Karri-borlbme Kun-wok

kabirri-re

kabirri-re

Listen Yi-biddjuyme (Click play)

English Translation
(Kun-balandaken)
they are going, they go
Pronunciation
(Bale ka-yime karri-ngeybun?)

For Kunwinjku: ga-BIDI-reh or if you know IPA [gabirirÉ›]
For Gundjeihmi ga-BAHDI-re [gabarirÉ›]
Note that the final syllable (the verb -re) rhymes with Australian English 'hair'.

To listen:
http://words.bininjgunwok.org.au/words

Morphology
(Karri-wokdjobdjobke)

kabirri- is the pronoun verb prefix that marks both the number (third person plural 'they') and the tense (present and future). In the past tense the first syllable is dropped to become birri- (W) or barri- (Gdj).

Note also that the present and future tense of the verb to go is -re but in the past tense it becomes -wam. This is what linguists call a suppletive form as in English go/went.

Notes
(Njalenjale)

kabirri-re 'they are going' birri-wam 'they went' (W)
gabarri-re 'they are going' barri-wam 'they went' (Gdj)

Usage
(Bale kabirri-yime?)

(W)
Malaywi kabirri-re Darwin.
Tomorrow they are going to Darwin.

Baleh birri-wam?
Where have they gone?

Injalak kabirri-re.
They are going to Injalak.

(Gdj)
Gabarri-re gabarri-wurlebme.
They are going swimming.

Bonj, barri-wam gured.
It's over, they've gone home.

Date
(Balekeno)
10 Oct 2012