Glommish

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Glommish
the glómsьk
Pronunciation	[/θˠə ɣɫˠoːmʲsʲk/]
Created by	IlL
Setting	Verse:Lõis
Native speakers	90 million (2015)
Language family	Indo-European Germanic Glommish

Glommish (natively the glómsьke rarde [θˠə ɣɫˠoːmʲsʲkə ɾˠaːɖə]) is a Germanic language which was historically spoken in parts of Southern Italy and Tunisia but is now mostly spoken by diaspora populations in North America and Brazil. It's classified as West Germanic in-universe, but forms a distinct group from what is called West Germanic in our timeline. Glommish is phonologically the most conservative Germanic language in Lõis and is strikingly similar to reconstructed Proto-Germanic. Its speakers are called Gloms (Glóme). Glommish is intended to have a pseudo-Irish and pseudo-Slavic aesthetic.

The majority of today's Glommish speakers are Muslim and also speak English, Portuguese, and Arabic. A minority practice forms of Christianity which were historically common in North Africa.

In-universe German name: Glommisch

Arabic name: al-Ghulūmiyyah

TODO

sources of loans: Latin, Greek, Arabic, English; needs more Arabic loans!

Look at OE/Dutch for more vr- words

Try to express things with Germanic roots, but without calquing

Dutchify the grammar

Simplify some consonant clusters like a few cht's?

Introduce random sound changes in the evolution of Glommish, e.g.

• PWGmc *gardaz -> gerdaz -> żard

Should be a koiné (some "Low Glommish" dialects can have PIE dh/vernerized t -> z which shows up in some words)

Weird vowel mixups (eh2 -> ó instead of á in a few words)

History

Hasien Elь-Chuliédí (todo: Glommish pseudonym) was a somewhat controversial Simon Stevin-like figure who reformed the language, by essentially creating and promoting his own dialect of Glommish (which eventually turned into modern American Glommish dialects) -- he was a scholar of Germanic philology and invented coinages based on Old English and Old Dutch; he also published a dictionary of the ancient Langobardic language.

Orthography

Native script

Glommish today uses an alphabetic writing system inspired by the Arabic script, written from right to left but with a Latin aesthetic. It was devised by Andrie Hóchenhym.

There was a traditional Roman orthography which was historically used in Italy; spelling was very unsystematic and there were sometimes many different glyphs for the same sound (for instance, at least five different glyphs are attested for th), and vice versa (e.g. final -i mostly denoted both palatalization and -ie, but -ie was sometimes written -ii for disambiguation). In North Africa, the most common writing system for Glommish was the Arabic abjad. Today, the latter is used for ceremonial purposes.

Phonology

Glommish phonology is characterized by retroflexion and pairs of hard (unpalatalized) and soft (palatalized) consonants. Palatalization is as strong as in Russian in the traditional pronunciation of Glommish.

Consonants

		Labial		Dental		Alveolar		Postalveolar	Velar		Glottal
		hard	soft	hard	soft	hard	soft		soft	hard
Nasal		m m	mь mʲ			n n	nь nʲ			[ŋ]
Stop	tenuis	p p	pь pʲ	t t̪			tь tʲ	cz tʃ	kь kʲ	k k	(ʔ)
	voiced	b b	bь bʲ			d d	dь dʲ	[dʒ]		[g]
	aspirated			th t̪ʰ			thь tʰʲ
Fricative	voiceless	f f	fь fʲ			s s	sь sʲ	sz ʃ	chь, hь ç	ch x	h h
	voiced	v v	vь vʲ			z z	zь zʲ	ż ʒ		g ɣ
Resonant				l ɫ	lь lʲ	r ɾ	rь rʲ		j j

/tʃ, ʒ, ʃ/ are soft alternants of /k, ɣ, x/ in native Glommish. /kʲ, ts, tsʲ/ are mainly found in foreign loans.

Voiceless stops are unaspirated, as in Dutch. (In New York they are aspirated the same way as in American English.)

