence.  Dhaa questions are often responded to with bhaa answers that have identical word orders.

Dhaa tsime Za tsimetin?

INQ NOM-person that NOM-metin

''Is that person Metin? ''(One of the people the asker is referring to is Metin but the asker is uncertain which)

Dhaa tsimetin tsime Za

INQ NOM-Metin NOM-person that

''Is that person Metin? ''(The person being referred to is of ambiguous ethnicity)

Negative copular sentences
Míinmi negates a copular sentence.

Míinmi tsime Za tsimetin

NEG NOM-person that NOM-Metin

That person isn't metin

Mínbha and míndha are the negatives of bhaa and dhaa respectively

mínbha tsimetin tsime Za

NEG NOM-Metin NOM-person that

''That person isn't Metin. (corrective tone)''

míndha tsimetin tsime Za?

NEG-INQ NOM-Metin NOM-person that

Isn't that person Metin?

Simple locative sentences
Preposition--OBL NP--NOM locative object NP

oon tsuarme Za sxudhááy ghe

above OBL-person that NOM-staircase that-INV-2

''The staircase is above that guy. (the staircase can't be seen from where the adressee is)''

Prepositional PRN--NOM locative object NP

sxutxienme sxuoomíxtl'an  muyo

NOM-forum-P GEN-Míxtl'an under.you

Under you is the forum of Mixtlan.

When the prepositional NP is first, the location of the object. It is the word order exculsively used when answering "where" questions. When the locative object NP is first, the identity of the noun is emphasized. This word order is typically used to point out interesting or important objects

Ellipted locative sentences
The object of a locative sentence may be ellipted.

oozó

behind.you

It's behind you.

lyí oowji

inside OBL-water

It's in the water.

Locative sentences with multiple prepositional NP's
The prepositional NP's are listed in sequence from general to specific.

bhuay yerrao  bhiminz  sxuarmunz pli sxuaɬtoó  isin qoo

inside OBL-town near OBL-Munz's.place through OBL-garden NOM-path white

The white path is in the city, going through the garden near Munz's place.