The mighty-e refers to the deflected numerative [e+] which has developed into a grammatical particle for a variaty of usages. All of its usages have the function of representing what is possessed by or attributive to its head, which can be a word, phrase or clause. These usages are expediently classified into seven groups for illustration as follows.
A. Used as a numerative
Examples:
1. [tzit=e-(_)/ap_a" lai_bin- u_/sa~-e-(_)/si-(_)bpyo=(+)a"] There are three watches inside this box; 2. [nNg_/qe-kau=(+)a" lONg=(+)tzONg" tsit=e-(_)/laNg+] There are seven menbers in total for the two families.
This numerative may be used to cobuild with a demonstrative turning out the demonstrative pronouns of [tzit=e=(-)] (this) and [hit=e=(-)] (that), which are often contracted into [tz,e=(-)] and [h,e=(-)].
B. Used for possessive constructions
A substitute for what owned. Examples:
3. [tzit=nNg_bpun=(+)/tseQ- m_si_/nan=(+)e+] These two books are not ours; 4. [hit=dtai-(_)/BMW si_/qe"bpyaQ-.e+] That BMW is the neighbor's/blongs to the neighbor.
A marker of possessive relation. Examples:
5. [tzit=nNg_bpun" m_si_/nan=(+)e-(_)/tseQ-] These two are not our books; 6. [hit=dtai+ si_/qe"bpyaQ-.e-(_)/tsya=(-)] That is the neighbor's car.C. Used as a particle for adjectives
For predicative adjectives. Examples:
7. [yau=(+)b(/w)e_/qau"hun=(-) e-(_)\swai~_a" si_/sNg=(-)|e-(')]
Before they ripen mangoes taste sour;
8. [kONg_qu-li" si_/dti(E)Ng-|e-(')//tsa+ nNg"|e']
Concrete is hard; wood soft.
For attributive adjectives. Examples:
9. [tsau"pu" e-(_)\bi" m_taNg-/ki"\lam_/dtyoQ_\ho"|e'] Don't get mouldy rice mixed with the good. 10.[gONg_dtuQ"dtuQ- e-(_)\gin=(+)a" sen-\qa' dto-\b(/w)e_hyau"] Utterly stupid kids can never be taught to learn.The attributive adjectives may be used for predicative adjectives with or without the particle.
D. Used as an attributive marker for nouns or nominals
Examples:
11.[ko-haK=(+/-) e-(_)\si-(_)dtai-] age of science; 12.[yau=(+)b(/w)e_/wan-(_)si(E)Ng+ e-(_)\Rim_bu=] the mission not yet completed; 13.[gwa" tzo(/e)"/gin=(+)na" e-(_)\Rit_tzi"] days of my being a child/my childhood.E. Used for labeling
14. [li"|e' si_/ ONg+|e'.e-(_)\a-qu-.e-(_)/q(/y)a~=(+)sai']
He with the surname of [li"] is the son-in-law of the maternal uncle
of the man with the surname of [ONg+];
15. [ku=|e=(') si_/tai_dtj=|e-(')//in-/bo" si_/hit=e=/b(/w)e_/tsai'|
e'.e-(_)/tza-bo=(+)q(/y)a~"] He with the surname of [ku=] is a
butcher//his wife is the daughter of that person who sells vegetable.
F. Used as a relative pronoun
In English a relative pronoun turns the relative clause into a regressive modifier but such kind
of modification is typically progressive in Hoyloy. The relative pronoun used in Hoyloy as
illustrated below is similar in function to the particle for adjectives.
16.[a-ma" tzo(e)"/hO-|gwa' e-(')\hit=e-(_)/hyu~-paNg=(-) qau"/dta~=(-)#
yau=(+)qo"\dti-|de-(')]
The incense amulet* that grandma made for me has been there up to this date;
*An incense amulet, [hyu~-paNg=(-)] (lit. 'incense fragrance'), is a tiny bag containing
powdered incense worn as a charm to keep evil away and bring good luck. As a Hoyloy tradition
-- though not popularly observed in Taiwan nowadays, a mother gives an incense amulet to each
of her children on Double Fifth Festival which falls on the fifth day of fifth moon. The bag is stuffed
with cotton penetrated with powdered incense. It comes in a variety of shapes: square, egg plant,
peach and lion's head, just to name a few. For incense amulets sold at stores, silk with fine
embroidery is used for tailoring. The priceless ones are custom-made by sisters or mothers
from cloth fragments of any kind (called [bpO"tau_bpO"b(/w)e"] lit. 'heads and tails of cloth')
left behind in the drawer.
17.[Kim dti_de=\qONg"|e-(_)\kO"sj- dtaK_qe- dtya~-/dtyoQ=(+/-) sim-qwa~=# pOK_pOK_tsai~"] The story that Kim was telling made everybody listening with throbbing heart.The relative clause formed with the morpheme [e+] as a relative pronoun may be used as a predicative nominal but the anaphor seems to be more adequately used for reference to the subject or object of an action than otherwise as illustrated by the examples given below.
18. [e_/tzyaQ_/bi" e-(_)\taNg+ qyo"tzo(/e)."bi=(+)taNg+]
Bugs that can eat rice are called ricebugs;
18a.[bi=(+)taNg+ si e_/tzyaQ_/bi"|e']
Ricebugs are those that can eat rice;
cf. [bi=(+)taNg+ e_/tzyaQ_/bi"] Ricebugs can eat rice;
19. [tzit=qi(E)Ng= si_/ gwa" qa-qi_\ki" e-(_)\tsu']
This is the house that I built myself;
19a.[tzit=qi(E)Ng-/tsu' si_/ gwa" qa-qi_\ki"|e']
This house is built by myself;
20. [u_/pO-/dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa=(-) e-(_)\lO qyo"tzo(/e)."
dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa-/lO-]
Roads (that have been) paved with tarmacadam/asphalt are called
Tarmac roads;
?20a.[dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa-/lO- si_/ u_/pO-/dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa=(-)|e']
cf. [dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa-/lO- u_/pO-/dtam=(-)ma=(+)qa=(-)]
Tarmac roads are paved with tarmacadam/asphalt.
G. Used as an equality marker for comparative constructions
Examples:
21. [tzap_bpau-/bi" bo_/ tzit_ka-/tsyu=(+)tzi" e-(_)\qe"dtat=(+/-)]
Three sacks of rice are not as valuable as a ring
22. [tzit=tzaNg-(_)/tsyu_a" qan-na-\u_/ hit=qi(E)Ng-/tsu' e-(_)\
tzit_bpwa~"/qwan+].
This tree is only half as tall as that house.
Direction of modification
In Englsih, a relative clause, a prepostional phrase or sometimes a past participle follows the noun or noun phrase it modifies. As we have seen in the preceding examples a modifier made up with the morpheme [e+] serving the same function in Hoyloy always goes ahead of the target of modification. It will become more comprehensible if we call the morpheme in this function as modification marker rather than relative pronoun.
-- For audio play of Hoyloy sentences 1 through 22, click here. --
-- Options for pronunciation guidance:syllabic tone patterns | vowels | consonants | practical symbols
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