Hand-book of Volapük/Prepositions and the Kimifal

by Charles E. Sprague

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PREPOSITIONS AND THE KIMIFAL.

In English we make a distinction between in and into.

Into expresses motion from the outside to the interior; while in relates wholly to the interior.

This distinction is exprest in Volapük either by putting the noun into the kimifal or by adding -i to the preposition.

Binob in gad,		I am in the garden.
Golob in gadi, or	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	I am going into the garden.
golob ini gad

In Volapük there are other prepositions subject to the same distinction; when they denote place, where, they govern the kimfal; when they denote direction, whither, they govern the kimifal or take the ending i.

Buk seistom su tab, the book lies on the table.

Seitom buki su tabi, he lays the book on [on to] the table.

This distinction is not always necessary nor always observed, and the list, given in Schleyer's grammar, of prepositions which may govern the kimifal is incorrect, because based on the German prepositions.

The ending i is sometimes added to adverbs of place, giving them the meaning of motion towards.

Binob domo, I am at home.

Kipladi golol? Where are you going [to]?

Golob domoi, I am going home [ward].

Similarly the ending a is used to denote motion from in a few words.

Is, Us, Kiöp,

isa, usa, kiöpa,

isi. usi. kiöpi.

Here, There, Where,

hence, thence, whence,

hither. thither. whither.

It would seem quite as natural and correct to say de is, de us, de kiöp; al (or ali) is, al us, as kiöp.

To express duration of time the preposition du is used. But sometimes the preposition is omitted (as in English) and then the noun may remain in the kimfal or be put into the kimifal. Thus there are three forms of expression; we prefer to retain the du.

Äblibob in Rom du yels kil, Äblibob in Rom yels kil, Äblibob in Rom yelis kil,

$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$

I remained in Rome [during] three years.