CONJUCTION “ROM” (THAT) IN SHIDA KARTLIAN

Abstract

In Shida Kartlian, as in literary Georgian language, in common Kartlian and other dialects of the Georgian language, subordinate conjunctions as well as relative adverbs and pronouns - member-conjunctions are used to combine simple sentences contained in a complex sentence.

From subordinate conjunctions the conjunction "rom" (that) and its variants - "roma" and "ro" are noticed, which are actively involved in the construction of subordination - to link different types of subordinate clauses to the principal. They perform the same function but differ in the place of use in the subordinate clause. "Ro" can be found both in the beginning and in the middle of the subordinate clause, and the "Roma" conjunction is always in the beginning of the subordinate clause. It is obvious to use the conjunction "Roma"  when we have a pause. For example: “tanisamoss ro xdida, khalatis jibidan surati gadmouvarda” ("When she was taking off the clothes, a picture fell out of his coat pocket"); “karebi iseti itsis, ro sheagonebs khalkhsa” ("there are such kinds of winds that it will bother people");   „zogi iseti magali izrdeba, roma karepshi ver shemoeteva“ ("Some grow so tall that they can not be fitted in the door.").

We often find paired member-conjunctions in Shida Kartlian dialect: The paired member-conjunctions are noticed in Shida Kartlian dialect: “vints rom”//”vints roma”//”vints ro” (who that); “rats rom”// “rats roma”// “rats ro” (what that); “rogorits rom”// “rogorits roma”// “rogorits ro” (like that); “sadats rom”// “sadats roma”// “sadats ro” (where that). In these complex conjunctions, "that" has the function of particle "even". "That" strengthens the meaning of the word to which it refers. For example: “vints rom movides, karebi ar gaugo” – “vints ki movides, karebi ar gaugo” ("Whoever came, did not open the door"). In Shida Kartlian, like in Old Georgian, the function of "rom" (that) and “tu” (if) conjunctions is not divided, and often conjuncton“tu” (if) are found instead of “rom” (that). For example: “movidnen kaltan da utkhres, tu ai movrchit im sakmes” (They came to the woman and told her if we had done that job) – “movidnen kaltan da utkhres, rom ai movrchit im sakmes” (They came to the woman and told her that we have done that job). There are also cases when conjunction “rom//ro” (that) changes conjunction “rotsa” (when) in a subordinate clause. For example: “rom chaartkan, khom barakinai una ikves” (If they hit, it should be a strong hit) – “rotsa chaartkan, khom barakinai una ikves” (When they hit, it should be a strong hit). Changing the conjunction causes changing of the syntactic function.