Adjective Classes - A Cross-Linguistic Typology

10 Is there an Adjective Class in Wolof? 245

Dem nga Ndakaaru isg:PERF

Dem na Ndakaaru 3sg:PERF

Dem nanu Ndakaaru ipl:PERF

Dem ngeen Ndakaaru 2pl:PERF

Dem nanu Ndakaaru 3pl:PERF

(7) Sonn naa

ADj:tired isg:PERF

'I am tired'

Sonn nga isg:PERF

Sonn na 3sg:PERF

Sonn nanu ipl:PERF

Sonn ngeen 2pl:PERF

Sonn nanu 3pl:PERF

Some auxiliaries, like the perfective forms in (6) and (7), come after the verb while
others precede it, as illustrated in (8) with the adjective tang 'hot' and in (9) with
the non-adjectival verb dem go'.

(8) (a) Dafa tang
3Sg:VFOC ADj:hot
'It is hot'
(b) Tang na
ADj:hot 3Sg:PERF
'It is hot'
(c) Dina tang
3Sg:FUT ADj:hot
'It will be hot'
(d) Tey la tang
today 3Sg:OFOC ADj:hot
'Today it is hot'

(9) (a) Dafa dem
3Sg:VFOC V:go
'He/she has gone'
(b) Dem na
V:go 3Sg:PERF
'He/she has gone'
(c) Dina dem
3Sg:FUT V:go
'He/she will go'
(d) Tey la dem
today 3Sg:OFOC v:go
'Today he/she went'

tang

dem