Orthographical notes:

• The ь is replaced with an i when followed by a vowel (the i is pronounced as palatalization).
• The soft sign ь and the palatalizing i soften every consonant in the cluster that precede it by default. (However, consonants do not soften before cz, ż, sz, and velars k, g, ch do not soften.) The hard sign ъ prevents the softening of consonants to the left of the hard sign.

Notes

• Regressive voicing assimilation occurs in clusters of two or more obstruents, as in Slavic: tiúsdag 'Tuesday' is pronounced as if it were spelled tiúzdag.
• /t̪ʰ tʰʲ/ are somewhat breathy aspirated stops [t̪ʱ tʱʲ]. They are affricates or fricatives when word-final and not retroflexed.
• Hard /ɾ/ is generally a velarized retroflex approximant or flap. It retroflexes /n t̪ t̪ʰ d s/ that follow it, as in Swedish and Norwegian; when this retroflexion happens, it compensatorily lengthens the preceding vowel.
• [dʒ] and [g] are allophones of /ʒ/ and [ɣ] used after /n/ which assimilates to [ŋ] before velar stops,
• Soft /rʲ/ may be [r̝] like Czech ř. The Czech-ř pronunciation predominates in Connecticut and is often known as the konetekatske żírь 'the Connecticut buzz'.
• For younger speakers of Glommish in New York, the distinction between non-palatalized and palatalized is neutralized in labials and alveolars, except for labials before back vowels where palatalized labials become /Cj/: biar ik [bjaɹ ɪk~bjɛɹ ɪk] 'I carry' vs. bierier thú [bɛɹəɹ tʰʊ] 'you carry'. Furthermore, palatalized t d n are pronounced as in Polish ć dź ń, /ʃ ʒ/ are pronoounced as /ʂ ʐ/, and non-palatalized v is pronounced /w/. Dental stops are pronounced as alveolar, and posttonic intervocalic d, t, and th are also flapped.

Vowels

There are five phonemic vowel qualities with length. y can be considered the non-palatalizing allophone of í.

	Front		Central		Back
	short	long	short	long	short	long
Close	i /ɪ/	í /iː/		(y /ɨi/)	u /ʊ/	ú /uː/
Mid	e /ɛ/	é /eː/	(e [ə])		o /ɔ/	ó /oː/
Open			a /a/			á /ɑː/

Word-initially i and í are pronounced [jɪ] and [jiː].

• Short u lengthens to /u:/ after soft consonants in younger New York Glommish.
• In younger NY Glommish, /a/ is [æ] except after a soft consonant, where it becomes [ɛ] or [jɛ].

Dialects

Different Glommish dialects mainly vary in grammar and vocabulary, and extent of English influence.

• Connecticut Glommish
• New York Glommish
  • Younger New York Glommish (not quite an English accent of Glommish, it underwent its own peculiar changes)
• a Glommish-English creole

Morphology

Nouns

Like German, Glommish has 4 cases (kázuse or fále):

• Nominative (nominatív, forfál)
• Accusative (akuzatív, fanfál)
• Dative (datív, famfál)
• Genitive (żenitív, fizfál)

However, nominative and accusative are only distinguished in pronouns. There are two genders (kundien), masculine (mánlik) and feminine (pienlik); the neuter has merged with the masculine.

• The dative plural always ends in -em.
• The genitive plural always ends in -en.
• For the masculine genitive singular, -es is used if the final consonant is t, d, s, z, th or their soft counterparts. Otherwise -s is used.
• Nouns with a -n plural are almost always either feminine or -n-stem masculine.

Articles

Glommish uses the indefinite article a and the definite article the. Due to historical Italian and Arabic influence, Glommish uses the definite article the same way Arabic does: nonspecific nouns take the definite article, unlike in English.

