PREPOSITIONS
Bound Forms (Cases)
Originally, all prepositions in Taneraic were characterised as enclitic particles rather than as a matter of true case inflexion. As such, they were, properly speaking, postpositions. The current system of prepositions and inflexion derives from this former enclisis, splitting into bound forms (cases) and unbound forms:
(a) Taneraic now possesses four cases (morphological rules apply):
pua eslacyeq (genitive or ablative): –a (of)
pua lesqi (dative or allative): –i (to)
pua airou (locative or prepositional) –o (at)
pua remou (instrumental) –u (with)
(b) Such cases may be used independently of free-standing prepositions.
The Genitive or Ablative:
The genitive case is used to show ownership (mouzon bujá avi, my uncle’s house). The ablative case indicates source or origin, but not movement from (Nunieni saqir bancyala sebouda ye mouzona ujá avi. This antique came from my uncle’s house.)
The ablative is usually strengthened by the preposition ye, as in the example above. To show actual movement, drop the inflexion (Tutuca sebouda ye mouzon bujá avi. The rat came [out] from my uncle’s house.)
Use the long form aher before foreign unassimilable proper names (aher Parija, of Paris).
The Dative or Allative:
The dative case is governed by in the indirect noun or pronoun (Ayoi vajicyadi daya. I gave him the book = I gave the book to him.). The allative case indicates movement toward (braujoni, to the station).
The possessive in English expressions of time is rendered with the dative (indistinguishable from the adjectival form):
Bebes suli maniaunten. Jesat asendi yabvonji ven.
After a moment’s silence. It was two hours’ walk away.
Yos vagaruda bebes yabboumaraivei cyaur. Ayoi anaumasabanatti pouluni aigagasat.
We returned after three weeks’ holiday. He was sentenced to ten years’ jail.
Use the long form iher before foreign unassimilable proper names (iher Parija, to Paris).
The Locative or Prepositional:
The locative or prepositional case indicates position (Yovas ai mouzono. He is in the house.).
Use the long form oher before foreign unassimilable proper names (oher Parija, in Paris).
The Instrumental:
The instrumental case indicates how (Yoqaindi selit aipas pelasu. He saw the news on television.). Mostly, however, the instrumental translates “by” or “with” (Yolesqadi tou pudu. He hit the man with a spade.). The instrumental case is used after intransitive passive verbs (Yolesqaga pudu. He was hit with a spade.).
Use the long form uher before foreign unassimilable proper names (uher Parija, by Paris).
The comitative “with” is expressed by gasta (Yoqabda gan gasta George. He went there with George.). The instrumental and the comitative cases are used in the following example, where English uses “with” for both: Yosyiroundi nunieni decyub yoyo abieyu gasta George. He cooked the cake with oil with George.
Unbound Forms
Unbound Forms Governing Inflexion:
(c) The prepositions ai (in), aima (among), ais (against), au (on), asma (around), auma (down), ema (under), es (above), ima (behind), oma (along), os (in front of), yen (near) and yun (next to) govern –i or –o inflexions (and, more rarely, –a) when their use is concrete; they do not govern inflexion when their use is figurative (qualities, dimensions, amounts or time, etc.). Inflected forms (asmi, asmo, etc.) are treated as adjectives or adverbs.
(d) The prepositions ama (out of), uma (toward), yan (beyond), yas (after) and ye (from) do not govern inflexions for the allative or locative when their use is concrete, unlike the prepositions in (a) above. As such, they govern the –a inflexion when their use is figurative (qualities, dimensions, amounts or time, etc.), or when direction is conveyed from a standpoint: cf.,
Celini qainista ama angasa.
A lovely view out the window (inflected)
Srou na quseda ama angas.
A bird just flew out the window (uninflected)
Inflected forms (ami, yasi, etc.) are treated as adjectives or adverbs.
(e) The following prepositions may also be used as prefixes, many of which correspond to common English affixes (prepositions in column A may prefix prepositions in column B, but not vice versa):
A B
aima– inter- ai– en-, in-
ais– against au– -en, -ify
ama– de-, dis-, un- es– super-, supra-
asma– circum- os– fore-, pre-
auma– down
ema– sub-
ima– pre-, re-, retro-
oma– dia-, trans-
uma– toward
yan– away from
yas– -esque
yen– near
yes– homo-
yos– ambi-, bi-
yun– next to
(f) The prepositions aher (of), aqe (since), bebes (after), bugar (by), buhai (at), cecer (before), e (like — and prepositional phrases with e: e.g., e yes e), eher (for) ga (up), gasta (with), haunta (during), iher (until), mepa (in), neu ([together] with), oher (at), uher (through), uzeus (without), vau (over), ya (between), yes (along with) and yos (on both sides) do not govern inflexion at all. Inflected forms (eheri, yayi, etc.) are treated as adjectives or adverbs.
