Diego Collados Grammar of the Japanese Language | Page 8

change belongs. That which exists among those syllables having a certain relationship and rapport between them, as Ma, Fa, Ba, Pa; Me, Fe, Be, Pe; Mi, Fi, Bi, Pi; Mo, Fo, Bo, Po; Mu, Fu, Bu, Pu; with Mu and V. Thus, what is written Vma in Cana is written Muma, and Mume written for Vme in order to conform more closely to its pronunciation.[18] Also Mu is written for Bu[19] so that all the harmony (armonia) in the formations of this language are contained in the rules for Goyn and Canadzucai. Those who are informed see, as native speakers, how the tenses are formed for any mood, and which letter, or syllable, must be changed to another to affect a formation. Concerning this matter there is a booklet[20] which teaches Canadzucai, and the general rules on the subject. Teachers should have this booklet to teach more easily and advantageously those students who are learning Cana. Lacking a knowledge of Goyn and Canadzucai, some of the rules which until now have been used in the formation of verbs (some of which I have let remain as they were), are not the original and natural rules as are the Goyn.[21] They are rather devices, some forming affirmative tenses and moods from negative forms and others forming them from yet other more remote sources, which appear to correspond to formational rules, but for which the proper rules are not known. The fact is that the affirmative as well as negative are formed from the affirmative, beginning with the root, as will be seen below.
Speaking in general of the formation of the verb, the forms of the indicative and imperative moods of all three conjugations are formed from the root of the verb. The rest of the tenses in the other affirmative moods are formed from either the indicative or imperative forms. In the same way, the negative indicative present is formed from the root of the verb and the other tenses of the indicative are formed from {17} the present form. The other negative moods are formed from the indicative forms.
FORMATION OF THE TENSES FOR THE INDICATIVE AND IMPERATIVE MOODS OF THE VERBS OF THE FIRST AFFIRMATIVE CONJUGATION
The final syllables of the roots of the first affirmative conjugation, by which the verbs conjugated here are known, and from which the tenses of the indicative will be formed, end in E, with the exception of the verb "to do," Xi, or Ii, with its compounds and certain other verbs which end in I. The verbs which belong to the first conjugation, are as follows [in Charts A & B].
The verb Xi "to do," with its compounds ending in Xi or Ii, follows the formation of the verbs of the first conjugation. Ii is Xi which has been changed (alterado) to Ii because it follows the letter N. Xiconforms to the rules for the syllables which are changed (se mudam) to others. Thus:
Xi In the present change Xi to Suru, xita, xe?, ?zu, ?zuru, Suru. In the preterit add xeyo, xenu, or zu. Faixi Ta to the root. In the future Faisuru, faixita, faixe?, change Xi to Xe?. In the faixeyo, faixenu. Tayxi[22] imperative change Xi to Xe Tassuru, taxxita, taxxeò, and add Yo, i, or sai. In taxxeyo, taxxenu. Gaxxi the negative add Nu, or zu Gassuru, gaxxita, gaxxe?, to Xe. gaxxeyo, gaxxenu.
Zonji In the present Ii is changed Zonzuru, zonjita, zonje?, to Zuru. In the preterit Ta ?zu, ?zuru, zonjeyo, is added to the root. In the zonjenu. Caronji future Ii is changed to Ie?, Caronzuru, caronjita, etc. etc.
Vomonji Vomonzuru, vomonjita. Sanji Sanzuru, sanjita. Goranji Goranzuru, goranjita. Soranji Soranzuru, soranjita. Ganji Canzuru, canjita. Manji Manzuru, manjita.
Many of these verbs have another, less used, form made by adding Ru to the root; e.g., Abi, abiru; Mochiy, mochiyru; xiy, xiyru. Among these are some that have only this second form and lack the first; e.g., Mi, miru; Ni, niru; Fi, firu; Cagammi, cagammiru; Ki, kiru "to dress," as distinct from Ki, kuru "to come"; and y, yru.
{18}
CHART A
[The Formation of First Conjugation Verbs Ending in E]
------------+---------+-----------------+-----------+------------ Syllables |Roots |Formation |Present |Preterit ============+=========+=================+===========+============ |Tate, |In the present |Tat?uru. |Tateta. | |change Te to | | Te, | |T?uru. The | | |Fate, |remainder are |Fat?uru. |Fateta. | |from the root. | | | |See above. | | | | | | Ie, |Maje, |Change Ie to |Mazuru. |Majeta. | |Zuru in the | | | |present. The | | | |remainder are | | | |from the root. | | | |See above. | | | | | | |Saxe, |In the present |Sasuru. |Saxeta. Xe, | |change Xe to | | | |Suru. The | | |Mairaxe, |remainder are |Mairasuru. |Mairaxeta. | |from the root. | | | |See above. | | ============+=========+=================+===========+============
------------+---------+------------+-------------+----------- Syllables