Part 4 (1/2)

a. A consonant with _i_: _fi_, _li_, _mi_, _ni_, _ngi_, _si_, or _i_ by itself; e.g. _tau_, _taufi_; _mae_, _maeli_: _ano_, _anomi_; _mou_, _mouni_; _sau_, _saungi_; _ada_, _adasi_; _manatat_, _manatai_; to the verb _taa_ to be bad, both _si_ and _li_ are added and the causative _fa_ is prefixed: _fataasi_, _fataali_, to make worse. Certain verbs which are active in Lau are neuter in Sa'a: _angai_ to lift, _angaia_ lift it, Sa'a _angainia_; _faodo_ to straighten, _faodoa_ straighten it, Sa'a _ha'aodohie_; _famae_ to kill, _famaea_, Sa'a _ha'amaesie_; _famou_ to frighten, _famoua_, Sa'a _ ha'ama'usie_.

b. The termination _ai_ is suffixed by itself to nouns to convert them into verbs, _sato_, _satoai_. When this syllable _ai_ is suffixed to verbs the genitive _ni_ may be added, and to the form _aini_ the consonants f, m, ng, t, are prefixed: _oli_ to return, _olifaini_ to carry back, _ala_ to answer, _alamaini_ to consent, _sau_ to become, _saungaini_ to make, _tagala_ lost, _tagalangaini_ to drive out, _foaa_ to pray, _foaataini_ to pray for. The forms in _ai_ are also used intransitively: _tege_ to fall, _tegelai_ lost, _oli_ to turn, _olitai_ converted.

The genitive _ni_ (cf. M. L., p. 532) is often omitted and is not invariably used as it is in Sa'a, since the form _ai_ without the addition of _ni_ is transitive: _gonitai_ to receive, _gwoutai_ or _gwoutaini_ to be left alone, _oalangai_ to apportion, _fatolamai_ to command.

_Ani_ appears to be used by itself as a transitive suffix: _ui_ to throw, _uiani_ to throw away, _laga_ to drive, _lagaani_ to drive away, _taba_ to strike, _tabaani_ to destroy; _ani_ is used also with _too_ to hit, _tooani_ to understand.

With either cla.s.s of suffixes there is no difference in meaning between one suffix and another.

5. Prefixes to verbs: These are causative and reciprocal.

The causative is _fa_: it may be prefixed to almost any word, and it may be used with words which have a transitive suffix. The use of _fa_ frequently obviates the use of a transitive suffix and of itself makes verbs transitive.

The reciprocal is _qai_: generally when _qai_ is prefixed to a verb the action of the verb is enlarged and the subject is included. The illative _fe_ also marks repet.i.tion or restoration or continuance; it is followed by the adverb _lau_ again: _na abana e fe boeboela lau_ his hand was restored whole.

6. Pa.s.sive: The pa.s.sive is expressed by the use of the personal p.r.o.noun plural third _gera_ or _da_, with the verb and the adverb _na_ already: _gera taufia na_ it has been washed; _gera_ and _da_ are used impersonally. The word _saetana_ it is said, _sae_ to say, is used as a pa.s.sive: _se doo saetana_ the thing said, _si baela ne saetana uri_ the word which was said.

7. Auxiliary verbs: _Alu_ to put, is used as meaning, to be, to become; _talae_, v. tr. to begin, means also to become; _sau_ to make, with the possessive _ana, sau ana_ to become.

8. Reflexive verb: The word _mara_ with suffixed p.r.o.noun is used to denote reflexive action: _nia saungia marana_. It also carries the meaning self, of one's own accord: _i bobongi ka manata tetea ana marana_ the morrow can take care of itself.

9. Reduplication: Verbs are reduplicated in two ways: (a) by reduplication of the first syllable: _liu_, _liliu_; _bae_, _babae_; (b) by repet.i.tion of the whole word: _gwou_, _gwougwou_. There is no difference between the various forms beyond an intensification in meaning. In the vocabulary the reduplicated form is presented under the entry of the stem.

ADVERBS.

There are pure adverbs in Lau, but many words used as adverbs are truly nouns and others are verbs; adjectives may also occur in this employment.

1. Adverbs of place: _mai_ here, hither; go there, thither, _ne_ may be added, gone, also _langi_ go, no. _Lo_ there, is compounded with _go_ and _gi_, _logo_ north, west; _se_ here, a noun, _i se_, _isena_, here, in this place, _gula_ place, a noun: _si gula na_ this place, here, _gula i maa_ outside. _bali_ side, a noun, _bali ne_ here, on this side; _i bali jordan i bali logo_ on the far side of Jordan; _ifai_ where, _gamu mai ifai_ whence are you? _tau_, a verb, far off: _alaa_ up, south, east, _ilangi_, _ifafo_, up.

2. Adverbs of time: _kada na_ (_ne_), _manga na_, now; _si manga, kademanga_, when, _i kademanga na_ (_ne_), at the time when; _i angita, si manga uta_, when? _inao_ of old, in the past; _ua mai inao_ from of old; _isingana ne_ henceforth: _alua fasi_, _taraina_, presently; _urii_ just now; _lau, _lau go_, again; _oli_ back; _na_, _ua na_, already; _ua_ yet, still, still left; _ua go i uarodo_ while still dark in the early morning; _ua mai ana lua_ from the flood, _toongi ua inao_ old clothes, _e langi ua_ not yet, still wanting; _firi_, _tefou_, always; _too ka tau_ forever; _suli dangifiri_ daily; _taraina_ to-day; _i rogi_ yesterday; _maaedangi i fafo_ day before yesterday; _bobongi_ to-morrow; _taraina lao rodo_ to-night; _talae_ first; _loulou_ quick; _aliali_ forthwith; _maasia_, _kade manga_, while.

3. Adverbs of manner: _alafana_ as, like, as if; _uri_, _uria_, _sae_, _saea_, that (of quotation); _uri_, _urina_, thus; _e uta_ how? _gele_ somewhat; _asia_ completely, too much; _saumala_ granted that; _falaete, mamaloni_, only; _ooni_ merely; _talai_ for no reason; _tefou_ together; _afui_ altogether (precedes verb); _boro_, _oto_, _otomone_, _tamone_, _bota ana_, perhaps; _mone_ gives life, _ba_ gives force, to the narrative; _ba_ also explains and makes the diction less abrupt; _tasa_, _tasaana_, too much; _faoroa_ often.

PREPOSITIONS.

1. Simple prepositions.

Locative, _i_.

Motion to, _fua_, _isuli_, _suli_.

Motion from, _fasi_, _ita_.

Causation, _fafi_.

Position, _fonosi_.

Dative, _fua_.

Instrumental, _ana_, _ani_.

Relation, _ana_, _ani_, _fai_, _sai_, _usi_.

Gentive, _ni_, _i_.

The locative _i_ is seen in _ifai_ where; it is also largely used with adverbs of place and time and it precedes every name of place.

With the exception of the locative, the instrumental, the genitive, and also _ana_, _ita_, _usi_, all the foregoing prepositions are used with a suffixed p.r.o.noun; _ita_ is used with the possessive.