• Mir davienь thá amblen 'I like almonds (in general)'
• Ik ví amblen 'I want almonds (specific indefinite plural noun)'
• Ik ví thá amblen 'I want the almonds (specific definite)'

Definite article

case	singular		plural
	m.	f.
nom.	the	thá	thá
dat.	them	thier; thím (inanimate, Connecticut dialectal)	thím
gen.	thes	thier	thier

Indefinite article

case	singular
	m.	f.
nom.	an	ne
dat.	nem	ner; nem (inanimate, Connecticut dialectal)
gen.	nes	ner

thiz 'this'

case	singular		plural
	m.	f.
nom.	thiz	thize	thize
dat.	thizem	thizer; thizem (inanimate, Connecticut dialectal)	thizem
gen.	thizes	thizer	thizer

Declined likewise are:

• jín 'that'
• ál 'all'
• ylьk 'one's respective'
• the possessive determiners mín; thín; is; jar; unsier, unsь-; úrer, úr-; jar; sín

Masculine consonant nouns

The genitive plural -n was generalized from masculine n-stem nouns.

vulf (m.) 'wolf'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the vulf	thá vulfe
Dative	them vulfie	thím vulfem
Genitive	thes vulfs	thier vulfen

bazь (m.) 'berry'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the bazь	thá bazie
Dative	them bazie	thím baziem
Genitive	thes bazies	thier bazien

sun (m.) 'son'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the sun	thá sunie
Dative	them sunie	thím suniem
Genitive	thes suns	thier sunien

n-stems

Declined like attributive adjectives. These nouns are masculine, except for nominalized feminine adjectives.

name (m.) 'name'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the name	thá namen
Dative	them namenь	thím namem
Genitive	thes namenь	thier namen

Also: andie 'end', ave 'river', biare 'bear', fytie 'wheat', hiarte 'heart', knave 'servant', mage 'throat', óge 'eye', óre 'ear', szúe 'sky', ukse 'ox', yriene 'copper'. [ave can also be declined like a feminine noun.]

Arabic nisba names and some Latin and Greek -ō names become n-stems, like Elь-Ferábí, Elь-Ferábíenь 'Al-Farabi', Niare, Niarenь 'Nero', and Apóle, Apólenь 'Apollo'. Feminine Latin and Greek -ō names use the feminine declension instead: Júne, Júne, Júner 'Juno'.

Feminine nouns

This declension type is always feminine in modern Glommish, arising from a mixture of Proto-Germanic ō-stems and weak feminine stems. Nouns with certain suffixes like -eng (deverbal noun) or -hyd (abstract noun) and loanwords that were feminine in the source language also belong in this class.

naze (f.) 'nose'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá naze	thá nazen
Dative	thier naze	thím nazem
Genitive	thier nazer	thier nazen

miark (f.) 'girl'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá miark	thá miarken
Dative	thier miark	thím miarkem
Genitive	thier miarker	thier miarken

óre (f.) 'clock'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá óre	thá óren
Dative	thier óre	thím órem
Genitive	thier órer	thier óren

Note: not to be confused with the masculine n-stem noun the óre 'ear'.

starcze (f.) 'strength, starch'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá starcze	thá starczen
Dative	thier starcze	thím starczem
Genitive	thier starczer	thier starczen

útriakneng (f.) 'bottom line, result'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá útriakneng	thá útriaknengen
Dative	thier útriakneng	thím útriaknengem
Genitive	thier útriaknenger	thier útriaknengen

hond (f.) 'hand'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá hond	thá hondien
Dative	thier hond	thím hondiem
Genitive	thier hondier	thier hondien

Grab bag

mánsьk (m.) 'human'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the mánsьk	thá liúdie
Dative	them mánsьkenь	thím liúdiem
Genitive	thes mánsьkenь	thier liúdien

mán (m.) 'man'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the mán	thá mánier
Dative	them mánie	thím mánem
Genitive	thes máns	thier mánen

r-stem: fadier (m.) 'father'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	the fadier	thá fadrie
Dative	them fadrie	thím fadriem
Genitive	thes fadiers	thier fadrien

Also: bráthier 'brother'.

r-stem: mádier (f.) 'mother'
Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	thá mádier	thá mádrien
Dative	thier mádier	thím mádriem
Genitive	thier mádrier	thier mádrien

Also: sviestier 'sister', duchtier 'daughter'.

