Copulae & Auxiliary Verbs
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Copulas
In alignment with mainland Southeast Asian typology, Təi 'Àng splits the "to be" function into distinct lexical and syntactic categories rather than using a single universal copula.
Equational Copula (Noun = Noun): A dedicated verb is required to equate two noun phrases (e.g., "She [COPULA] teacher"). This mirrors Vietnamese là or Cantonese haih.
Zero Copula for Stative Verbs (Noun is Adjective): Adjectives function as intransitive verbs. No copula is used to link a noun and an adjective (e.g., "The water [cold]"). Degree modifiers (very, too) attach directly to the stative verb.
Locative Copula (Noun is at Place): A distinct verb meaning "to reside" or "to be located at" is used for physical presence, functioning similarly to Vietnamese ở or Cantonese hái.
Existential Copula (There is Noun / Noun has): The verb "to have" doubles as the existential marker (e.g., "[Have] three birds on the roof"), heavily paralleling Cantonese yáuh and Vietnamese có.
Auxiliary Verbs and TAM (Tense, Aspect, Mood)
Lacking inflection, Təi 'Àng relies heavily on pre-verbal and post-verbal auxiliary markers, many of which are grammaticalized lexical verbs operating in Serial Verb Constructions (SVCs).
Pre-verbal Modals: Verbs denoting volition, ability, or necessity precede the main verb. Examples include markers for "want to," "must," "know how to," or "dare to."
Post-verbal Aspect Markers: Aspect is expressed via grammaticalized phase verbs placed after the main verb or at the end of the clause.
Perfective/Completive: Often derived from verbs meaning "to finish" or "already."
Experiential: Derived from verbs meaning "to pass" or "to cross," indicating an action has been done at least once in the past.
Resultative Verb Compounds (RVCs): Influenced heavily by Cantonese and Bunu, action verbs are immediately followed by a secondary verb indicating the success or result of the action (e.g., "look-see" for find, or "hit-break" for shatter).
Directional Auxiliaries: Verbs of motion (go, come, ascend, descend, return) follow the main verb to specify the path of action relative to the speaker, mirroring common Tai and Sinitic patterns.