CHAPTER 5
CUMMINGS DEVICES
Potential rejoinders:
| Ninatoka mji wa Topeka. | I'm from (the city of) Topeka. |
| Ninatoka jimbo la Kansas. | I'm from (the state of) Kansas. |
| Ninatoka nchi ya Amerika. | I'm from (the country of) America. |
Summary:
Unatoka (mji) gani?
Ninatoka (mji) (w)a (Topeka).
Comments on Example 3
Suitability of subject matter is as for Example 2. Length and complexity of sentences are still within the ability of beginners. This Cummings device provides a fairly realistic way of learning to choose among wa,la, ya in agreement with mji, jimbo, nchi.
Example 4 (French)
Basic utterances:
| Qu'est—ce que vous faites à 6 heures du matin? | What do you do at 6 a.m.? |
| Et après, qu'est—ce que vous faites? | And then what do you do? |
Potential rejoinders:
| Je me réveille. | I wake up. |
| Après je me léve. | Then I get up. |
| Après je me lave. | Then I wash. |
| Après je m'habille. | Then I get dressed. |
| Après je vais au réfectoire. | Then I go to the dining hall. |
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