Adjectives

Declension

Predicative adjectives use the bare stem. Like all non-Anglic Germanic languages, Glommish preserves the distinction between strong and weak adjectives.

Weak declension for hard-stem adjectives

case	singular	plural
nom.	the hóche mán thá hóche piane	thá hóchen mánier thá hóchen pianen
dat.	them hóchenь mánie thier hóchenь piane	thím hóchem mánem thím hóchem pianem
gen.	thes hóchenь máns thier hóchenь pianer	thier hóchen mánen thier hóchen pianen

Strong declension for hard-stem adjectives

case	singular	plural
nom.	an hóche mán ne hóche piane	hóche mánier hóche pianen
dat.	nem hóchem mánie ner hócher piane	hóchem mánem hóchem pianem
gen.	nes hóches máns ner hócher pianer	hócher mánen hócher pianen

Soft-stem adjectives such as skónь 'beautiful' are declined similarly.

Attributive declension for soft-stem adjectives

case	singular	plural
nom.	skónie	skónien
dat.	skónienь	skóniem
gen.	skónienь	skónien

Bare attributive adjectives are sometimes used as nouns.

Degree

The comparative and superlative are formed with the suffixes -ier and -ьst (k, g, ch + -ьst > -czest, -żest, -szest; cz, ż, sz + -ьst > -czest, -żest, -szest; d/t/z/s + -ьst > d/t/z/s + -iest): svát, svátier, svátiest 'sweet, sweeter, sweetest'.

Predicate forms for superlatives are rare: usually the/thá X-ste is used predicatively. Example: Mín tat isь the baste = 'My dad is the best'. When used adverbially, superlatives use -ьst.

Other degree words:

svinth = 'very'

tá = 'too'

jám X als = 'as X as'

X-ier nisь = 'more X than'

the/thá X-ьste av = 'the most X of'

the/thá ál-X-ьste or the/thá X-ьste av álem = 'the most X of all'

miénier X = 'less X'

miénьst X = 'least X'

There are a few irregular adjectives, which are listed in the table below.

Meaning	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
"good"	gád, vial (adv.)	batier	baste
"bad (ill-behaved, evil)"	druk	viszer (expected **virsier)	viszte (expected **virьste)
"much, many"	miczel, micz (not declined)	myr (not declined)	myste
"few, little"	fó (not declined)	miénier (not declined)	miénьste

Fó is used for both count and non-count nouns; Et finsь fó hupie. 'There is little hope.'

Pronouns

Personal

The 2pl úr is also used as a polite 2nd person pronoun.

The neuter pronoun et survives as a dummy pronoun: thídech riagnedie et 'Today it rained'.

case	1sg.	2sg. (familiar)	3sg.		1du.	2du.	1pl.	2pl.	3pl.	reflexive	impersonal	interrogative
			m.	f.
nom.	ik	thú	er	sí	bit	it	bír	úr	sí	-	sum	for
acc.	mik	thik	jan	í	ump	imp	unsь	ú	í	sik	sumen	fan
dat.	mir (pronounced mír)	thir (pronounced thír)	jam	jar; ím (inanimate, Connecticut dialectal)	ump	imp	unsь	ú	ím	sir (pronounced sír)	sume	fam
gen.	mín(er)	thín(er)	jazer	jarer	umpier	impier	unsier	úrer	jarer	sín(er)	sín(er)	fizer

The form bír comes from earlier vír which assimilated to the verb ending -em in inverted constructions: jatem bír 'we eat' < *jatem vír.

The impersonal pronoun sum in the nominative case can be used as the 1st person plural in impersonal speech: Sum gáth! 'Let's go!' (lit. one goes)

In high register, genitive pronouns can be used as postposed possessive pronouns for indefinite nouns: Ik kánie an fríend jazer. 'I know a friend of his.' This is usually Ik kánie an fríend av jam.

