Page:A grammar of the Teloogoo language.djvu/101

 Nouns ending in c&>S$ change this termination optionally into "^^o O r 118 ; thus, S&DjgcCd3w a pearl, 'oo O r this rule is also applicable to nouns in c&b. ft03- --

OF THE CHANGE OF LETTERS IN THE MIDDLE OF WORDS.

The changes which take place in the middle of words are few and easy, and consist chiefly of contractions which occur naturally in a quick pronunciation-

Present verbal participles ending in *& preceded by r&, optionally drop the ^ of <&, or sometimes change the &> into o, thus, 9i$j-v&> saying, seeing, &&>& hearing, make && - s ^ - Srfr^, or - &o& -c5b. -i5"?Sb-iS3 going, $J^&>-&> entering, and some other verbal paticiples do not change &> into o, but they frequently drop the "o in ?&.

Verbal Roots of more than two syllables, of which ^ - ew - &o - 5b or few are medials, frequently drop the ^ of these syllables ; thus, ~ld'&>&>t3 plait, to twist, often becomes ~^^^ and <^5Sb -Z& ; zoee/?, ?o cry, ^^^ ; but if, in such roots, one short syllable only precede <^o > or few, no elision of the "O takes place ; thus, &>2&-b to wipe, cannot become e$j Cs.

Nouns of three syllables, of which the middle one is &> ew or <2Sb, freqt^nt- 122 ly drop the N> of these syllables ; thus, -) a watei^cottrse, make "^^ "^ T>e; ; and this elision of ^ takes place even in other words; thus, "S^ftoST 6 ?!) a buffalo 1&T""iW(i)0 a species ofjiger, sometimes become

A in the middle or end of a word is often changed into 3 ; thus, *fijfo J23 Y//, become also