Peter Bleackley |
The most important feature of iljena grammar is that each word is both a noun and a verb. The consonants of the word comprise the nominal root, while the vowels and their arrangement with respect to the consonants give the verbal sense. An iljena sentence has no subject or object - everything is a participant in the action described, and each word describes the role that one participant plays in the action. Humans learning iljena (Literally "ljn speak", ljn (normally rendered "Leyen" in English) being the self-designation of the speakers) often find it difficult to chose appropriate vowels for the participant that they regard as the object, while ljn learning human languages have difficulty with the idea of separating objects from their actions. Word order is used to convey the flow of the action between the participants, and to bring together closely related participants. As "The Essential Guide to Alien Languages" puts it, "Morphologically, iljena is essentially a Semitic language turned up to 11. Syntactically, it is essentially a slightly exaggerated version of Mandarin."
If this all seems a bit abstract, an example sentence might help:
ewtag | kvis | mohn |
student.have | raven.perch | hand.hold |
The student's raven perches on his hand. |
brt | - spirit |
---|---|
dbt | - duty |
frs | - strength |
grz | - boundary |
hlf | - no time |
jgw | - alternative |
kjr | - good thing |
ljn | - Leyen (sentient crepuscular bipeds with vibrissae all over their bodies) |
mjz | - great thing |
nrs | - still air (used methaphorically in this passage) |
rzk | - sorrow |
sjn | - knowledge |
stl | - manner |
tlt | - whole |
trs | - faith, trust, confidence |
vrd | - path |
wlm | - all time |
12a3a | - be |
---|---|
12e3o | - use |
1a2i3 | - dwell |
1e2a3u | - cross |
1i23 | - give |
1i2a3 | - listen |
1o23 | - hold |
a12e3 | - teach |
a1i2u3 | - save |
e12e3 | - have |
i1e23 | - benefit |
o12i3e | - compose |
1u23a | - happen |
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page started: 2008.Dec.05 Fri
last modified: 2008.Dec.27 Sat
form originated by qiihoskeh;
content copyright Peter Bleackley.