2G6 
[No. 3, 
R. B. Shaw— A Grammar of the Language 
The foundation of the system is the verb-root , from which are formed, 
by addition, several verbal adjectives and substantives which take the place 
of participles, and refer to the various times or modes in which action can 
take place. 
We will take as an example the verb signifying “ to do,” of which the 
root is QEL. 
Simple Root : qel ; expresses the bare idea of doing. 
Present Participle : qel« ; answers to our own Pres. Part. “ doing” 
[where the root ends in a vowel this Participle adds an i : as isiila, ishla^ ; 
OQU, OQU£.] 
Participle oe continuance : qel dr or qelw\ (See p. 297, note f-) 
This Participle seems to indicate a continuance or non-completion in the 
action of the verb, and is used, as will be seen, for all tenses requiring such 
a meaning. 
Perfect Participle : qel ip ; here the vowel of the affix varies 
phonetically in different verbs, and the general expression for the Perf. 
Part, affix would be the apostrophe being replaced by the proper vowel 
in each case (see “ Phon. Var. of Vowels”). This Participle implies the 
completion of the action. 
Indefinite Participle : qel gJidn [The gli changes in different verbs 
into q, Jc or g. See “ Phon. Var. of Consonants”.] This Participle may 
properly be called Indefinite, both because it refers to no particular time for 
the action, and also because its application is not confined to either agent 
or object. In fact it may mean either the “ person doing” (the doer), or 
the “ act of doing,” or the “ thing done.” 
Potential Participle : qels<z “ potential doing.” [The vowel does 
not alter, but is always «.] 
Future Participle: QELghu. [The gli changes as above.] This 
Participle only survives in composition with certain affixes which give rise to 
forms in modern use, of which the syllable “ ghuf &c., supplies the future 
element. Thus with “ diqf which implies probability, we get a 
[Participle of Probability : q^Lghu-diq. This means “ likely to 
do at a future moment.” 
Participle of Fitness : Again, with the affix luq (liq) implying 
quality, we have qel gJm-luq, which means “ possessed of a do-able quality,” 
i . e . } “ fit or proper to do, or to be done.”] 
These forms in themselves merely indicate a “ coming to pass” in a 
general manner at the several times (or tenses) respectively, without con¬ 
nection expressed with any person or thing, either as subject or object. 
Even in this naked form, however, some of them may be used in making 
statements, where there cannot be much doubt about the application, espe¬ 
cially in the 3rd person. 
