V. ON SOME IMPORTANT PREPOSITIONS.

• The most important of all the Preposition in the language, those without which we cannot decline a noun or a pronoun, are: a, o, i, iä, mo, mä, and e.

1. A and o mean of, and whether o or a should be used is determined by the noun which governs; one class of nouns requiring o, another a. A definite rule covering all the nouns cannot be found, and yet the difficulty vanishes with actual practice. So important however is it to use correct prepositions that no one would attempt to use a noun without first ascertaining which preposition it requires, For example: O le poto o le tuluga, the wisdom [or practical knowledge] of the carpenter; o le amio a le tama, the conduct of the boy. In most cases not only would the use of the wrong preposition be an offence against the rule which is always rigidly observed by a native, but also the meaning of the noun would be modified or changed, and the speaker would fail to convey the meaning he intended to convey.

Fortunately the rule which applies to these prepositions applies also to the pronouns used adjectively, and therefore related to a noun, as, lo'u or la'u, my [sing.], o'u or a'u, my [pl.] ; lona or lana [sing.]. his, her, its; ona or ana [pl.] his, her, its, and so on. 'O l’au tusi, my book.. 'o lo'u f ale, my house. O lana avä ma ana fanau, his wife and children.* 'O ona 'ofu, his garments.

VI. ON THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

NOTES: [1]. The first person singular has three forms, and the second person singular has a shortened form 'e, much used as a Nominative without 'o.

Similarly nä, the second form of the third person is used as a Nominative.

[2]. The dual is formed from lua [two], usually by eliminating the l, and prefixing tä, mä, 'ou, lä; as täua, mäua, 'oulua, läua.

[3]. The plural is formed from tou, a contraction of tolu, which appears in Tongan and Niuean, in the pronouns tautolu [tätou], mautolu, [matou].

As in the dual, tä, mä, 'ou, lä are prefixed to the syllable tou in the plural; as tätou, mätou, 'outou, lätou.

[4]. The inclusive form of the pronoun [dual and plural] is used when two or more person speak of themselves inclusively; as Tätou te ö , let us go. We [you [pl.] and I] will go. The exclusive form of the pronoun [dual and plural] is used when two or more persons speak of themselves to some one or more not included; as 'Ua mätou faatali iä te 'oe. We waited for you.

[5]. As before stated [Chapter III. § 5, Note 3], the first and third person, dual and plural, in every case take i before the pronoun except where the sign of the Nominative, 'o, is dropped, the Pronoun being still the first word in the sentence;

as mätou te ö, We will go.

[6]. The sign of the Nominative, 'o is used with the pronouns, subject to the same rules as in the nouns, with the following exceptions.

[a] For the sake of euphony the third person ia may take the sign of the Nom. after the Verb; as 'Ua alu atu o ia, He has gone.

[7]. What may be termed the shortened forms of the pronouns do not take 'o.

[8]. The shortened forms are used [a] when the structure of the sentence allows the pronoun to come first in the sentence; as, 'Ou te fia alu taeao, I wish to go tomorrow. Tä te le fia nofo i le mea nei, I don't wish to remain in this place. ‘E te fai lea feau taeao, You will do that work [commission] tomorrow. Nä te le fia sau lava, He does not at all wish to come. Ta te ö; ma to ö, let us go; lua te ö, you [two] will go.

La te nonofo, they [two] will remain. Tou te le mafai, You cannot.

[b] When the pronoun can be inserted between the Verbal, use with the pronoun. But as a general rule the possessive particle and its verb, as Ua 'ou sau, I have come. Na na fai mai, he said, Ua mä o mai. we [excl.] have come.

[c] In the second clause of a sentence in the Nominative absolute; as, 'O a’u nei 'ou te alu, As for me. I will go. 'O i mana nei, o le ä mä nonofo; [or o to ä nonofo i maua,l We two [exclusive] will remain.

