Example 16-104

rod no de dɛ bifɔ; bat nau rod de
rod
road
no
neg
de
cop
dɛ
dem
bifɔ;
before
bat
but
nau
now
rod
road
de
cop
There was no road there before. But now there is a road.
Comment:
The existential copula de is distinguished from the derived PROG/HAB marker dè by a high tone.
Type:
naturalistic spoken
Source:
Huber 1999: 235