CHAPTER - 7
7.
Classification of Adverbs in Assamese and Boro.
7.1 Adverbs in Assamese.
Adverbs in Assamese are those forms that modify the action of the
verb. In other words, adverbs describe the manner, time and place of accom­
plishment of action of the verbs. They do not have a fixed place of occur­
rence in the sentence. They preferably occur in initial position in sentences
and generally do not occur in initial position in sentences and generally do
not occur in sentences finally also. The following example could be seen.
/kaildi tumi ahiba/ ‘you will please come tomorrow’.
/tumi bhalkoi porhiba/ ‘you will study very well’.
/agphale aha/ ‘(you please) come forward’.
7.1.1 Most of the adverbs in Assamese are identifiable by the derivational
suffixes they carry, such as {-e} and {-koi}. There are such affixes too, i.e.
{-i}, <-ete}, {-ai), {-adi}, {-"Ou}, {-o}, {-poti}, {-tf'abe}, {-dare}, {-kT3i},
{hoi}.
7.1.2 Some adverbs are identifiable by derivational prefixes also; but
such prefixes are very few. These are {a-} and {ore-}.
7.2 Classification of Adverbs.
From the view points of the forms, the adverbs in Assamese could
be classified as under
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For various kinds of adverbs and their derivation and usage sec.
8.6 to 8.20 may be referred to.
7.3 Simple Adverbs.
Simple adverbs are single morpheme adverbs. No suffixes or
prefixes are added to them. Depending upon their semantic content they are
divided into six classes. They are as under.
(i) Adverbs of Time.
(ii) Adverbs of Duration.
(iii) Adverbs of Frequency.
(iv) Adverbs of Place
(v) Adverbs of Concession and
(vi) Adverbs of Sequence.
7.3.1 Adverbs of Time
The word that refer to the time when the action of the verb takes
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place are called adverbs of time. The following Assamese adverbs of time
could be seen.
/azi/ ‘today’
/kali/ ‘yesterday’
/azikali/ ‘now a days’
7.3.2 Adverbs of Duration
The words that refer to the period of happening of action of the
verb are called adverbs of duration. The following example of Assamese
adverbs of duration could be seen.
/tothapi/ ‘still’
/itimoidhje/ ‘already’
7.3.3 Adverbs o f Frequency
The words that refer to the frequency of occurrence of the action
of the verbs are called adverbs of frequency. The following example could
be seen.
/praje/ ‘often’
/ketijaba/ ‘sometimes’
7.3.4 Adverb o f Place
The words that refer to the locus of happening of the action of the
verbs are called adverb of place. Such adverbs are basically bound morphemes,
and they undergo inflection for allative, genitive and locative cases. The
following examples of Assamese adverbs o f place could be seen.
Adverb root
/ija-/
Allative
/ija-loi/ ‘to this place’
Genitive
Locative
/ija-r/ ‘of here’ /ija-t/ ‘here’
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/ta-/
/ta-loi/ ‘to that place’ /ta-r/ of there’ /ta-t/ ‘there in’
7.3.5 Adverbs of Concession
The words that refer to some concssion or conditions of happening
of action suggested by the verbs are called adverbs of concession. They are
very few in number. The following examples could be seen
/tothapi/ ‘then’
/teo/ ‘still’
/t'Obu/ ‘still’
i
7.3.6 Adverbs of Sequence
The words that indicate time in terms of the sequence in which
actions suggested by the verbs take place are called adverb of sequence. The
following example could be seen.
/pise/ ‘but’
/pisot/ ‘after words’
/age/ ‘before’
/ageje/ ‘before’
7.4 Complex Adverbs
Complex adverbs are derived from simple words of different classes
by suffixation, prefixation and double affixation too. They could be divided
into five classes.
These are as under (i) Adverbs of Manner.
(ii) Adverbs of Duration cum Repeatation.
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(iii) Adverb of Action comparison.
(iv) Adverb of Frequency and
(v) Adverb of Sequence.
It would be appropriate if we have detail discussion about each of
them.
7.4.1 Adverb o f Manner
The adverb that refer to the manner of accomplishment of the action
of the verbs or the intensity of effect of the actions of the verbs are generally
referred to as Adverbs of Manner. Such adverbs are derived by suffixing
{-kT)i} or {-alooi}, {~i}, {ai} to the words of some other class. Generally
{-kDi} is suffixed to some adjectives and {-akT)i} is to some verbs to derive
a set of well structured adverbs. The following examples of complex adverbs
of manner could be seen.
