Page:A Concise Grammar of the Malagasy Language.djvu/68

 5. A possessive case follows its noun (whether nỳ precedes it or not). See Rules for Indications of Case. The exception to Rules (4) and (5) is when a word closely connected with the qualified noun intervenes; as, nỳ tànana ànkavanan-dRalàmbo, 'the right hand of Ralambo'; nỳ vahòa-dRànavàlona rehètra, 'all the subjects of Rànavàlona'.

6. In the case of a passive or a relative verb and its agent, the agent always comes next to its verb; as, nòvonòin' nỳ jìolàhy ìzy, 'he was killed by the highwaymen.'

Even in the case of compound verbs (as, mamìndra-fò, from ìndra and fò), when the passive or the relative construction is used, the agent, and all words closely connected with it, must come next to the verb, the noun (in this case, fò) being separated from its verb; as, (Active) namìndra-fò tàminào nỳ tòmpon-tròsa, 'the creditor showed mercy to you'. (Relative) nàmindràn' nỳ tòmpon-tròsa fò hìanào, 'you were shown mercy by the creditor'.

Kà òhàbòlana kèly nò hatàoko hò èntiko handà nỳ hanàovanào àhy andrìambavènty.

Translation.—And so I will make a little parable (lit. a little parable shall be made by me), to be used by me in refusing (lit. to refuse) your making me a judge.

Kà, final conjunction, 'and so'.

Òhabòlana, compound noun, from òhatra, 'measure', 'figure', and vòlana, 'word', meaning a figure of speech,