1. Imperative
1a.
Imperative
The
singular imperative is formed with the prefixless verb stem (except for deà
'take' and baá
'come', see below). The following tone changes apply: monosyllabic High-toned
verbs become Low-toned, polysyllabic Low-High-toned ones become Low-Low-toned:
The
verbsde'take'
and baá'come'
are replaced by substitute forms:
See below for a summary statement on these alternate forms. For
imperative plural forms (2nd person plural), see below under 'optative'.
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'go'
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"Don't
go!"
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'pour'
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"Don't
pour out!"
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'eat
(fufu)' [trans. verb]
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"Don't
eat fufu!"
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'eat'
[intrans. verb]
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"Don't
eat!"
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'bathe'
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"Don't
bathe!"
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'chase
away'
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"Don't
chase away!"
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'get
up'
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"Don't
get up!"
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'stop'
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"Don't
stop (it)!"
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For
plural forms (2nd person plural), see below under 'optative'.
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"Come
home!"
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"Come
here immediately!"
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"Call
Kofi!"
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"Give
me money!"
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"Don't
be foolish!"
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Non-initial
imperative verbs carry their inherent lexical tone (1, 2), unless they
follow immediately the first imperative verb (3):
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"Bring
the money!" (= take money come)
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"Cut
the bread with a knife!"
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"Take
[it] away!" (= take, go)
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"Go
and return quickly!"
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The subject
markers in the optative
are all High-toned:
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Example:
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"Let
me go!" / "I should go."
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"Don't
let me go!" / "I shouldn't go."
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Note
that the optative occurs with all persons, including the 2nd singular.
In this latter case, it functions as a polite alternative to a plain imperative.
The
optative form in the 2nd person plural serves as the plural counterpart
to the Imperative singular: moánákõá
'Go!' (order addressed to two or more individuals).
The
optative stem may be preceded by Low-toned auxiliary verb maà
'give, cause to' (here 'let (me, him, us …)'), particularly if the fulfilment
of the desire or intention depends in part or entirely on the will of the
addressee(s).
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kõá 'go' |
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gyiànaá 'stop' |
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1s
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"Let
me go!" / "I should go."
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"Let
me stop!" / "I should stop."
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2s
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"You
should go."
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"You
should stop."
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3s
[+anim]
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"Let
him go!" / "He should go."
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"Let
him stop!" / "he should stop."
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3s
[-anim]
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"Let
it go!" / "It should go."
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"Let
it stop!" / "It should stop."
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1p
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"Let's
go!" / We should go."
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"Let's
stop!" / "We should stop."
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2p*
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"You
should go."
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"You
should stop."
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3p
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"Let
them go!" / They should go."
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"Let
them stop!" / "They should stop."
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*The
2nd person plural serves as a substitute form for imperative plural.
For
the correct pronunciation of the optative nasal and the initial consonant
of the verb, see notes on negation in
Unit 3.
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The
2nd person plural negative optative is used as a Prohibitive plural, in
the same way as for the Imperative: moánánàkõá!
'Don't go!' (warning or prohibition addressed to two or more individuals).
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gyiànaá 'stop' |
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1s
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"Don't
let me go!" / "I shouldn't go."
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"Don't
me stop!" / "I shouldn't stop."
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2s
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"You
shouldn't go."
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"You
shouldn't stop."
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3s
[+anim]
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"Don't
let him go!" / "He shouldn't go."
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"Don't
let him stop!" / "He shouldn't stop."
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3s
[-anim]
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"Don't
let it go!" / "It shouldn't go."
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"Don't
let it stop!" / "It shouldn't stop."
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1p
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"Don't
let us go!" / "We shouldn't go."
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"Don't
Let us stop!" / "We shouldn't stop."
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2p*
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"You
shouldn't go."
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"You
shouldn't stop."
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3p
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"Don't
let them go!" / "They shouldn't go."
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"Don't
let them stop!" / "They shouldn't stop."
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*The
2nd person plural serves as a substitute form for Prohibitive (= negative
Imperative) plural.
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By
contrast, deà
'take' is always replaced by its substitute faá
in the contexts of ordering as well as of negating. Therefore, faá
is alone is used in all positive and negative expressions of this kind.
Imperatives
and optatives of all other verbs take the verbal stem as a basis.
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Go
to exercise
1