Old Shalaian/Syntax: Difference between revisions

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===Constituent order===
===Constituent order===
Finite clauses are VOS and use ergative syntax:
Finite clauses have unmarked word order SV, OAV and use ergative syntax:


  preverb verb dir_obj subj ind_obj place manner time.
  preverb dir_obj subj ind_obj verb place manner time.


Infinitive clauses are VSO and accusative; the preposition ''mi'' must be used before a direct object in infinitive clauses.
Infinitive clauses are VSO and accusative; the preposition ''mi'' must be used before a direct object in infinitive clauses.
''Mi''-infinitive clauses lack the ergative argument when using transitive verbs, and use OV order and accusative syntax
An example of a clause with a transitive verb:
Ingánakh              tładméen      wa fígħdri      u shaanf.
3SG.A.ERG-PST-3PL.ABS plant-PST.PTCP DEF.PL flower-PL DEF.SG.A woman
Aux                  V              O                S
The woman planted the flowers.


===Noun phrase===
===Noun phrase===
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Genitive noun phrases use possessive affixes on the possessed noun:
Genitive noun phrases use possessive affixes on the possessed noun:
:''ni chaast'''s''' rái'chal'' = Rachel's friend (weak possession)
:''laš'''ý''' Ráičal'' = Rachel's hand (inalienable possession)
:'''''in'''-għásh rái'chal'' = Rachel's hand (strong possession)


===Nominal sentences===
===Nominal sentences===
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Verbal wh-questions are always cleft sentences: The material after the wh-word becomes a relative clause with the wh-word as the head. The relative clause can be a ''cha''-clause vs. a ''vi''-clause:
Verbal wh-questions are always cleft sentences: The material after the wh-word becomes a relative clause with the wh-word as the head. The relative clause can be a ''cha''-clause vs. a ''vi''-clause:


:'''''Yan vi tágħti?'''''
:'''''Yan vi u shaanf inágħdi?'''''
:yan vi ta-għát-i
:yan vi in-għád-i u shaanf
:what VI.PRES 2SG.S-see-INF
:what VI.PRES 3SG.A-see-INF DEF.SG.A woman
:''What do you see?'' (lit. What is that which you see?)
:''What does the woman see?'' (lit. What is that which the woman sees?)


:'''''Yakh għan do'ch agħt vikh rṓzhas?'''''
:'''''Yakh għan do'ch agħd vikh rṓjas?'''''
:yakh għan do'ch a-għát-0 vikh rōzh-as
:yakh għan do'ch a-għád-0 vikh rōj-as
:who here CHA.NEG.PRES 3SG.A-see-3SG.I VI.PST do.INF-3SG.H
:who here CHA.NEG.PRES 3SG.A-see-3SG.I VI.PST do.INF-3SG.H
:''Who here does not see what she (hon.) has done?'' (lit. Who here is it that does not see that which she has done?)
:''Who here does not see what she (hon.) has done?'' (lit. Who here is it that does not see that which she has done?)
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'There is' clauses use the word ''whid'' at the beginning of the word, and have-possessives use the structure ''whid'' + the thing possessed + the preposition ''għar'' + possessor. The negative of ''whid'' is ''yaan'ch'' 'there is not' (etymologically from an interrogative *yan cha' whid "where is..."), and the negative interrogative form is ''maand''.
'There is' clauses use the word ''whid'' at the beginning of the word, and have-possessives use the structure ''whid'' + the thing possessed + the preposition ''għar'' + possessor. The negative of ''whid'' is ''yaan'ch'' 'there is not' (etymologically from an interrogative *yan cha' whid "where is..."), and the negative interrogative form is ''maand''.


:'''''Yaan'ch vózhleedash għar áifer.'''''
:'''''Yaan'ch għar áifer vojlid.'''''
:''There is no justice in this (fact or situation).''
:''There is no justice in this (fact or situation).''


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A verbal ''vi''-clause has the form
A verbal ''vi''-clause has the form
  (when intransitive) vi-preverb + verb.INF + other constituents
  (when intransitive) vi-preverb + other constituents verb.INF
or  
or  
  (when transitive) vi-preverb + POSSESSIVE_i-verb.INF + ergative noun_i + other constituents.
  (when transitive) vi-preverb + POSSESSIVE_i-verb.INF + ergative noun_i + other constituents.
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  vi-preverb predicate.
  vi-preverb predicate.


====''cha''-clauses====
====''če''-clauses====
Forms of ''cha'' are used when the head of the relative clause is NOT absolutive. Unlike ''vi''-clauses, ''cha''-clauses use finite verbs and are more syntactically straightforward. Resumptive pronouns (referring back to the head) are usually used in a ''cha''-clause, either on the verb or on other constituents.
Forms of ''če'' are used when the head of the relative clause is NOT absolutive. Unlike ''vi''-clauses, ''če''-clauses use finite verbs and are more syntactically straightforward. Resumptive pronouns (referring back to the head) are usually used in a ''če''-clause, either on the verb or on other constituents.


