Mar18 –  A Constructed Language

Mar18 Temporal Morphosyntax

Legend: Definitions, Terms, <Text>, «apa», -Tags-, and "Glosses".

Numbers

A natural number is denoted by either a single numeric word or a compound number. Zero is denoted by the single word mullo.

Numeric Words

A numeric word consists of a syntactically appropriate final, up to 3 medial digits (possibly with a multiplier medial), and an initial denoting a power of 1000.

Power Initials
Initial Power
s- 0
yank- 1
joud- 2
maal- 3
4

The last digit in sequence has the ones place, the 2nd last has the tens place, and the 3rd last has the hundreds place.
Examples: sesparfombo 642, saikilgo 57, suuxo 3.

Medial Digit
Medial Value Medial Value
-ull- 0 -iim- 1
-omb- 2 -uux- 3
-arf- 4 -aik- 5
-esp- 6 -ilg- 7
-oqt- 8 -uxm- 9

The digit 0 appears only by itself. Instead, if the ones place value is zero, ekt x 10 is used, and if the tens place value is zero, ond x 100 is used; this preempts x 10.
Examples: sesparfekto 640, saikondiimo 501, silgondo 700.

Finally, -iim- is omitted

Examples: sondombo 102, sekto 10, yanko 1000.

Compound Numerals

In a compound number, the numeric words may be arranged in any order, although the normal order is from largest power to smallest. The non-final words in a compound number take the modifier ending.
Examples: yankoqtarfe siimo 84,001.

Ordinal Numbers

Each ordinal number is formed from the corresponding natural number using the medial -(u)k- Ord immediately before the final of the last numeric word, e.g. yanke sombuko 1002nd. The word for "1st" is suko.

Signed and/or Fractional Numbers

Numeric quantities other than "0" may be signed instead of unsigned. The suffix -int- Plu is used for positive numbers and the suffix -uqf- Min is used for negative numbers; these appear immediately after the stem of the last numeric word.

Each fractional number is constructed using a signed numerator preceding an unsigned denominator, which is formed using -alj- Div immediately after the stem of the last word in the denominator.

Examples: yanke sarfinto +1004, sombe saikaljo 2/5, silguqfe yankaljo -0.007.

Temporal Adverbials

The components of a temporal adverbial are temporal units, unsigned quantities, temporal determiners, and special tense suffixes.

Temporal units are formed like verb roots + final -i and denote either a kind of time period, such as "week", or a regular phase of such a period, such as "Friday".

Temporal Determiners

Temporal Determiners
Root Tag Description
ce QT Question Time
wi UT Utterance Time
ta AT Anaphoric Time
ne IT Indefinite Time
'anne ExiT Existential Time
'atta UniT Universal Time

Duration

The unit specifies the kind of period used to measure the duration of the situation; it may be a phase unit if the situation is not continuous. The preceding required quantity specifies the number of temporal periods or phases; the word used for "1" here is so. No determiner is used.
Example: saiko muri "for 5 nights".

Number of Occurrences

The unit word is ki Occ. The preceding required quantity specifies the number of occurrences; the word used for "1" here is so. No determiner is used.
Examples: soki "once", suuxo ki "3 times".

Time When, Zero Displacement

A zero-displacement adverb translates expressions such as "today", "this Friday", and "that month". For zero displacement, the period stated by the unit or implied by the phase unit contains the temporal reference point referent. The temporal determiner specifies the temporal reference point, e.g. wimuri "tonight", cedisi "what day?".

The unit Occ is also used for some time-when adverbs.

Time-when Adverbs
Adverb Description or Gloss
ceki "at what time?"
wiki "now"
taki "at that time"
neki "at some specific time"
'anneki "at any time"
'attaki "always"

Time When, Non-zero Displacement

A non-zero displacement adverbial translates expressions such as "tomorrow", "3 days before", and "next month". For non-zero displacement, the period stated by the unit or implied by the phase unit does not contain the temporal reference point referent. A displacement adverbial consists of a temporal determiner, an optional quantity, and a unit word taking a special tense suffix. The quantity specifies the number of periods away; when omitted, the number is "1".
Examples: wiganofri "tomorrow (day + night)", ta sombo mureldi "2 nights earlier".

Tense Markers
Marker Tag Description
-eld- Pst before temporal reference point
-ofr- Fut after temporal reference point

Adverbial Conjunctions

An adverbial conjunction is formed from a displacement adverbial by replacing the final -i with -a and omitting the determiner.
Example: saiko murelda "5 nights before",

Other Time When Expressions

There's another kind of temporal adverbial consisting of a temporal determiner, a quantity or ordinal number, and a temporal unit (without tense). Examples: ce saiko muri "which 5 nights?", ta sarfuko disi "the 4th day".

page started: 2023.Mar.26 Sun
current date: 2023.Mar.26 Sun
content and form originated by qiihoskeh

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