Here, close by: gimba Demonstratives: Background concepts: nil words that Here, a little further: General: – point things out nyua Demonstratives are words that point things out, eg, this, There, close: giyu that, here, there. This is sometimes referred to as deixis. There, some distance: Aboriginal Languages make finer distinctions in demonstratives than English does. mainyuk There, out of sight: They generally express distances in space and time. maluk Demonstrative pronouns are often used in place of the There, a very long 3rd person pronouns he, she or it. way: maiuk Grammatical: This, close: ginga Demonstrative pronouns have an object form in your This, near here: nyinya Language. That: ginyu, malu Demonstratives might have dual and plural forms. Demonstratives might be marked for person and number. Category Two Bound pronouns: Identifying nouns and pronouns, verbs Singular Bound Pronouns: Background concepts: I hit I hit subject (subj) General: pronouns dakan The subject is the person or thing carrying out the action – pronouns are dak-a-an of the verb. Eg, in the sentence The man hit the dog the – that Hit-PRES-I man did the hitting so he is the subject of the verb hit. substitute for Singular means one person, ie, I or you or she/he/it. nouns You hit You hit Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns, eg, I, (I, you, he, she, Dakangin you, he, me, them, they etc. it) Dak-a-ngin Aboriginal Languages have a much more complex pronoun Hit-PRES- you system than English. There are both bound pronouns, those that are affixed or He hits He hits added to words, and free standing pronouns, which are Daka separate words. Dak-a–ø The forms are more commonly used. Hit-PRES-he Grammatical: Perhaps begin with singular (sg) subjects.
– words that point things out Here, close by: gimba Here, a little further: nyua There, close: giyu There, some distance: mainyuk There, out of sight: maluk There, a very long way: maiuk This, close: ginga This, near here: nyinya That: ginyu, malu Demonstratives: Background concepts: nil General: Demonstratives are words that point things out, eg, this, that, here, there. This is sometimes referred to as deixis. Aboriginal Languages make finer distinctions in demonstratives than English does. They generally express distances in space and time. Demonstrative pronouns are often used in place of the 3rd person pronouns he, she or it. Grammatical: Demonstrative pronouns have an object form in your Language. Demonstratives might have dual and plural forms. Demonstratives might be marked for person and number. Category Two Singular subject (subj) pronouns – pronouns are that substitute for nouns (I, you, he, she, it) Bound Pronouns: I hit dakan dak-a-an Hit-PRES-I You hit Dakangin Dak-a-ngin Hit-PRES- you He hits Daka Dak-a–ø Hit-PRES-he Bound pronouns: I hit You hit He hits Background concepts: Identifying nouns and pronouns, verbs General: The subject is the person or thing carrying out the action of the verb. Eg, in the sentence The man hit the dog – the man did the hitting so he is the subject of the verb hit. Singular means one person, ie, I or you or she/he/it. Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns, eg, I, you, he, me, them, they etc. Aboriginal Languages have a much more complex pronoun system than English. There are both bound pronouns, those that are affixed or added to words, and free standing pronouns, which are separate words. The forms are more commonly used. Grammatical: Perhaps begin with singular (sg) subjects.
A_quick_reference_guide_to_the_grammar_of_Victorian_Aboriginal_Languages_F-12.docx