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== Conjugation classes == === Pama-Nyungan languages === One common feature of [[Pama–Nyungan languages]], the largest family of [[Australian Aboriginal languages]], is the notion of conjugation classes, which are a set of groups into which each lexical verb falls. They determine how a verb is conjugated for [[Tense–aspect–mood]]. The classes can but do not universally correspond to the transitivity or valency of the verb in question. Generally, of the two to six conjugation classes in a Pama-Nyungan language, two classes are open with a large membership and allow for new coinages, and the remainder are closed and of limited membership.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Westerlund, Torbjörn|title=A grammatical sketch of Ngarla (Ngayarta, Pama-Nyungan)|year=2015|isbn=978-1-922185-15-0|location=Anu, A.C.T.|oclc=903244888}}</ref> ==== Wati ==== In [[Wati languages]], verbs generally fall into four classes: * '''l''' class * '''∅''' class * '''n''' class * '''ng''' class<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dixon, R. M. W.|title=The Languages of Australia|date=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-511-71971-4|location=Cambridge|oclc=889953941}}</ref> They are labelled by using common morphological components of verb endings in each respective class in infinitival forms. In [[Wanman language|the Wanman language]] these each correspond to '''''la'', ''ya'', ''rra'',''' and '''''wa''''' verbs respectively. {| class="wikitable" |+Example Verb Conjugations in [[Warnman]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Warnman. Part one, Sketch grammar. |date=2003 |publisher=Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre |others=Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre. |isbn=1-875946-01-2 |location=South Hedland, W.A. |oclc=271859132}}</ref> !Class !Past !Present !Future !Imperative !Past Continuous !Habitual |- | rowspan="3" |'''LA''' | -rna | -npa/-rni | -nku | -la | -rninya |la |- |''waka-rna'' |''waka-rni'' |''waka-nku'' |''waka-la'' |''waka-rninya'' |''waka-la'' |- |speared |is spearing |will spear |spear it! |used to spear |spears |- | rowspan="3" |'''YA''' | -nya | -manyi | -ku | -∅/-ya | -minya | -∅/-ya |- |''wanti-nya'' |''wanti-manyi'' |''wanti-ku'' |''wanti-ya'' |''wanti-minya'' |''wanti-ya'' |- |stayed |is staying |will stay |stay! |used to stay |stays |- | rowspan="3" |'''RRA''' | -na | -npa | -nku | -rra | -ninya | -rra |- |''ya-na'' |''ya-npa'' |''ya-nku'' |''ya-rra'' |''ya-ninya'' |''ya-rra'' |- |went |is going |will go |go! |used to go |goes |- | rowspan="3" |'''WA''' | -nya | -nganyi | -ngku | -wa | -nganyinya | -wa |- |''pi-nya'' |''pi-nganyi'' |''pi-ngku'' |''pi-wa'' |''pi-nganyinya'' |''pi-wa'' |- |hit |is hitting |will hit |hit it! |used to hit |hits |} See also a similar table of verb classes and conjugations in Pitjantjatjara, a [[Wati language]] wherein the correlating verb classes are presented below also by their imperative verbal endings '''-la, -∅, -ra''' and '''-wa''' respectively {| class="wikitable" |+ Example Verb Conjugations in [[Pitjantjatjara dialect|Pitjantjatjara]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eckert |first=Paul |title=Wangka wir̲u: a handbook for the Pitjantjatjara language learner |date=1988 |publisher=University of South Australia /South Australian College of Advanced Education |others=Hudson, Joyce., South Australian College of Advanced Education. Aboriginal Studies and Teacher Education Centre, Summer Institute of Linguistics. |isbn=0-86803-230-1 |location=Underdale, S. Aust. |oclc=27569554}}</ref> !Class !Past !Present !Future !Imperative !Past Continuous !Habitual |- | rowspan="3" |'''LA''' | -nu | -ni | -lku | -la | -ningi | -lpai |- |''kati-nu'' |''kati-ni'' |''kati-leu'' |''kati-la'' |''kati-ningi'' |''kati-lpai'' |- |took |is taking |will take |take it! |used to take |takes |- | rowspan="3" |'''<big>∅</big>''' | -ngu | -nyi | -ku | -∅ | -ngi | -pai |- |''tawa-ngu'' |''tawa-nyi'' |''tawa-ku'' |''tawa-'''∅''''' |''tawa-ngi'' |''tawa-pai'' |- |dug |is digging |will dig |dig! |used to dig |digs |- | rowspan="3" |'''RA''' | -nu | -nangi | -nkuku | -ra | -nangi | -nkupai |- |''a-nu'' |''a-nangi'' |''a-nkuku'' |a-ra |''a-nangi'' |''a-nkupai'' |- |went |is going |will go |go! |used to go |goes |- | rowspan="3" |'''WA''' | -ngu | -nganyi | -nguku | -wa | -ngangi | -ngkupai |- |''pu-ngu'' |''pu-nganyi'' |''pu-nguku'' |''pu-wa'' |''pu-ngangi'' |''pu-ngkupai'' |- |hit |is hitting |will hit |hit it! |used to hit |hits |} ==== Ngayarta ==== [[Ngarla language|Ngarla]], a member of the [[Ngayarda languages|Ngayarda]] sub-family of languages has a binary