Aspects of Santhali Uttam Prasad Bhattarai* Abstract This paper attempts to present the aspect of Santhali language that belongs to north Munda subgroup of Austro-Asiatic language family. The Santhali language which is spoken by Santhal ethnic residing in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari district is endangered language. This language needs promotion, protection and preservation from the authority concerned. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to record a little part of this language. The primary data were based on the date collected for the mini project conducted for University Grants Commission, Nepal. By applying purposive sampling a set of questionnaires was distributed to literate Santhali of their mother tongue. This is paper is divided into four sections- introduction, interpretation of Santhali aspect, findings and recommendations followed by acknowledgement and reference. After interpretation the suffix '-akada' and '-aka' are found to be past and non-past perfective marker respectively in transitive verbs. Similarly the suffix '-akan' and '-akana' occur as past and non-past perfective markers in intransitive verbs respectively. In the same way '-kan' occurs as past and '-a' occurs as non past habitual marker. The suffix '-kan' and '-kana' are found to be past and non-past progressive markers respectively. This brief paper will be beneficial to the people concerned in the field of ethnic languages in general and specific for Santhali language . The data obtained covered a small range of the community. It, therefore, is strongly recommended that several other researches be carried out for promotion and preservation of this language. Key words Santhali, aspect, Perfective and imperfective, promotion, and preservation. 1. Introduction Santhali, one of the endangered languages of Nepal, is the native language of Santhals and this language belongs to north Munda group of Austro-Asiatic language family. The census report conducted in 2011 shows that 53,535 Santhals are found to have lived in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts in Province 1, Nepal. It is 0.31 percent of the total population of Nepal. 1.1 The Aspect of the Santhali language will be sketched in this very brief paper. The primary data of this paper were based on the data collected for the Mini Project conducted for University Grants Commission, Nepal, visiting a certain number of people in the stated community (Bhattarai, 2012). 1.2 To represent the total population of the study, the Santhals who can communicate and write in their mother tongue were selected by applying purposive sampling. The researcher prepared a set of questionnaires in order to search on the Santhali morphology. The researcher gave the set of questionnaires to the native speakers of the Santhali language and asked them to provide answer. He facilitated them to their * Bhattarai is an Associate Professor in English , Damak Multiple Campus. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 1 easiness. Then, the stated data were verified from library visit. The essential illustrations to furnish the research which could not be covered in the field study were collected from the secondary source. 2. Aspect Aspect concerns (Leech and Svartvik, 1988) the manner in which a verbal action is experienced regarded (for example as complete or in progress). To make it more explicitly Leech and Svartvik (1988:306) further writes, 'English has two marked aspects: the Progressive aspect and the Perfective aspect'. Giving the grammatical meaning of Aspect, Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary (1997:60) shows that aspect is 'a form of a verb that indicates the way in which an action is regarded', e.g. whether it happened in the past but is still continuing or relevant in some way, or whether it is completely finished': 'she has lived here for ten years' is different in aspect from ‘she lived here for ten years'. In this regard it is apt to quote Crystal (2003:36) aspect is 'A category used in the grammatical description of verbs (along with Tense and mood), referring primarily to the way the grammar marks the duration or type of temporal activity denoted by verb'. Santhali language has following aspectual pattern: 2. 1 Perfective aspect 2. 2 Imperfective aspect 2.1 Perfective aspect This aspect is further divided into past and non-past. 2.1.1 Past perfective aspect ׀ i. iɲ ðakai ɲ dʒʌm-akaða tahena ׀ iɲ ðakai ɲ dʒʌm-akaða tahena 1SG rice-1SG eat-PRS-PST I had eaten rice. ׀ ii. abu da?