(g) The prepositions aher, eher, iher, oher and uher serve to link two verbs, or a verb and a gerund (governing verb and dependent infinitive or gerund), often merely translated as the infinitive “to” in English:
(1) aher conveys the sense of ending, stopping or pausing:
Valivanda aher asibiardi nuni daya.
I enjoyed reading that book.
(2) eher has the meaning of “in order to”; it follows governing verbs of volition, desire or need:
Rah yoyerda eher mas virdiyo.
He didn’t want to keep them waiting.
.
(3) iher has the meaning of “until such time as”:
Vaduvonda piyoi iher neviliratti abui moudi.
It took me a long time to understand your plan.
(lit., I spent a long time until I understood your plan.)
(4) oher conveys the sense of beginning:
Vamoudida oher qabda iher Parija.
I plan to go to Paris.
(5) uher conveys the sense of “by means of”, usually introduced by “by” followed by a gerund in English:
Valesega uher das louzar dajuda.
I helped by washing the dishes.
In informal or spoken Taneraic, the above prepositions may be dropped, along with the preceding governing intransitive verb ending — almost as though the dependent infinitive were a direct object:
Ansejir neuhabuvatti moudit.
We began discussing [to discuss] the plan.
Yoqab ya rebiadi ayoi esnula.
He went to see his friend.
Vaqab qoubandi avi buja.
I went [and got] my uncle — or
I will go and get my uncle.
No hard and fast rules exist on this usage, but short governing verbs are more comon than long ones (moudicyan is an exception). The following is a list of the most common verbs to drop their –da ending, and linking prepositions, to act as preparative verbs, introductory to their dependent infinitives:
airan, expect
baya, look as though, appear
bevin, hate
emou, allow, let
jaber, dare
jebi, decide
lesega, help
lingan, stop
moudi, plan
moudicyan, intend *
peva, like
qab, go *
qasi, look forward to
sebou, come
sejir, begin
sesidan, finish
syi, be able, know how
xas, manage, succeed
yer, want
zaran, think
* Introductory moudicyan followed by a dependent infinitive is often used to indicate the near future as a matter of intention, not necessarily fact; whereas qab followed by a dependent infinitive is often used to indicate the near future with certainty or resolve. Cf.,
Vamoudicyan qoubandi avi buja.
I will go and get my uncle [if all goes to plan].
Vaqab qoubandi avi buja.
I will go and get my uncle. [I am on my way.]
The above and below examples deal with no change of person:
Valivan asibiardi nuni daya.
I enjoyed reading that book.
Rah yoyer mas virdiyo.
He didn’t want to keep them waiting.
Vaduvon piyoi neviliratti abui moudi.
It took me a long time to understand your plan.
Vamoudi qabda iher Parija.
I plan to go to Paris.
But the general rule may also be applied when there is a change of person:
Valesegada eher yojebida.
Valesega yojebida.
I helped him decide.
Note that contracted forms can be ambiguous:
Valesega das louzar dajuda.
I helped to wash the dishes. OR
I helped by washing the dishes.
As mentioned above, the unbound forms aher, iher, oher and uher are employed as equivalents to inflexions –a, –i, –o and –u directly before unassimilated foreign words:
Qaggara aher Moskva batarocyada.
Moscow’s streets are mean.
Uzalunato, svai vabanada iher Parija.
I would like to go to Paris next year.
Alternatively, cases may be employed with coefficients or words in apposition (unassimilated foreign words are then linked by the e ligative):
Qaggara meyona e Moskva batarocyada.
The streets of the city of Moscow are mean.
Uzalunato, svai vabanada meyoni e Parija.
I would like to go to [the city of] Paris next year.
(h) Compound prepositions, such as ai aima (in the middle of), ais au (on top of), au oma (on), ye aima (from behind), ye aqe (after), ye au (off), etc., always govern the –a inflexion:
Ledubqa na aibeuda ye aima yengagará.
The sun has just come out from the clouds.
Yomansenuscyada ye aqe aibaniara siyu ucyá.
He was sick after eating some cheese.
(i) Inflexion is dropped before free-standing pronouns:
yun ayo, next to him
ais ava, against me
ye abu, from you, etc.
(j) Inflexion is also dropped before proper nouns, where it would otherwise be employed: cf.,
ye Europa, from Europe (inflexion dropped)
ye angasa avi, from my window (inflexion retained)
(k) Prepositions are routinely dropped before adverbs of place, ga, gan and ganien:
Yobicyiarda umasrinati iher Italia busai gan iher Francia.
He hitched south toward Italy, and thence [from there] into France.
Yoimasebovatta iher Hispania, ga vas aibegga seirovati.
He returned to Spain, whence [from where] he originally came.
(l) All verbs preceding prepositions are intransitive.