Proto-Mila Coursebook Chapter 5: view article

Chapter 5 ‘to be’ questions

In the same way as negatives, question particles can be added onto different parts of the sentence depending on which part of speech is being asked about. With the sentence is the boy happy in the house? we could be asking if the boy as opposed to the girl, say, is happy, we could be asking about the emotion he’s feeling, we could be asking about if he’s happy in the house or we could be enquiring about his being of happiness. For this latter form again we need to make use of the present particle ‘ir-‘. The question particle is ‘ul-‘ and is placed at the front of the stem after all other modifications have taken place. Unlike the negative particle, this syllable never takes the stress. This gives us the forms:

Is the boy in the house happy? Ulídic ilúgla puhác?
Is the boy happy in the house? Lídic ulilúgla puhác?
Is the boy in the house happy? Lídic ilúgla ubuhác?
Is the boy happy in the house? Lídic ilúgla ulí puhác?

Notice that to answer this question, there is no simple yes or no in Mila. You answer by repeating the component which was asked about, i.e. has the ‘ul-‘ prefix and you make this either positive or negative. Thus the first question above, ‘Ulídic ilúgla puhác?’ could be answered with ‘Lídic’ for yes or ‘Lídicka’ for no. The following are the possible answers:

Question Positive Negative
Ulídic ilúgla puhác? Lídic Lídicka
Lídic ulilúgla puhác? Ilúgla Ilúgluk
Lídic ilúgla ubuhác? Puhác Puhácka
Lídic ilúgla ulí puhác? I Íga

The last two answers are probably the closest you can get to yes/no answers and they may be used in colloquial usage, or if a yes or no has been used with no clear question asked (as in answering to your name being called), but these will also change depending on the tense referred to, such that we get in / ínga for the past tense and uh / úhka for the future.

Exercise***

Exercise***

Unlike English, Mila doesn’t have words such as what, who, where etc. The question particle is used instead. Each of these forms shall be treated separately below.

What

To express a form such as What is on the table we need to question the subject of the sentence. From the context of the sentence we presume the what is referring to inanimate objects so we need to use the inanimate pronouns ‘it’ which also express distance from the speaker. There are two ways of saying this. The more formal way is to question the subject of the sentence using the pronouns introduced for negatives. This gives us for What is on the table here? the form ‘Udítcic igúma da?’, What is on the table over there? gives us ‘Uɟícic igúma ɟa?’ and finally What is on the table (out of sight)? gives us ‘Ubúpcic igúma ba?’. This form is used in the most formal settings and for politeness, there is no word for ‘please’ in Mila so forms such as this would be used here. The less formal, and also less polite, equivalents would be ‘Igúma ubá?’, ‘Igúma uɟá? and ‘Igúma ubá?’ respectively.

If you wish to ask someone what their profession is, for example Mila would translate you are what job? The word for job is ‘litka’ so we get the one word sentence ‘Ulátka?’ In order to ask how someone is feeling instead of How are you? Mila asks What is your feeling? The word for feeling is ‘pupa’ (the word for your is ‘lúdin’, possessives shall be introduced in a later lesson) which gives us the sentence ‘Lúdin ububáp?’ This is a common greeting and is usually answered by ‘Áphis’ (I am well). Again common expressions will be introduced at a later stage.

Who

If instead of a thing we are referring to a person then the pronoun will have to be similarly changed. The sentence Who is happy? will thus need the human pronouns and will be ‘Ulúɟic puhác?’. To ask Who is in the room? the formal and polite forms would be ‘Ulúɟic ilúkpa lal?’, though in a more informal and less polite style we get ‘Ilúkpa ulál?’ Again if we know that the object we’re referring to is animate, but not human for What animal/plant is in the room? we have the formal and informal forms ‘Ujíjɟic ilúkpa jaj?’ and ‘Ilúkpa ujáj?’ respectively.

Where

In order to ask about where something is we question the prepositional phrase and ask what place. Place is expressed with ‘luka’, so in order to ask Where are you we need to ask You are in what place? which gives ‘Ulilúka la?’

When

For when we need to ask at what time? which uses the word ‘kubla’ for time. So to ask When is the meal? we formulate The meal at what time is it? giving ‘Múɟic uligúbla ba?

Why

To express why we need to ask in what reason. The word for reason is ‘hupta’ so to ask, for example, Why are you happy? we have ‘Ulihúpta páhca?’

Which

In order to express which again we need a prepositional phrase, this time translating what away from them. As with previous examples this will alter depending on if we are talking about people, animals or objects. So to express which of them is happy? we have the form ‘Ulúɟi puhác?’ or ‘Ulúɟi puhácta?’ if we are enquiring about more than one. For phrases such as which table (here) is good? we translate the table what away from them is good? giving ‘Kúmic udítci puhás?’

How

For how we translate at what mode. This gives us ‘ulizuhla?’

Exercise***

Exercise*** (include negative sentences)

✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article

Comments