ᲖმნებიC1
Secondary Preverb Meanings: Re-, Slightly, Accidentally
Figurative preverb senses: gada- (re-/overdo), mo- (slightly), ts'amo- (burst out), shemo- + inversion (accidentally).
Learning Goal
I can read and use preverbs in their figurative senses - including the famous accidental shemo-.
Exam Skills:NAEC Georgian C1: ListeningNAEC Georgian C1: Speaking
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
ეს თხზულება თავიდან გადაწერე - ბევრი შეცდომაა.
Rewrite this essay from the beginning - there are many mistakes.
ეს ღვინო ცოტა მომჟავოა, მაგრამ ბებიას ასე უყვარს.
This wine is slightly sourish, but grandma loves it that way.
ბოდიში, მთელი ნამცხვარი შემომეჭამა!
Sorry, I accidentally ate the whole cake!
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Beyond direction
At C1 the preverbs reveal their figurative lives: გადა- = re- or overdo (გადაწერა rewrite, გადაამლაშა oversalted), მო- = slightly (მომჟავო sourish), წამო- = burst out (წამოიძახა exclaimed), and the national treasure შემო- + inversion = accidentally (შემომეჭამა - it got eaten by me).
Apply this grammar in C1 course exercises
Practice Exercises
Reading gadats'era as 'wrote across' and missing the accidental flavor of shemo- inversions.
Common Error Patterns
Literal directional readings of figurative preverbs
Figurative-sense drills: gada-/mo-/shemo- beyond direction.
ეს თხზულება თავიდან გადაწერე - ბევრი შეცდომაა.
Rewrite this essay from the beginning - there are many mistakes.
gada- adds 're-': gadats'era 'rewrite' - the same prefix that means 'across'.
ეს ღვინო ცოტა მომჟავოა, მაგრამ ბებიას ასე უყვარს.
This wine is slightly sourish, but grandma loves it that way.
mo- as attenuator on qualities: momzhavo 'sourish', molurjo 'bluish' - the diminutive of adjectives.
ბოდიში, მთელი ნამცხვარი შემომეჭამა!
Sorry, I accidentally ate the whole cake!
shemo- + indirect frame = 'it happened to me accidentally': shemomech'ama - Georgia's most beloved verb form.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in C1 course exercises