Appendix G. 275 



Examples of this construction, especially in the Imperative mood, 

 will be given in the Vocabulary, so need not be further dwelt on here. 



It is scarcely possible to reduce the verb u to be" to conjugation, 

 unless we suppose the varied forms in which it is used as inflections of 

 separate verbs, wanting in many tenses. For " to be" is expressed by 

 different verbs, according to its allusion to time, a person, or a thing ; 

 and its relation to mere existence or to the nature of existence. In 

 short, there is no auxiliary verb " to be" which can be independently 

 conjugated. The unchangeable word " minna," or " minnakana," is 

 applicable in the present tense alone, to denote a state of existence, 

 as " Eeng, urn, ayo, &c. menna, or minnakana," I am, thou art, he is t 

 &c. But in past and future tenses some other verb denoting presence, 

 as the verb " to come" " to reside" &c. must be employed. 



But the verb " to be" when implying the nature of existence, can 

 be rendered in the past and future tenses, as well as the present, by 

 adding to the participle or adjective, od in the future, and iena in the 

 past, as " eeng laga akanna," I am tired ; " eeng lagaoa," I shall be 

 tired ; "eeng lagiena," I have become tired ; "eengrenga akanna, or 

 renga akannaing," I am hungry ; " eeng rengaoa or rengaoing," I shall 

 be hungry; "eeng rengaiena," 1 tuas hungry. Od and iena, it is to 

 be remembered, are inflections of the future and past tenses in all 

 neuter verbs. 



Again the verb "to be" can be simply represented in the future 

 and past tenses, when speaking of a thing, by the word " hobawa," it 

 shall or will be, and " hobiena," it has been; also in the present, 

 " hobowtanna," it is. This mode of expression commonly refers to 

 the success or accomplishment of any project. In the English idiom 

 we should say for " hobawa," it will do, or it will answer ; " hobiena," 

 it is all over, or has succeeded ; " hobowtanna," it is going on. 



That boy will be a thief, could not be rendered, " En koa do komboo 

 hobawa," but " En koa do komboo oa." 



Your business will be done to-morrow, not, " Umma kajee gappa oa," 

 but, " Umma kajee gappa hobawa." 



This will never do, " Ka hobawa;" go away, it is all over " Mar- 

 senomen hobiena." 



