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7.1.3 Prepositional morphology
Most prepositions and locative adverbs in Mono are morphologically complex.
There is a closed set of prefixes which may attach to a base element to make the meaning
of the base more precise (cf. Cloarec-Heiss 1986: 272; Kamanda 1998: 522). The
prefixes are:
• =( =( =( =( ‘at’. This prefix implies no movement with respect to a designated location.
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• C= C= C= C= ~ C=( C=( C=( C=( ‘to’. This prefix indicates movement towards a designated location. The
value of the tone depends on the following tone. If the following syllable bears a
High tone, then the tone on C= C=- C= is Low. If the following syllable bears a Low or
Mid tone, then the tone on C= C=- C= is High. Cases of tonal polarity are common in
two-tone systems, but cases in three-tone systems have not been discussed much
in the literature. Our language resource persons noted that in most cases either
tone could appear in a given context. However, in actual speech, the tonal polarity
phenomenon was observed.
• F( F( F( F( ‘just in’. This prefix indicates a precise place or time.
• J5( J5( J5( J5( J5=( J5=( J5=( J5=( ‘at/place’. The meaning of these forms is unclear. Our language resource
persons indicated that these two forms have slightly different meanings, but they
couldn’t specify the difference.
Teasing out the exact meaning of the prefixes is difficult, so more research is
needed to make more precise the definitions given above. These prefixes may attach to
several different types of bases. First, they may attach to prepositions, as in (42), to create
a complex preposition. More than one prefix may be attached to a given base (42e). In
addition, the base may appear in isolation (42f), but the prefix may not.
(42) a. >=C >=C >=C >=C =( =( =( =( =(@( =(@( =(@( =(@( >== >== >== >==
turtle go:NF at-chez elephant
‘The turtle went to the elephant’s home.’
b. I( I( I( I( (= (= (= (= C=( C=( C=( C=( @ @ @ @
1SG be INF-go to-in field
‘I’m going to the field.’
c. = = = = J5=@= J5=@= J5=@= J5=@= ( ( ( ( C=(KJ5K C=(KJ5K C=(KJ5K C=(KJ5K @=(>= @=(>= @=(>= @=(>=
take:IMP pencil of 2SG to-in.front.of table
‘Put your pencil in front of the table.’