===Complement clauses===
===Complement clauses===
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However, the infinitive construction ''għar'' + infinitive is more commonly used:
However, the infinitive construction ''għar'' + infinitive is more commonly used:
*''Għar shá'unal, vor shafiħée mi shontái għar wáirjan.'' = When I awake, she begins to play the violin.
*''Għar shá'unal, vor shafiħée, għar wáirjan mi shontái.'' = When I awake, she begins to play the violin.
*''Għar sháfiħal mi wairái as kaléer, lōkh shafiħée mi shontái.'' = When I began singing the song, she began playing.
*''Għar sháfiħal, as kaléer mi wair, lōkh shafiħée mi shontái.'' = When I began singing the song, she began playing.
*''Łar't lidanzháis láathvai, chōns għar kháir't.'' (FUT 1SG-APP-come-3SG.A together every LOC go-3SG.A  = Whenever she goes, I'm going together with her.'')
*''Łar't lidanjáis shṓlriv, chōns għar khairée.'' (FUT 1SG-follow-3SG.A together every LOC go-3SG.A  = Whenever she goes, I'm going together with her.'')


In infinitive clauses, the possessor of the infinitive is the absolutive noun, and ''mi'' is used in front of the ergative noun.
In infinitive clauses, the possessor of the infinitive is the absolutive noun, and ''mi'' is used in front of the ergative noun.
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The syntax ''vair'' + form of ''cha'' is used when comparing clauses:
The syntax ''vair'' + form of ''cha'' is used when comparing clauses:


:'''''Ashfíl'azhal, lōkh tirṓj thogħs vair chakh lidanrú'k.'''''
:'''''Ashfíl'ajal, lōkh tirṓj thogħs vair chakh lidanrú'k.'''''
:''Congrats, you did [it] better than I expected.''
:''Congrats, you did [it] better than I expected.''


The syntax ''vair'' + possessed form of the infinitive is used for clauses of the form "too ADJ for NOUN to VERB".
The syntax ''vair'' + possessed form of the infinitive is used for clauses of the form "too ADJ for NOUN to VERB".
:'''''Khom ħi qōv lirwhágħan vair shéerishawh thóogħab.'''''
:'''''Khom u għōv lirwhágħan vair shéerishawh thóogħa.'''''
:be_at.3SG.I DEF.SG.I death COMP-evil than neglect-INF-1PL from-3SG.I
:be_at.3SG.I DEF.SG.I death COMP-evil than neglect-INF-1PL from-3SG.I
:''Death is too evil for us to neglect.'' (lit. more evil than our neglecting it)
:''Death is too evil for us to neglect.'' (lit. more evil than our neglecting it)
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:PRES 1PL VI.PST choose.INF-2SG.H
:PRES 1PL VI.PST choose.INF-2SG.H
:''It's us whom you have chosen.''
:''It's us whom you have chosen.''
===Modal===
===Modal expressions===
There is no single syntax used for modal expressions, although they all use the infinitive form of the lexical verb.
The modal expressions are the following:
*need/should/must: "needs_i the milk_i drink.INF_j Mary's_j"
*''kórtha mi X'' = X wants
*want: The person who wants is treated as an experiencer: "is_wanted_i DAT Mary_i drink.INF DAT the milk"
*''idréen mi X'' = X needs
*like: similar to "want": "pleasure DAT Mary drink.INF DAT the milk"
*''fangán għar X'' = X must
*can: "method LOC Mary DAT drink.INF DAT the milk" (like Korean) or "is_feasible DAT Mary DAT drink.INF the milk" (like Irish)
*''għai't mi X'' = X likes
*may/permitted to: "permission LOC Mary DAT drink.INF the milk"
*''tłákht għar X'' = X can (lit. X has a method)
**'can't' is usually expressed by using the word ''rōn'' in front of a finite verb.
*''khuméen mi X'' = X is permitted to
 
All modal expressions use ''mi''-infinitive clauses for their complements:
:'''''Kórth mi Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:desire to Mary, milk to drink
:''Mary wants to drink milk.''
 
:'''''Idréen mi Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:necessary to Mary, milk to drink
:''Mary needs to drink milk.''
 
:'''''Għai't mi Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:pleasure to Mary milk to drink
:''Mary likes drinking milk.''
 
:'''''Tłákht għar Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:method at Mary, milk to drink
:''Mary can drink milk.''
 
:'''''Rōn inhóshan Máiri whádi.''''' / '''''Yand tłákhter għar Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:NEG.POT 3SG.A-drink-3SG.I Mary milk / exists_no method at Mary, milk to drink
:''Mary can't drink milk.''
 
:'''''Khuméen mi Máiri, whádi mi hoshan.'''''
:permit-PASS_PTCP DAT Mary, milk to drink
:''It's okay for Mary to drink milk.''
 
Alternatively, the possessed infinitive construction can be used:
 
:'''''Khuméen hoshnée Máiri mi whádi.'''''
:''It's okay for Mary to drink milk.'' (lit. Mary's drinking of milk is okay)


==Poetic Shalaian==
==Poetic Shalaian==
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