Tandí: Difference between revisions
m changed display word to match correct spelling |
|||
| (36 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
'obala yábalí wantandí is the native language of the ŋation of [[Yókóz|'o'aben yálekki wanyókóz]] on order of [[User:MiaKvigan|lappi Miya]] on the 3rd of May, 2026, at 12:06 P.M. CST | |||
== Phonology == | == Phonology == | ||
| Line 9: | Line 7: | ||
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" | {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" | ||
|+ | |+ | ||
! | !closure | ||
!front | !front | ||
!central | |||
!back | !back | ||
|- | |- | ||
|close | |close | ||
|í/ | |í/ | ||
|/ | | | ||
|/ó | |||
|- | |- | ||
|near-close | |near-close | ||
|i/ | |i/ | ||
| | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|close-mid | |close-mid | ||
|é/ | |||
| | | | ||
|/o | |/o | ||
|- | |||
|mid | |||
| | |||
|u/ | |||
| | |||
|- | |- | ||
|open-mid | |open-mid | ||
|e/ | |e/ | ||
| | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|near-open | |near-open | ||
|á/ | |á/ | ||
| | |||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|open | |open | ||
|a/ | |||
| | |||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
Vowels may be nasalized or elongated | Vowels may be nasalized or elongated | ||
| Line 42: | Line 52: | ||
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" | {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" | ||
|+ | |+ | ||
! | !Placement → | ||
↓ Manner | |||
!BIlabial | !BIlabial | ||
!Labiodental | !Labiodental | ||
| Line 70: | Line 81: | ||
| | | | ||
|k/g | |k/g | ||
| | |' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Non-sibilant affricate | |Non-sibilant affricate | ||
| Line 98: | Line 109: | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | |/y | ||
| | |k/g | ||
|h | |h | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | |Approximant | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| Line 108: | Line 119: | ||
|/r | |/r | ||
| | | | ||
| | |||
|/w (/w/) | |||
|/r (/ʢ̞/) | |||
|- | |||
|Tap/Flap | |||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | |/r | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Lateral Approximant | |Lateral Approximant | ||
| Line 132: | Line 143: | ||
| | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
==== Consonant cluster reduction rules ==== | |||
Consonants replace neighboring same-manner consonants of more forward placement when in a pair alone, and delete preceding same-placement consonants of the manner below. In addition, plosives and nasals delete following 'ʔ'. | |||
* lad-gíla-món-'an → laggílamónan (d-g → gg, n-' → n) | |||
* lad-púkan-món → laddúkannón (d-p → dd, n-m → nn) | |||
* yá-damack-dé'an → yádamacké'an (ck-d → ck) | |||
* bí-daad-ní → bídaaní (d-n → n) | |||
=== Phonotactics === | === Phonotactics === | ||
(C)(C) | C(S)V(C)(C) or (C)CV(S)(C) ,where C is any consonant, S is any oral sonorant, and V is any vowel | ||
V can be lengthened, which is represented as 2 vowels in the romanization but counts as 1 | |||
< | C can be geminated, which is represented as 2(3<ref>digraphs geminate their first letter only</ref>) consonants in the romanization but counts as 1 for syllabic structure and 2 for rhymes | ||
There is no set tense patterning, and tense is instead considered a part of intonation | |||
==== Allophones ==== | |||
where C is any consonant, N is any nasal vowel | * <f> /f/ → /fʰ/ | _N | ||
* <g> /g/ → /ɣ/ | V!A(S)_V | |||
* <k> /k/ → /kʰ/ | _N | |||
* <k> /k/ → /x/ | V!A(S)_V | |||
* <l> /l/ → /l̃/ | N_ | |||
* <nowiki><p> /p/ → /pʰ/ | _N</nowiki> | |||
* <r> /ɹ/ → /ɾ/ | C!n_ | |||
* <r> /ɹ/ → /ɹ̃/ | N_ | |||
* <r> /ɹ/ → /ʢ̞/ | #_ | |||
* <t> /t/ → /tʰ/ | _N | |||
