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WH-INTERROGATIVES + -um.

The clitic ˣ when affixed to noun phrases generally means `and, even, too'. When affixed to WH-interrogatives, the meaning is all-inclusive, or universal.

Not all Í -e words can be combined with Ë£ um, however. * Íÿ» enda + um `which' and * edum `which thing' do not occur. Instead, where one would expect Íâ edu + Ë£ um, we get ͧÁÔ£ ellaam `all, everything'. Since Íÿ» enda has to be followed by a noun, the expected enda + Noun + um is replaced by ͧÁÔ ellaa + Noun + Ë£ um. E.g.:

ͧÁÔ ÂÖ¥à×Áæ£ ellaa viitt-le-y-um `in all houses'

When ͧÁÔ ... Ë£ ellaa ... um modifies a `count' noun, that noun must be in the plural (or at least be an unmarked plural, as above), as in English. When ͧÁÔ ... Ë£ ellaa ... um modifies a mass noun, it follows the Noun and is then realized as ͧÁÔ£ ellaam, e.g. paal-ellaam `all the milk', Ì×À§ÁÔ£ uur-ellaam `the whole town'. ͧÁÔ Ìç£ ellaa uur-um also occurs, but means `all the townbf s'. ellaarum is used with animates and means `all people'. `Every' as an adjective is otherwise realised as ovvoru `each, every', e.g. ovvoru samayam `every time, sometimes'. `Everyday' denam or ovvoru naalu.

Some of the other Í -e + Ë£ um types do not occur at all, e.g. * eppadiyum and * evvalavum.



Harold_F.Schiffman