Datapoint Sango/Position of indefinite article in the noun phrase

Although mbeni sometimes appears to be used as an indefinite marker, it may be something else. (Note that it is derived from mbe or mba 'the other part of [...]' and ni the determiner.) One might say that mbeni selects one from many; in some instances it might mean 'a certain.' I should think that the indefinite use may have been influenced by the way English-speaking missionaries used it, but this is just a guess.

Values

Indefinite article is preposed

Example 59-41:
mbeni nzoni zo ake na kodoro so ape
mbeni
certain
nzoni
good
zo
person
a-ke
pm-cop
na
prep
kodoro
village
so
dem
ape
neg
There's not one good person in this village.
Example 59-42:
ala mu mbeni melenge oko
ala
3pl
mu
take
mbeni
some
melenge
child
oko
one
They took one child.

Source: Samarin 1967

Confidence:
Very certain