* <y> /ʝ/ → /ʝ̃/ | N_ | |||
* <w> /w/ → /w̃/ | N_ | |||
where C is any consonant, V is any vowel, V!A is any non-acute vowel, N is any nasal vowel, S is any oral sonorant, and #_ means word-initial | |||
== Morphology == | == Morphology == | ||
| Line 149: | Line 183: | ||
==== Personal pronouns ==== | ==== Personal pronouns ==== | ||
bin - 1 | bin - 1.AN | ||
mam - 1.INAN | |||
poka - 2.AN | |||
tóó - 2.INAN | |||
dããd - 3.AN | |||
ken - 3.INAN | |||
==== Deictic pronouns ==== | ==== Deictic pronouns ==== | ||
| Line 163: | Line 203: | ||
koko - what | koko - what | ||
conna - when | |||
mosí - who | |||
koko | (other interrogatives are phrasal, e.g. 'lewa koko' [in_order_to what] meaning 'why') | ||
==== Indefinite pronouns ==== | ==== Indefinite pronouns ==== | ||
| Line 177: | Line 219: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Person | |Person | ||
| | |habunko | ||
| | |habunbaa | ||
| | |habunlin | ||
| | |habunẽn | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Thing | |Thing | ||
| Line 195: | Line 237: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Time | |Time | ||
| | |cónko | ||
| | |cónbaa | ||
| | |cónlin | ||
| | |cónẽn | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 204: | Line 246: | ||
==== Role assignment ==== | ==== Role assignment ==== | ||
subject (Nominative case): al | subject (Nominative case): 'al- | ||
direct object/subject complement (Accusative case): bí | direct object/subject complement (Accusative case): bí- | ||
indirect object (Dative case): tú | indirect object (Dative case): tú- | ||
object complement (Genitive case): | object complement (Genitive case): wan- | ||
other (Oblique case): o | other (Oblique case): 'o-<ref>oblique case is not required on personal pronouns</ref> | ||
==== Number ==== | ==== Number ==== | ||
singular default, plus dual, paucal, and plural marked by suffix on a stem which goes before tense and aspect | singular default, plus dual, paucal, and plural marked by suffix on a stem which goes before tense and aspect | ||
dual: - | dual: -dí | ||
paucal: - | paucal: -ve | ||
plural: - | plural: -na | ||
==== Gender ==== | ==== Gender ==== | ||
There is no grammatical gender in | There is no grammatical gender in Tandí | ||
==== Possession ==== | ==== Possession ==== | ||
POSD na POSR: | POSD na POSR: 'obaan na 'obákúún - the room of the house (DEF-OBL-room POSS DEF-OBL-house) | ||
=== Determiners === | === Determiners === | ||
==== Demonstratives ==== | ==== Demonstratives ==== | ||
_ wannitta - this _ | |||
_ wanlotta - that _ | |||
==== Articles ==== | ==== Articles ==== | ||
Tandí does not use articles | |||
==== Possessive Determiners ==== | ==== Possessive Determiners ==== | ||
_ na _: doro na | _ na _: doro na bín - my ball (ball POSS 1.AN); doro na poka - your ball (ball POSS 2.AN); etc. | ||
_ na koko bac - whose _ (POSS what AN) | |||
==== Quantifiers ==== | |||
ãmm - all | |||
tsupla - most | |||
minet - few | |||
=== Conjunctions === | |||
dú - CON | |||
'ano - DIS | |||
=== Numerals === | |||
==== Cardinals ==== | |||
cardinal "'amend" noun - ní 'amend doro - two CARD ball - ball number two (of a collection) | |||
==== Ordinals ==== | |||
ordinal tokan noun - ordinal ORD noun, e.g. ní tokan doro - two ORD ball - second ball<ref group="Example references">e.g. ní tokan 'aban nana jelí | two ORD day PRT year | second day of the year</ref> | |||
==== Nominals ==== | |||
root-cardinal - doroní - ball-two - two balls<ref group="Example references">e.g. baddaa 'aldaadukcí bídããní | hit-PRS NOM-3.AN-one ACC-3.AN-two | he hit him (of two people)</ref> | |||
nũm - zero | |||
'ókcí - one | |||
ní - two | |||
ta'í - three | |||
sín - four | |||
kílan - five | |||
