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Lesson 34: Cause Case

Vocabulary


	bash		common sense
	dosh		burden
	lud		debt
	olob		blow; trauma; to hit
	rohoro		storm
	uhud		nuisance
	–wáan		Suffix (noun): Cause Case
	widahuth		why
	yada		to thirst; to be thirsty; thirst
	yide		to hunger; to be hungry; hunger

“Widahuth” is the final one of the set of words that sound like question-words, but are really subordinating conjunctions. “Widahuth” means “why” as in “Bíi en le widahuth mehal ábedá wa” (I understand why farmers work).

Cause Case

[(Aux) Verb (Neg) CP–S CP–Cause]

The ending used to mark a Case Phrase as the Cause of what is in the statement. The Cause Case ending is “–wáan,” meaning “due to, because of.”

Examples


	Bíi sháad with bethedi wa.		The woman comes home.
	Bíi sháad with bethedi yidewáan wa.		The woman comes home due to hunger.
	Bíi sháad with bethedi yide bethowáan wa.		The woman comes home due to her hunger.

	Báa eril ada ne?		Did you laugh?
	Báa eril ada ne bebáawáan?		Why (because of what) did you laugh?

	Bíi eril di beye ledi widahuth mehaba mahina wa.		Someone told me why flowers are fragrant.

Exercises

Translate the following into English.


1	Bíi eril amedara ábedá thena ebatho bethowáan wáa.
2	Báa mesháad háawith bethedi rohorowáan?
3	Ra, menasháad ben nanáalewáan wáa.
4	Bíi eril úuya withid olobewáan wóo.
5	Báa héeya babí bebáawáan?
6	Báa mehen thul widahuth áana áwith?

Incorporate the second noun as a Cause; translate into English before and after.


7	Báa lo ehá?	bebáa
8	Bíi boóbin Ána delith berídanetha betha wa.	naya
9	Bíi aril óoha halá wáa.	dosh
10	Bíi meyod zhub menedebe yuth wi.	yide
11	Bíi eril thad láad Mázhareth wetheth oyinan wa.	ith óolethu
12	Bíi eril ada Doni lóolonal we.	sha

Did you perceive the meaning of “ehá” in #7? We know that we can add “e–” to the beginning of a word to mean “science of” whatever the word means. We can also add “–á” to the end of a word to mean “one who does” whatever it is. And we can add both to mean “one who does the science of” whatever. So, if we use just the prefix and the suffix with no word between, we mean “one who does science” with no particular science specified—or simply “scientist.” Of course, we add the “h” to separate the two vowels.

Translate the following into Láadan.


13	The student is always working because of his debt.
14	The old woman sold her house due to illness.
15	My assistant will drink the warm coffee because of thirst.
16	California is beautiful because of the weather.
17	Why (because of what) will there be a sound?
18	You (few) know why grass is green.

By this time, I'm sure you easily formed the word for “student” in #13. But if you still want a hint, think “one who learns.”

Did you remember to use the “place” variant of “beautiful” in #16?

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Answers


1	The farmer danced from (because of) her spouse's joy.
2	Are the children going home because of a storm?
3	No, they are departing because of sunset.
4	The man was in (felt) pain because of a trauma.
5	Why (because of what) is the bird afraid?
6	Do the parents understand why the baby sleeps?

7	Is the scientist rejoicing?
	Báa lo ehá bebáawáan?
	Why (because of what) is the scientist rejoicing?
8	Anna braids her aunt's hair.
	Bíi boóbin Ána delith berídanetha betha nayawáan wa.
	Anna braids her aunt's hair because of caring.
9	The worker will be weary.
	Bíi aril óoha halá doshewáan wáa.
	The worker will be weary due to a burden.
10	Many insects eat fruit (obviously).
	Bíi meyod zhub menedebe yuth yidewáan wi.
	Many insects eat fruit from (because of) hunger (obviously).
11	Margaret could see the path.
	Bíi eril thad láad Mázhareth wetheth oyinan ith óolethuwáan wa.
	Margaret could see the path because of the moonlight.
12	The Earth laughed slowly (I dreamed).
	Bíi eril ada Doni lóolonal shawáan we.
	The Earth laughed slowly because of harmony (I dreamed).

13	Bíi hal hadihad bediháhid lud bethowáan wáa.
14	Bíi eril eb wobalin wowith belid bethoth éeyawáan wa.
15	Bíi aril rilin dená letho wohowa woyobeth yadawáan wa.
16	Bíi hóya Halishóna rowáan wa.
17	Báa aril ham zho bebáawáan?
18	Bíi melothel nezh widahuth liyen hesh wa.

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