The Dusun Comparative Adjectives
I had breakfast with my colleague this morning and one of the topic that caught my ever inquisitive mind was – if the adjective comparative and superlative morphemes (-er) and (-est) is present in the Dusun Language. I requested more information about this from my colleague, Mr. Joseph Yabai, a well known expert in this field and had several published articles on the Dusun language both on local daily and on some Educational journals as well.
Mr. Joseph Yabai @ Joe Martin Jerry
My question to him was if the corresponding comparative and superlative morphemes are present in Dusun. Normally, in English at least adjective comparative and superlative morphemes are quite regular on one and two syllable-words such as, shorter (one-syllable), friendlier (two-syllables), stronger (one syllable) and uglier (two syllables); however, on words with more than two syllables, they do not accept the inflectional morphemes, the entire words, rather than morphological suffixes are used to indicate the comparative such as more beautiful and superlative most beautiful.
Honggo tiso sumandak dit poinlumis kopio? (Which one is the most beautiful girl?)
Our discussion on this matter was not without some disagreements especially on one fundamental characteristic of the Dusun adjectival systems – the adjective comparative “more”. Mr. Yabai self-assuredly argued that the equivalent Dusun adjective comparative “more” is pointalib, which is defined as “a little bit further” as in pointalib-talib oh walai ku mantad sulap dau (My house is a little bit further from his hut) but it can also be interpreted as “more” as in pointalib pomusarahan dau ko yoku (He has a brighter mind than me). On second thoughts though, he could be mistaken because the interpretation of “pointalib” couldn’t be defined solely to its grammatical function but also on its pragmatics position as well.
Sulap (Hut)
Not to go into an extended argument with him, I finally gave in and I submitted to his analysis and interpretation. After reaching home however, I delved into some mind boggling research on only one little word – “pointalib”. I made some calls to Dusun speaking colleagues and finally came into a conclusion. Here is my analysis on the adjective “pointalib”:-
The prefix “poin” signifying a continuous period of doing something, similar to the “-ing” functions (present participle), to show past action and it can also imply on verbs functioning as adjectives.
1. Root: irikau (sit)
2. Poinrikau:
• Poinrikau ih Gumpirit id timpak tansar nokito ku. I saw Gumpirit seated on top of the fence. (V-Past)
• Poinrikau ih Gumpirit id timpak tansar. Gunsirit is sitting on top of the fence. (V-Present Participle)
• Tasu poinrikau. A sitting dog. (Verb functioning as adjectives)
Tasu poinrikau. (A sitting dog)
1. Root: torungak (face something) as in torungak gia dogo. Can you (change position) and face me.
2. Pointorungak:
• Potogindang ih Lydia potorungak dogo dit tinu. Lydia faced me with open legs just now. (V-Past)
• Potogindang ih Lydia potorungak dogo. Lydia is facing me with open legs. (V-Present Participle)
• Tingau potorungak. A staring cat. (Verb functioning as adjectives)
Potogindang (Open legs)
Potorungak do kakanan (Sitting facing the jar)
1. Root: talib (basically, to pass by/through as in “Talib oku po kio?” May I pass by/through?)
2. Pointalib:
• Pointalib no mantad isio dogo. He was a way further than me or He has already overtaken me. (V-Past)
2. Pointalib:
• Pointalib no mantad isio dogo. He was a way further than me or He has already overtaken me. (V-Past)
• Pointalib ih Konsomoi dogo. Konsomoi is passing by me. (V-Present Participle)
• Tasu pointalib. A passing dog. (Verb functioning as adjectives)
• Tasu pointalib. A passing dog. (Verb functioning as adjectives)
Now let us try to employ the word “pointalib” to represent the function of “more”.
1. Gimpuyut is more beautiful than Gunsilot.
- Pointalib limunis di Gimpuyut ko ih Gunsilot. Gimpuyut is a further beautiful than Gunsilot.
- Poinlumis-lumis po ih Gimpuyut ko ih Gumpilat. Gimpuyut is more beautiful than Gunsilot.
2. Joseph has bigger butt than Junaidi.
- Pointalib kogoyoon busul di Joseph ko ih Junaidi. Joseph has a further big butt than Junaidi
- Poingayo-gayo busul di Joseph ko mantad di Junaidi. Joseph has bigger butt than Junaidi.
3. Can you get me the bigger jar?
- Ongoio dogo gia it kakanan pointalib kogoyoon. Can you get me the further big jar?
- Ongoio dogo gia it kakanan dit poingayo-gayo. Can you get me the bigger jar?
4. Can you give this letter to the most beautiful girl in that room? Let me remind you, not the more beautiful girl but the most beautiful one.
- Patahako gia dogo ti surat kuma dit sumandak dit poinlumis (or tolumis) tomod/kopio id bilik dilo. Sorohon no kio, okon ko it pointalib kolumison nga it tolumis tomod.
- Can you give this letter to the most beautiful girl in that room? Let me remind you, not the further beautiful girl but the most beautiful one.
- Patahako gia dogo ti surat ku kuma dit sumandak dit poinlumis(or tolumis) tomod / kopio id bilik dilo. Sorohon no kio, okon ko it poinlumis-lumis no nga it tolumis tomod.
- Can you give this letter to the most beautiful girl in that room? Let me remind you, not the more beautiful girl but the most beautiful one.
From this overwhelming evidence, we can now conclude that “pointalib” cannot be put into effect as to represent the adjective comparative “more”. However, the adjective “pointalib” has more other functions such as in pragmatics but may never be used as the comparative adjective in a day-to-day Dusun conversation. The comparative adjective “more” of the Dusun Language is the prefix “poin” added to the root and a reduplication of the root itself such as in the following examples:-
• Root: Agayo – poingayo-gayo (Bigger)
• Root: Okoro – poinkoro-koro (Smaller)
• Root: Araat – poinraat-raat (uglier)
• Root: Surugau – poinsurugau-rugau (messier)
• Root: Okoro – poinkoro-koro (Smaller)
• Root: Araat – poinraat-raat (uglier)
• Root: Surugau – poinsurugau-rugau (messier)
(For more information on this topic please refer to my previous discussion on adjective and adverb inflections)
Photos courtesy of:
The Dusun Comparative Adjectives
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