Desiderative clauses

Last updated: Dec. 10, 2025

Desiderative clauses take a 1st person independent clause and follow it with "eb" to form a dependent clause.
It is commonly followed by a conjugation of nenim, but doesn't have to be.

Eng mehamong nenim eb nagam.
"I want to do my work"

ig ulomug eb...
"We wanted to sit..."

For discussion

  • Is it possible to have 2nd or 3rd person conjugation of the desire? Rhett found "Hogot ombo mu manding eb i tologot pigom".
    Steve may also have seen non-1st-person desideratives.
  • Is the desiderative a quote? It uses the same closing oriented as a speech quote. If so should we use speech marks for it? Is it a cognitive speech event? That might be why it is so often (nearly always) phrased in the 1st person.