Page 230 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

i pɔrɑnik biswɑs bɑ loɡ
[i] SBJ [purɑn-ik biswɑs] PRD bɑ [loɡ

3SG.DEM.PROX mythology-ADJ trust be.3SG.PRES people
ke
ke] PRD

GEN
'This is the mythological public belief ' (07.033)

The presence of copula as already presented, however, is not the absolute in
Bhojpuri. There is availability of copula-less clauses that reflects a pattern for

languages that allow so-called copula dropping (Pustet, 2003:34; Givón 2001a:120) as
well as other Indo-Aryan or neighbouring languages where copula-less sentences are

allowed or normative (Masica 1991:339; Baart 1999:121). But such copula dropping
in Bhojpuri is found in present tense only, as presented in (5a-c).

(5) a. साँच बात मB आँच का ?
[sɑ ̃ c bɑt mẽ ɑ ̃ c] PRD [kɑ] SBJ

truth saying LOC obstacle what
'What is obstacle in true statement?' (09.287)

b. काजर से आँख भारी ?

kɑjʌr se ɑ ̃ kʰ b ̤ ɑri
[kɑjʌr se] PRD [ɑ ̃ kʰ] SBJ [b ̤ ɑr-i] PRD
kajal with eye load-ADJ

'Can eyes be loaded with kajal?' (09.297)
c. जेकर उदय सेकर अ1त ।

[jekʌr] SBJ [udʌy] PRD [sekʌr] SBJ [ʌst] PRD
3SG.GEN.COND rise 3SG.GEN.COND fall

'The one who rises falls too.' (09.367)
A special type of subjectless copular clauses is also available in Bhojpuri.

Such expressions often occur at opening of a story, as shown in (6a-b).
(6) a. कवनC देश मB एगो गाँव रहे ।

kɔno des mẽ eɡo ɡɑ ̃ o rʌɦe

[kɔno des mẽ ek-ɡo ɡɑ ̃ o] PRD rʌɦ-e
some country LOC one-CLF village live-3.PST
'Once upon a time there was a village in a country.' (10.001)

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