jaal - six | |||
kitten - seven | |||
bón - eight | |||
nítta - nine | |||
lan - ten | |||
cen - hundred | |||
tõn - thousand | |||
=== Adjectives === | |||
==== Placement ==== | |||
directly after the noun<ref group="Example references">e.g. 'okína yálekkena wakakííta | OBL-seed-PL ADJ-green GEN-pepper | green pepper seeds</ref> | |||
Adjectives may or may not match the number of the noun, as there is a semantic difference<ref>e.g. "Her muscles were like steel cables" implies her muscles were strong, where "Her muscles were like a steel cable" implies they are arranged in a line</ref> | |||
==== Comparison ==== | |||
yá-adjective-degree-PRS<ref>Note here that the adjective is used as a verb, and is placed as the head of a verb phrase</ref> subject: subject is degree adjective than object<ref group="Example references">e.g. yábannúda 'albín 'an bípoka | ADJ-good-COMP-PRS NOM-1SG.AN than ACC-1SG.AN | I am better than you (lit. am_better I than you)</ref> | |||
=== Finite Verbs === | |||
==== Tense ==== | |||
attaches to verb | |||
* -da: PRS | |||
* -'ãn: PST | |||
* -lí: FUT | |||
==== Aspect ==== | |||
goes after tense: | |||
* -bó: PROG.CONT | |||
* -len: PERF | |||
* -món: GNO | |||
* -dada: HAB | |||
* goes before verb: | |||
* kon-: INF | |||
In addition, there is the following phrasal construction: | |||
* 'ayída _: there is _, _ has happened, _ is true | |||
==== Mood ==== | |||
* 'akaa- : MIR | |||
* 'anõõl- : CONC.HYP | |||
* 'ila- : OPT.BEND | |||
* 'íyye- : HORT.JUSS | |||
* luke- : DUB.COND | |||
* me- : ABIL | |||
* tene- : PERM.PRESCR | |||
==== Evidentiality ==== | |||
* -ce'í : RPT | |||
* -mánna : INFR | |||
* -nobã : NVIS | |||
* -tócí : VIS | |||
* Negation | |||
* 'eeya - NEG | |||
==== Agreement ==== | |||
When a past-tense verb phrase contains another verb phrase, that past is the referent present of the nested verb phrase<ref group="Example references">e.g. lagað'ãn 'albín tandralí 'albín | say-PST NOM-1.AN run-FUT NOM-1.AN | I said I was going to run</ref> | |||
==== Voice ==== | |||
* mẽna- : CAUS | |||
* lad- : PASS | |||
* 'õm- : REV | |||
=== Auxiliary Verbs === | |||
'ayí (AFF) conveys confirmation of an action, and is verbalized to 'ayída (AFF-PRS) to convey confirmation of a state or truth, or of an object's existence, across the past, present, or future, with tense agreement | |||
'cirette laan ma/im' conveys that the agent has knowingly or unknowingly caused the subject to be unintentionally involved in the direct object (a state or event), in a manner which is syntactically reflexive | |||
=== Copula === | |||
There is no copula in Tandí | |||
=== Adpositions === | |||
==== Agreement ==== | |||
No agreement between adposition and complement is necessary | |||
== Syntax == | |||
=== Sentence Order === | |||
VSO word order | |||
Particles go before the words they attach to, and prepositions after | |||
Adjectives may attach to any words except conjunctions and postpositions. They go directly after the word they attach to (except verbs, where they go after the postposition) | |||
Adjectives can also be placed at the head of a verb phrase to convey 'SBJ is ADJ', just as nouns may do the same to convey 'SBJ is N' | |||
Verb complements may be placed before the verb phrase's prepositional phrases and connected clauses, but still after the postposition and adjectives, if they are only one word long | |||
Words modify nouns according to the following hierarchy: | |||
* PART(QUANT(((((HNR(SBJ/OBJ))ADJ)GEN)NUM)PREP)) | |||
==== Auxiliary Verb Constructions ==== | |||
Nouns cannot be advanded forward within auxiliary verb phrases | |||
'ayí can be either a verb or a preposition, as mentioned in Auxiliary Verbs | |||
