Adpositions

Adpositions are a closed class. They can be used in three different ways.

Uses

As a Preposition

The most basic use for an adposition is prefixed to a noun (called the object of the adposition) to signify where the action is taking place with relation to a reference.

    • di’i’uja
    • でいうぢ
    • di-’i’uja
    • up-table
    • “atop the table”
      • harul·lani
    • はるをわに
    • haru-lulani
    • with-queen
    • “with the queen”
      • nicula
    • にゆわ
    • ni-cula
    • at-egg
    • “in an egg”

Their nature as a prefix continues to apply even when the noun is already case-marked

    • qakalu’ita’i
    • げかをいたい
    • qa-kalu-⁠’ita’i
    • down-abl-car
    • “down from the cart”

Government

When the object of an adposition is an animate personal pronoun, they can take different cases depending on the adposition.

    • harupixi
    • はるぴし
    • haru-pixi
    • with-1dat
    • lit: “with to me”
    • “with me”
      • susacu
    • すさゆ
    • su-sacu
    • than-2abl
    • lit: “than from you”
    • “than you”

As a Nominal or Verbal Modifier

Adpositions can be used to form compound nouns:

    • gusu’adi
    • ぐすあで
    • gusu-’adi
    • person-near
    • lit: “nearby people”
    • “neighbours”

and compound verbs:

    • jannigibi
    • ぢっにぎび
    • janni-gibi
    • move-east
    • “to go east”

As an Adverb

Adpositions can be used independently to show the position of the action relative to the speaker, or the direction in which the action proceeds. Unlike other adverbs, these are placed before or instead of the auxiliary.

Luxira’uxxi qu’u cani dasi.

。をしらうっしもうやにだせ。

luxira’uxxi qu’u cani dasi.

Twins inside prs;dyn eat.

“The twins are eating inside.”

Kuddu qa hussu.

。くっどげ ほっす。

kuddu qa hussu.

Rain down fall.

lit: “Rain is falling down.”

“It’s raining.”

The auxiliary must appear to support an adverbial adposition in copular clauses.

Nimalu sani ra’u.

。にまをさにらう。

nimalu sani ra’u.

Bear north prs;sta.

“The bear is to the north.”

Kuhisuba ’adi na cijja.

。くひすばあでなちっぢ。

ku-⁠hisuba ’adi na cijja.

dat-administrator near prs;hab alcohol.

“The minister is usually having a drink around now.”

List of Adpositions

Comparative

These are used to mark the standard of a comparison.

    • ka か equative (+dat)
    • su す comparative (+abl)

Directions

This list includes both relative and absolute terms.

    • saqa さげ right
    • gi ぎ left

Locations

These can be used to refer to locations in either space or time.

Spatial Locations

These can only be used to refer to locations in space.

    • jimuli じむえ outside
    • qu’u もう in; inside
    • nifi にべ beside
    • raqu らも among
    • ca や encircling
    • du’i どい beyond
    • la’a わあ on a horizontal surface
    • kadu かど on a vertical surface

Motion

These refer to motion.

    • data だた backwards
    • tirri てっり forwards
    • ja ぢ along
    • ma’i まい across
    • tiku てく around
    • bi び out of

Animates

This group have animate objects.

    • haru はる with (+dat)
    • ha は for the benefit of (+dat)
    • ’aga あが to the detriment of (+abl)

Inanimates

This group have inanimate objects.

    • nidu にど using
    • sarru さっる instead of
    • haru はる consisting of
    • nina にな used for a purpose
    • sata さた in order to obtain
    • ’arri あっり along with