Possessive pronouns

To form possessive pronouns, "determiner" endings are added to the genitive of the personal pronouns; the stems of unsier and úrer become unsь- and úr- when a suffix is added. The reflexive sín is used to refer to a third person subject in the same clause, while jaz or jar refer to 3rd person subjects other than the subject.

Possessive pronouns in predicative position are the masculine nominative form of the pronoun: The siag isь unsier! 'Victory is ours!'

Possessive pronouns

case	singular		plural
	m.	f.
nom.	mín thín sín jaz jar unsier úrer fiz	míne thíne síne jaze jare unsie úre fize	míne thíne síne jaze jare unsie úre fize
dat.	mínem thínem sínem jazem jarem unsiem úrem fizem	míner thíner síner jazer jarer unsier úrer fizer	mínem thínem sínem jazem jarem unsiem úrem fizem
gen.	míns thíns síns jazes jares unsies úres fizes	míner thíner síner jazer jarer unsier úrer fizer	míner thíner síner jazer jarer unsier úrer fizer

Demonstrative

• thiz = this; jín = that
• that = (anaphoric) that
• for, fan, fam = who; fiz = whose; fat = what
• fanь = when
• fí = how; sá = like this/that, so, thus
• fár = where; hiér = here; thár = there
• fanьs, hienьs, thanьs = from where, from here, from there
• fidier, hidier, thadier = to where, to here, to there
• fár + preposition = where- + preposition; hiér + preposition = here- + preposition; thár + preposition = there- + preposition
• fárup = why
• filьk = which
• salьk = such; like this, that (attributive)
• ylьk = (one's) respective (cognate with English each)
  • Álmán háth ylьke probliámen. = Everyone has their own problems.
  • Sum skál liáten ú biaren riaknes up úrem ylьkem biedrívengem. = Each of you will be held accountable for your own actions.
• ál = all, every
• bythe, bythem, byther = both
• álthiéng, álmán = everything, everyone
• kniét, kniétfilьk = some (non-specific); any, arbitrary
  • Furь kniét x, finьs et an y, salьk that... = 'For any x, there exists a y, such that...'
• kniétfat, kniétfor, kniétfár... = something, someone, somewhere (non-specific); anything, anyone, anywhere [< *ik ne wait hwat 'I don't know what' etc.]
• jethich = some (specific)
• jethfat, jethmán, ... = something, someone (specific)
• nýthiéng, nýmán = nothing, no one
• ynfat, ynmán = (not) anything, anyone

Adpositions

Prepositions taking both the dative and the accusative

When governing the dative, these prepositions indicate location; when governing the accusative they indicate destination.

• afte = after
• án = (high register) on, upon; to, unto
• biefur = before, in front of
• yr = before (temporally)
• at = at, by, next to
  • Ik stande at thier stráte. = I'm on the street.
  • Ik gá at thier stráte. = I walk on the street.
  • Ik gá at thá stráte. = I walk towards the street.
• in = in
  • in them > im
• siúthen = after
• uvier = over
• up = on
• út = outside of, out of

Prepositions taking the accusative

• furь = for
• gaszt = towards
• sunder = without
• thruch = through
• um = around
• vith = against

Prepositions taking the dative

• av = off, from
• bí = of, at, in, also used like German bei to indicate 'at someone's place'
• mid (pronounced mi before th) = with
  • mid them > mim
• ta = to
  • ta + them, thier > tam, tar
• úter = except

Prepositions taking the genitive

• atstad = instead of
• saker = because of
• fíler = during

Verbs

Verbs have undergone some simplifications. For example:

• The present subjunctive only survives in 3rd person imperatives.
• The past subjunctive has disappeared as a distinct form except viárie 'were, would be' and żenie 'would'. Modal verbs often use the past form for the past subjunctive.