[9]. The same rules which regulate whether o or a should be used to express the genitive of the noun regulate also their pronoun rather than the genitive with the pronoun would be preferred; as, 'O le fale o i täua lenei, This is the house of us

two. This is better expressed by the possessive pronoun. 'o lo ta fale lenei, O le fale o a'u lenei, is equivalent to and better expressed by, 'O lo'u fale lenei, This is my house. 'O le mea a a'u lenä, expressed by the possessive pronoun, o la’u mea lena, that thing is mine, or that is mine.

VII. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS.

EXAMPLES. Ua fai la laua galuega. They two are doing their work. O ana tusi ia, These are his books. O lota mana'o lenä, That is my desire. O le finagalo lea o lo tatou mälö, That is the will of our government.

VIII. DISTRIBUTIVE PRONOUNS.

Ta'itasi, each; ta'itasi uma, every; so, before a personal pronoun, as Ia ta’itasi a sau, let each one come separately. So mäua, one of us two; so 'oulua, one you two. Taitasi ma alu i lona aiga, let each go to his family. Sau ia so oulua taeao, one of you two come tomorrow.

X. INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.

Nisi [ni isi], isi, some, others. Ni, some, any. Nai, some, [few].

NOTE: To avoid an indecent word it is better to omit the 'o before nisi, ni. Where, as at the beginning of a sentence it is necessary to use 'o it is better to say 'o isi:

Se tasi, le tasi, one, another, the other, a. So isi another, certain one. Le isi, the other.

'Au mai ni niu, bring me some cocoanutw. 'Au mai so tasi., bring me another. 'O le tasi tagata sa mau i Moapi, a certain man [who] dwelt in Moab.

NOTE: Interrogative and Relative Pronouns are explained in Chapter VI. §XIV, "On the Relative ai.'

XI. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE VERBAL PARTICLES.

Directive particles: mai, atu, ane, ifo, a'e, ese.

[1] Mai, after the verb denotes direction towards the speaker; as, o mai iä te a'u, come to me; 'au mai se niu, bring me a cocoanut; manatu mai ia te a'u, think of me; foa'i mai ia te a'u, give me.

[2] Atu, after the verb denotes direction from the speaker; as, o atu ia Iosefa, go to joseph; avatu [ave atu] se niu ia te ia, take a cocoanut to him; 'ou te foa'i atu lea tusi

ia te 'oe. I give that book to you.

[3] Ane, is indirect motion, along, aside; as 'ua alu ane ‘o ia i le ala, he has gone along the road; 'ua alu ane 'o ia i le fale, he has gone to the house [meaning that he did not go from the speaker, but that the speaker saw him going along or knows of his going to the house].

[4] Ifo, is direction downwards; as, E o ifo i latou i le tuugamau, they go down to the grave; na alu ifo ‘o ia i le taavale [nofoa faataavalevale], he got down from the buggy [or carriage], [he got out of the carriage].

[5] A’e, is direction upwards; as, 'Ua lele a'e le manu, the bird has flown up; 'ua alu a'e o ia i le mauga, he has gone up the mountain.

[6] 'Ese, away, away from; as alu 'ese [sing.], ö 'ese [pl.], .go away, [begone!]. 'Ave 'ese, take away. 'Ave 'ese ia te a'u, take away from me.

This feature of the language of continually introducing adverbs of direction or place will be more fully explained in a later section.

XII. PARTICLES WHICH HAVE THE POWER OF CHANGING NOUNS INTO VERBS.

These particles have no meaning, in themselves, but endue the word to which they are prefixed with the relations of time or sequence, or mood.

The particles denoting tense are, e [te], ua, sa, na, ä, o.

[1] The most indefinite of the verbal particles is e. It is used in sentence which in an English translation would require either the present, or indefinite future, or that still more indefinite or timeless relation expressed in English by the present tense of the verb, to be. E alofa le Atua, may mean, God loves, God will love, God is [by His nature] love, according as the context may determine the application.

