Prepositions and Postpositions.
I. Prepositions.
Only two prepositions are found in Fuyuge. These are ise, near, and ga, by.
Ex. aked’ is’ okid’ ando, the men are near the fire; ganda? ga ma! by what do you swear? by the thread.
Note. Ga, in the sense of “by,” is much used, and corresponds to a kind of oath.
II. Postpositions.
1. All the postpositions are used as suffixes to the words which they govern. When the noun to which they are suffixed has a double form, the postposition is added to the short form.
Ex. uli-tsi from uli(ne) pot: fatsi from fa(le), ground.
There are however some exceptions.
2. When the postposition begins with a consonant, the final e of a noun changes to i.
Ex. kodigi-tsi from kodige, plate; bulitsi from bule, garden.
3. The postpositions are often used as nouns.
Ex. balava u tsi ido asi, the inside of the loaf is still raw.
III. List of Postpositions.
-ai(me), because of, for: ovol’ aim’ andavete, I weep for the pig.
-a(le), with, by (instrumental): isong’ al’ oki ya -andal’ a? isong’ ale, take the fire with the tongs—with what? with the tongs; amul’ al’ ul’ese, the woman with her child; uli sond’ al’ ale, a pot with a handle.
-ala, to, adherent to, along: yo’ ata yarima, hang it on the rattan; enamb’ ata malele yatsi, I will take it along the road.
-fendateme, near (within bounds): Sivu Alo fendatem’ ando, Sivu is near Alo.
-noi, with (?): yini danoi gatsi, you will go with us two.
-ongo, before, at the side of (with an idea of inferiority): na nu ongo ando, I am before thee (at thy service); non’ ongo, one beside the other.
-enga, from the side of, towards: nani Ambov’enga g’anga, I have been (gone) towards Ambove.
-kaine, towards: dedi yi kaine tsiati, later on I will come towards you.
teti, under: sosoeteti ando, he is under the bed.
tsi, to (movement, and time, rest), at, at the place of (Fr. chez): nani etsi andota, u bulitsi g’anga, I am in the house, he has gone into the garden; naga Mambutsil’ a tela, I am come here from Mambo; kouatsi ma, put it in the box; tutsi etsiati, he will come in the night; nu datsi sona? who has he been with?
-tu, upon (to or at places on mountains): kulumitu, ma, put it on the table; Falitu g’anga, he is gone to Faliba.
Note. Ale in the sense of “with” is used when the second substantive is considered as an accessory to the first. Ex. an’ al amu, a married man (man with a wife); uli sondal’ ale, pot with a handle. There are not yet enough examples to distinguish the two forms.
IV. Prepositional Phrases.
u mome, above: kurum’ u mome yarime, hang it over the table; u bane, behind; mel’ an’ u ban’ ando, the child is behind the man; ul’ umbo(le), in the middle of; Veke ul’ umbol’ ando, he is at Vee.