The standalone negator nie (nié when stressed) and negative verb forms with n- (from Proto-Germanic *ne) remain in use in poetry:

• ní-, nilien: negative of ví-, vilien (cf. English willy-nilly, from will he, nill he)
• niém, niér, nisь: negative of jém, jér, isь
• niét: negative of vyt

Weak verbs

For the past dental suffix -ti- is added if the stem ends in a voiceless consonant (other than t(i) or d(i)); -edi- is added if the stem ends in a t(i) or d(i) or a hard consonant other than k, g, ch; -di- is added otherwise (lióvedie is pronounced lióvъdie, though). Past participles are similar, with -d or -t.

Hard weak

lióven 'to love'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	lióve	lióver	lióveth	lióvem	lióveth	lióvenь
past	lióvedie	lióvedie	lióvedie	lióvediem	lióvedieth	lióvedienь
imperative	-	lióv! / lióve!	lióve er!	lióvem!	lióveth!	lióvenь sí!
present participle	lióvend
past participle	gelióved

Other examples: maken 'make', lirnen 'learn'

Soft weak

varmien 'to warm'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present indicative	varmie	varmier	varmieth	varmiem	varmieth	varmienь
past	varmiedie	varmiedie	varmiedie	varmiediem	varmiedieth	varmiedienь
imperative	-	varmь! / varmie!	varmie er!	varmiem!	varmieth!	varmienь sí!
present participle	varmiend
past participle	gevarmied

Other examples: ámlien 'work'; hórien 'hear'; lyrien 'teach'; sażen 'say'; ertalien 'tell, recount'; ránien 'execute, set into motion'; ferránien 'to perform, to commit'; bránien 'burn (transitive)'; lażen 'lay'; vunszen 'wish'

Some verbs with velar/palatal stems, e.g. brinżen, bráchtie, gebrácht 'bring'; bużen, buchtie, gebucht 'buy'; thanczen, tháchtie, gethácht - 'think' form a small subclass of soft stem thematic verbs.

Strong verbs

non-palatalized/palatalized messed up strong verbs a bit.

Strong class 1

bíten 'to bite'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	bíte	bítier	bítieth	bítem	bíteth	bítenь
past	bit	bit	bit	bitem	biteth	bitenь
imperative	-	bítь! / bítie!	bíte er!	bítem!	bíteth!	bítenь sí!
present participle	bítend
past participle	gebiten

Also: színen, szin, geszinen 'shine', dríven, driv, gedriven 'act', klíven, kliv, gekliven 'stick, cling', smíten, smit, gesmiten 'kill', vríten, vrit, gevriten 'write', vríthen, vrith, gevrithen 'weave'.

Strong class 2

czúzen 'to choose'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	czúze	czúzier	czúzieth	czúzem	czúzeth	czúzenь
past	czór	czór	czór	czórem	czóreth	czórenь
imperative	-	czúzь! / czúzie!	czúze er!	czúzem!	czúzeth!	czúzenь sí!
present participle	czúzend
past participle	geczuren

Also: biúden, biód, gebiuden 'offer, bid', biúgen, bióg, gebiugen 'bow', fliúgen, flióg, gefliugen 'fly', fliún, flió, geflióen 'flee, escape', friúzen, friór, gefriuren 'freeze', liúzen, liór, geliuren 'lose'

Strong class 3

binden 'to tie, to bind'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	binde	bindier	bindieth	bindem	bindeth	bindenь
past	biand	biand	biand	biandem	biandeth	biandenь
imperative	-	bindь! / bindie!	binde er!	bindem!	bindeth!	bindenь sí!
present participle	bindend
past participle	gebiunden

Also: bieżénen, bieżán, bieżónen 'begin'; briénen, brián, gebriónen 'burn (intransitive)'; drinken, driank, gedriunken 'drink'; finden, fiand, gefiunden 'find'; grinden, griand, gegriunden 'grind'; riénen, rián, geriónen 'flow, run'; springen, spriang, gespriungen 'jump, burst, explode'; simben, siamb, gesiumben 'sing'; thrimben, thriamb, gethriumben 'compel'.