Te is a verbal particle which takes the place of e when a personal pronoun is the nominative to the verb and precedes the verb in the present and future indefinite tenses. Pe would also take the place of e in asking a question in the future tense, as Pe sau o ia? Will he come? [Te is a simple euphonic particle in connection with the preposition iä and the personal pronouns in the Objective [or Accusative] Case, as iä te a'u, to me, me; iä te i mätou, to us, us.]

[3] [a] 'Ua is used with neuter verbs, [1] to signify the present tense, as Ua 'ou tula'i atu, I am standing up [before you]; 'ua 'ou nofo i’inei, I am sitting here; 'ua tagi le tama, the child is crying. [2] To signify the perfect tense with "have." 'Ua 'ou sao, I have escaped; tua 'ou sau, I have come; ‘ua alu o ia, he has gone; 'ua goto le la, the sun has set.

[b] 'Ua is also used with nouns and adjective to signify the verb "'to be," as 'Ua faigata, it is difficult; 'ua po, it is night; ’ua lelei, it is good; 'ua leaga, it is bad.

[c] With passive and deponent verbs, 'ua signifies the perfect tense, 'ua tofia a'u, I am appointed; 'ua 'avatua it has been taken, [or it is taken]; 'ua mä manatua 'oe, we two remember you.

[4] Na and sa mark the imperfect tense, or past time with the limitation of finished action. These particles do not, like ’ua allow of being translated in neuter verbs by the auxiliary "have" or "be." Na sau le tamäloa, the man came. Sa 'ou faia lea mea ananafi, I did that thing yesterday. Na oti, 'a 'ua toe ola mai, he was dead, but is alive again.

There seems to be little or no difference between the two particles. Usage seems to determine the preference for sa in giving stronger emphasis to the past definite than na. As a general rule sa would be used in the first sentence if the speaker intended to follow it up with another sentence conveying the idea of sequence of events, as Sa faa’potopoto foi o i iatou ma ia, ona fetalai atu lea o ia ia te i latou, etc. They were gathered together with him, then he said to them. etc.

[6] O, is a present tense particle. It is however seldom used in consequence of the less precise and more general use of 'ua. It is extremely useful in negative sentences; as, e lë o sau 'o ia, he is not coming [not on the way]. Compare, e lë sau ‘o ia, he is not coming [may not intend to come] ; 'ua le sau o ia., he has not come. But o, may take the place of 'o lo’o, the present participial particle. Tou te le o iloa 'ea,. etc? Do you not know, etc? It is to be noted that this so-called tense of the verb. 'O lo’o sau o ia, he is coming [now on the way], A further nicety of distinction is. expressed by adding ‘ua; 'O lo'o 'ua sau, He has come. This differs from 'Ua sau, He has come, in that the former means that although he has not actually arrived he is very near. 'O lo'o 'ua üla, It is now raining. This differs very little from, 'O lo'o üa, It is raining. 'O lo’o and o are used for the verb to be as, 'O lo’o ia te ‘oe lona malosi, His strength is in Thee. In the following sentence the sequence of thought in the narrative from which the sentence is quoted makes it part, but the particle o is still used in the narration for o lo’o; as, Ona va'ai atu lea, o tu mai le alii, Then [he] saw that the chief was standing before [him]

NOTE: [1] The attributes of God are expressed by the particle e; as, E poto lava o ia, He is wise. But a remarkable exception is in reference to the existence of God; as 'O loo soilua le Atua, God lives.

[2] The future participle is expre.sed by 'o le ä; as; 'O le a fa'a'umatia le a’ai, The city is about to be destroyed.

XIII. PARTICLES OF THE IMPERATIVE AND INFINITIVE MOODS.

[1] Se'i, the precative particle, is the form the Imperative takes in the first person singular; as Se'i 'ou sa'ili, let me seek, but it is also used as a precative in all other persons, of the Imperative; as Se'i latou? mäi'a mai se 'ava, Let them chew us some kava; Se'i 'au mai se niu, Do you bring [us] a cocoanut, or let a cocoanut be brought.

