Chapter 3. The sentence particle waxaa
3.1. The functions of the particle waxaa
Like baa, the SP waxaa predicatises a sentence and realizes in it the actantial and circumstantial focuses. However, it is usually used in more complicated structures:
(258) Maanta warqadihii aqoonsiga ahaa waxaa dhiibey danjireyaasha dalalka afrikaanka ah u jooga Moosko – Today the ambassadors of the African countries in Moscow have presented their credentials [lit.: Today the ambassadors who stay in Moscow for the countries which are African (have) presented the papers which were recognition].
Here the rheme which coincides with the subject of the sentence follows the verbal predicate, and the theme (the adverbial modifier of time and the object) precedes the SP waxaa.
(259) Soomaaliya ee ku taalla Geeska Afrika waxay deris la tahay Keenya, Itoobiya iyo Jabuuti – Somalia, which is situated in the Horn of Africa, is a neighbour of Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
The rheme of this sentence is the the indirect object which follows the verb, and the theme is the subjective group which precedes the SP waxaa.
(260) Dhallinyaro badan oo karti lihi waxay wax ku baran jirtey Jaamacadda Muqdisho – Many able young people used to study at the University of Mogadishu.
The logical accent in this sentence is placed on the adverbial modifier of place, and the subject, which is expressed by a noun with the following relative clause [lit.: young people who are many and who are able], is not emphasised.
In all the examples the SP waxaa can be substituted by the SP baa:
(261) Danjireyaasha dalalka afrikaanka ah baa maanta dhiibay warqadihii aqoonsiga ahaa;
(262) Keenya, Itoobiya iyo Jabuuti bay Soomaaliya deris la tahay;
(263) Jaamacadda Muqdisho bay wax ku baran jiirtey dhallinyaro badan oo karti lihi.
The result obtained is close to but not identical with the transformed structures. In my opinion, as well as the stylistic differences in the second set of examples, the strengthening of the logical accent on the marked components can be observed. In the waxaa structures it is probably redistributed in favour of the logical subject (the theme). The hypothesis that the theme and the rheme in the sentence with the SP waxaa strive for a balance seems to be confirmed by the possibility of introducing into these sentences an additional sentence particle (ayaa or baa). The truth is that if in one and the same sentence two sentence particles with the same functions start to act in opposite directions, the left part (the theme) and the right part (the rheme) become equally emphasised. This means that the theme changes into the rheme, resulting in the presence of two rhemes in the sentence (which is equal to the disappearance of the logical predicate altogether). Nothing remains but to assume (and, as will be shown, there are grounds for this) that one of the two particles is the main one, and the other is subordinate.
3.2. The particle waxaa with the short subjective pronouns
As is obvious from the examples (258-260), the SP waxaa, like the other sentence particles, can be used either with or without the short subjective pronouns. In adjoining the short subjective pronouns it originates the following sequence of forms:
Singular
1st pers. waxaa + aan = waxaan
2nd pers. waxaa + aad = waxaad
3rd pers. masc. waxaa + uu = wuxuu
3rd pers. fem. waxaa + ay = waxay
Plural
1st pers. (excl.) waxaa + aan(nu) = waxaan(nu)
1st pers. (incl.) waxaa + aynu = waxaynu