ABSTRACT
P! as a category is definable phonologically and grammatically as follows:
(a) i. It cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. ii. It does not bear full stress. It is usually weakly stressed.
iii. It is always monosyllabic. (b) i. It is in direct syntagmatic relation with the linguistic element
immediately following it. ii. It always precedes elements of N. iii. A concord relationship of person exists between the terms of
Px and N. The exponent of this for some terms is the ‘initial sandhi difference* known as mutation, (Nm). For other terms it is of non-mutation. These are indicable as follows:6
term i 9 CN term 3 i CL term 4 1 CA term 7 i C
iv. Concord of person and number are exhibited with P2. N is a class of nominals which may be abstracted and defined in terms of morphological and syntactic characteristics. The term is used as a general label for the categories of noun, noun + adjective, verbal noun and verbal noun + adjective. In the complex N occurs medially and serves as a place-marker in the pronominal structure. P2 like Px is a monosyllabic form which cannot stand alone and is weakly stressed. Disyllabic forms of P2, are, therefore, excluded from this analysis.7 It occupies final position invariably and con cord relationship exists between the terms of P2 and N. Concord of person and number are exhibited with Px. 7. The minimal form of the complex as a sentence by itself may
occur as follows:
PXN [9 >nha:d] N [inhaid] NP2 [«nha:d i]
8. Where the complex may form part of longer utterances the exponents hitherto described are again observable: one main stress, concord relationship, etc. Interverbal junction features occur under these conditions between it and the preceding and the succeeding elements in the utterance.