The Imperative mood in the second and third persons is expressed by means of the pardcle ia; or inä, in positive commands is the emphatic particle of the Imperative. But the Imperative is frequently expressed by the simple form of the verb.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

1. Se'i 'ou saili, Let me seek. Sei mä, [ta, matou,tätou] saili, Let us seek.

2. Sa'ili, or saili ia 'oe, or Inä ‘ë sa'ili, or Ia ‘ë saili, Seek thou. Säili ia outou, or la outou sa'ili, [ia oulua sa'ili], Seek you.

3. Ia sa'ili o ia, Let him seek, Ia lätou sa'ili, ia lä sa'ili, Let them seek.

NOTE: [1] The Imperative of positive command may be expressed by repeating the verb; as o, inä o, go.

[2]. For intensity the verb is also repeated with ia; as: ö 'outou, go you.

[3]. The future tense of the verb is also used as an imperative; as, 'E te alu lava 'oe, You shall go.

[2] THE INFINITIVE MOOD is known by the particle e before the Verb; as, e sa'ili, to seek. It is " frequently regarded as a noun, and the preposition i is used instead of the particle e; as, 'ou te musu i galue, I am unwilling to work, [Literally: I am unwilling in the matter of working.]

NOTE: In reference to the impersonal prohibitive verb. 'aua, the use of the Infinitive particle is apt to be overlooked. The following passage illustrates the force of the Infinitive with 'aua: Ua matou aioi atu ia teo ia, e ‘aua le alu, o ia. We begged him not to go. [Literally: We begged him to do not the goingl . In the foregoing idiom another point is to be noted, 'aua takes the article le after it.

[3] THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD is denoted both by particles and conjunctions. As the verb itself undergoes no change such particles act as guides to the interpretation of the sentence. There are two kinds of conditional sentences. [a] The condition regarded as capable of fulfilment. [b] The condition regarded as incapable. of fulfilment. [a] The condition regarded as capable of fulfilment is expressed in Samoan by 'afai: as. 'Afai e sau. 'oia 'ou te ta'u atu iä te ia lou mana’o, If he come. I will tell him your desire,. 'Afai e timu i le asö, o le a le o'o le malaga. If it rains today, our journey will not take. place. Or we may have as the consequence a simple Imperative: as. Alu, pe 'afai ua 'e fia alu lava, Go, If you very much wish to go.

[b] The condition may be regarded as incapable of fulfilment: as Ana 'ou mafai ona alu nei, po 'ua 'ou mafai ona maua atu 'o'ia. If I could go now I might overtaike him. Here ana the conjunction if of past time is used in the conditional sentence and po 'ua is the consequence.

With the past tense, and considered both as incapable of fulfilment and contrary to fact, both 'afai and ana are used in the conditional sentence, followed by po 'ua in the dependent sentence, as, 'Afai ana 'ou alu ananafi, po ua maua atu 'o'ia, If I had gone yesterday. I should have caught him [reached him]. 'Afai ana outou tauaso, po ua leai sa outou agasala. If ye were blind, ye would have no sin [John ix. 41].

[c] The Subjunctive expressing purpose sometimes called the final subjunctive is indicated by the conjunction 'ina with the particle of the Subjunctive ia; as Sösö mai ia, lo’u atalii e, ina ia 'ou tagotago iä te oe, Draw near, my son, that I may feel thee. [Genesis]. Tatalo, 'ina ia manuia! Pray that it be blessed! [Indicative of a strong desire and hope]. May it prosper.

Negative causality is expressed by 'ina ne'i; as, Sola ia ‘oe, ina ne'i mälaia 'oe i le sala a le nu'u, Flee thou, lest thou shouldest perish in the punishment of the place.

