60 



MATHEWS — NATIVE TRIBES OF VICTORIA. 



[March 4, 



combination of simple root-words, can be made to indicate posi- 

 tion, distance, direction, number, person, movement, etc. Want 

 of space precludes more than this brief reference to them at present. 

 Interrogatives : Who, winya. What, nganya. How many, 

 nummia. 



VERBS. 



Verbs have the same numbers and persons as the pronouns, and 

 also the " inclusive" and "exclusive" forms. The principal moods 

 are the indicative, imperative and conditional. Person and num- 

 ber are indicated by pronominal affixes to the root of the verb, as 

 in my Bungandity grammar.^ In the following conjugation of the 

 verb, burte, ^' to beat or kill," the present tense is given in full, 

 but the singular number of the past and future is considered 

 sufficient. 



Indicative Mood — Present Tense. 



i 1st Person I beat Burtu 



Singular J 2d " Thou beatest Burtangin 



(3d " He beats Burta 



r j We, incl., beat Burtangul 



j ( We, excl., beat Burtangulltn 



I 2d " You beat Burtawul 



1^ 3d " ■ They beat Burtakal 



f -^ ( We, incl., beat Burtangan 



ist Person 1 „r , 1 . t? <. 



I ( We, excl., beat Burtangannin 



I 2d «' You beat Burtawan 



[^ 3d " They beat Burtakanda 



Past Tense. 



i ist Person I beat Burtanu 



Singular J 2d " Thou beatest Burtanyin 



(3d " He beat Burtan 



Future Tefise. 



i ist Person I shall beat Burtugu 



Singular .... J 2d " Thou shalt beat Burtuhu 



(3d " He shall beat Burtuk 



Imperative : Beat, Burte. 



^ " Language of the Bungandity Tribe, South Australia," Joiirn. Roy. Soc. 

 N. S. Wales, Vol. xxxvii, pp. 59-75- 



