348 Chapter 11 Complex sentences
If the subject is non-overt or arbitrary, the complementizer need not occur
(57a) and (58a), although it can, as in (57b) and (58b). Again there is speaker
variation, with some showing a marked preference for mon ‘if’ rather than ja'
‘that’ in this structure.
(57) a. Lo' lulus ujiyan, lecek.
not pass exam untrue
‘That he/she did not pass the exam is untrue.’
b. Mon/Ja' lo' lulus ujiyan, lecek.
if /COMP not pass exam untrue
‘That he/she did not pass the exam is untrue.’
(58) a. Nyabis dha' Bibbi' ba'ari, becce'.
AV.go to aunt yesterday good
‘That he/she went to visit Auntie yesterday is good.’
b. Mon/Ja' nyabis dha' Bibbi' ba'ari, becce'.
if /COMP AV.go to aunt yesterday good
‘That he/she went to visit Auntie yesterday is good.’
Finally, even with an overt subject NP in the embedded complement, the
complementizer is omissible, whether the clausal subject precedes the predicate
(59a) and (60a), or follows it (59b) and (60b).
(59) a. Sinap lo' lulus ujiyan, lecek.
Sinap not pass exam untrue
‘That Sinap did not pass the exam is untrue.’
b. Lecek, Sinap lo' lulus ujiyan.
untrue Sinap not pass exam
‘It is untrue that Sinap did not pass the exam.’
(60) a. Embuk nyabis dha' Bibbi' ba'ari, becce'.
eld.sister AV.go to aunt yesterday good
‘That Big Sister went to visit Auntie yesterday is good.’
b. Becce', Embuk nyabis dha' Bibbi' ba'ari.
good eld.sister AV.go to aunt yesterday
‘It is good that Big Sister went to visit Auntie yesterday.’