Syntax
The normal sentence structure of standard Portuguese (SP) is subject verb object (SVO). In Sri Lanka Portuguese Creole (SLPC), SVO dominates, but SOV and OSV also occur. The syntax structure is similar to that of Tamil. For example, the verb has been reduced to a single form, and tense-mood-aspect markers (lo, te, ja) indicate the future, present and past tenses; that is, lo leva (SLPC): levarae (SP) 'he will carry'; te folga (SLPC): folgam (SP) 'they rejoice'; ja olha (SLPC): olhei (SP) 'I saw.' (see ‘phrase samples’ below)
Also, ‘se’ the conditional marker, comes at the end of the utterance like in:
ja pepiya se nosse jentis dos pesam tinhe se
‘if speak.’ ‘if two of our people are .’
In standard Portuguese, the conditional marker ‘se’ usually comes at the beginning of the utterance:
se eu vou contigo,eu vou dirigir. se soubesse do bem que me faz!
“if I go with you, I will drive.” “if knew the good it does me!”
Phrase Samples:
Que vosse lo* tem diziado per acha? “what will you please to have?”
- note ‘lo’ to indicate future
Tem aquel verdade? “Is it true?”
Ala nontem asiilei cousa. “There is no such thing.”
Eu nihumtempo novo ouvi aquel. “I have never heard of it.”
Vosse que te* avisa parmi per fai? “What do you advise me to do?”
- note ‘te’ to indicate present
Huma nonpode ouvi otro huma que papia. “One cannot hear another speak”
Vosse quanto vez ja* caza? “How many times have you married?”
- note ‘ja’ to indicate past tense
Read more about this topic: Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole