Page:A Sketch of Mota Grammar.djvu/13

(9) IV. ADJECTIVES.

The qualification of a substantive is most commonly effected in Mota by a verb, not by an adjective, e. g. o tanun we tatas, 'a bad man'=a man (who) is bad. This is in fact the ordinary way of speaking, and the true adjectives in the language are few. There are, however, some words, that is to say, not substantives, which may be used adjectively to qualify, as above, sinaga vui, 'spirit (= spiritual) food;' not words which are really verbs, used where in English an adjective would be used; but words signifying a quality, and coming after the substantive to qualify the idea.

It is possible that all these true adjectives might be soon written down, but a few examples will suffice:— O ima mantagai, 'a small house;' o ima liwoa, 'a large house.' Mantagai and liwoa have no use as substantives; they are here adjectives purely. These, and indeed all adjectives can be used as verbs, o ima mantagai, o ima liwoa, but with a slight corresponding change of sense.

Degrees of comparison are expressed by prepositions and adverbs:—'A horse is bigger than a cow,' O horse we poa o kau—is big away from. 'We are more than they,' Kamam we qoqo neira—many over and above them. 'This is the biggest,' iloke we poa aneane— big exceedingly. It is sufficient to express comparison to say merely, 'This is big.' Iloke we poa, it being understood that a comparison is made in the mind.

V. NUMERALS.

Numerals are in use, sometimes substantives, sometimes adjectives, and sometimes are used in the form of verbs.

1. The cardinals are (1) tuwale, (2) nirua, (3) nitol,