[1][2] Laru is a Niger-Kordofanian language (Schadeberg 1981) in the Heiban group, with three main dialects: Yilaru, Yïdündïlï, and Yogo'romany.
Locatives in Laru are encliticised or follow various word classes, including nouns, adjectives, demonstratives, possessive pronouns, verbs, and an accompaniment postposition.
The presence or absence of certain phonemes in each category can give insights into the phonological patterns of the language.
Vowel elision is a common feature in many languages, and it often occurs to avoid the repetition of sounds or to simplify pronunciation.
In some cases, vowel elision can also be used to indicate a specific grammatical function or to distinguish between different forms of a word.
In the examples given, the elision of the vowel sound in "daɽɪ" and "ɡʊlʊ" helps to create a smoother and more natural-sounding combination with the locative enclitic "ala".
It is important to note that vowel elision is not always predictable or consistent, and it can vary depending on the specific language, dialect, or context.
This system consists of nine classes, which are categorized based on five areas of semantic identification(Kuku 2015:4).
Lastly, the eighth and ninth classes are used for relational nominals such as pronouns and kinship terms.
This noun class system is important in understanding the grammar and syntax of Laru, as it affects how words are formed and used in sentences.
The table shows minimal and contrastive pairs of noun roots in Laru language.
The table demonstrates the importance of vowel and consonant combinations in distinguishing between different noun roots in Laru language.
The table shows different subject agreement prefixes (ɡ-, ɡʷ-, l-, ɡʷ-, d-) that can be combined with finite markers (-di, -ti, -u) and derivational morphemes (-nI, -ni, -jI, -di, -cI, -ti, -ti, -ji) to form different verb forms.The locative enclitics (-ala, -alu, -anu) can be added to these verb forms to indicate geographical locations and positions in relation to the ground level.
The table shows different types of verb suffixes, including reflexive, passive, manipulative, reciprocal, directive, simultaneous, repetitive, and causative.
The table also highlights the complexity of the language's grammar and syntax, as well as the importance of understanding these features for effective communication.