Lesson 22

mn = if/from/since (2)

     2. "mn" also has the meaning of "from" when it comes before
          a noun in a sentence.

Example 22.1

           mn     asmera   ask   aqurdet   reym   tu   ma   qurub ?
          from   Asmera   to    Agordat   far    is   or   near ?
          [  Is it  far or close from Asmara to Agordat?]
          
	Note : " reym " can be used in the context of far in distance or
                    long in length or tall in height.
Example   mdr reym  =   far land
      enas reym = tall man ( but remember esit reyam = tall woman)

Example 22.2

         mn    estEmar       Hara      fegerna.
           from  colonialism  (we) free  got out.
           [We are freed from colonialism.]

Note:     "fegra" is literally translated as "went out". It also
                  has the meaning of " went up". Remember our example
                mn keren asmera fegra = From Keren he went up to Asmara.

Example 22.3:
            mn    ayi    Ad     enta ?
         from  which village  are you ?

Note:  Ad could mean a village or town or a country.
                 Many villages in Eritrea have the prefix "Ad  
		in their names and are thus called "Ad ..."
     
Example 22.3.1 : 
		Ad sheK, Ad aberehim, Ad saydna, Ad Humeday, etc.

       3.  "mn" also has the meaning of "since" when it precedes a
             noun indicating time like "deAm" = last year, male=yesterday,

Examples 22.4

             1.   mn      deAm       Hud         ijereba
                 since  last year   little     he did not try.
              [ Since last year he tried a lot.]

               Note the use of the double negative:" Hud" and "ijereba"
              =little he did not try, to convey the meaning that he
               tried a lot. This kind of usage is common in Tigre.

               For the feminine gender "ijereba" would be "ijerebet"
                 mn    deAm  Hud ijerebet.

               jereba is the verb, the noun would then be "jerbe"

Proverb 4  	jerbe   sekey     ikel'
                trying  fleeing   does not prevent
                [Trying to do a thing does not prevent giving up.]

                 Ad       mn geset         Hud       iwedet
                 Home     since she went  little    she did not do
                 [It is long since she went home.]

                 Ad       mn gesa        Hud       iweda
                Home    since he went    little   he did not do
                [ It is long since he went home.]


              mn      amEl       hdaya
             since the day  of her marriage........

              mn     amEl       hdayu
             since   the day   of his marriage......

               mn         ela     senet
              since/from   this    year


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           In this lesson we have learned the following new words

           qurub   =  near
           estEmar =  colonialism
           Hara    =  free
           deAm    =  last year
           jerbe   =  trying(noun)
           jereba  =  tried
           sekey   =  to flee
           hday    =  marriage

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