# Coordination



## midnights0litude

I am doing a project on coordinated pronominal subjects vs. their plural counterparts (e.g 'you and i/you and me' vs. 'we/us' in English). So I am just wondering how this mechanism works in Tagalog:

(1) Kumakanta ako 'I am singing'
(2) Kumakanta ka 'You are singing'
(3) Kumakanta tayo 'We (inclusive) are singing'
(4) *Kumakanta ka at ako Intended meaning: 'You and I are singing'
(5) Kumakanta ikaw at ako (?) Intended meaning: 'You and are singing'
(6) Ikaw at ako ay kumakanta 'You and I are singing'

NOTE: I am noting ungrammaticality with an asterisk (*)

I am almost certain that (6) is grammatical under the intended meaning. Also, I think (4) is ungrammatical. But I am uncertain whether (5) is grammatical or not.

If it isn't, then would it be safe to assume that in order to coordinate ( X at X construction) pronominal subjects in Tagalog one has to use the 'ay-construction' of a sentence? 
By that, I mean:
Ako ay kumakanta vs Kumakanta ako

Thanks so much for the help


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## DotterKat

Hi,

You are correct in all your assumptions.
All are grammatically correct except for (4) and (5).
I know that you are going through the sentences as an exercise, but in everyday speech, one would most probably hear : " Tayo ay kumakanta. " ( We are singing ).
The same is true for all the other sentences, that is, the pronoun usually comes first in real, everyday speech. Putting the verb ahead of the noun or pronoun sounds as awkward in English as " Singing, I am. " or " Singing, we are. "
Both are perfectly understandable, but somewhat odd to the ear.
Other than that, it appears that you are well advanced in your Tagalog studies.

Gary


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## Chriszinho85

> (5) Kumakanta ikaw at ako (?) Intended meaning: 'You and are singing'


Regarding this example, I just wanted to point out that "ikaw" is only used if it is the first word of the sentence.  In all other positions, "ka" is used.



DotterKat said:


> The same is true for all the other sentences, that is, the pronoun usually comes first in real, everyday speech. Putting the verb ahead of the noun or pronoun sounds as awkward in English as " Singing, I am. " or " Singing, we are. "
> Both are perfectly understandable, but somewhat odd to the ear.


I'm going to have to disagree with you.  It doesn't sound awkward at all.  It is actually more common in everyday speech for the word order to be *verb-subject-object*, or rather the predicate first.  For example,

_Naglalaro ang bata_ is more common than _Ang bata ay naglalaro._

_Pupunta kami sa palengke _rather then _Kami ay pupunta sa palengke.

Tinulungan niya ako_ rather than _Ako ay tinulungan niya.

_Chris


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## Wacky...

I totally agree with Chriz. In spoken Tagalog, most of the time the predicate comes first. Sometimes even in Formal situations except when English would be preferred.
But in literature, the *subject-predicate* is more common because it sounds a little more "poetic."


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