[ wp ] You are the first caveman to invent grammar . The other cavemen begin to find you more and more irritating .

`` Ung da Bala di ku,'' says Tong and I sigh. He's just not getting it. 
 
 `` *Bali* di ku ungda,'' I correct, and Tong, looking moderately annoyed, parrots after me: `` Bali di ku ungda.'' 
 
 Kabi scratches his lice-laden head thoughtfully. `` Yi mar Bali di ku ungda. Kom ungda de?'' 
 
 Close - Kabi has always been cleverer than Tong, but he still has trouble with question forms. `` *Gar* Kom ungda *bir* de?'' I say, but Kabi ignores me, looking only at Tong who has n't even understood the question. 
 
 `` Ung de! Ung de!'' he says, `` Dang re!'' 
 
 Well now he's not even trying. 
 
 `` Dang re Kom gar ungda bir de,'' I say. 
 
 `` Gen Umi,'' says Kabi, `` Mo Imi. Kom mo ya yise Imi koko dun ungdir.'' 
 
 Which is quite rude bud grammatically correct so I say nothing. 
 
 `` Yi karan? Ji Imian `` gorama'' karan? Im mar gorama bon, kul mila Ko Im ya kali Kom gen Iman ir gorama.'' 
 
 `` Mo ya!'' I protest, so offended I drop my pronoun. 
 
 `` Ime,'' says Tong. 
 
 `` Ime,'' agrees Kabi. 
 
 `` Imi,'' I ameliorate, but the pair just roll their eyes.
