pi: More Syntax

[qiihoskeh]

Last Edited: 2006.Nov.05 Sun

Some Adverbial Clauses

Sentences with time-when adverbial clauses and conditional sentences are related, being distinguished by the mood marking in the adverbial clause. Time-when clauses take the indicative mood, possible conditions take the subjunctive mood, and impossible conditions take the contrafactual mood. The time-when and condition clauses are introduced by an adverbial relative pronoun. Examples:

Jaano, un ji-sa-kamb-e takpa, ji-n-sael-e-s.
John, when 3TS-3IP-see-Ind tree, 3TS-Uns-sing-Ind-DefPst.
"John sang when he saw the trees."

Jaano, un ji-sa-kamb-i takpa, ji-n-sael-i-c.
John, when 3TS-3IP-see-Sbj tree, 3TS-Uns-sing-Sbj-DefFut.
"If John sees the trees, he will sing."

Jaano, un ji-sa-kamb-u takpa, ji-n-sael-u-s.
John, when 3TS-3IP-see-Ctf tree, 3TS-Uns-sing-Ctf-DefPst.
"If John had seen the trees, he would have sung."

Note that both time-when and condition clauses allow the definite past and future markers to be appended to the main verb. Note also that some other adverbial elements imply a time-when clause. Example:

Jaano, ji-n-sael-e-s lî-de markuz.
John, 3TS-Uns-sing-Ind-DefPst 3AS-Loc market.
"John sang [when he was] at the market."

Otherwise, the time is marked as indefinite and has to be determined from context. Example:

Jaano, ji-n-sael-e.
John, 3TS-Uns-sing-Ind.
"John sang/has sung/will sing."

The time-when verb can be habitual or iterative. Here's an example using present time:

Jaano, un ji-n-kamb-ahp-e takpa, ji-n-sael-e.
John, when 3TS-Uns-see-Habt-Ind tree, 3TS-Uns-sing-Ind.
"John sings whenever he sees a tree/trees."