Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How does the Fore language mark the person who sees and the person who is seen?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Papuan languages
Map of the languages found on the Doberai Peninsula of New Guinea.
In the Fore language, which belongs to the Trans-New Guinea family, verbs use specific affixes to indicate the person and number of both the subject and the object.
To mark the person who is seen (the object) and the person who sees (the subject), the language employs the following structure:
- Object: Marked with a prefix attached to the verb.
- Subject: Marked with a suffix attached to the verb.
For example, in the sentence na-ka-i-e, which translates to "he sees me," the prefix na- indicates the object ("me"), while the suffix -i indicates the subject ("he").1