Usage: "Alos" can be translated to English as "almost" or "about", but it is essential to note that it doesn't convey the meaning of "regarding" or "concerning".
In the given examples:
1. "Alos kabanga'na sana a le-eg na tobig nya bangga." (The water inside the earthen jar is almost half-full only.)
○ "Alos" is used to indicate that the water inside the earthen jar is almost half-full.
○ The phrase "kabanga'na sana" means "half-full only", and "alos" modifies this phrase to indicate that it's almost, but not quite, half-full.
2. "Alos adtona kita sa parti nya istorya kinsa'ri yo manenenged sa magsexed yo piosipan." (We are almost there at the part of the story where it talks about the couple.)
○ "Alos" is used to indicate that the speaker (it is polite to use the inclusive pronoun “kita” as opposed to “ako”) almost at the part of the story where it talks about the married couple.
○ The phrase "adtona kita" means "we are already there", and "alos" modifies this phrase to indicate that they are almost, but not quite, at that point in the story.
Linguistic Analysis:
• Morphology: "Alos" is a monomorphemic word - it cannot be broken down into smaller morphemes.
• Syntax: "Alos" is used as an adverb to modify nouns, verbs, or phrases, indicating proximity or closeness to a state, quantity, location. or time.
• Semantics: The meaning of "alos" is closely related to the concept of proximity or closeness. It can be used to indicate that something is almost, but not quite, at a certain state, location, or time.
Comparison to Other Languages:
• Adverbs used to convey a similar meaning to "alos". However, the usage and connotations of these words may differ slightly from "alos" in Boie'nen:
Spanish: “casi” : “Casi llego tarde" (I almost arrived late).
French: "presque": "Il est presque six heures" (It's almost six o'clock.)