1. Negation

Clausal negation in January 6th is indicated by the use of the negative verb gem. It has all of the properties of a verb in a main clause, while the affirmative verb is subordinated by a, and is always irrealis:

  • ì-nasi susi
    3SG-swim fish
    'the fish swims'

  • ì-gem susi a ì-u-nasi
    3SG-NEG fish SUB 3SG-IRR-swim
    'the fish does not swim'

  • sa-use-an gagu-n
    2SG-eat-3PL buffalo-PL
    'you eat the buffalos'

  • sa-gem a sa-u-use-an gagu-ne-si
    2SG-NEG SUB 2SG-IRR-eat-3PL buffalo-PL-ACC
    'you do not eat the buffalos'

Predicate nominals are negated similarly, although lacking the subordinator a:

  • kug moku
    forest big
    'the forest is big'

  • ì-gem kug u moku
    3SG-NEG forest IRR big
    'the forest is not big'

2. Imperatives

Imperatives are implicitly second person, and are not marked for subject, nor object:

  • igek
    talk
    'talk!'

  • use miso
    eat soup
    'eat the soup!'

  • miwa ago
    kiss 1SG
    'kiss me!'

Imperatives can however take applicative markers:

  • teku-atu uk osug
    cut-INST tree axe
    'chop the tree with the axe!'

  • miwa-sig ago site
    kiss-BEN 1SG nose
    'kiss me on the nose!'

Negative imperatives use the negative verb gem:

  • gem a sa-u-use miso-si
    NEG SUB 2SG-IRR-eat soup-ACC
    'do not eat the soup!'

  • gem a sa-u-miwa-sig ago site
    NEG SUB 2SG-IRR-kiss-BEN 1SG nose
    'do not kiss me on the nose!'

3. Questions

3.1. Yes/no questions

Yes/no questions, that is, questions that expect an affimative or negative answer, are formed with the particle ko. There is no other special morphosyntax distinguishing them from declarative clauses. The affirmative answer particle is lam and the negative gem.

  • ko sa-wè-miwa go-waga? gem.
    QP 2SG-PERF-kiss 1POSS-friend? no
    'did you kiss my friend? no.'

  • ko èi inì? lam.
    QP 3SG happy? yes
    'is he/she happy? yes.'