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In essence, the distinction between noun and verb is blurred. All content words may be conjugated and form verbal phrases, they may modify each other, and they all have one of three [[w:grammatical gender|grammatical gender]]s.  
In essence, the distinction between noun and verb is blurred. All content words may be conjugated and form verbal phrases, they may modify each other, and they all have one of three [[w:grammatical gender|grammatical gender]]s.  


===Predicative complements===
The Tsan grammar consists of a variety of grammatical prefixes and suffixes, all of which fit in a strict affixation template.The Tsan affixation template looks as follows:
====Simple predicative expressions====
 
In Tsan, the predicative complement of an expression is equivalent to the predicate itself. All content words are predicates in their own right, due to a copula suffix. This copula is a null suffix in the third person proximate, but it congruates with the subject. The subject does not need to be independent, and is only marked on the predicate.
*GENITIVE-MOOD-PLURAL-[Content word]-APPLICATIVE-CASE-[[Tsan#Grammatical gender|GENDER]]-[[Tsan#Core affixes|CORE]]-SPECIFIER
 
===Core affixes===
The Tsan conjugation is rather a form of affixation of relevant arguments, aspects, cases, and moods. The core affixes are the main reason behind the Tsan predicate/argument flexibility, and they consist of a ''gender part'' and a ''stative'' or ''dynamic part''.
 
The stative affixes convey a state of being, or function as a copula. The dynamic affixes transform a word into a more verb-like construction, and insinuates some sort of action. These two core affixes are mutually exclusive, and a word can only be affixed with one of them at a time.
 
What may make many linguists get the hiccups is the seemingly ignorant mixes of nominal and verbal categories. In Tsan, however, these are not important distinctions.
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg mw-collapsible  mw-collapsible" style="width: 500px; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="7"|Stative and dynamic affixes
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|<small>person</small> →
! scope="col"|1
! scope="col"|2
! scope="col"|3.PROX (3)
! scope="col"|3.OBV (4)
! scope="col"|0
|-
| ''-w-''
| ''-k-''
| -
| ''-y-''
| ''-h-''
|-
! colspan="7"|Stative
|-
! scope="row"|<small>same</small>
| ''-á-''
| ''-wá''
| ''-ká''
| ''-í'' (''Vy'')
| ''-yá''
| ''-há''
|-
! scope="row"|<small>different</small>
| ''-í-''
| ''-wí''
| ''-kí''
| -
| ''-yi''
| ''-hí''
|-
! colspan="7"|Dynamic
|-
! scope="row"|<small>same</small>
| ''-u-''
|''wu-''
|''ku-''
|''u-''
|''yu-''
|''hu-''
|-
! scope="row"|<small>different</small>
|''-a-''
|''wa-''
|''ka-''
|''a-''
|''ya-''
|''ha-''
|-
|}


{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsa
|IPA = [ˈkat͡sa]
| morphemes = katsa-∅
| gloss = songbird.N-3SG.PROX.HO
| translation = It is a songbird.
| index = 1
}}{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsawí
|IPA = [ˈkat͡sajiɨ̯]
| morphemes = katsa-wí
| gloss = songbird.N-1SG.HE
| translation = I am a songbird.
| index = 2
}}{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsayín
|IPA = [ˈkat͡saʝẽː]
| morphemes = katsa-yín
| gloss = songbird.N-2PL.HE
| translation = You are songbirds.
| index = 3
}}


=====Grammatical gender=====
====Grammatical gender====
Tsan has a peculiar system of grammatical gender. The genders are purely natural: Women are feminine {{sc|f}}, men and males are masculine {{sc|m}}, and everything else is neuter {{sc|n}}.  
Tsan has a peculiar system of grammatical gender. The genders are purely natural: Women are feminine {{sc|f}}, men and males are masculine {{sc|m}}, and everything else is neuter {{sc|n}}.  


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|IPA = [ˈkat͡sa]
|IPA = [ˈkat͡sa]
| morphemes = katsa-{{red|∅}}
| morphemes = katsa-{{red|∅}}
| gloss = songbird.N-3SG.{{red|SAM}}
| gloss = songbird.N-3SG.{{red|DIFF}}
| translation = It is a songbird.
| translation = It is a songbird.
| index = 11
| index = 11
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}}
}}


====Predicative nominatives====
====Predicative complements====
=====Simple predicative expressions=====
In Tsan, the predicative complement of an expression is equivalent to the predicate itself. All content words are predicates in their own right, due to a copula suffix. This copula is a null suffix in the third person proximate, but it congruates with the subject. The subject does not need to be independent, and is only marked on the predicate.
 
