Tibetan -las, -nas, and -bas

Abstract

In descriptions of Tibetan grammar it is common to treat -las and -nas together in the discussion of case marking, signalling merely that -las is capable of forming comparisons whereas -nas is not. Similarly, in the discussion of comparison most authors make no distinction between the suffixes -bas and -las. A look at a few examples of these three morphemes demonstrates that they have quite distinct syntax and semantics.