Datapoint Nengee/Indefinite pronouns

Note: Sama and sani also function as question words. Historically, they derive from the forms o(n) sama ‘which person’ and o(n) sani 'which thing'. When used as indefinite pronouns, they may refer to one or more indefinite persons/things.

Values

Generic-noun-based indefinites

Example 4-28:
Wan sama fufuu mi wagi.
Wan
indf.det
sama
person
fufuu
steal
mi
my
wagi.
car
Someone stole my car.
Example 4-29:
I mu gi mi wan sani.
I
you
mu
must/should
gi
give
mi
me
wan
indf.det
sani.
thing
You have to give me something.
Example 4-30:
A yali ya sani miti mi.
A
det
yali
year
ya
dem
sani
thing
miti
meet
mi.
me
This year something bad happened to me.

Source: Huttar and Huttar 1994: 466

Example 4-31:
I akisi sama di an sabi a sani.
I
you
akisi
ask
sama
person
di
rel
an
neg
sabi
know
a
det
sani.
thing
You asked a person who doesn't know about this.
Confidence:
Very certain