Page:An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language).djvu/714

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AN AINU GRAMMAR.
Toi anakne pirika toi ne ruwe ne, "it is a good garden," or " the garden is a good one," (lit : as for the garden,it is a good one).
Umma anakne nitan umma ne, " it is a swift horse," or "the horse is a swift one."

The pronouns are very much used in speaking Ainu, and sometimes occur twice or even thrice in one short sentence ; thus : —

Kuani Ainu ku ne, " I am an Ainu."
Kuani ku arapa wa ku ye, " I will go and tell him."
Aokai e meraige ya, " are you cold ? "

It should also be noted that en " me " is sometimes used where I would be found in English ; thus : —

Nei guru anakne en pak no shomo pa ruwe ne, " he did not find so many as I."

Prepositions are usually placed after the words they govern and are therefore, in this work, called postpositions ; thus : —

Uni un arapa, " he is going home."
Chisei orun ahun, " to enter a house."
Kama otta wakka omare, " put some water into the kettle."
Endo kotan orowa no ek, " he came from Tōkyō."

Apparent exceptions will often be heard in the words otta, "to," " and oro," "in," thus :—

Otta ene itak-hi, " to which he said." :
Otta okai shui, " holes in which they dwell."
Oro omare, " to bring in," or " to put in."

These exceptions are not real ; for the subject to which these postpositions refer, though not expressed, is always understood. Otta should therefore in such sentences as those given above, always be translated by some such phrase as — " in which," " to which," " to it," " to that," or " this." Oro always means " in " or " upon." The adverb always precedes the verb : —

Tunashi no ye. " Say it quickly."
Naa moire oman. " Go more slowly."