Hi
Grammatical case is ‘any of the forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun that express the semantic relation of the word to other words in the phrase, clause, or sentence.‘ Jembesa has 15 grammatical cases: nominative, genitive, accusative, vocative, instrumental-comitative, abessive, concerning, illative, inessive, elative, allative, adessive, ablative, essive, and agentive. In this chapter, these cases will be explained:
Nominative Case (-)
A word in nominative case is exposed to no case affixation, and it is generally used for the subject of a verb.
- kosta: war / kozdar: two wars / kozdat: wars => i kosta sábedet 1914-sta. ‘The war broke out in 1914.’
- iltä: part / ildär: two parts / ildät: parts => j’ildät kédeliet téhella. ‘The parts were deleted accidentally.’
- jeute: calendar / jeuder: two calendars / jeudet: calendars => i jeute oller i kádeliesta. ‘The calendar is on the wall.’
- kije: autumn / kijer: two autumns / kijet: autumns => kijer rabet, tah fumier olle poddet idüöj. ‘Two autumns passed, but you’re not still back.’
- nominatifi: nominative / nominativer: two nominatives / nominativet: nominatives => nominativi soilezier tilfö-teggalla. ‘The nominative is shown with no suffix.’
Genitive Case (-l)
A word in genitive case takes -l suffix, and it indicates possession and close association. Moreover, a hyphen is used between possessor and possession.
- kelma: love > kelmal: of love / kelmul: of two loves / kelmel: of loves => i kelmal-soiler oller mitö. ‘The eyes of love are blind.’
- pűtä: swing > pűdäl: of swing / pűdül: of two swings / pűdel: of swings => i pűdäl-hane jeldet. ‘The chain of swing is broken.’
- ternie: island > terniel: of island / terniul: of two islands / terníl: of islands => i terniel-sahiet oller henko. ‘The beaches of the island are clean.’
- tine: tree > tinel: of tree / tinül: of two trees / tinil: of trees => i tinel-junet áreliet i nojej i huddasta. ‘The branches of the tree were broken by the wind in the storm.’
- kenitifi: genitive > kenitivel: of genitive / kenitivul: of two genitives / kenitivil: of genitives => kenitivel-tekka oller -l. ‘The genitive suffix is -l.’
Accusative Case (-n)
A word in accusative case takes -n suffix, and it indicates the object of an action.
- wóra: ship > wóran: (acc) ship / wórun: (acc) two ships / wóren: (acc) ships => i weltunat meneldet i wóran. ‘The sailors abandoned the ship.’
- kijä: death > kijän: (acc) death / kijün: (acc) two deaths / kijin: (acc) deaths => fahúmerru kijän; ‘Are you afraid of death?’
- kate: cat > kaden: (acc) cat / kadun: (acc) two cats / kadin: (acc) cats => humier eska kadin. ‘He doesn’t like cats.’
- pinnärte: phone > pinnärden: (acc) phone / pinnärdün: (acc) two phones / pinnärdin: (acc) phones => ell, madiorek i pinnärden. ‘Yes, I’ll answer the phone.’
- akkusatifi: accusative > akkusativen: (acc) accusative / akkusativun: (acc) two accusatives / akkusativin: (acc) accusatives => fumie kédenne j’akkusativen! ‘Do not forget the accusative!’
Vocative Case (-s)
A word in vocative case takes -s suffix, and it is used to address or invoke a person or thing.
- ella: Allah > ellas: (voc) Allah => ellas, mumierreh pela. ‘God, I don’t know it.’
- riskä: respect > rizgäs: (voc) respect / rizgüs: (voc) two respects / rizges: (voc) respects => rizgäs paivas! ‘Respect, please!’
- satre: sister > satres: (voc) sister / satrus: (voc) two sisters / satris: (voc) sisters => satres, follerru hinö; ‘Sister, are you O.K.?’
- kűle: God > kűles: (voc) God => kűles, mumierreh térzempe. ‘God, I can’t believe it.’
- fokatifi: vocative > fokatives: (voc) vocative / fokativus: (voc) two vocatives / fokativis: (voc) vocatives
Vocative case is also used for good wishes, greetings, and goodbyes:
- loppa: hello, greeting, salutation > lobbas: hello
- olle: today > olles: hi
- poifa: health > poivas: greetings
- olka: morning > olgas: good morning
- poma: noon > pomas: good afternoon
- kere: evening > keres: good evening
- tame: night, midnight > tames: good night
- lape: day > labes: good day
- lappa: date > labbas: have a nice date
- simewoite: weekend > simewoides: have a nice weekend
- tuke: sunday > tuges: 1. have a nice Sunday 2. see you on Sunday
- tera: seeing off > teras: goodbye
- olke: tomorrow > olges: see you tomorrow
- kéne: the soonest time > kénes: see you soon
- pelte: farewell > peldes: farewell
To be continued…
Jembesa 