Legend: Definitions, Terms, <Text>, [IPA], -Tags-, and "Glosses".
The determiner ta Sup marks the superlative when immediately following a scalar verb; otherwise, it's interpreted as "1st".
Comparative and equative constructions compare a subject of comparison to a standard of comparison with respect to a scale of comparison, which is represented by a scalar verb or quantity word. The standard and subject of comparison appear in an adjunct clause, with the subject of comparison being the subject of the adjunct clause. The predicate of the adjunct clause consists of the standard followed by a bivalent verb. A comparative is concerned with whether the subject of comparison is greater than the standard and uses the bivalent verb haz Cmp. An equative is concerned with whether they're equal and uses the bivalent verb giz Equ. Since the subject of comparison is needed in both the adjunct clause and its host clause, indexing is used.
| oe keqt' bun giz xu dauk' mix we jii va. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ʔø kɛʀt' boŋ gɪz̪ ʑu dawk' mɪʑ wɛ d͡ʑiː va | |||||||||
| oe | keqt' | bun | giz | xu | dauk' | mi=x | we | jii | va |
| 0 | cat | NR | Equ | 2 | dog | Prox=S | Adv | small | SS |
| "This dog of yours is as small as a cat." | |||||||||
| oe dahx nex haz oe rahs nex we oe pohq yo nai kelte va. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ʔø daɕ nɛʑ haz̪ ʔø raʂ nɛʑ wɛ ʔø pɔχ jɔ naj kɛltɛ va | |||||||||||||
| oe | dahx | ne=x | haz | oe | rahs | ne=x | we | oe | pohq | yo | nai | kel-te | va |
| 0 | woman | Def=S | Cmp | 0 | man | Def=S | Adv | 0 | tuber | Ind | many | eat-Aor | SS |
| "The man ate more tubers than the woman did." | |||||||||||||
In a temporal comparison, the standard of comparison is either the particle referring to an earlier specific time or the particle referring to a later specific time; this is combined with the comparative or equative verb.
Most scalar verbs occur in pairs of arithmetic positive (such as "hot") and negative (such as "cold"); these are not to be confused with positive and negative polarity, which is logical.
The normative forms specify a scalar value which is normal for the referent of the preceding phrase. A normative may be derived from either a positive or a negative base.
The excessive forms specify the maximum and minimum scalar values possible for the referent of the preceding phrase. The maximum is derived from the positive scalar and the minimum is derived from the negative scalar.
There are also interrogative scalar forms.
A satisfactive construction consists of a satisfactive clause and a result sentence. The result sentence is a conditional sentence, although the condition is often implied instead of being expressed. The satisfactive clause is one containing the satisfactive particle tlo Sat.
The degree of comparison is an optional adverbial phrase specifying the difference in quality between the subject and standard; it uses the bivalent adverb Deg.
page started: 2017.May.13 Sat
current date: 2017.May.27 Sat
content and form originated by qiihoskeh
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