Orthography
·
a - /a/
·
b - /b/
·
c - /t͡ʃ/
·
d - /d/
·
e - /ə/
·
f - /ɸ/
·
g - /g/
·
h - /x/
·
i - /i/
·
k - /k/
·
l - /l/
·
m - /m/
·
n - /n/
·
o - /o/
·
p - /p/
·
r - /r̥/ (/r/ in words beginning with voiced
consonants)
·
s - /s/
·
š - /ʃ/
·
t - /t/
·
u - /u/
·
v - /β/
·
y - /j/
·
z - /z/
·
ž - /ʒ/
Noun systems
Nouns are inflected for three kinds of number –
singular, plural (some) and collective (all) – and for whether the event
described happens in the present or future (with the subject). There are three
basic patterns, for nouns ending in consonants and vowels:
Vuy =
horse ondo = city
|
Sing
|
Plu
|
Coll
|
Sing
|
Plu
|
Coll
|
Pres
|
Vuy
|
Vuye
|
Vuyk*
|
Ondo
|
Ond
|
Ondok
|
Fut
|
Vuam*
|
Vumei
|
Vumek
|
Ondom
|
Ondei
|
Ondmek
|
*With nouns not ending in “-y”, these become “-ik”
and “-am” on the normal end of the noun.
The word order is
Subject-Object-Verb-Prepositional noun.
Verb systems
There is no standard verb ending, but they all
must end in a consonant, e.g. “žir” (“to lead”). Verbs are not inflected for
person, but take the following forms:
·
Imperative: for giving orders, usually these end in “-ih”
e.g. “žirih” (“lead!”)
·
Negative: for the negative form, ending in “-s” or “-is”
e.g. “žirs” (“to not lead”). To show the negative in non-standard forms, the
prefix “cer” comes before the verb.
·
Past: when the subject noun is in the present
form, this shows a standard past tense, but when the subject is in the future,
it refers to something that must be done, for a future action (e.g. “stir”,
meaning “led”). These have three possible prefixes:
o “st-“, for
those beginning in “s, z, š, ž, c, n” or any vowels
o “c-“ for
those beginning in “t, d, f, v, y, k, g, r, h”
o “z-“ for those beginning in “l, m, b, p”
·
Repetitive: for something that happens on multiple
occasions, or habitually – ends in “-m” or “-im” e.g. “žirm” (“to lead every
day, to always lead”)
·
A form for saying “when”, “while” or “once” an
action happens or has happened – this ends in “-lu” e.g. “žirlu” (“once …
leads”)
·
Interrogative: asking whether something did an action. In
the context of lacking an object or subject noun, it can mean “what”, or, with
a particle before the verb, “where” (“ton”) or “when” (“e”). This is formed by
placing the final vowel after the verb, and replacing it with “-e-“ (“žeri”)
Pronouns
|
|
Pres
|
Fut
|
Sing
|
1st
p.
|
Va
|
Vom
|
|
2nd
p.
|
Ka
|
Kom
|
|
3rd
p.
|
I
|
Im
|
Plu
|
1st
p.
|
Evs
|
Evsam
|
|
2nd
p.
|
Ek
|
Ekam
|
|
3rd
p.
|
Ay
|
Yom
|
Coll
|
1st
p.
|
Vih
|
Vimek
|
|
2nd
p.
|
Kih
|
Kimek
|
|
3rd
p.
|
Yah
|
Yamek
|
Adjectives
Adjectives end in “-u” or “-ur”, and take the same
inflection for either. In their standard form, they are inflected only for
plural and collective, with the endings “-e” and “-ek” respectively.
Adjectives also take separate forms to show the
predicate (e.g. “I am …”, “You are …”), in the singular and plural/collective
and in the present and future. Take “vanu” (“beautiful”):
|
Present
|
Future
|
1st sg.
|
Vanaf
|
Vanfom
|
2nd sg.
|
Vanak
|
Vankom
|
3rd sg.
|
Vanay
|
Vanyou
|
1st pl.
|
Vanvak
|
Vanfamek
|
2nd pl.
|
Vankak
|
Vankamek
|
3rd pl.
|
Vanyak
|
Vanyamek
|
The equivalent of the past form of verbs is shown
with the articles “ci”, “sti” or “zi” (these depend on the consonant/vowel at
the beginning of the adjective, as detailed in the “Verb System” section)