Item 02: Kamilaroi, and other Australian Languages, by Rev. William Ridley, 2nd ed. (Sydney, 1875) - Page 27
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[Page 27]
15
SYNTAX
The name of this and the neighbouring languages are derived from the negative adverb ; thus "kamilªroi" from "Kamil" (no) ; "wolªroi" from "wol" (no) ; "wailwun" from "wail" (no) ; both "wiraiarai" and wīrādhŭri" are from "wira" (no). "Pīkumbul," the language spoken on the Weir River, to the north-west of New England, is name from its affirmative, "pika" (yes). Cf. Langue d'oc and Langue d'oil, or d'oui, in France. "Pika" is the name of one of the languages of Central Africa.
SYNTAX
The usual order of words in a sentence is this, – nominative, accusative, verb. Adverbs are placed before the verbs, often also before the nominative. Ex. gr. –
yamma ηinda ηunna ηummi?
(adv. of interrog. you me saw?
did you see me?
gīr ηai ηinnuna ηummi,
veryily you I saw
kāmil ηaia ηinnuna ηummi,
not I you saw
ηinda ηai yarāman ηummilmulla,
you my horse show (make to see).
After "kurria," cease, the verb indicating the action to be abandoned is in the imperative. Thus "kurria goalla," cease talking!