Note 5.5.1 /k(ə)-/ 'from'
The prefix preposition /k(ə)-/, (/kə-/ before consonants /k-/ before vowels), is equivalent to the English preposition 'from', when affixed to nouns, their modifiers or to the verbal nouns ('Infinitives'). Other meanings of /k(ə)-/, as well as its use as a relational affix to verbs will be discussed in later units.
In some Amharic dialects this prefix is /t(ə)-/. The /t(ə)-/ form appears in some compounds, such as /bəst(ə)-/ (Note 4.6.1) = /bə + ıstə/ for /bə + ıskə/; /təkkul/ (Note 8.1) = /tə + ıkkul/ for /kə + ıkkul/, etc.
Note 5.5.2 /ısk(ə)-/ 'up to', 'to'
| bəsammınt kəhulətt ıskassır bırr nəw. | 'It is from two to ten dollars a week.' |
The prefix preposition /ısk(ə)-/ (/ısk-/ before vowels, /ıskə-/ before consonants) corresponds in meaning to the English preposition 'to', 'up to'. This preposition may be used either independently as in the above example or with the postposition /dırəs/ 'up to'. e.g.
| kəbetu ıskə babur Tabiya dırəs hədə. | 'He went from his house up to the railroad station.' |
| kəzzih ıskəkətəmaw dırəs. | 'It's very far from here to the city.' |
Note 5.5.3 /l(ə)-/ 'for', 'to'
The prefix preposition /l(ə)-/ (/lə-/ before consonants, /l-/ before vowels) corresponds in meaning to the English prepositions 'for' or 'to' when affixed to nouns, their modifiers or verbal nouns ('Infinitives'). Other usages of this affix will be discussed in later units.
Note 5.6 Postpositions: The postpositions /wısT/ 'in', 'inside' and /lay/ 'on', 'upon' used in combination with the prefix prepositions /b(ə)-/ or /ı-/.
| bəzzih hotel wısT bado kıfl alləwot ↑ | 'Do you have an empty room in this hotel?.' |
| ıfoKlay nəw. | 'It's upstairs.' |
| andəññaw foklay nəw. | 'It's on the first floor.' |
/wısT/ 'in', 'inside' and /lay/ 'on', 'upon' follow the word they govern. These postpositions may appear either in suffix forms, as in /ıfoKlay/ or as separate words, as in /ıfoK lay/.
Both /wısT/ and /lay/ are used in combination with the prefix preposition /b(ə)-/ (see Unit 4.6.1) or /ı/ (zero before /a/ and /ı/, see Note 3.3), e.g. /bəbete wısT/ or /ıbete wıst/ 'in my house'; /bandəññaw foKlay/ or /andəññaw foKlay/ 'on the first floor'.
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