Lesson 28 : Luvaaso (a sentence)

A sentence in Lulogooli is “luvaaso” and plural “Zivaaso” (lu.vaaso:zi.vaaso).

It borrows from “a line”, that is called “luvaaso”. This arrangement of “items” in a line, similar to a sentence, is the grouping together of words.

The grouped words have to have a meaning. And the basic grouping is Noun + Verb – “Kilaange na Kikolwa”. Other added sentence characteristics are a capitalized first word letter (iduguda inene) and ending with a punctuation mark (kiloohizilu).

The uses of sentences include to communicate a direct message, ask a question, express an emotion or give a declaration as given examples in chart Ileseni 28b.

Further to the above, sentences can include more than just a noun (kilaange) and a verb (kikolwa). Other parts of speech end up being used to better the sentences.

Other parts of speech, earlier discussed in Ileseni 17, are Kisiingilili (S), Kivaambalilizi (V), Kiivaali (V),  Kimanynya (M), Kiungi (U) and Kihugi (H).

A sentence structure having more than one of the above has them written in plural thus: Vilaange (VL), Vikolwa (VK), Visiingilili (VS), Vivaambalilizi (VV), Viivaali (VI), Vimanynya (VM), Viungi (VU) and Vihugi (VH). This is also highlighted at chart Ileseni 28c.

“Uluvaaso” is represented as (L+. = L.). A sentence can therefore be summarized as “L. = VL + VK”. An example case is “Maama adeekaa” can be listed down as:

L. = VL + VK

VL = L

L = Maama

VK = K

K = adeekaa

Breaking down a sentence requires one to understand what part of speech the word is. The types (ZIgano zia zivaaso) of sentences also identify the way the parts of speech apply. Some sentences have a dependent clause within, represented as (-L.). This is part of a sentence that the sentence would still be achieved without.

A short sentence (luvaaso luheenge) has structure L. = VL+VK. A compound sentence (luvaaso lugeleka) has structure L. = L.¹(VL¹ + VK¹) + U + L.² (VL² + VK²). A complex sentence (luvaaso lufuumbela) has a dependent clause (-L) while an ambiguous sentence (luvaaso luchivanya) is that whose meanings can be more than 1.

A sentence as “Maama adeekaa vuangu na umuana ua inzala alilaa ng’weeng’wee!” (Mother is cooking quickly and the child with hunger is crying “ng’weeng’wee!) can be structurally split as:

L. = L.¹ + U + L.²  

L. = L.¹(VL¹ + VK¹) + U + L.² (VL² + VK²)

L.¹ = VL¹ + VK¹

VL¹ = L

L = Maama

VK = K

K = adeekaa

U = na

L.²  =  VL² + VK² 

VL² = L + -L

L = umuana

-L = ua inzala

 VK²  = K + I + H

K = alilaa

I = inzala

H = Ng’weeng’wee!

The above sentence structure can also be illustrated in a table or branching format as in the examples below.

Exercise

1. Define what a sentence is in Lulogooli.
2. Using your own examples, write sentences illustration their usage in communication.
3. Illustrating structure by tables and branches, write a sentence for each of the types of sentences.