Information about Hausa?

[Philip W. Davis]

	I would like to get responses to the 
examples below from any native speaker of Hausa, 
who may be on the list.
	The first example consists of (1A) a 
question, and (1B), (1C), (1D), (1E), and (1F), 
possible responses to (1A). I would like to know 
whether each response is OK, not appropriate, or 
maybe just not Hausa regardless of how it is 
used. Some of the responses may just be kinda odd 
when trying to answer (1A). If that is so, I 
would appreciate any comments that may describe 
the oddness.
	Example (2) is similar. (2A) is the 
question and (2B), (2C), and (2D) are the 
possible replies.
	Example (3) is a bit different. (3A) and 
(3B) have the same English gloss, but I suspect 
that they are not identical. My own guess is that 
(3A) might perhaps be used when the students have 
run out of money while in the store, and (3B) 
describes a situation in which the students had 
only books on their shopping list. Is that a 
possible difference? Are there better ones you 
can think of?
	Most of the utterances are taken from 
published literature on Hausa, but I have had to 
compose a few on my own: (1D), (1F), (2C), and 
(2D).
	If you want to respond, you can send me 
your reactions to me at the e-mail address in the 
signature below.
	I don't know how long it would take to 
answer my questions, but I certainly thank you in 
advance for your time and any information I may 
receive.

Best,
Philip

P.S. I want to thank all who responded to an 
earlier inquiry about Modern Greek. I got several 
really useful replies.
				********************
(1)	(A)	Mè	ya		faaru?
		[what	3SG.FOC.PF	happen]
		'What happened?'

	(B)	B£arayii	ne	suka		yi	min	saataa!
		[thieves	FM.PL	3PL.FOC.PF	do	IO.1S	theft]
		'Thieves have stolen from me!'

	(C)	Bàk£žn		suka		isoo
		[guests.DD	3PL.FOC.PF	arrive]
		'The guests have arrived!'

	(D)	Bàk£žn		sun		isoo
		[guests.DD	3PL.PF		arrive]
		'The guests have arrived!'

	(E)	Fi¶rjii	nee	Audu	ya		sàyaa
		[fridge	PRT	Audu	3SG.REL.PF	buy]
		'Audu bought a fridge'

	(F)	Audu	yaa		sàyaa	fi¶rjii
		[Audu	3SG.PF		buy	fridge]
		'Audu bought a fridge'

(2)	(A)	Tsoohuwa-¶r-sa	cee	ta		mut¡u?
		[mother-of-his	PRT	3SG.REL.PF	die]
		'Was it his mother who died?'

	(B)	Aa'aa,	maata-¶r-sa	cee	ta		mutu
		[no	wife-of-3M	PRT	3SG-REL-PF	die]
		'No, it was his wife who died'

	(C)	Na'àm,	soohuwa-¶r-sa	cee	ta		mut¡u
		[yes	mother-of-his	PRT	3SG.REL.PF	die]
		'Yes, it was his mother who died'

	(D)	Na'àm,	soohuwa-¶r-sa	taa	  mut¡u
		[yes	mother-of-his	3SG.PF	  die]
		'Yes, his mother died'

(3)	(A)	Dàalìbai	         sun 
	sàyi	lìttàttàafai	     kawài
		[students	         3PL.PF	buy	books 	     only]
		'The students bought only books'

	(B)	Lìttàttàafai	kawài	dàalìbai	su-kà		sàyi
		[books		only	students	3PL.REL.PF	buy]
		'The students bought only books'

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Philip W. Davis			E-mail:	pwd at rice.edu
2635 Nottingham			Phone:	713-667-0512 (H), 713-503-0528 (C)
Houston, TX 77005		Fax:	713-666-5720
				URL: 	www.ruf.rice.edu/~pwd/index.html
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