7.4.1.1 {-kT)i}
7.4.1.2
Root Adjective
Derived Adverb
M a i/ ‘good’
/bhal-kT)i/ ‘well’
/dhunija/ ‘beautiful’
/dhunija-kT)i/ ‘beautifully’
/p o ripati/ ‘neat’
/p o ripati-kT) i/ ‘neatly’
Assamese forms quite a few reduplicated adverbs of manner of
which each constitute is independently meaningless but they are meaningful
when reduplicated. Both together form a compound and take {-kDi} at the
end. The following example of reduplicated adverbs of manner could be
seen.
/amon-zimon k"Oi/ ‘pensively’
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/khok khok k7)i/ ‘tumultuously’
7.4.1.3 {-ak"01}
Verb
Adverb
/phur/ ‘walk’
/phur-akTu/ ‘being prepared to walk’
/xo/ ‘sleep’
/xo> xu-w-ak7)i/ ‘being prepared sleep’
7.4.1.4 {-i}
Some adverbs of manner are also derived from nouns, adjectives
and verbs by adverbial suffixe {-i}. The following example could be seen.
Noun
Adverb
/xTimul/ ‘in total’
/x'Omul-i/ ‘totally’
/bhitor/ ‘inside’
/bhitor-i/ ‘internally’
►
Adverb
Adjective
/kssa/ ‘raw’
/kssa-i/ ‘in a raw state’
/ene/ ‘like this’
/ene-i/ ‘for nothing’
Adverb
Verb
/xuka/ ‘dry’
/xuka-i/ ‘being dried up’
/randh/ ‘cook’
/randh-i/ ‘being cooked’
7.4.1.5 {-e}
Some adverbs of manner are also derived from adjective by suffix
{-e}. The following example could be seen.
Adjective
Adverb
/gopon/ ‘secret’
/gopon-e/ ‘secretly’
/nirob/ ‘silent’
/nirob-e/ ‘silently’
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7.4.1.6 {-ai}
Some adverbs o f manner are also derived form nouns and adjectives
by suffixing {-ai}. Assamese construct a large number o f reduplicated adverbs
o f manner, o f which each constituent is indepently meaningless but meaningful
when reduplicated by suffixing {-ai}. The root words form some o f them are
onomatopoetic words. The following example could be seen.
N oun
Adverb
/beg/ ‘speed”
/beg-ai/ ‘speedily’
Adiective
Adverb
/b o h a l/ ‘w ide5
/bohol-ai/ ‘w iden’
/p utol/ ‘thin, length’
/putol-ai/ ‘thinly’
Reduplicated words
/d a p d a p / ‘the sound o f
Adverb
/d ap d a-ai/ ‘suddenly with
flame’
/hur hur/ ‘loud sound o f
forceful flam e’.
/hur hur-ai/ ‘with a loud sound
pouring w ater’
o f pouring w ater’
7.4.2 Adverb o f Duration-Cum-Repeatation
A limited number o f adverbs o f durability are derived from verbs
by suffixing {-i}, {-te}, {-ai} and {-6} and then the whole construction is
reduplicated. It may be noted that reduplication is also a part o f adverb
formation. The following example could be seen.
7.4.2.1 {-i}
-
Verb
/olom a/ ‘hang’
Adverb
/oloma-i olom a-i/ ‘by repeating the
process o f hanging’
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/darj/ ‘raise’
/dar|-i dar^-i/ ‘by repeating the
process o f raising’
7 .4 .2.2{-ai}
Verb
Adverb
/porh/ ‘read’
/porh-ai porh-ai/ ‘repeating the
process to teaching’
/xo/ ‘sleep’
/xo >xu -ai xu-ai/ ‘repeating the
propess of sleeping’.
7.4.2.3 {-6}
Verb
7.4.2.4
Adverb
/ah/ ‘come’
/ah-o ah-o/ ‘about to come’
/kand/ ‘cry’
/kar^o karfo/ ‘about to cry’
dl
cl
Some adverbs of duration-cum-repeatition are derived from noun
by suffixing {-e}. The following examples could be seen
Noun
Adverb
/mon/ ‘mind’
/mon-e mon-e/ ‘silently’
/bhitor/ ‘internal’
/bhitar-e bhitor-e/ ‘internally’
7.4.2.5 Sometimes Assamese derives a few adverbs o f duplication without
repeating from noun by suffixing {-ete} and using a post position {-poti}, {ete} is an extension o f {-e} encountered earlier and {poti} is a contracted
form o f /proti/ ‘per’ and it occurs after the root form obtains the adverbial
form in {-e}. the following example could be seen
{-te}
/beg/ ‘speed’
/beg-e-te/ ‘soon’
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{-poti}
/mah/ ‘month’
/mah-e-poti/ ‘per month’
7.4.3 Adverb of Action Comparison
Assamese possesses a special kind o f complex adverbs which
modify the action of the main verbs by bringing the comparison with another
verb. These adverbs could be called adverb of Action comparison adverb.
