PREPOSITIONS AND THE KIMIFAL
In English we make a distinction between in and
into.
Into expresses motion from the outside to the interior, while in relates wholly to the interior.
This distinction is exprest in Volapük either by putting the
noun into the kimifal or by adding -i to the preposition.
Binob in gad, I am in the garden.Golob in gadi, orgolob ini gad, I am going into the garden.
In Volapük there are other prepositions subject to the same distinction; when they denote place, where, they govern the kimfal; when they denote direction, whither, they govern the kimifal or take the ending i.
Buk seistom su tab, the book lies on the table. Seitom buki su tabi, he lays the book on [on to] the table.
This distinction is not always necessary nor always observed, and
the list, given in Schleyer's grammar, of prepositions which may
govern the kimifal is incorrect, because based on the German
prepositions.
The ending i is sometimes added to adverbs of place, giving them
the meaning of motion towards.
Binob domo. I am at home. Kipladi golol? Where are you going [to]? Golob domoi, I am going home [wards].
Similarly the ending a is used to denote motion from in
a few words.
Is, isa, isi. Here, hence, hither.Us, usa, usi. There, thence, thither.Kiöp, kiöpa, kiöpi. Where, whence, whither.
It would seem quite as natural and correct to say de is, de us, de kiöp ; al (or ali) is, al us, al kiöp.
To express duration of time the preposition du is used. But
sometimes the preposition is omitted (as in English) and then the noun
may remain in the kimfal or be put into the kimifal. Thus there are
three forms of expression; we prefer to retain the du.
Äblibob in Rom du yels kil,Äblibob in Rom yels kil, I remained in Rome [during] three years.Äblibob in Rom yelis kil,