Auxiliary verbs follow a regular form: | |||
* V PREP Oi S (Od) | |||
where V PREP is the auxiliary verb (a finite verb with a preposition), S is the subject and is NOT part of a prepositional phrase, Od is the direct object, and Oi is both the indirect object and the noun phrase completing the prepositional phrase of the auxiliary verb | |||
==== Adverb Placement ==== | |||
Adverbs are a derivative of adjectives, and follow adjective rules | |||
=== Coordination === | |||
Coordinating conjunctions go between all matrix clauses and cannot be omitted | |||
=== Subordination === | |||
Subordinate clauses are treated as prepositional phrases, and subordinating conjunctions are functionally prepositions | |||
=== Relative Clauses === | |||
Relative clauses follow a regular form: | |||
* HEAD REL VP | |||
where HEAD is 3.INAN if the relative clause is free and the bound matrix clause if the relative clause is bound, REL is a grammatical particle (kaka /kaxa/), and VP is a verb phrase | |||
=== Questions === | |||
==== Polar Questions ==== | |||
* hal ('eeya) _: is _ (un)true? | |||
==== WH-Questions ==== | |||
* koko - what, noun | |||
* conna - when, noun | |||
* mosí - who, noun | |||
* koko walen - when (what time), noun (very specific) | |||
* koko wanhabun - who (what person), noun (very specific) | |||
* koko waran - where (what place), noun (very specific) | |||
* lewa koko - why (to what end), prepositional phrase | |||
* lak koko - how (by doing what), prepositional phrase | |||
* no koko - about what, prepositional phrase | |||
* 'im koko - where (near what), prepositional phrase | |||
* 'im conna - when (near when), prepositional phrase | |||
* 'imaan conna - for what time frame (inside when), prepositional phrase | |||
* do koko - from what, prepositional phrase | |||
* laan koko - to what, prepositional phrase | |||
* etc... | |||
questions are asked in the same intonation and word order as statements are declared<ref group="Example references">e.g. ga'ãn 'almosí bíkoko 'im conna, dú 'imaan conna, dú 'im koko, dú no koko, dú lewa koko, dú lak koko, dú kepen koko, dú do koko, dú laan koko, ..., dú kit mosí túkoko? | do-PST NOM-who ACC-what near when, CON inside when, CON near what, CON about what, CON by_doing what, CON INSTR what, CON from what, CON to what, ..., CON BEN who DAT-what | "who did what when, in what time frame, where, about what, why, how, using what, from what, ... , and to what (indirect) to what (direct)?"</ref> | |||
=== Existential Clause === | |||
uses the auxiliary verb construction of 'ayí | |||
== Miscellaneous == | |||
The subject, and sometimes the object, direct or indirect, of a verb phrase can be move up in the sentence in a select set of cases: | |||
# A quote is being given. Since the quote is a prepositional phrase, it would normally occur before the arguments of the verb. However, because this could result in poorer understanding of the quote itself, the arguments go before SPECIFICALLY the quote, and after any other prepositions or particles, and the quote prepositional phrase goes last.<ref group="Example references">e.g. lagaðan 'alheman naní no tatammaa tene 'alpoka, 'al'afanafta, bílagað na 'obín túheman 'ejanacír. | laɣaðan ʔalhɛman nani no tatamːaː tɛnɛ ʔalpoxa, ʔalʔafanafta, bilaɣað na ʔobin tyhɛman ʔɛʝanasiɹ. | say-PST NOM-HNR Nanni that repeat-PRS PERM.PRESCR NOM-2.AN NOM-ACTOR-courier ACC-speech POSS OBL-1.AN DAT-HNR Ea-Naṣir | "You, my courier, will repeat my message to Ea-Naṣir," said Nanni.</ref> | |||
# The subject or object is only one word long. In order to promote faster delivery of important information, the word may be placed before all prepositions and particles, at the 'front' of the verb phrase (behind the verb and postposition and adverbs) | |||
== Examples == | |||
