Nuer Field Project


Exercises For Lesson 21

  1. Write in Nuer:
    1. I saw something. It was mine. I went to it and I was happy because it really was mine.
    2. I saw a man. He was sick. I went to him and I was happy because he was living.
    3. Theirs is here by me. She and I brought it here a little while ago. It will be all right here. Don't worry.
    4. Theirs were here yesterday but a person came and took them.
    5. Those people, where are they going? They're going to the suk. Who are they? I don't know them.
    6. He and those men are sick. They are dying. They want medicine. Is there any?
    7. What's your trouble? Are you sick, or (kiɛ) do you have a god?
    8. Is God in the world now? What is He doing? Does God have a plan for the world? Do you know His plan? What is it? What will you do about it?
  2. Read this story to the informant and have him repeat the sentences. Write out the story and translate it. Identify verb aspects, subjects of the verbs and their objects.
    Mëëpan ci̲ nyaadä̲ wä̲ yiɛ̲ɛ̲r. Jä̲lɛ kɛɛ dhaar. Dhaar ɛmɔ ɛɛ du̲ŋdɛ. Go̲o̲rɛ pi̲ yiëër.
    Mëë (when) cɛ cop yiɛ̲ɛ̲r cɛ nyaŋ nɛn. Cɛ dual. Cɛ rɔ ba̩r (she ran away). Cɛ ri̲i̲ŋ wi̲̩c. Kä̲ dhaar pi̲i̲ni̲ cɛ pɛ̈ɛ̈n kä̲ cɛ tiath.
    Kä̲ kɛ gua̲a̲th ëë (when) cɛ cop wi̲̩c, ci̲ man nyaam ɛmɔ jɛ thie̲c. Dhaar pi̲i̲ni̲ a ni̲? Cɛ dual, ɛn nyam ɛmɔ, kä̲ cɛ wiɛ̲ɛ̲, cɛ ɛ lar, Ci̲ dhaarä̲ tiath kɛ ɤöö dualä̲ kɛ nyaŋ mïndan.
    Ci̲ man ɛ lar, ɤɔ̲ɔ̲n, gɔaaɛ, nyaadä̲. /Cu̲ diɛɛr. Ci̲ lɔcdä̲ tɛɛth kɛ ɤöö ci̲ ri̲i̲ŋ wi̲̩c. Thïlɛ mi̲ lɛlɛ kɛ ɤöö ci̲ dhaar tiath. Cɛ thu̲u̲k. Ku̲ wä̲ tä̲ä̲mɛ.
  3. Write in Nuer:
    1. Their child
    2. It is ours (in)
    3. Give me yours (sing)
    4. Mine is broken
    5. This is my plan
    6. Our child is here
    7. Our father (ex)
    8. It's her pipe
    9. Your (pl) cow is sick
    10. They are ours
    1. the men's barus
    2. cows' milk
    3. womens houses
    4. place of canoes
    5. talk of girls
    6. belongings to clothes
    7. talk of boys
    8. water pot of a woman
    1. our houses (ex)
    2. their water
    3. yours (pl)
    4. our cows (ex)
    5. their water pot
    6. our house (in)
    7. your milk (sing)
    8. your (sing) mother


-ë- bëë, tëë, wëë, gëk, bël, tëk, këëy, pëëk, dëëp, nyët, yiëë
-e̲- le̲y, re̲̩c, ke̲̩y, rie̲y, de̲y, thie̲c
-ɛ- dɛl, kɛl, pɛl, bɛl, rɛk, rɛm, rɛɛt, kɛɛt, tɛr, lɛp
-ɛ̲- pɛ̲k, tɛ̲t, thɛ̲ɛ̲m, dɛ̲ɛ̲p, bɛ̲n, ɤɛ̲ɛ̲r, lɛ̲ɛ̲k, nyɛ̲t, mɛ̲ɛ̲r, rɛ̲ɛ̲l
-iɛ- ciɛk, kiɛ̩l, ciɛl, liɛɛr, yiɛɛr, liɛɛth, riɛm, riɛny, yiɛɛth
-iɛ̲- ciɛ̲k, ciɛ̲̩l, miɛ̲m, nhiɛ̲m, miɛ̲th, nyiɛ̲ɛ̲r, riɛ̲ɛ̲t, tiɛ̲̩t, yiɛ̲̩r
-ia- nhia̩l, nhial, jiath, diaar, ciaŋ, nhiam, nhiaac, riak, lia̩k, diaal
-ia̲- lia̲a̲, ria̲th, pia̲a̲r, thia̲̩k, dia̲ŋ, dhia̲t, ria̲r, dia̲p, ria̲̩ŋ
-ɔ- rɔny, lɔc, kɔy, gɔɔy, gɔk, jɔk, gɔl, mɔk, rɔɔm, kɔl
-ɔ̲- ŋɔ̲m, kɔ̲̩m, cɔ̲ɔ̲k, thɔ̲l, ɤɔ̲n, thɔ̲ɔ̲r, yɔ̲̩t, tɔ̲ɔ̲r, ŋɔ̲p, gɔ̲ɔ̲k

Nuer Field Project Nouns Verbs Verb Book Expressions Grammar Genesis Others