{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsa
|IPA = [ˈkat͡sa]
| morphemes = katsa-∅
| gloss = songbird.N-3SG.PROX.HO
| translation = It is a songbird.
| index = 1
}}{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsawí
|IPA = [ˈkat͡sajiɨ̯]
| morphemes = katsa-wí
| gloss = songbird.N-1SG.HE
| translation = I am a songbird.
| index = 2
}}{{gloss/indexable
|phrase = katsayín
|IPA = [ˈkat͡saʝẽː]
| morphemes = katsa-yín
| gloss = songbird.N-2PL.HE
| translation = You are songbirds.
| index = 3
}}
 
=====Predicative nominatives=====
If the subject of the expression is stated independently, it is marked with a specifier, (SPEC), which roughly translates as the English relative determiner ''that which'', or the construction ''it is […] that is […]''. The post-vocalic form is ''–n'' and the post-consonantal form is ''–i''.  
If the subject of the expression is stated independently, it is marked with a specifier, (SPEC), which roughly translates as the English relative determiner ''that which'', or the construction ''it is […] that is […]''. The post-vocalic form is ''–n'' and the post-consonantal form is ''–i''.  


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}}
}}


====Predicative accusatives====
=====Predicative accusatives=====
Tsan has one copula, and one copula only.  In English you may find a variety of related verbs with similar function to the main copula ''to be''; for example ''to feel'', ''to seem'' and ''to become''. In Tsan, the semantics of these verbs are all conveyed by means of modifying the copula with evidentials, mood markers, applicatives and other constructions.  
Tsan has one copula, and one copula only.  In English you may find a variety of related verbs with similar function to the main copula ''to be''; for example ''to feel'', ''to seem'' and ''to become''. In Tsan, the semantics of these verbs are all conveyed by means of modifying the copula with evidentials, mood markers, applicatives and other constructions.  


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}}
}}


===Intransitive clauses===
====Intransitive clauses====
When you accept that two content words in a predicative expression co-function as predicate and subject, it is not difficult to imagine other clauses with one core argument. The simplest are the corresponding English intransitive clauses. Tsan makes an important dichotomy between stative and dynamic content words.
When you accept that two content words in a predicative expression co-function as predicate and subject, it is not difficult to imagine other clauses with one core argument. The simplest are the corresponding English intransitive clauses. Tsan makes an important dichotomy between stative and dynamic content words.


====Stative clauses====
=====Stative clauses=====
Stative predicates, such as ''to hang'', ''to lie'', ''to be on fire'', ''to taste like'' and ''to know'' are almost exclusively expressed by means of the copula suffix. See also [[Tsan#Predicative complements|predicative complements]], which is an equivalent interpretation.
Stative predicates, such as ''to hang'', ''to lie'', ''to be on fire'', ''to taste like'' and ''to know'' are almost exclusively expressed by means of the copula suffix. See also [[Tsan#Predicative complements|predicative complements]], which is an equivalent interpretation.
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
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}}
}}


====Dynamic clauses====
=====Dynamic clauses=====
Dynamic predicatives on the other hand, including '' to run'', ''to lay'', ''to put on fire'', ''to savour'',  and ''to learn'', are formed with a conjugating dynamic prefix, acting in the same manner as the copula.
Dynamic predicatives on the other hand, including '' to run'', ''to lay'', ''to put on fire'', ''to savour'',  and ''to learn'', are formed with a conjugating dynamic prefix, acting in the same manner as the copula.
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
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}}
}}


====Flexibility of arguments and predicates====
=====Flexibility of arguments and predicates=====
It is in these dynamic and static clauses that Tsan first exhibits its flexibility of arguments. By simply switching the prefixes of the content words, the meaning is reversed or changed drastically.
It is in these dynamic and static clauses that Tsan first exhibits its flexibility of arguments. By simply switching the prefixes of the content words, the meaning is reversed or changed drastically.
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
{{Scriptgloss/indexable
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