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[vii]. di is also used in sentences beginning with the
subject without the function of focusing or contrasting the
subject. Its only function here is to give the subject an
initial unstressed word for a smooth and unabrupt beginning,
especially when the subject is a monosyllabic pronoun.
283. Di lon hana lon-tukbn h'an ji-tem teungeut-lon.
SFC I NEG 1-know why NEG 3-want asleep-1
T do not know why I cannot sleep.'
284. Di kah beu got akai, beh?
SFC youy DES good behaviour okay
'Please be nice, okay?'
285. Di jih ka seunang-jih jinoe.
SFC hey IN happy- 3y
now
'He has a happy life now.'
3.5 Sentence-Initial "nyoe" and "nyan"
nvoe and nvan are demonstratives with the meanings
'this' and 'that' respectively. However, occurring sentence-
initially, they have a very different function. In this
position they function as an 'attention getter.' These words
are very often used when the speaker wants to alert the
listener of what he is going to say. No exact English
equivalent is possible to give because their meanings vary
considerably. In some sentences they may mean something like