Page:An Australian language as spoken by the Awabakal.djvu/380

 60 AN AUSTKALTAX LAXOUAOE.

Tn the formation of the tenses and modifications, the letter r is changed into its rehitive liquid /, and n, for the sake of euphony, is clianged into 7n by assimilation. Eupliony also requires an a terminating the root to be modified into the diphthong ai ; and nd, on account of the influence of the preceding i, becomes 7i(l)/.

The Texses.

There are. no fewer than ten tenses in the language ; besides those common to most languages, some are peculiar tenses which have an adverbial signification.

The following shows the conjugation of a simple verb : — Buma, * beat,' Indicative Mood. T. 1. (Present Tense).

Sing. 1. Graddu* bumarra I beat.

2. Gindu* bumarra Thou beatest.

3. Gruin* bumarra He, she, beats.

Dual. G-alli bimiarra AVe (two) beat.

Galligu bumarra He and I beat.

Flu. 1. Greanni bumarra We beat.

2. Gindugir bumarra You beat.

3. Guaingulia bumarra They beat.

T. 2. G-addu bumalgarrin T. 6. Graddu bumalinni

3. Graddu bumalgurranni 7. (raddn bumalgirri

4. Graddu bumae 8. Graddu bumalgirriawagirri

5. Gaddu l)uma]guan 9. Gaddu Inunal garrigirri

T. 10. (Fut.-perf.) Gaddu bumalyigirri. The T. numbers here indicate the Tenses as ou page 26 of this volume.

Infinitive.

Bumalli, 'to beat.'

Imperative.

Sing. 1. Bumallidyu, ' let me beat.'

2. Bumalla (fbuma), 'beat thou.'

3. Bumallaguin barri, ' let him beat. 'J

Dual Galli bumalli, ' let us two beat.'

Gulagalligunna bumalli, ' let him and me beat.'

Plu. 1. Bumalli geanni, ' let us beat.'

2. Gindugir bumalla (fbuma), 'beat you.'

3. Bumalla guaingulia barri, ' let them beat.'

balundu ; 3. balaguin. f This abbreviated form is often used. :{: The verbs ending in -ana or -anna differ from this in Imj). sing. 1, 2, 3.
 * For emphasis use here — Sing. 1. yallu o?* baladu, o?- j'alludu ; 2.

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