30 ETYMOLOGY AND SYNTAX. 



1. a. To give emphasis to an assertion, it being used in connexion with a nomi- 

 native, before any vowel whether close or open ; as, emi k ri, / shall see ; emi k 

 m5, / sludl Tcnow. 



h. Or without a nominative, when the subject of the verb is of the third person, 

 either singular or plural ; as, a ri mi, he or tliey will see me / k kpa mi, he or tliey 

 will Mil me. 



2. Before a verb used subjunctively, after ki, that^ without a nominative, and 

 frequently with a preceding clause understood ; as in the evening salutation, ki k 

 sdq r^ ! may you sleq) well ! lit. I wish that you tvill sleep well. Servants fre- 

 quently ask such questions as, ki k k>Q eyi? shall I do this? lit. do you wish that 

 I shall do this? But the clause preceding 'ki' is often expressed; as, 6 ni, ki k 

 loh, he said^ let us ffo, lit. he said that we tvill go. 



Emphatic Particle. 



ni or li. 



§ 136. The demonstrative 'ni ' or 'li,' which assumes the nature of a substantive 

 verb (see § 181), is sometimes employed in the latter sense along Avith verbs for 

 the sake of emphasis ; as, babd ni ijvi, father is or was seeing ,' babd li o vi^ father 

 saw or sees. 



OPTATIVJi PARTICLE. 



ma. 



§ ISY. This particle is used as follows : 



1. In affirmative propositions with a nominative of the first or third person, and 

 in interrogative sentences with a nominative of the second pei-son, it expresses will 

 or desire ; as, emi ma 16h, J desire to go ; nwoq 6 ma 16h, they will go., or will desire 

 to go ; eqyii) ma loh ? do ye wish to go ? 



2. In affirmative propositions, with a nominative of the second person, it 

 expresses permission • as, ma 16h, or iwo ma 16h, tlwu mayst go / 6 ma gbe e, ye 

 mmj take it. 



This form of expression is much employed instead of the imperative, as being more courteous ; as, ma 

 kuro, tlion may est get out of my way ; 6 ma yara, ye may make haste. 



3. In connexion with words denoting the continuance or repetition of an action, 

 it expresses what is customary or habitiuil ; as, d ma 16h nigbakiigba, xoe go often- 

 6q ma nd mi lodi;6di;um6, he flogs me daily ; iwo ma s5ro kpod:iu, thou taUcest too 

 mwbch ; 6 ma seuq ! (he is always Mnd\ lie is very hind! 6 ma kpe! (^ye always 

 stay)^ Iww long ye stayed! 



§ 138. "When the particle 'ti' is employed, 'ma' precedes it; as, iwo ma ti ^e 

 buburu, thou hast done evil (habitually). But when le, to lie able., can^ or may., is 

 employed with the verb, it may either precede or follow ' ma ' ; as, ki d 1^ ma m6, 

 th/it we may hnow / boya yi 6 ma 1^ di;oba, perluxps 1i£ may or can reign. In these 

 cases also ' ma ' denotes the continuance of the action. 



