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PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions can be classified in three categories.

CLASSIFICATION EXAMPLES
 
- proper prepositions 'u libbre d'a [of the] scole
- improper prepositions 'u libbre dopp 'u quaderne
- preposizional locutions  'u libbre a' mmezz 'i [in the middle of the] quadejèrne

PROPER PREPOSITIONS

Proper prepositions are formes that have only the grammatical function of preposition. They can be simple or contracted.

SIMPLE PREPOSITIONS
 

english   

 Italian    

dialect
 
of di de
to, at a a
from, by da da
in in 'n
with con che, ch', c' [1]
on, over su 'ngoppe, sope [2]
for per pe', peg' [3], ped' [4]
among, between       tra tra
among, between       fra fra

[1] - ch' and c' are used in front of vowel [c'une (with one), - ch'ésse (with her)]

[2] - Really 'ngòppe and sópe are improper prepositions.

[3] - Peg' is rare and it is used in front of vowel. Ex.: - peg'areje (on the air)

[4] - Ped' it is rare and it is used in front of vowel. Ex.: - ped'une (for one)

 

CONTRACTED PREPOSITIONS

simple prepositions + articles

contracted prepositions
 
SANMARTIN. ITALIAN SANMARTIN. ITALIAN
 
de o da + 'u di o da + il o lo d'u del, dello, del, dal dallo [1]
de o da + 'a di o da + la d'a della, dell', dalla, dall' [1]
de o da + 'i di o da + i o gli o le d'i dei, degli, delle, dai, dagli, dalle [1]
 
a + 'u a + il o lo they aren't linked [*] al, allo o nel, nello [sic] 
a + 'a a + la o l' they aren't linked [*] alla, all' o nella, nell' [sic] 
a + 'i a + i o gli o le  they aren't linked [*] ai, agli, alle o nei, negli, nelle [sic] 
 
'n + 'u in + il o lo n'u nel, nello o al, allo [sic] 
'n + 'a in + la o l' n'a nella, nell' o alla, all' [sic] 
'n + 'i in + i o gli n'i nei, negli, nelle o ai, agli, alle [sic] 
  
 che + 'u  con + il o lo  c'u col
 che + 'a  con + la o l'  c'a they aren't linked [*]
 che + 'i  con + i o gli o le  ch'i they aren't linked [*]
 
 'ngoppe + 'u  su + il o lo  'ngopp'u  sul, sullo
 'ngoppe + 'a  su + la o l'  'ngopp'a  sulla, sull'
 'ngoppe + 'i  su + i o gli o le  'ngopp'i  sui, sugli, sulle
 
 sope + 'u  su + il o lo  sop'u  sul, sullo
 sope + 'a  su + la o l'  sop'a  sulla, sull'
 sope + 'i  su + i o gli o le  sop'i  sui, sugli, sulle
 
 pe + 'u  per + il o lo  p'u they aren't linked [*]
 pe + 'a  per + la o l'  p'a they aren't linked [*]
 pe + 'i  per + i o gli o le  p'i they aren't linked [*]
 
 tra + 'u  tra + il o lo they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]
 tra + 'a  tra + la o l' they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]
 tra + 'i  tra + i o gli o le they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]
 
 fra + 'u  fra + il o lo they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]
 fra + 'a  fra + la o l' they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]
 fra + 'i  fra+ i o gli o le they aren't linked [*] they aren't linked [*]

[*] - At times the preposition doesn't melt with the article.

[1] - Prepositions de and da produce same contracted prepositions.

[sic] - In italian we say vado al camposanto while in dialect vajje n'u cambesande.

N.B. - We remember that the apostrophe (not only for convenience) we use it to distinguish two grammatical functions (preposition and article). Nothing would forbid for ex. to write ni, nu, na, pu, pa, pi, cu, ca, chi, etc. instead of n'i, n'u, n'a, p'u, p'a, p'i, c'u, c'a ch'i, etc...

 

 

IMPROPER PREPOSITIONS

The improper prepositions are forms that can be used also as adjectives, participles or adverbs.

AS ADJECTIVES
IMPROPER'S

EXAMPLES

 FUNCTION
  
lundâne Stejènghe lundâne da câse preposition
'A câs' è lundâne adjective
prîme Prîme de tutte, facéme queste preposition
È 'u prîme d'a scóle adjective
secónde Secondo te, chi venge?... preposition
Sejènghe 'rrevâte secónde adjective
vecîne o bbecîne 'U câne 'sta bbecîn 'u bballecône preposition
'U cân' è vecîne adjective
lònghe Lòngh' a strade ce sta n'àrbere preposition
A strad' è lònghe adjective
nóve Té 'nu rellòge nóve de zzécche preposition
'U relloggi' è nnóve adjective

 