<references group="Example references" /> | |||
== Notes == | |||
<references /> | |||
Latest revision as of 20:16, 26 July 2026
Introduction
'obala yábalí wantandí is the native language of the ŋation of 'o'aben yálekki wanyókóz on order of lappi Miya on the 3rd of May, 2026, at 12:06 P.M. CST
Phonology
Vowels
| closure | front | central | back |
|---|---|---|---|
| close | í/ | /ó | |
| near-close | i/ | ||
| close-mid | é/ | /o | |
| mid | u/ | ||
| open-mid | e/ | ||
| near-open | á/ | ||
| open | a/ |
Vowels may be nasalized or elongated
Consonants
| Placement →
↓ Manner |
BIlabial | Labiodental | Dental | Alveolar | Post-alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | /m | /n | ||||||
| Plosive | p/b | t/d | k/g | ' | ||||
| Non-sibilant affricate | ts/dj | |||||||
| Sibilant fricative | c/z | s/j | ||||||
| Non-sibilant fricative | f/v | /ð | /y | k/g | h | |||
| Approximant | /r | /w (/w/) | /r (/ʢ̞/) | |||||
| Tap/Flap | /r | |||||||
| Lateral Approximant | /l |
Consonant cluster reduction rules
Consonants replace neighboring same-manner consonants of more forward placement when in a pair alone, and delete preceding same-placement consonants of the manner below. In addition, plosives and nasals delete following 'ʔ'.
- lad-gíla-món-'an → laggílamónan (d-g → gg, n-' → n)
- lad-púkan-món → laddúkannón (d-p → dd, n-m → nn)
- yá-damack-dé'an → yádamacké'an (ck-d → ck)
- bí-daad-ní → bídaaní (d-n → n)
Phonotactics
C(S)V(C)(C) or (C)CV(S)(C) ,where C is any consonant, S is any oral sonorant, and V is any vowel
V can be lengthened, which is represented as 2 vowels in the romanization but counts as 1
C can be geminated, which is represented as 2(3[1]) consonants in the romanization but counts as 1 for syllabic structure and 2 for rhymes
There is no set tense patterning, and tense is instead considered a part of intonation
Allophones
- <f> /f/ → /fʰ/ | _N
- <g> /g/ → /ɣ/ | V!A(S)_V
- <k> /k/ → /kʰ/ | _N
- <k> /k/ → /x/ | V!A(S)_V
- <l> /l/ → /l̃/ | N_
- <p> /p/ → /pʰ/ | _N
- <r> /ɹ/ → /ɾ/ | C!n_
- <r> /ɹ/ → /ɹ̃/ | N_
- <r> /ɹ/ → /ʢ̞/ | #_
- <t> /t/ → /tʰ/ | _N
- <y> /ʝ/ → /ʝ̃/ | N_
- <w> /w/ → /w̃/ | N_
where C is any consonant, V is any vowel, V!A is any non-acute vowel, N is any nasal vowel, S is any oral sonorant, and #_ means word-initial
Morphology
Pronouns
Personal pronouns
bin - 1.AN
mam - 1.INAN
poka - 2.AN
tóó - 2.INAN
dããd - 3.AN
ken - 3.INAN
Deictic pronouns
mitta - this
lotta - that
Interrogative pronouns
koko - what
conna - when
mosí - who
(other interrogatives are phrasal, e.g. 'lewa koko' [in_order_to what] meaning 'why')
Indefinite pronouns
| Type | Negative | Universal | Assertive existential | Dubitative existential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person | habunko | habunbaa | habunlin | habunẽn |
| Thing | lenko | lenbaa | lenlin | lenẽn |
| Place | ranko | ranbaa | ranlin | ranẽn |
| Time | cónko | cónbaa | cónlin | cónẽn |
Nouns
Role assignment
subject (Nominative case): 'al-
direct object/subject complement (Accusative case): bí-
indirect object (Dative case): tú-
object complement (Genitive case): wan-
other (Oblique case): 'o-[2]
Number
singular default, plus dual, paucal, and plural marked by suffix on a stem which goes before tense and aspect
dual: -dí
paucal: -ve
plural: -na
Gender
There is no grammatical gender in Tandí
Possession
POSD na POSR: 'obaan na 'obákúún - the room of the house (DEF-OBL-room POSS DEF-OBL-house)
Determiners
Demonstratives
_ wannitta - this _
_ wanlotta - that _
Articles
Tandí does not use articles
Possessive Determiners
_ na _: doro na bín - my ball (ball POSS 1.AN); doro na poka - your ball (ball POSS 2.AN); etc.
