Classifier prefixes in Waris attach to verbs, and are determined via the physical properties of the object noun phrase being referred to. Many of them have parallels with independent verb roots, which may well be where they had originated from. Examples include:[3]
ex:
wonda
netbag
ka-m
1-DAT
mwan-vra-ho-o
CLF-get-BEN-IMP
wonda ka-m mwan-vra-ho-o
netbag 1-DAT CLF-get-BEN-IMP
‘Give me a netbag.’
ex:
nenas
pineapple
ka-m
1-DAT
li-ra-ho-o
CLF-get-BEN-IMP
nenas ka-m li-ra-ho-o
pineapple 1-DAT CLF-get-BEN-IMP
‘Give me a pineapple.’
ex:
nelus
greens
ka-m
1-DAT
ninge-ra-ho-o
CLF-get-BEN-IMP
nelus ka-m ninge-ra-ho-o
greens 1-DAT CLF-get-BEN-IMP
‘Give me some greens’
Many of these prefixes have lexical parallels with verb roots. The list of classifier prefixes is:[3]
classifier prefix
semantic category
verb root parallel
mwan-
soft pliable objects like net bags, skirts, bark mats
^ abFoley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN978-3-11-028642-7.
Brown, Robert (1981). "Semantic aspects of some Waris predications". In Karl J. Franklin (ed.). Syntax and semantics in Papua New Guinea languages. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics. pp. 93–123.
Brown, Robert (1988). "Waris case system and verb classification". Language and Linguistics in Melanesia. 19: 37–80.
Brown, Robert; Honoratus Wai (1986). Diksenari: Walsana moa Pisinna moa Englisna moa (A short dictionary of the Walsa [Waris] language, Tok Pisin and English). Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