The adverbial derivational suffix {-adi} is suffixed to the verb root with which
the other action is compared and the derived forms express the comparison
between two actions.
The following example could be seen.
Verb
Adverb
/dhor/ ‘catch’
/dhor-adi/ ‘as one catches’
/ghur/ ‘rotate’
/ghur-adi/ ‘as one rotates’
/ur/ ‘fly’
/ur-adi/ ‘as one flies’
7.4.4 Adverbs of Frequency
The complex forms that refer to the frequency of occurrence of the
actions of the verbs are called adverbs of frequency. The adverbial derivational
suffix {-Du} and {-e} are suffixed to the noun roots and the derived forms
express the frequency of the actions. The following example of adverb of
frequency could be seen.
!-T0u}
Noun
Adverb
/nit/ ‘day’
/nit-Du/ ‘daily’
/din/ ‘day’
/din-Du/ ‘daily’
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{-e}
/b o so r/‘year’
/bosor-e/ ‘yearly’
/mah/ ‘month’
/mah-e/ ‘monthly’
7.4.5 Adverb o f Sequence
The complex verb forms of adverbs that refer to the time sequence
of the action of the verbs in the sentence are called adverb of sequence. The
adverbial suffix {-ol'Di} is suffixed to the noun to express time sequence
over a period, not point of time. Its allomorph is {-l"Oi}generally end in a
vowel to refer to the future time sequence. The following example could be
seen.
{ o tt)i}
Noun
Adverb
/ag/ ‘front’
/ag-olooi/ ‘in future’
/pis/ ‘back’
/pis-olt)i/ ‘in past’
{-loi}
/kali/ ‘yesterday’
/kali-loi/ ‘tomorrow’
/porohi/ ‘day before yesterday’
/porohi-lo i/ ‘day after tomorrow’
7.4.6 The adverbial derivative suffix {-ote} which has an allomorph
{-te} are suffixed to the noun and adjectives, {-te} is suffixed to the noun to
express time sequence in terms of a particular point of time and {-te} is
suffixed to adjectives to express facts. The following examples of adverbs of
facts could be seen.
{-ote}
/ag/ ‘front’
/ag-ote/ ‘just front’
,
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/pis/ ‘back’
/pis-ote/ ‘just back’
{-te }
/misa/ ‘false’
/misa-te/ ‘for nothing’
{-e} It is suffixed to the noun root to express time sequence of the
action of the verb and then the whole construction is repeated. The following
example could be seen.
Noun
Adverb
/pis/ ‘back’
/pis-e pis-e/ ‘just after’
/ag/ ‘front’
/ag-e ag-e/ ‘just front’
7.4.7 Complex or Derived Adverbs derived by prefixation.
Adverb of Duration
Assamese derives a few adverbs of duration from nouns by
prefixation {a-} and {ore-}. These forms show adjectival function. The
following example could be seen.
{a-}
Noun
Adverb
/zibon/ ‘life’
/a-zibon/ ‘life long’
/moron/ ‘death’
/a-raoron/ ‘until death’
{ore-}
/zibon/ ‘life’
/ore-zibon/ ‘whole life’
/rati/ ‘night’
/ore-rati/ ‘whole night’
7.4.8 Complex or derived Adverb divided by prefixation as well as
suffixation.
7.4.8.1 Phrasal Adverb
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There are some phrasal adverbs that refer to the manner of
accomplishment of the action of the verbs. Such adverbial phrases are made
up of some adjectives and some nouns that follow and adverbial marker {-e}
is suffixed to the noun. The following example of phrasal adverbs could be
seen.
