Zhuang language Part 8: Syntax (1)

Zhuang like Han are languages that have grammar that follow word order. There is no reflection of nouns nor verb use. However, there is an importance on syntax rather than grammar. Please subscribe to my RSS feed so you do not miss entries. Thank you to my current subscribers fro reading.

The coordinate clause

When the subject complements the subject precedes.
Gou dwg Lij Vaz. I am Li Hua.
Gou = I, dwg = am, Lij Vaz = Li Hua (person’s name)

The modifier comes after the non-modifier.

Boh de lauxsae. His father is a teacher.
boh = father, de = his, lauxsae = teacher

The declarative sentence

1. S + V
Generally, the subject preceeds the predicate.

Gou bae. I go. bae = to go

However, there are many verbs that come before the subject.

Miz vunz. There is a person. miz= to be (animate beings), vunz= person
Hwnj rumz. The wind blows. hwnj=to blow, rumz=wind

2. S + V + O
The clause with the subject, predicate and object is the same as English. “S + V + O”

Gou gwn haeux. I eat rice. gwn=to eat, haeux=rice

3. S + V + O1 + O2
If there are two objects, the direct object and the indirect object,
the word order is subject + predicate + indirect object + direct object.

De hawj gou song bonj saw. He gives me 2 books.
hawj=to give, song bonj=2 (books), saw=book

The negative sentence

“mbouj” is placed before the verb, modifier. Besides “mbouj”, “wj, mij, aemj” can also be used.

Gou mbouj dwj hagseng. I am not a student.
hagseng=student

Bya ndaw daemz mbouj ndei gwn. Fish in the pond is not delicious.
bya=fish, ndaw=in, daemz=pond, ndei gwn=delicious (ndei=good, gwn=to eat)

Gou mbouj miz ngaenz yungh. I don’t have the money necessary.
ngaenz=money, yungh=use, necessary

The interrogative sentence
1. The interrogative is formed by placing one of the words “lwi, ha, ne, la, ba, luma” (including others)
to the end of the sentence.
This interrogative sentence can be answered with “yes/no”. wx=yes, mbouj caengz=no

Mwngz caeuq gou bae lwi? Will you go with me?
mwngz=you, caeuq=together, with

De dwg boh mwngz lwi? Is he your father?

De caemh rox sawcuengh ha? Does he understang Zhuang too?
caemh=too, also; rox=to understand; sawcuengh=Zhuang language (saw=書, cuengh=壮)

2. Interrogative sentences that use interrogative pronoun and interrogative adverb
“bouxlawz=who; gijmaz=what; gizlawz/mwnqlawz=where; seizlawz/baenzlawz=when;  geij/geijlai= how many, how much; baenzlawzyiengh= どのように” etc.

Sou vih maz doxdub ne? Why are you two fighting?
sou=you (plural); vih maz=why (vih 為 purpose, maz 何 what); doxdub=to fight

Bouxlawz daeuj? Who is comming?
daeuj= to come

Mwngz miz geij boux nuengx? How many brothers and sisters do you have?
geij　幾 boux = (counter for people); nuengx = brothers and sisters

3. “roxnaeuz = alternative question that uses or

Mwngz naengh ci ne roxnaeuz byaij loh? Will you take the car or will you walk?
naengh = to take/ride (a car); ci = car; byaij = to walk; loh = road

4. Interrogatives that are made up of affirmative and negative sentences. It is equivalent to the Mandarin expressions「是不是」(shi bu shi),「有没有」(you mei you).

De dwg mbouj dwg hagseng? Is he a student?

Ngoenzneix nit mbouj nit? Is it cold today?
ngoenzneix = today (ngoenz = day, neix = this); nit = cold

Until now we have discussed Zhuang in comparision to Mandarin but Zhuang is systematically like Thai. However, many years have past since the Zhuang people and the Thai peoples could be differenciated. Furthermore, just like Zhuang has borrowed many words from Mandarin; Thai has borrowed many words from Cambodian and Sanscrit therefore, they are fairly distanced.

Within China’s Thai-related languages, the Zhuang language is much more closely classified to the Kradai and the Zhuang-Dong languages such as the languages as the Buyi (布衣) (Buyei), the Dong peoples (dong zu) their own name: Gaeml also referred to as Kam and the Sui people (水族 shuizu).

On another topic, it is said that Zhuang and Buyi languages are often associated with Zhuang/Thai languages that are included in the Thai language of Thailand not the Dong/Shui language groups.

Anyway, pronunciation and grammar characteristics are similar so it is comparatively easier for someone who knows Thai to learn Zhuang. This is because someone who can understand Zhuang has the ability to master the minority languages of southwest China one after the other.