4. SYNTAX
The bracketed elements can be deleted to yield (15a).
15a. ]maa ]tnaI laMbaI hO ijatnaI Anau.
uma utni: lambi: h ́ jitni: anu.
Uma is as tall as Anu.
The backward deletion generates ungrammatical sentences, as (15b).
15b. *]maa ]tnaI Ø Ø ijatnaI laMbaI hO.
*uma: utni: Ø Ø jitni: lambi: anu h ́.
Correlative equatives are formed by syntactic strategy only. They
are formed by using the correlative marker ]tnaa utna:.
4.3.10. Comparison
Comparison is usually expressed by sentential, phrasal, and
morphological strategies. Two types of comparative structures are
very common, phrasal comparative structures and non-phrasal ones.
Both use postpositions followed by the standards of comparison.
Sentential comparison is carried out by the use of two finite clauses
introduced by the relative marker ]tnaa utna: ‘as much as’ and the
correlative marker ijatnaa jitna: ‘that much’.
- vah ]tnaa saIQaa nahIM hOO [ijatnaa saIQaa ]saka Baa[- hO].
vah utna: si:dha: nahĩ: h ́[jitna: si:dha: uska: bha:i: h ́]
he is not that-cor simple as much as-rel simple his brother is
He is not as simple as his brother.
The relative clause can be placed at the sentence initial position as
well.
1a. [ijatnaa saIQaa ]saka Baa[- hO] vah ]tnaa saIQaa nahIM hOO.
[jitna: si:dha: uska: bha:i: h ́] vah utna: si:dha: nahĩ: h ́
- vah ijatnaa pirEama krta hO ]tnaa pOsaa nahIM kmaata.
vah jitna: parišram karta: h ́ utna: p ́sa: nahĩ: kama:ta:
he as much hard work do-ptc is that much money earn-ptc neg
is
He doesn’t earn as much as he works.