Page:An Australian language as spoken by the Awabakal.djvu/335

 VERBS.

4 (h). Suffixes to Verbs. Iinperatire and Affirmative Forms.

The imperative, in the Miiiyug dialect, is the simplest form of the verb ; it will therefore be quoted as the stem of the verb. In true verbs, it ends in -a or -e ; as, kulga, 'cut,' bugge, ' fall.' If the -a or -e is cut off, there remains the root of the verb, and to it the verbal suffixes are attached. These are very numerous, and appear, at first sight, to be very complicated ; but the whole may be simplified by taking them in the following order : — (1) Final suffixes; (2) Internal strengthening particles or letters; and (3) Separable demonstrative particles. The usual final suffixes are : —

1. -a, -e, used in giving a command or in expressing a wish.

2. -ala, -ela, denoting present action.

3. -an, denoting future action.

4. -anne, -inne, -unne, denoting unfinished past action.

5. -oro, denoting finished action.

6. -en, the historical past tense ; often an aorist participle.

7. -inna, used, but rarely, as a participle.

8. -ia7i, past time ; with passive sense, when required.

9. -ia, -e, -aia, when used with a leading verb, has a future meaning, but it is generally the infinitive or noun form to express verbal action.

10. -ai, may be called the subjunctive, but the verb does not take this form in all positions where we might expect a sub- junctive to be used.

11. -enden, -unden, -anden, is probably derived from kinda, the sixth form of which is kinden. It adds the idea of ' made ' or ' did ' to the root idea of the verb. It is sometimes equivalent to the passive, and at times it becomes the foundation of another verb, so that there are such forms -endene, -endeloro, &c. It some- times takes, between it and the root, the strengthening particles of the next paragraph.

12. The internal strengthening particles ai'e (1) le, I, r, re, (2) g, ng-g, ing-g, and (3) h. These are inserted between the root and and the final suffix, and are sometimes compounded together, so that there are such form as galle and halle. These particles add but little to the meaning. It may be that le or re gives a sense of continuance to the action, so that while ala is a simple present, while alela may be a progressive present. This, however, is very doubtful. In fact, it may be stated, once for all, that while there is an abundance of forms, the aborigines do not seem to make very exact distinctions in meaning between one form and another.

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