Page:An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language).djvu/651

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THE ADJECTIVE.
93

En akkari, eani naa shiwende ruwe ne. “you are a slower walker than I” (lit. than me, you go more slowly).

(f). The comparative with kasu no. Kasu no means “surpassing,” e.g.

En kasu no, e ri ruwe ne, “you are taller than I (lit. surpassing me, you are tall.)


§ IV. DEMONSTRATIVE ARTICLES.


The demonstrative articles “this,” “that,” “these” and “those,” are as follows:—

singular. plural.
Ta an or tan, “this.”

Nei a, “that.”

Nei an, “that,”
(a short distance off.)

To an, “that,”
(a good distance off.)

Tan okai, “these.”

Nei okai, “those.”
(a short distance off.)

To an okai, “those.”
(a good distance off.)

The singular form of these adjectives may be prefixed to plural nouns; but the plural forms can never be placed before singular nouns. The reason is that okai is really a plural verb meaning “to dwell at” or “be in” a place. It is the plural form of an, “to be.”


§ V. THE INFLUENCE OF CERTAIN PARTICLES AND WORDS UPON SOME OF THE ADJECTIVES.


When the particle e is prefixed to certain adjectives it has the power of changing them into verbs; e.g.

adjectives. verbs.
Hapuru, “soft.” E hapuru, “to be unable to endure.”
Nishte, “hard.” E nishte, “to be able to endure.”