-e ɲur-akaða tahena ׀ abu da?-e ɲur-akaða tahena 1PL.INCL water-1PL.INCL drink-PRV PST We (including listener) had drunk water. ׀ iii. uni ðakaj d ʒʌm-akaða tahena ׀ uni ðaka-j dʒʌm-akaða tahena 3SG rice-3SG eat-PRV PST He had eaten rice. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 2 ׀ iv. unku ðakaku d ʒʌm-akaða tahena ׀ unku ðaka-ku dʒʌm-akaða tahena 3PL rice-3PL eat-PRV PST They had eaten rice. ׀ v. uni tʃalau-akan tahena ׀ uni tʃalau-akan tahena 3SG go-PRV PST-3SG He had gone. ׀ vi. unku giti-akan tahena ׀ unku giti-akan tahena 3PL sleep-PRV PST They had slept. ׀ vi. am duru?-akan tahena ׀ am duru?-akan tahena 2SG sit-PST-2SG PST You had sat. 2.1.2 Non-past ׀ i. iɲ ðaka ɲ dʒʌm-akaða ׀ iɲ ðaka-ɲ dʒʌm-akaða 1SG rice-1SG eat-PRV I have eaten rice. ׀ ii. abu ðakabun d ʒʌmakaða ׀ abu ðaka-bun dʒʌm-akaða 1PL.INCL rice-1PL-INCL eat-PR-PST We have eaten rice. ׀ iii. am ðakam d ʒʌmakaða ׀ am ðaka-m dʒʌm-akaða 2SG rice-2SG eat-PRV-PST You have eaten rice. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 3 ׀ iv. uni kʌlʌm ema-akaða ׀ uni kʌlʌm ema-akaða 3SG pen-3SG give-PRV-PST He has given me a pen. ׀ v. uni p ʌtʌb ʌl-akaða ׀ uni pʌtʌb ʌl-akaða 3SG book give-PRV-PST He has written a book. ׀ vi. iɲ gititʃakaiɲ ׀ iɲ gititʃ-aka-iɲ 1SG sleep-PRV-PST I have slept. ׀ vii. abubun gititʃ-akana ׀ abu-bun gititʃ-akana 1PL-INCL sleep-PRV-PST We (inclusive) have slept. ׀ viii. am ora? t ʃalauakana ׀ am ora? tʃalau-akana 2SG house-2SG go-PRV-PST You have gone house. ׀ ix. unij gititʃ-akana ׀ unij gititʃ-akana 3SGsleep-PRS-3SG He has slept. ׀ x. unkuku gititʃ-akana ׀ unkuku gititʃ-akana 3PL sleep-PRV-PST They have slept. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 4 2.2 Imperfective aspect The imperfective aspect is further distinguished into habitual and progressive aspect 2.2.1 Habitual In the Santhali language, there are two habitual Aspects. They are past habitual aspect and non-past habitual aspect. 2.2.1.1 Past habitual aspect ׀ i. iɲ balli ŋ gatikkan tahena ׀ iɲ ball-iŋ gatik-kan tahena 1SG football-1SG play-HAB-PST I used to play football. ׀ ii. unku balaku gatik-kan tahena ׀ unku balaku gatik-kan tahena 3PL football-3PL play-HAB-PST They used to play football. ׀ iii. abubun enet ʃ-kan tahena ׀ abubun enet ʃ-kan tahena 1PL dance-HAB-PST We used to dance. ׀ iv. am school k hnem ðad tahena ׀ am school khnem ðad tahena 2SG school from run-HAB-PST You used to run away from school. 2.2.1.2 Non-past habitual aspect ׀ i iɲ ðakai ɲ dʒʌma ׀ iɲ ðaka-iɲ dʒʌm-a 1SG rice-1SG eat-PRS I eat rice. ׀ ii. ram ðakaj dʒʌma ׀ ram ðakaj dʒʌma ram.3SG.AN rice eat-PRS Ram eats rice. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 5 ׀ iii. iɲ la҃ ðaja ׀ iɲ la҃ ðaja 1SG smile-PRS I smile. ׀ iv. abubun la҃ ðaja ׀ abubun la҃ ðaja 1PL.INCL smile-PRS We smile (including listener). ׀ iv. unku udakku t ʃalak-a ׀ unku udak-ku tʃalak-a 3PL house-3PL go-PRS They go home. 2.2.2 Progressive aspect Progressive aspect is further divided into two subcategories. They are past and non- past. 2.2.2.1 Past ׀ i. iɲ ðaka ɲ dʒʌdʒʌm-kan tahena ׀ iɲ ðaka ɲ dʒʌdʒʌm-kan tahena 1SG rice-1SG eat-PROG-PST I was eating rice. ׀ ii. ape balaku gatik-kan tahena ׀ ape balaku gatik-kan tahena 2PL football play-PROG-PST You were playing football. ׀ iii. unku balaku gatik-kan tahena ׀ unku balaku gatik-kan tahena 3PL football play-PROG-PST They were playing football. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 6 ׀ iv . unij la҃ ða-kan tahena ׀ unij la҃ ða-kan tahena 3SG laugh-PROG-PST He was laughing. 2.2.2.2 Non-past ׀ i. iɲ ðaka ɲ dʒʌdʒʌm-kana ׀ iɲ ðaka ɲ ʒʌdʒʌm-kana 1SG rice-1SG eat-PROG-PRS I am eating rice. ׀ ii. uni t ʃit hij olak-kana ׀ uni tʃit hij olak-kana 3SG letter write-PROG-PRS He is writing a letter. ׀ iii. unku udakku t ʃʌ lak-kana ׀ unku udakku tʃʌ lak-kana 3PL house-3PL go-PROG-PRS They are are going home. ׀ iv abubun gitit ʃ-kana ׀ abubun gitit ʃ-kana 1PL sleep-PROG-PRS We are sleeping. ׀ v. amem gatit ʃ-kana ׀ amem gatit ʃ-kana 2SG play-PROG-PRS You are playing. Damak Campus Journal, Vol. 9 JULY 2020 7 1. Findings The study and analysis of data have guided the researcher to sketch the following findings: a. The above mentioned illustrations (2.1.1 i – 2.1.1.iv) show that the suffix ‘-akaða’ occurs as past perfective marker in transitive verbs. On the other hand, the illustrations (2.1.1.v-2.1.1.vii) show that the suffix ‘-akan’ occurs as non past perfective marker in intransitive verbs. b. The illustrations (2.1.2.i-2.1.2.v) show that ‘-akaða’ occurs as non-past perfective marker in transitive verbs.