Strong class 4

In Glommish, Proto-Germanic class 3b strong verbs have merged with class 4 strong verbs.

biaren 'to carry'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	biare	bierier	bierieth	biarem	biareth	biarenь
past	biár	biár	biár	biárem	biárth	biárenь
imperative	-	bierь! / bierie!	biare er!	biarem!	biareth!	biarenь sí!
present participle	biarend
past participle	gebiuren

Also: gebiaren, gebiár, gebiuren 'give birth', briaken, briák, gebriuken 'break', niamen, niám, geniumen 'take', piamen, piám, gepiumen 'come', driasken, driásk, gedriusken 'thresh', stiarven, stiárv, gestiurven 'long (for)', sviaren, sviár, gesviuren 'swear', viarpen, viárp, geviurpen 'throw', biangen, biáng, gebiungen 'to fear' spriaken, spriák, gespriuken 'to speak'

Strong class 5

Strong class 5 merges completely with strong class 6. The only difference is the softness of the initial consonant.

żaven 'to give'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	żave	żevier	żevieth	żavem	żaveth	żavenь
past	żáv	żáv	żáv	żávem	żáveth	żávenь
imperative	-	żevь! / żevie!	żave er!	żavem!	żaveth!	żavenь sí!
present participle	żavend
past participle	geżaven

Also: driapen, driáp, gedriapen 'hit', ferżaten, ferżát, ferżaten 'forget', liazen, liáz, geliazen 'read', jaten, ját, gejaten 'eat'. The verb sión, siáv, gesión 'see' is irregular. There are also the j-present verbs bidien, biád, gebiaden 'beg, pray', lieżen, liág, geliagen 'lie'

Strong class 6

graven 'to dig'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	grave	gravier	gravieth	gravem	graveth	gravenь
past	gráv	gráv	gráv	grávem	gráveth	grávenь
imperative	-	gravь! / gravie!	grave er!	gravem!	graveth!	gravenь sí!
present participle	gravend
past participle	gegraven

Also: slagen, slág, geslagen 'to beat, to hit', standen, stánd, gestanden 'stand', vaksen, váks, gevaksen 'grow', vasken, vásk, gevasken 'wash'.

Strong class 7

halden, hyld, halden - to hold

fálen, fyl, fálen - to fall

liáten, lít, liáten - to let

sliápen, slíp, sliápen - to sleep

biegrán, biegry, biegrán - to become

Other strongs

ándie 'would like'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
past subjunctive	-	-	ándie	-	-	ándienь

This defective verb from Proto-Germanic *unnaną 'to grant' is only used in the past subjunctive, for example in construction Mir ándie... 'I would like...'.

Preterite-present verbs

viten 'to know'

viten 'to know'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	vyt	vyt	vyt	vitem	viteth	vitenь
past	vistie	vistie	vistie	vistiem	vistieth	vistienь
imperative	-	vyt! / vyte!	vite er!	vitem!	viteth!	vitenь sí!
present participle	vitend
past participle	gevist

kónen 'can, be able to'

kónen 'can'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	kán	kán	kán	kónem	kóneth	kónenь
past	kóndie	kóndie	kóndie	kóndiem	kóndieth	kóndienь

Similarly skólen 'shall' (skóldie 'should'),

thurven 'to have to'

thurven 'to have to'

Tempus	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	tharv	tharv	tharv	thurvem	thurveth	thurvenь
past	thurvdie	thurvdie	thurvdie	thurvdiem	thurvdieth	thurvdienь

dóren 'dare'

dóren 'dare'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	dóre	dórer	dóreth	dórem	dóreth	dórenь
past	durstie	durstie	durstie	durstiem	durstieth	durstienь

The present has regularized. The past/conditional tense is still irregular from common use:

• Fí durstie thú... = How dare you...
• Ik durstь yncz erbaren thá anfer. = I wouldn't dare reveal the answer.