_ na koko bac - whose _ (POSS what AN)
Quantifiers
ãmm - all
tsupla - most
minet - few
Conjunctions
dú - CON
'ano - DIS
Numerals
Cardinals
cardinal "'amend" noun - ní 'amend doro - two CARD ball - ball number two (of a collection)
Ordinals
ordinal tokan noun - ordinal ORD noun, e.g. ní tokan doro - two ORD ball - second ball[Example references 1]
Nominals
root-cardinal - doroní - ball-two - two balls[Example references 2]
nũm - zero
'ókcí - one
ní - two
ta'í - three
sín - four
kílan - five
jaal - six
kitten - seven
bón - eight
nítta - nine
lan - ten
cen - hundred
tõn - thousand
Adjectives
Placement
directly after the noun[Example references 3]
Adjectives may or may not match the number of the noun, as there is a semantic difference[3]
Comparison
yá-adjective-degree-PRS[4] subject: subject is degree adjective than object[Example references 4]
Finite Verbs
Tense
attaches to verb
- -da: PRS
- -'ãn: PST
- -lí: FUT
Aspect
goes after tense:
- -bó: PROG.CONT
- -len: PERF
- -món: GNO
- -dada: HAB
- goes before verb:
- kon-: INF
In addition, there is the following phrasal construction:
- 'ayída _: there is _, _ has happened, _ is true
Mood
- 'akaa- : MIR
- 'anõõl- : CONC.HYP
- 'ila- : OPT.BEND
- 'íyye- : HORT.JUSS
- luke- : DUB.COND
- me- : ABIL
- tene- : PERM.PRESCR
Evidentiality
- -ce'í : RPT
- -mánna : INFR
- -nobã : NVIS
- -tócí : VIS
- Negation
- 'eeya - NEG
Agreement
When a past-tense verb phrase contains another verb phrase, that past is the referent present of the nested verb phrase[Example references 5]
Voice
- mẽna- : CAUS
- lad- : PASS
- 'õm- : REV
Auxiliary Verbs
'ayí (AFF) conveys confirmation of an action, and is verbalized to 'ayída (AFF-PRS) to convey confirmation of a state or truth, or of an object's existence, across the past, present, or future, with tense agreement
'cirette laan ma/im' conveys that the agent has knowingly or unknowingly caused the subject to be unintentionally involved in the direct object (a state or event), in a manner which is syntactically reflexive
Copula
There is no copula in Tandí
Adpositions
Agreement
No agreement between adposition and complement is necessary
Syntax
Sentence Order
VSO word order
Particles go before the words they attach to, and prepositions after
Adjectives may attach to any words except conjunctions and postpositions. They go directly after the word they attach to (except verbs, where they go after the postposition)
Adjectives can also be placed at the head of a verb phrase to convey 'SBJ is ADJ', just as nouns may do the same to convey 'SBJ is N'
Verb complements may be placed before the verb phrase's prepositional phrases and connected clauses, but still after the postposition and adjectives, if they are only one word long
Words modify nouns according to the following hierarchy:
- PART(QUANT(((((HNR(SBJ/OBJ))ADJ)GEN)NUM)PREP))
Auxiliary Verb Constructions
Nouns cannot be advanded forward within auxiliary verb phrases
'ayí can be either a verb or a preposition, as mentioned in Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs follow a regular form:
- V PREP Oi S (Od)
where V PREP is the auxiliary verb (a finite verb with a preposition), S is the subject and is NOT part of a prepositional phrase, Od is the direct object, and Oi is both the indirect object and the noun phrase completing the prepositional phrase of the auxiliary verb
Adverb Placement
Adverbs are a derivative of adjectives, and follow adjective rules
Coordination
Coordinating conjunctions go between all matrix clauses and cannot be omitted
Subordination
Subordinate clauses are treated as prepositional phrases, and subordinating conjunctions are functionally prepositions
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses follow a regular form:
- HEAD REL VP
where HEAD is 3.INAN if the relative clause is free and the bound matrix clause if the relative clause is bound, REL is a grammatical particle (kaka /kaxa/), and VP is a verb phrase
Questions
Polar Questions
- hal ('eeya) _: is _ (un)true?
