Dec11A –  A Constructed Language

Dec11A Syntax

Phrases

The order of phrase components is

Determiner - QuantityWord - Noun - OtherModifiers - RelativeClause

Cardinal numbers are the main group of quantity words; there are also singular and plural markers, used mainly when introducing referents.

The other modifiers include participles and genitive phrases.

Determiners

Determiners
Suffix Tag Description
ni Def definite article
ca CQ content question
pak Uni universal quantifier (precludes QuantityWord)
kic Prox proximal demonstrative
soc Medi medial demonstrative
tac Dist distal demonstrative

Genitive personal pronouns may also be used as determiners.

In the absence of a determiner, a quantity word makes the phrase indefinite. If neither determiner nor quantity word appears, the phrase is non-referential.

Case

The case-markers are prepositional. They are currently:

Cases
Suffix Tag Description
0 Abs absolutive
pu Erg ergative
hi Dat dative
na Gen genitive
o Voc vocative

There are also a number of pseudo-cases for which the markers are actually secondary predicates.

Partitives, Ordinals, and Superlatives

Clauses

The verb is normally at the start of the clause, followed by the absolutive phrase, if any, and then any case-marked phrases. Complement clauses appear last. Secondary predicates appear immediately after the coreferenced phrase, assuming the argument isn't a pronominal affix.

Pre-verbal Components

The polar question particle PQ precedes the main verb. Content question (CQ) phrases are fronted and (in relative clauses) so are phrases consisting of or containing relative pronouns (RP).

Adjunct Clauses

A temporal adjunct clause begins with the conjunction (Tmp) and specifies the temporal relation between the main situation and the subordinate situation according to the aspect of the adjunct clause.

Temporal Adjuncts
aoristic the adjunct situation occurs during the main situation
progressive the main situation occurs during the adjunct situation
stative
retrospective the main situation occurs after the adjunct situation
prospective the main situation occurs before the adjunct situation

Usage of the Aspects

See also Adjunct Clauses .

Aspect Usage
Aspect Relative Absolute
aoristic present definite past
progressive present present action
stative present present state
retrospective past indefinite past, experiential, resulting state
prospective future indefinite future, definite future, eventual

Usage of the Cases

Case Usage
absolutive theme, patient, univalent subject, noun predicate
ergative donor, agent, instrument
dative recipient
genitive possessor, partitive whole
vocative addressee

Definition and Identity Clauses

Clauses of definition and identity use copular predicates with absolutive subjects. The copular predicate consists of a form of the copula followed by a noun phrase. The phrase is definite for identity clauses and non-referential for definition clauses. The copula is inflected like a static univalent verb except for the following:

terok cuma meeri. "Mary is a woman."
kinae habok. "I'm not a cat."
tejon ni pera kic ti. "This is the metal."

Focus and Polarity

The particles nae ("no", Neg) and too ("yes", Aff) may be used to negate or affirm phrases, being placed before the determiner or pronoun but after any case marker. Such phrases are (always?) focused.

. "."

Topics

Topic phrases appear before the verb. If the topic is pronominal, the base forms of the pronouns are used. Verb agreement is normal.


page started: 2013.Dec.16 Mon
current date: 2013.Dec.19 Thu
content and form originated by qiihoskeh

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