AS ADVERBS

OF PLACE
IMPROPER'S 

EXAMPLES

 FUNCTION
sópe Sóp' a ca'sce ce sta 'na bettijje preposition
'A bettejje stave sópe adverb
'ngòppe Mittelu 'ngòpp 'a ca'sce preposition
Mittelu 'ngòppe adverb
dénde statte dend 'a câse preposition
'nzàcchelu déde adverb
fóre fallu fóre 'ssu lavôre preposition
jettelu fóre adverb
'nnanze nen de métte 'nnanze 'a porte preposition
c'è mmess' a 'nnanze adverb
'rréte sta 'rrét' a porte preposition
va 'rréte! adverb
lundâne statte lundâne d'a câse preposition
statte lundâne adverb
vecîne or bbecîne anne chiù vecîn' a mmé preposition
'a cas' è vecîne adverb
'ttuòrne or attuòrne gir' attuorn' a cèrquele preposition
gira semb' attuòrne adverb
longhe Va long' a strâde preposition
Fall'u ji a 'llònghe adverb
accande or 'ccande Accand 'a câse preposition
'A câs' accande adverb
 
 

OF TIME
 
prîme Prîme de tutte, fammelu sapé preposition
Cejèrche de menì prîme adverb
dòppe Doppe d'u câne, l'a meccecâte pur 'a gatte preposition
L'a meccecâte dòppe adverb
 
 

OF EXCLUSION
 
sènze Fallu senza chiam(à) a quille preposition
Nen ne pu fa senze adverb
 
 

OF OPPOSITION
 
condre Condre de isse nesciûne ce po preposition
Ce so messe tutte condre adverb
 
 

OF UNION
 
'uenîte o  a uenîte 'uenît' a 'u padrône, ce stâv 'u câne preposition
l'âme fatt' a 'uenîte adverb

 

  

PREPOSITIONAL LOCUTIONS 

Preposizional locutions are groups of words that have comprehensive value of preposition: a cause de, 'mmezz' a, pe' mezze de, a favore de, p'u 'nderesse de, oltr' a, oltre de, da llà d'u, da llà d'i, etc... Generally the prepositional locutions are nouns or adverbs contained among two [rarely three] prepositions.

THE GOVERNMENT

PREPOSITIONS      EXAMPLES OF GOVERNMENT
 
condre a mmalatî
'u terramûte
de isse
dendre 'a šcàtele
de lore
de nu
'rréte 'a porte
a 'llà porte
a mme [o de me]
'nnanze (a) 'a câse
(a) 'u mûre
a vu
dòppe 'u censemènde
de me
fóre pajésce
de nu
'uenîte ch'i cumbagne
a 'i cumbagne
a vu
oltre 'u sciûme
a tte
vecîne or bbecîne (a) 'a fenestre
'a isse
sènze pahûre
'a ggiacche
de lore
sópe, 'ngòppe l'armadeje
a isse
de nu
sótte 'a scarpe
a isse
de nu
vèrze 'a sére 
de isse 

 

 

PREPOSITION 'CCAT' OR A 'CCAT'

'Ccàt' [kkat] or a 'ccat' - | prep. | • near of, nearby, to the.

'Ccàt'a [kka-tâ] or a 'ccata - | prep. sing. | • near of, nearby, to the. - It is refered to:

a) - feminine nouns - || 'ccat'a cengenare ||
b) - person's nouns (m. and f.) - || 'Ccat'a Luigge ||
c) - pers. pron. (mé, té, isse, ésse, nu, vu, lore) - || 'ccat'a me ||
d) - indef. pron. (ûne, caccûne, etc...) - || 'ccat'a caccûne ||
e) - dimonstr. pron. (queste, quiste, 'ssa, etc...) - || 'ccat'a chille ||

'Ccàt'u [kka-tu] or a 'ccatu - | sing. prep. | • near of him - It is refered only to masculine nouns (they are excluded person nouns) - || V'a 'ccat'u pequerare ||

'Ccàt'i [kka-you] or to 'ccat'i - | pl. prep. | • near of (them). - It is refered to the masculine and feminine plural nouns. - || 'Ccat'i  mamme lore ||

A hypothesis that could be done, about this typical preposition, it would be that to consider 'ccat' (or a 'ccat') a derivation and contraction of a case de or n'a case de.

 

 

PAY ATTENTION!

- p'i - | prep. + art. |
- p'i - | prep. + pron. |

P'i fà c'è velût 'a mâne de Ddi'

In dialect we say p'i fà [it. per li fare or per le fare or per gli fare] while in Italian the pronoun is postponed and therefore it will be so: per farli, per farle, per fargli.

The same discourse is worth for forms (prep. + pron.) p'a and p'u.

- p'a - | prep. + pron. | - p'a fà [it. per farla]
- p'u - | prep. + pron. | - p'u fà [it. per farlo]
- p'i -  | prep. + pron. | - p'i fà [it. per farle, per farle, per fargli]

Really we can also be used pleonastic forms, not always correct (certainly of more recent acquisition), as these:

- p'a farla (acceptable form)
- p'u farlu (incorrect form)
- p'i farli (incorrect form)

Or forms entirely similar to Italian:

- pe farla
- pe farlu
- pe farli

 

 

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