Page:A Concise Grammar of the Malagasy Language.djvu/52

 (sun-dried meat) that is good when hung; but words are not good (when) hung'; i.e. they are better spoken".

The reasons for believing that nò may have been originally an article (if not identical with nỳ) are as follows:—

(1) Nò is nearly identical in form with nỳ.

(2) It makes the use of nỳ unnecessary; as, ìza nò tsàra (not, ìza nò nỳ tsàra)? 'which is the good one'?

(3) In some idiomatic phrases it seems to have the force of nỳ, or of the relative pronoun izày.

A. To emphasize or discriminate.
 * (1) A subject—
 * in assertive sentences; as, ìzy nò hanào izàny, 'it is he who shall do that'.
 * in interrogative sentences; as, aìza nò alèhanào, 'where is it that you are going'?
 * N.B.—When the answer to a question would be a subject, nò should be used; as, ìza nò ìzy? 'Which is it'?—the answer being, 'This is it'. But where nò is not used, the answer would be a predicate; as, ìza ìzy? or, ìza mòa ìzy? 'Who is he'?—the answer would be very different, 'He is my brother', &c.
 * in imperative sentences; as, nỳ tsàra nò hàno, ' the good are those which should be eaten' (i.e. eat the good).
 * in hortative sentences; as, àza nỳ ràtsy nò hànina, 'let not the bad ones be those which are eaten'.