Legend: Definitions, Terms, <Text>, [IPA], -Tags-, and "Glosses".
The syntax tends to be head-modifier, unlike the morphology.
A determiner may precede a non-possessed referential noun; any participial constituents follow, with the relative clause, if any, appearing last in the phrase. The position for the negative polarity particle Neg is immediately before the participial verb.
In a possessive phrase, the noun is initial and takes a possessor prefix; iff the possessor is 3O, a genitive phrase follows.
A partitive phrase consists of a quantity word declined as a noun with a possessor prefix denoting the whole from which the part is selected. Iff the possessor is 3O, a genitive phrase follows.
A superlative phrase consists of a scalar verb declined as a noun with a possessor prefix denoting the whole from which the part is selected. Iff the possessor is 3O, a genitive phrase follows. The scalar verb may be followed by a quantity word (with the usual participial conjugation) specifying the cardinality of the part.
The ordinal construction is like the superlative construction except that the scalar verb is replaced by an ordinal number.
The participial forms of the locational verbs are used as determiners; these includes proximal, medial, and distal demonstratives along with an interrogative. There are also indefinite and satisfactive determiners. All of these are used with referential nouns, in which case if no determiner or possessor appears, the phrase is definite. The locational verbs are shown in the following table:
| Word | Tag | Description | Glosses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Prox | proximal | "here" | "this/these" |
| - | Medi | medial | "there" | "that/those" |
| - | Dist | distal | "yonder" | "yon" |
| - | QLoc | interrogative | "where" | "which" |
The position for the negative polarity particle Neg is immediately before the finite or imperative verb.
A phrase preceding the verb defines the topic, while core and oblique phrases follow the verb. Oblique arguments are preceded by prepositions (excluding Gen and Voc). Vocative phrases may be inserted initially, finally, or between phrases. If 3O appears on the verb, the core phrase must appear unless duplicating the core argument of the preceding clause.
The following table shows the prepositions:
| Proclitic | Tag | Name |
|---|---|---|
| - | Gen | Genitive |
| - | Voc | Vocative |
| - | Loc | Locative/Allative/Ablative |
| - | Ins | Instrumental |
| - | Ben | Benefactive |
| - | Mal | Malefactive |
| - | Cmp | Comparative |
| - | Equ | Equative |
Comparative and equative constructions compare some subject of comparison to a standard of comparison with respect to some scale of comparison, which is represented by some form of a scalar verb. A comparative is concerned with whether the subject of comparison is greater than the standard while an equative is concerned with whether they're equal. In either case, the standard may be either explicit or implicit.
An explicit comparative standard is introduced by the preposition Cmp and an explicit equative standard is introduced by the preposition Equ. The scale of comparison is represented by a scalar verb.
In an implicit comparative construction, the verb "increase" is used and in an implicit equative construction, the verb "continue" is used. The scale of comparison is represented by a nominalized scalar verb whose possessor is the subject of comparison.
Coordinate clauses are always preceded by coordinating conjunctions. A coordinate clause verb is imperative iff the initial clause verb is imperative.
| Word | Tag | Name |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
Subordinate clause verbs are always finite.
Adjunct clauses are always preceded by subordinating conjunctions. For the temporal conjunctions (Aft, Bef, and Tmp), the 1st gloss is appropriate for telic clauses and the 2nd for non-telic clauses.
| Word | Tag | Gloss or Description |
|---|---|---|
| - | Aft | "after", "when no longer" |
| - | Bef | "before", "when not yet" |
| - | Tmp | "when", "while (during)" |
| - | - | purpose |
| - | - | means |
| - | - | cause, reason |
Complement clauses follow the matrix clause. The coreference pronominal affix 3C will appear within the complement clause in place of a duplicated matrix clause argument. The matrix verb personal prefix is 0.
Relative clauses begin with the relativizing conjunction Rel and are post-nominal. The coreference pronominal affix 3C will appear within relative clause.
The contrafactual mode is used in contrary-to-fact conditions and conclusions. The future mode is predictive. The epistemic necessity mode involves deduction. The realis mode is used otherwise.
In the perfect aspect, the verb represents a state resulting from a prior event while in the stative aspect, the verb represents a state with no prior event implied. The aoristic aspect takes as a whole the event represented by the verb. A verb with habitual aspect represents a series of events while a verb with progressive aspect represents a single event in progress. In the prospective aspect, the verb represents a state from which a subsequent event is expected to emerge.
Things that force the tense of a finite verb to be non-present include aoristic aspect, temporal adverbs other than "now", and most temporal adjunct clauses. Unless overridden by a temporal adverb, verbs with future mode have future tense when non-present while verbs with other modes have past tense when non-present. Unless overridden, verbs with stative, perfect, habitual, progressive, and prospective aspects have present tense.
The time of an imperative verb is either immediate future or deferred future.
Negative polarity applies to the immediately following verb, but not to its mode.
page started: 2017.Mar.06 Mon
current date: 2017.Mar.12 Sun
content and form originated by qiihoskeh
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