... Kukuba and Kokokuba ... ... By that Through that, because, for According as that 10. Ukuze is the infinitive mood of the verb sa, in its idiomatic usage, with the final vowel changed into e. 1. Wa is a contraction of the pronoun wena, which is often used in a similar manner, especially in calling aloud to a person. 2. Mawo, and Bawo, the vocative forms of umawo, my mother, and ubawo, my father, are frequently employed interjectionally, more particularly the former, in the sense of Wonderful! Strange! and the like. 3. The use of O as an interjection is an Anglicism, but it is frequently used in addresses to the Deity. PART III. THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF WORDS. 360. In the preceding parts, words have been chiefly considered in reference to their elements and individual properties. It remains, therefore, to treat of them in their collective usages, when united together for the enunciation of a complete proposition. It may be premised, that the Construction of words refers to their grammatical agreement, including both concord and regimen; and the Arrangement of words, to their relative position with others in the same sentence. OF PROPOSITIONS. 361. Propositions are either simple or compound, incomplex or complex, according to the character of their principal parts. (§ 387) 362. In another view propositions are either absolute or relative. 1. Absolute propositions are those which express in themselves a complete sense; and are divided into affirmative, negative, imperative, interrogative, optative, &c. 2. Relative propositions are those which only form a complete sense in union with one or more others; and are divided into hypothetical, conditional, interjectional, copulative, adversative, &c. 363. A formal definition of each of these several propositions will not be necessary, as they are common to all languages, and, in general, are sufficiently characterized by the nature of the words employed in their construction. A few re marks, however, must be offered in connexion with some of them, in order to elucidate what is peculiar to the Kafir language. NEGATIVE PROPOSITIONS. 364. The negative is expressed in the verb, which has distinct tensual forms for that purpose. This will account for the almost entire absence of negative particles, as well as throw light upon such constructions as the following: 1. The particle na sometimes appears to express a negative, especially when used in reply to a question, as in the following instance : Bebenetuba lanina lokumbulala ? What reason had they for killing But in this and similar cases, the answer is really an elliptical one, a negative verb being necessary to the full expression of the meaning. As this, however, is readily supplied from the question, its omission creates no difficulty. In the preceding example, accordingly, the complete answer would be— 2. The preceding observations also apply to the adverbs nakanye and napakade, both of which appear to express never in the same circumstances. N. B. The negative is sometimes used to denote a very strong affirmative. See, for examples, §§ 373-374. 365. The verb musa, which is probably the causative stem form of muka, to go away, is used imperatively in the sense of "you must not, as in the following examples : Musa ukwenje njalo; Musa, Monindini, ukulalela ikaya lolungisayo; Andikutyelanga na ukuba musa kutya kuyo? You must not do so. Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous. Did I not tell you that you must not eat of it. INTERROGATIVE PROPOSITIONS. 366. Interrogation is formally expressed by the particle na, either simply, or in combination. Thus : Wahlala futi na kuso? Wabonakala kubanina? Waya ngapina? Did he continue always in it? Did he not commit great sins? To whom did he appear? When will he come? Whither did he go? Na is also used where interrogation is only implied. As: 367. The verb nga usually expresses the ordinary act of wishing, in connexion with a following verb in the Potential mood; the two verbs together thus supplying a sort of Optative mood. Thus : Ndinga ndingatanda; Unga banga bemkile; Singa singazi ukuba zezokuti nina ezizinto; Singa unge ube wenje njalo oko ; I wish to love. I would that ye knew. He wishes they may have gone. mean. We wish you could have done so then. 1. In this construction, the several tenses of the verb in the Potential mood are also used in their contracted forms. As: Ndingangateta; I wish to speak. He wishes to go. Ndonga nganditetile ; I shall wish to have spoken. 2. When the verb nga, to wish, is used in the aorist, L L Subjunctive, the auxiliary nga is altogether omitted, as in the following example: 368. Nga is also used to express a wish in a precatory manner, corresponding in general force to May, Pray, and the like, in the phrases-" May you be happy!"-"I pray thee!" &c. The aorist, Indicative, is usually employed in this construction, though other forms of the verb will be sometimes required, according to §§ 380-384. Nga, moreover, is used in the same person as the following verb, and thus, in effect, passing on the act of wishing to the subject of this. As: Wanga u-Tixo angakupata ngofefe, Yanga in-Kosi inganandisa; Kodwa kaloku wanga ungabaxolela i- Ufefe lwen-Kosi yetu, luka-Yesu salowo umtumayo; Aze u-Tixo onamandla onke ange anganinika ukupatwa ngofefe ebusweni bendoda ! God be gracious unto thee, my son! And the Lord make you to increase. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. O Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And may God Almighty give you mer cy before the man! 369. An urgent wish, corresponding in force to the phrases, "Oh that!"-" Would that!" and the like, is expressed by the help of the substantive verb. This is used in the aorist, Indicative, negative form, and generally implies a degree of regret that the thing desired had not been obtained, or that the event alluded to had not taken place. Thus: Andaba ndahlala kona ndingasu- Andahi (§ 234, 1) bendinaso isi kundhla sokulala! Azaba inkosi zomhlaba zanoku- Would that I had remained there, and not departed! Would that the chiefs of the earth |