Adjective
Adverb
/bhodro/ ‘gentle’
/bhodro-bhab-e/ ‘politely’
/nomro/ ‘mild’
/nomro-bhab-e/ ‘gentlemanly’
7.4.8.2 Compound Adverbs
Some compound adverbs of manner that refer to value judgement
are derived from adjective by suffixing {-dore} which is a morpheme. In all
practical purposes, /-dore/ substitute / bhab-e/. The following examples could
be seen
{-dore}
/bhal/ ‘good’
/bhal-dore/ ‘well’
/tene/ ‘this’
/tene-dore/ Tike this’
7.5 Adverbs in Boro.
Adverbs in Boro are also those forms that modify the action of the
verb. In other words adverbs in Boro describe the manner, time and place of
accomplishment of the action of the verbs. They do not have a fixed place of
occurrence in the sentence. The adverbs in Boro could generally occur in all
the three positions; that is initial, medial and final. The following example
could be seen.
140
/gabctjn phojigojn/ ‘(I/you/he/she) will come tomorrow.’
/mt»|zarj(i|i phorai/ ‘(you will) read well’.
/be khojlc*lma gazrithar/ ‘this pen is entirely bad’.
When the adverb occur in the final position in a sentence the
adverbial markers are infixed in between verb stem/adverb stem and tense
marker as could be seen in the last example above.
7.5.1 Adverbs may be divided as regular and irregular. Regular adverbs
are derived from verb bases and are capable o f receiving a kind of
characteristic inflectional suffix. Irregular adverbs may have nominal or
adjectival correlations and they do not require the kind of characteristic
inflectional suffix. Adverbs as distinct modifiers of verbs are not many in the
language.
7.5.2 The derivation of regular adverbs shows usually the process of
prefixation as in the case of adjectival derivation. A considerable number of
adverbs are underivable.
The only regular inflectional suffix o f adverbs is {-c*lj} : Example
could be seen as follows /molzaijMj/in a fine manner’.
/gahamojj/ ‘in a good manner’, ‘well’.
/gazriofj/ ‘badly’, ‘in a bad manner’.
Irregular adverbs are many; they may imply the element of time,
place, manner, quality of the related verbs.
A considerable number of nominal formations including nouns and
pronouns associated with the locative case indicating suffix may function as
adverbs; example could be seen as follows -
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/khathiaw/ ‘near’ {-aw locative indicating suffix)
/beaw/ ‘here’
Pronouns used with adverbial correlations; e.g.
/okhali/ ‘several / some days ago’
/mabla/ ‘when’
/deglaj/ ‘this year’
- The numeral classifier {khon-} with quantifiers or numeral suffixes
etc. may form irregular adverbs; e.g.
/khonse/ ‘once’ (/-se/ ‘one’)
/khon n&|i/ ‘twice’ (/-noli/ ‘two’)
A considerable number of easily underivable adverbs are used in
Boro; e.g.
/gc*|khrc*|j/ ‘speedily’
/lasojj las&lj/ ‘slowly’
7.6 Classification of Adverbs.
From the view point of the forms, the adverbs in Boro could be
classified as under:
_rz
Suffixed
Infixed
I
l
Manner
l
■
Duration cum
Repeatition
Adverb of Sequence
or place
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7.7 Simple Adverbs.
Like Assamese, simple adverbs in Boro are single morpheme
adverbs. No suffixes or prefixes or infixes are added to simple adverbs.
Depending upon their semantic content they are divide into six classes. They
are as under:
(i) Adverbs of Time.
(ii) Adverbs of Duration.
(iii) Adverbs of Frequency.
(iv) Adverbs of Place
(v) Adverbs of Concession and
(vi) Adverbs of Sequence.
7.7.1 Adverb of Time
The words that refer to the time when the action of the verb takes
place are called adverb of time. The following examples could be seen,
/din&ij/ ‘today’
/dohaj/ ‘that time’
/azikhali/ ‘now-a-days’
7.7.2 Adverb of Manner
The adverbs that refer to the manner o f accomplishment of the
action of the verbs or the effect of the actions of the verbs are called adverbs
of manner. Some adverbs of manner also look like interrogative adverbs.
The following examples could be seen
/mabroli/ ‘how’
/mabla/ ‘when’
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7.7.3 Adverb of Frequency
The words that refer to frequency of occurrence of the action of
the verbs are called adverbs of frequency. The following example could be
seen.
/mablaba/ ‘often’
/ekhonbla/ ‘sometimes’
/
7.7.4 Adverbs of Place
The words that refer to the locus of happening of the action of the
verbs are called adverb of place. Like Assamese such adverbs in Boro are
basically bound morphemes and they undergo inflection for allative, genitive
and locative cases. The following examples could be seen.
Adverb-root
Allative
Genitive
Locative
{b£4i->
/bali-sim/
/boli-ni/
/bc4i-ao/
‘there’
‘to there’
‘of there’
‘there’
7.7.5 Adverb of Concession
The words that refer to some concession o f conditions are called
adverb of concession. They are very few in number. The following example
could be seen.
