Page:An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language).djvu/27

 PART I.

AN AINU–ENGLISH–JAPANESE DICTIONARY.

ア　イ　ヌ —和—英—辭　典

A ( ア ).

,, A passive prefix to verbs. Thus, “to write;” , “to be written.” , “to kill;” “to be killed.” The old form still used among the Saghalin Ainu and also among those inhabiting the central districts of Yezo is. Thus,, “written;” , “killed.” “Is the table to be prepared?” But this  or  is not always prefixed to the word it governs, other words may inter - vene between them. Thus, for, “water was caused to be drawn,” we hear, and for , “to be helped,” we hear.

,, Sometimes  or  represents past time only. Thus;, “it has been finished,” “it has been done,” or “it was finished” or “done.”

, ,