conjugation system labelled: * '''l''' class * '''∅''' class In the case of Ngarla, there is a notably strong correlation between conjugation class and transitivity, with transitive/ditransitive verbs falling in the '''l'''-class and intransitive/semi-transitive verbs in the '''∅-'''class. {| class="wikitable" |+ Example Verb Conjugations in [[Ngarla language|Ngarla]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Westerlund |first=Torbjörn |date=2017-07-03 |title=Verb Classification in Ngarla (Ngayarta, Pama-Nyungan) |journal=Australian Journal of Linguistics |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=328–355 |doi=10.1080/07268602.2017.1298396 |issn=0726-8602 |s2cid=65180912}}</ref> !Class !Present !Remote Past !Past !Past Continuous !Habitual !Future !Speculative !Purposive !Optative !Present Contrafactual !Past Contrafactual !Anticipatory |- | rowspan="3" |'''L''' |<nowiki>-rri</nowiki> |<nowiki>-rnta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-rnu</nowiki> |<nowiki>-yinyu</nowiki> |<nowiki>-yirnta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-n</nowiki> |<nowiki>-mpi</nowiki> |<nowiki>-lu</nowiki> |<nowiki>-nmara</nowiki> |<nowiki>-rrima</nowiki> |<nowiki>-nmarnta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-rnamarta</nowiki> |- |''jaa-rri'' |''jaa-rnta'' |''jaa-rnu'' |''jaa-yinyu'' |''jaa-yirnta'' |''jaa-n'' |''jaa-mpi'' |''jaa-lu'' |''jaa-nmara'' |''jaa-rrima'' |''jaa-nmarnta'' |''jaa-rnmarta'' |- |is chopping |chopped (long ago) |chopped |used to chop |chops |will chop |could have chopped |in order to chop |ought to chop |were ''x'' chopping |had ''x'' chopped |should ''x'' chop |- | rowspan="3" |'''<big>∅</big>''' |<nowiki>-yan</nowiki> |<nowiki>-rnta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-nyu</nowiki> |<nowiki>-yanu</nowiki> |<nowiki>-yanta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-Ø</nowiki> |<nowiki>-mpi</nowiki> |<nowiki>-kura</nowiki> |<nowiki>-mara</nowiki> |<nowiki>-yanma</nowiki> |<nowiki>-marnta</nowiki> |<nowiki>-nyamarta</nowiki> |- |''warni-yan'' |''warni-rnta'' |''warni-nyu'' |''warni-yanu'' |''warni-yanta'' |''warni-Ø'' |''warni-rnpi'' |''warni-kura'' |''warni-mara'' |''warni-yanma'' |''warni-marnta'' |''warni-nyamarta'' |- |is falling |fell (long ago) |fell |used to fall |falls |will fall |could have fallen |in order to fall |ought to fall |were ''x'' falling |had ''x'' fallen |should ''x'' fall |} These classes even extend to how verbs are nominalized as instruments with the '''l-'''class verb including the addition of an ''/l/'' before the nominalizing suffix and the blank class remaining blank: '''l-class example:''' {{Interlinear|Kunyjarta-lu mara ku-rnu parnu-nga warnta pirri-lpunyjarri, kurni-rnu kunyjarta kurri|Woman-ERG hand CAUS-PST 3SG-GEN stick dig-INS throw-PST woman teenager|‘(The) woman caused her digging stick to be in (the) hand (i.e. picked up her digging stick), (and) threw (it) at (the) girl.’}} '''∅-class example<ref name=":0" />''' {{Interlinear|Jarrari-punyjarri waa-n ngajapa pinurru ngaya nyali ja-lu|light-INS give-FUT 1SG.LOC fire 1SG.NOM light CAUS-PURP|‘(A) match (lit. something to light with) give on (i.e. to) me, (a) fire I intend to light.’}} ==== Yidiny ==== [[Yidiny language|Yidiny]] has a ternary verb class system with two open classes and one closed class (~20 members). Verbs are classified as: * '''-n''' class (open, intransitive/semi-transitive) * '''-l''' class (open, transitive/ditransitive) * '''-r''' class (closed, intransitive) {| class="wikitable" |+ Example Verb Conjugations in [[Yidiny language|Yidiny]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Language description informed by theory |date=2014 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |others=Pensalfini, Rob., Turpin, Myfany., Guillemin, Diana. |isbn=978-90-272-7091-7 |location=Amsterdam, the Netherlands |pages=157 |oclc=868284094}}</ref> !Class !imperative !Present/Future !Past !Purposive !Apprehensive |- | rowspan="3" |'''N''' | -n | -ng | -nyu | -na | -ntyi |- |''nyina-n'' |''nyina-ng'' |''nyina-nyu'' |''nyina-na'' |''nyina-ntyi'' |- |sit! |is sitting / will sit |sat |in order to sit |lest ''x'' sit |- | rowspan="3" |'''<big>L</big>''' |<big>-∅</big> | -l | -lnyu | -lna | -ltyi |- |''patya-<big>∅</big>'' |''patya-l'' |''patya-lnyu'' |''patya-lna'' |''patya-ltyi'' |- |bite it! |is biting / will bite |bit |in order to bite |lest ''x'' bite |- | rowspan="3" |'''R''' | -rr | -r | -rnyu | -rna | -rtyi |- |''pakya-rr'' |''pakya-r'' |''pakya-rnyu'' |''-pakya-rna'' |''pakya-rtyi'' |- |feel sore! |is feeling / will feel sore |felt sore |in order to feel sore |lest ''x'' feel sore |}
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