/oblabcj/ ‘still’
7.7.6 Adverb of Sequence
The words that indicate time in terms of the sequence in which
actions suggested by the verbs take place are called adverb of sequence. The
following examples could be seen.
/sigar)/ ‘before’
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/nathaj/ ‘but"
/agojl/ ‘before’
7.8. Complex Adverbs.
Complex adverbs are derived form words o f different classes by
suffixation and infixation. They could be divided into three classes. These
are as under :
(i) Adverb o f Manner.
(ii) Adverb o f Duration -cum-Repeatition and
(iii) Adverb o f Sequence
7.8.1 Adverb o f Manner
This kind o f adverb o f manner are marked by {-u|i}. Boro derived
a set o f well structural adverbs from adjectives and verbs by suffixing {-oji}.
The following example could be seen.
{-aji}
Adjective root
Adverb
/mc*Jzaq/ ‘good’
/mojzaqcT/ ‘w ell’
/som aina/ ‘beautiful’
/somainaoji/ ‘beautifully’
Verb root
Adverb
/mojsa/ ‘dance’
/majsaoli/ ‘prepared to dance’
/za/ ‘eat’
/zau|i/ ‘prepared to eat’
Boro also constructs quite a few reduplicated adverbs o f manner
o f which each constitute is independently meaningless but meaningful when
reduplicated. The following example could be seen.
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/bur|/ ‘tell’
/bur]£t|i buqt*|i/ ‘to talk constantly’
/g&lkhro|i/ ‘speed’
/go|khro|i gojkhrc)i/ ‘speedily’
7.8.2 Adverb of Duration-cum-Repeatition
A limited number of adverbs of duration-cum-repeatition are
derived from verbs by suffixing {-a|i}; e.g.
Verb
Adverb
/phoraj/ ‘read’
/phoraj-oji phoraj-o|i/ ‘by repeating
the process of reading’
/da/ ‘make’
/daj-oji daj-cgi/ ‘by repeating the
process of making’
Some adverbs o f duration are derived from noun; the whole
construction is used repeatedly. The following example could be seen.
Noun
Adverb
/gojst»j/ ‘mind’
/gc*|sc*l gt*|s(*jjc»|i/ ‘silently’
7.8.3 Adverb of Sequence
The complex forms that refer to the time sequence of the action of
the verbs in the sentence are called adverb of sequence. The adverbial marker
{-sim} is suffixed to the simple adverb to refer to future time sequence as
well as past time sequence. The following example could be seen :
/gab&ln/ ‘tomorrow’
/gabo|n-sim/ ‘by tomorrow’
/m&jija/ ‘yesterday’
/mc»jija-sim/ ‘by yesterday’
/sompha|r/ ‘day after
/sompho]r-sim/ ‘by day after
tomorrow’
tomorrow’
7.8.3.1 Such adverbial constructions express time sequence of the action
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of the verb and the whole construction is repeated. The following example
could be seen :
/g&ikhroji/ ‘early’
/gc»|khr&|i gojkhrc*ji/ ‘just early’,
/un/ ‘behind’
/un un-zo|r|/’just behind’
7.9 Concluding Remarks.
7.9.1 The Adverbs in Assamese and Boro are by and large comparable
in every respect. In both the languages adverbs manifest some general pattern
of classification. Besides, adverbs in both the languages enjoy a high degree
of freedom o f occurrence; they could occur in any position in the sequence.
However there are a few areas where adverbs behave differently in the two
languages.
7.9.2 The contrasts in between the two languages could be enumerated
as under:
i) As derives adverbs mostly from adjectives, verbal nouns and
other simple adverbs and rarely from verbs, (adverbs of comparison is a
together different and discussed below) But Boro could derive adverbs from
verbs too (sec. 8.29).
ii) The morphological process involved for deriving compounds
in Assamese are suffixation and prefixation. But in Boro the process is only
suffixation and never prefixation.
iii) Adverbs of comparison is a special feature of Assamese (see
sec. 7.4.3). This is not traceable in Boro.
7.9.3 Thus it appears that because of the overall pattern of similarity,
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the mastering of the pattern of adverb-formation in one language shall not be
difficult for the speaker of the other language. At the same time these does
not seen to be any degree of convergence in morphological structure of the
adverbs in either language except few sporadic borrowings such as /gole
gole/ ‘every time’ in Boro. These seem to have come from Assamese.