Page 201 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

a) Demonstratives (deictics)
Typically, demonstratives code the orientation (deixis) of a noun vis-a-vis

some spatial referens points, most commonly the location of the speaker or hearer and
in many languages, the spatial orientitation of demonstratives can be expanded into
temporal orientation vis-a-vis some reference point in time, and evolution that

transforms them rather natural into articles (Givón 2001a:97). Bhojpuri possesses the
demonstratives as in (74), also used as determiners or definitizers.

(74) Proximal Distal Far distal
ई /i/ 'this' ऊ /u/ 'that'

ए /e/ 'this' ओ /o/ 'that' हऊ /ɦʌu/ 'that'
एह /eɦ/ ओह /oɦ/

The demonstratives presented in (74) are used as both of the demonstrative
determiners as well as the demonstrative pronouns as shown in (75a-b).

(75) a. अभी खाितर सुनल जाओ ई गीत ।
ʌb ̤ i kʰɑtir sunʌl jɑo i ɡit

ʌb ̤ i kʰɑtir sun-ʌl jɑ-o i ɡit
now for listen-INF go-IMP.H 3SG.DEM.PROX song
'Enjoy this song for a while.' (03.010)
b. एकर सीधा माने ई भइल ।

ekʌr sid ̤ ɑ mɑne i b ̤ ʌil
ekʌr sid ̤ ɑ mɑne i b ̤ ʌ-il

PROXGEN straight meaning 3SG.DEM.PROX become-3SG.PST
'Its direct meaning was this.' (02.107)
In example (75a-b), ई /i/ in (75a) is a demonstrative determiner and in (75b) a

demonstrative pronoun one.
b) Possessives

Possessives code simply the orientation (deixis) of a noun vis-a-vis some
genitive reference point, most commonly the possession or relation of the speaker or

hearer or the subject of conversation. Bhojpuri has the possessives as in (76), also
used as determiners or definitizers.

(76) Singular Plural
हमार /ɦʌmɑr/ or हमर /ɦʌmʌr/ 'my/mine' हमनी के /ɦʌmni ke/ 'our/ours'

तोहार /toɦɑr/ or तोहर /toɦʌr/ 'your/yours' तोहनी के /toɦni ke/ 'your/yours'
ओकर /okʌr/ 'his/her/hers' ओकनी के /okni ke/ 'their/theirs'

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