Test Sentences, 89

Continuing with Gary’s list:

120. Toward the end of August the days grow much shorter.

Days grow shorter. Hmm. Days grow longer could be done with eyevi, which is evi prefixed to remove an otherwise required source. Now how do I do the equivalent (remove an argument) from ɛmɛmɛ? Let’s see. I’ve already used A eyɛmɛ D to mean that A is made out of D, so that’s out. But I have no use for mɛhɛmɛ, indeed I’ve disallowed it. Well, scratch that, here’s a good use for it. So: lonɨdi eyevi goɬi “days get longer” and lonɨdi mɛhɛmɛ usi “days get shorter”. You might recognize goɬi as the adverb “for a long time” or “for some time”. usi would be “for a short time”.

And then we will use a serial predicate: days approach the end of the season and grow much shorter.

120. lonɨdi notɨŋi bɨlɨs da gada mɛhɛmɛ usi no.

Questions?