The following interlinear glossed text data was extracted from a document found on the
World Wide Web via a semi-automated process. The data presented here could contain
corruption (degraded or missing characters), so the source document (link below) should
be consulted to ensure accuracy.
If you use any of the data shown here for research purposes,
be sure to cite ODIN and the source document. Please use the following citation record or variant thereof:
Sabine Zerbian (2004). Wh-Questions in Northern Sotho.
URL: http://mercury.soas.ac.uk/users/lm5/BantuProjectPapers/Zerbian_LLB_04.pdf
(Last accessed 2009-07-23).
ODIN: http://odin.linguistlist.org/igt_raw.php?id= 3148&langcode=nso (2021-06-26).
Example #1:
(b) Ò-bona mang ka-mehla?
you-see who always
`Who do you always see?'
Example #2:
(2) (a) *Ò-bona ka-mehla mang?
you-see always who
`Who do you always see?'
Example #3:
(b) *Mang ò-bona?
who 2nd-see
`Who do you see?'
Example #4:
(3) (a) Ó-fa mo-kgalabje eng?
3rd.CL1-give CL1-old.man what
`What does he give the old man?'
Example #5:
(b) Ó-tli_et_a mang se-hlare?
3rd.CL1-bring who CL7-medicine
`Who does he bring the medicine?'
Example #6:
(7) (a) Ké mang a-nyaka-ng ngaka?
COP who CL1-look.for-REL CL9.doctor
`Who is looking for the doctor?'
Example #7:
(b) Ké mang a-reki_a-ng ma-swi ko-toropo-ng?
COP who CL1-sell-REL CL6-milk in-town-in
`Who is selling milk in town?'
Example #8:
(9) (a) Mang ó-dira eng?
Who 3rd.CL1-do what
`Who is doing what?'
Example #9:
B: Mang ó-tlhokomela ngaka?
Who 3rd.CL1-look.after CL9.doctor
`Who is looking after the doctor?'
Example #10:
(10) (a) Di-kgomo di fula nage-ng.
CL10-cows SC.CL10graze CL9.country-LOC
`The cattle are grazing in the country.'
Example #11:
(b) Nage-ng go fula di-kgomo.
CL9.country-LOC SC.CL17 graze CL10-cows
`In the country are grazing the cattle.'
Example #12:
(11) Nage-ng go fula eng?
CL9.Country-LOCSC.CL17 graze what
`What is grazing in the country?'
Example #13:
(12) (a) Go tla mang?
CL17 come who
`Who is coming?'
Example #14:
(b) Go bala mang puku?
CL17 read who book
`Who is reading the book?'
Example #15:
(13) Pitsha (yona) e thub-ile (ke mo_emane).
Pot SC break.PASS-PAST (by boy)
`The pot was broken (by the boy).'
Example #16:
(14) Pitsha (yona) e thub-ile ke mang?
Pot SC break.PASS-PAST by who
`Who broke the pot?'
Example #17:
(a) Ke mo-sadi fela a tli_a-ng ba-na se-kolo-ng.
COP CL1-woman only 3rd.CL1-bring-REL CL2-children CL7-school-LOC
`Only the woman brings the children to school.' (not the man)
Example #18:
(b) Mo-sadi o tli_a ba-na fela se-kolo-ng.
CL1-woman 3rd.CL1-bring CL2-children only CL7-school-LOC
`The woman only brings the children to school.' (not the teenagers)
Example #19:
(c) Mo-sadi o tli_a ba-na se-kolo-ng fela.
CL1-woman 3rd.CL1 bring CL2-children CL7-school-LOC only
`The woman only brings the children to school.' (not to church)
Example #20:
(21) *Mang o-bonye Thabo?
who SM.CL1-see.PAST Thabo
`Who saw Thabo?'
Example #21:
(b) Go tsena Matalebele.
CL17 enter Matalebele
,Matalebele enters.'
Example #22:
(24) Go robala mang mpete-ng?
CL17 sleep who bed-L OC
`Who is sleeping in the bed?'