WH-Questions
- koko - what, noun
- conna - when, noun
- mosí - who, noun
- koko walen - when (what time), noun (very specific)
- koko wanhabun - who (what person), noun (very specific)
- koko waran - where (what place), noun (very specific)
- lewa koko - why (to what end), prepositional phrase
- lak koko - how (by doing what), prepositional phrase
- no koko - about what, prepositional phrase
- 'im koko - where (near what), prepositional phrase
- 'im conna - when (near when), prepositional phrase
- 'imaan conna - for what time frame (inside when), prepositional phrase
- do koko - from what, prepositional phrase
- laan koko - to what, prepositional phrase
- etc...
questions are asked in the same intonation and word order as statements are declared[Example references 6]
Existential Clause
uses the auxiliary verb construction of 'ayí
Miscellaneous
The subject, and sometimes the object, direct or indirect, of a verb phrase can be move up in the sentence in a select set of cases:
- A quote is being given. Since the quote is a prepositional phrase, it would normally occur before the arguments of the verb. However, because this could result in poorer understanding of the quote itself, the arguments go before SPECIFICALLY the quote, and after any other prepositions or particles, and the quote prepositional phrase goes last.[Example references 7]
- The subject or object is only one word long. In order to promote faster delivery of important information, the word may be placed before all prepositions and particles, at the 'front' of the verb phrase (behind the verb and postposition and adverbs)
Examples
- ↑ e.g. ní tokan 'aban nana jelí | two ORD day PRT year | second day of the year
- ↑ e.g. baddaa 'aldaadukcí bídããní | hit-PRS NOM-3.AN-one ACC-3.AN-two | he hit him (of two people)
- ↑ e.g. 'okína yálekkena wakakííta | OBL-seed-PL ADJ-green GEN-pepper | green pepper seeds
- ↑ e.g. yábannúda 'albín 'an bípoka | ADJ-good-COMP-PRS NOM-1SG.AN than ACC-1SG.AN | I am better than you (lit. am_better I than you)
- ↑ e.g. lagað'ãn 'albín tandralí 'albín | say-PST NOM-1.AN run-FUT NOM-1.AN | I said I was going to run
- ↑ e.g. ga'ãn 'almosí bíkoko 'im conna, dú 'imaan conna, dú 'im koko, dú no koko, dú lewa koko, dú lak koko, dú kepen koko, dú do koko, dú laan koko, ..., dú kit mosí túkoko? | do-PST NOM-who ACC-what near when, CON inside when, CON near what, CON about what, CON by_doing what, CON INSTR what, CON from what, CON to what, ..., CON BEN who DAT-what | "who did what when, in what time frame, where, about what, why, how, using what, from what, ... , and to what (indirect) to what (direct)?"
- ↑ e.g. lagaðan 'alheman naní no tatammaa tene 'alpoka, 'al'afanafta, bílagað na 'obín túheman 'ejanacír. | laɣaðan ʔalhɛman nani no tatamːaː tɛnɛ ʔalpoxa, ʔalʔafanafta, bilaɣað na ʔobin tyhɛman ʔɛʝanasiɹ. | say-PST NOM-HNR Nanni that repeat-PRS PERM.PRESCR NOM-2.AN NOM-ACTOR-courier ACC-speech POSS OBL-1.AN DAT-HNR Ea-Naṣir | "You, my courier, will repeat my message to Ea-Naṣir," said Nanni.
Notes
- ↑ digraphs geminate their first letter only
- ↑ oblique case is not required on personal pronouns
- ↑ e.g. "Her muscles were like steel cables" implies her muscles were strong, where "Her muscles were like a steel cable" implies they are arranged in a line
- ↑ Note here that the adjective is used as a verb, and is placed as the head of a verb phrase