Page:An Australian language as spoken by the Awabakal.djvu/112

 26 AN AUSTEALIAK LxVXGUAGE.

Of the PARTICirLES.

1. The Present. This lias already been described ; but it may be necessary to menticm, that the present [.^articiple can be used only with reference to present time, not to the past and future, as is the case in English; as, bunkilliu, 'striking' now.

2. The Imperfect -definite., which represents the action as being in ]:)rogress at some definite past period ; as, bunkillikeiin, ' striking,' sc.^ this morning.

3. The Jmperfcct-past-aorist, which represents the action as being in prot^ress at any recent time; as, biinkilliela no a,, he was striking.'

4. The Pasf-present-aorist, which asserts the action as having been engaged in and completed at some former period; as, b \i n- talla bag, wouuai bag ba, 'I struck when I was a child '; w i y a 1 1 a bag w o n n a i-k i 1 o a, w o n n a i bag b a, 'I spoke as a child when I was a child.'

5. The Pluperfect, which indicates the action as having been completed prior to some other past event mentioned; as, biin- killiela t a, ' had struck,' sc, prior to something.

0. The Inceptive-future, which asserts that the action is now about to be pursued; as, biinkilli kolag bag, 'lam going to strike,' or 'I am going a-striking ' ; makoro kolag bug, ' I am going a-fishing.'

7. Fiiture-definil e, which asserts the action as about to be engaged in at some future definite period ; as, b u n k i 1 1 i k i u bag, 'I am going to strike,' &c., to-morrow morning.

8. The Future-aorist, which asserts that the action will exist at some future undefined period ; as, b ii n k i 1 1 i n u n bag, 'I am going to strike,' sc, at some time or other, hereafter.

[ PARADIGM OF THE TENSES AND THEIR MEANINGS.

The Tenses of the verb and their meanings, as given above, may be concisely expressed thus : —

Indicative Mood and Participles.

Tense. Meaxixg.

1. Present tense, I am or do — now.

2. Imperfect-dejinite, I was or was doing — this morning.

3. First-aorint, I was or was doing — recently.

4. Second-aorist, I was or did — at some former period.

5. Perfect-dfflnite. I have been or done — this morning.

G. Pluperfect, I had been or done — before some event.

7. Inceptiv'-juture, I am going to or shall, be or do — now.

JS. F at ure-df finite, I am going to or shall, be or do — to-

morrow morning.

9. Fature-aorist, I am going to or shall, be or do — at

some time hereafter.

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