[d] The Samoan speech has what may be termed a subjunctive of remonstrance very characteristic of the people. It consists in the use of the negative with the precative particle Se'i; as, 'Ua lë se'i ta'ito'atasi ma lauga il le leo 'ua ia masani ai? Why should not each person preach in the voice that he is accustomed to [use]? Implying of course that this is not done. ‘Ua le se'i mau so alävaa? Why do you not steer a straight course.

[e] The Subjunctive expressive of a wish is indicated by the particle 'ia as 'ia manuia' May you be blessed! The. Word manuia is a verb and must have a particle to indicate that. Such a phrase as "manuia Samoa!" can only mean that the person using it has failed to note the particle, Ia. The phrase should therefore be "Ia manuia Samoa!'"

Ia tupu i se fusi! [A dying parent’s wish for his son] May you grow in a swamp. May you prosper and florish!

Very common is the use of the word tatlo [pray] as expressing an earnest hope. In such a case the particles ‘ina ‘ia follow the verb. As, Tatlo ina ia maua e ia lona uso o ola. Let us hope that he may reach reach his brother whilst still alive.

NOTE: The Samoan language has no precise form of speech to express our potential subjunctive: as. I should never do that. I should never have done that. A native would guard his language more fully by using the impersonal verb. E iloga with pe, It is doubtful if; as, E iloga. or Ai iloga pe mafaia e a’u se mea faapea. It is doubtful if I could do a thing like that. If in the definite past, ona with o ua would be used; as, "Ana lë ia te ia le Atua e lë mafai e se tasi ona fai ‘o ia faailoga ‘e te faia." If God were not with him, no one could do these signs that thou doest. [John iii. 2]

[f] 'A is used like 'afai; as, 'A üa, matou lë ö, If it rains, we will not go.

NOTE: This conjunction 'a [like 'afai] is not to be confounded with the adverb ä. The later means when; as A ö mai i l ä tou, ia tatou ö, When they come, let us go. Ai, is another Conjunctive particle used in association with se to mean should any one, whoever or should.

[g] The Subjunctive with 'ina 'ua, ona 'ua, before the verb. Both these forms of speech may be translated because that, or that. Although these conjunctives are only possible as indicating the past Subjucntive, yet the principal clause of the sentence upon which such a conditional clause depends may be either present or past; as, E lelei ona 'ua 'ou alu, It is good that I went. ‘Ua le ö ona 'ua matagi. We did not go, because it was windy.

The three conjunctives: viz., 'ina 'ia, the "final" subjunctive in the present of future Tense of the verb; 'ina 'ua and ona 'ua are all exemplified in the following quotation:-"Ona ‘ua leai ‘ea ni tuugamau i Aikupito, na 'e aumaia ai i matou 'ina 'ia matou oti i le vao? Se a le mea na 'e fai ai lenei mea ia te i matou ina ua 'e aumaia i matou nai Aikupito"? [Ex. xiv. 11]. Because there were no graves in Egypt, didst thou bring us in order that we might die in the wilderness? Why hast thou done this thing to us, in that thou didst bring us from Egypt?

The only distinction that seems to be observed by natives in the use of these conjunctives is that one appears to be preferred for the commencement of a sentence, or for the more strongly emphasised statement of a condition or fact upon which something else depends. Ina follows a verb in the definite past with na or sa and seems to preserve historical sequence better than ona.

NOTE: It is important to observe that this idiom is rarely used by Samoans and that it is frequently possible in composition to express the same idea more forcibly and more in accordance with the genius of the language by the Indicative followed by O le mea lea -- ai; [thereforel, to be more fully explained in a later section. [See Chapter VI.]

The following example will illustrate how o le mea lea may be used instead of Ona 'ua. "Na 'ou vala'au, a e lei mafafai outou, na ou faaloaloa lo’u lima, a e leai së na faalogo mai; ….. o le mea lea ou te ata ai a'u i lo outou malaia; 'ou te tauemu pe a oo mai lo outou fefe." The rendering in the English version is: "Because I called, and ye refused; I stretched out my arm, but no man regarded; ….. I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. [The cry of Wisdom, Prov. 1, 24-261.