mogen 'may, have a possibility of'

mogen 'have a possibility of'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	mag	mag	mag	mogem	mogeth	mogenь
subjunctive	moge	moger	moge	mogem	mogeth	mogenь
past	mochtie	mochtie	mochtie	mochtiem	mochtieth	mochtienь

The subjunctive of mogen can be used for wishes like English may:

• Moge unsie usre niamen gevíszt mid tróst = May our family be blessed with security

máten 'be permitted to'

máten 'be permitted to'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	mát	mát	mát	mátem	máteth	mátenь
past	mástie	mástie	mástie	mástiem	mástieth	mástienь

vín 'want'

vín 'want'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	ví	ví	ví	vím	víth	vínь
past	vildie	vildie	vildie	vildiem	vildieth	vildienь

Other irregular verbs

bión 'be'

bión 'to be'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	jém	jér	isь	sim	sith	sinь
past	vaz	vast	vaz	viárem	viáreth	viárenь
past subjunctive	viárie	viárie	viárie	viáriem	viárieth	viárienь
imperative	-	bió!	bió er!	bióm!	bióth!	biónь sí!
present participle	biónd
past participle	geviáren

dán 'do'

dán 'to do'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	dá	dár	dáth	dám	dáth	dánь
past	dié	diést	dié	diém	diéth	diénь
imperative	-	dá!	dá er!	dám!	dáth!	dánь sí!
present participle	dánd
past participle	gedán

gán 'go, (future tense auxiliary)'

gán 'to go, (future tense auxiliary)'

tense	ik	thú	er/sí	bír	úr	sí
present	gá	gár	gáth	gám	gáth	gánь
past indicative	żang	żang	żang	żangem	żangeth	żangenь
past subjunctive1	żenie	żenie	żenie	żeniem	żenieth	żenienь
imperative	-	gá!	gá er!	gám!	gáth!	gánь sí!
present participle	gánd
past participle	geżangen

¹ Grammaticalized as a counterfactual marker.

Also: fán, fiang, gefiangen - to get, to obtain

Syntax

Glommish word order is V2 but is more similar to Icelandic than German. German-style SOV is considered poetic.

Fanь ik jém már, ví ik biegrán ne lyriernie.

When I grow up, I want to become a teacher.

(German: Wenn ich groß bin, will ich Lehrerin werden.)

Pronoun objects precede infinitives; nominal objects follow them.

Sí kán fádien the map. / Sí kán jan fádien.

She can feed the boy. / She can feed him.

(German: Sie kann den Jungen ernähren. / Sie kann ihn ernähren.)

Dative pronouns bind more tightly to ditransitive verbs than accusative pronouns:

Ik [[żave jam] jan]. / Ik kán [jan [jam żaven]]. / Ik kán [[jam żaven] the kempiúter].

I'm giving it to him. / I can give it to him. / I can give him the computer.

(German: Ich gebe ihn ihm. / Ich kann ihn ihm geben. / Ich kann ihm den Computer geben.)

In modern Glommish, phrasal verbs are always separated, except in derived agent and verbal nouns. Colloquial Glommish does so even in agent and verbal nouns derived with -erь and -eng, using the borrowed English construction VERB-erь/-eng PREP-erь/-eng (cf. English fixer-upper). Only the second suffix takes declension inflection.

húżen út

'to express'

úthúżeng

'expression'

húżeng-úteng

(colloquial) 'expressing'

Negation

The negative particle is yncz (pronounced /ɪnʃ/ or /ənʃ/) and has the same syntax as nicht in German independent clauses.

Drincz the vater yncz, er isь fúl!

Don't drink the water, it's dirty!

Possession

Usually the genitive is placed after the noun: thá żáve míns fadiers 'my father's gift', but genitive before noun is acceptable too when the noun is definite and animate: míns fadiers żáve.

For "have", in addition to using hán 'to have' like other Germanic languages, one can use an Arabic-influenced construction At mir sinь tvy sunie. "I have two sons."

The construction "et finsь" (there is) can take nominative or accusative objects.

Passive

The passive can be formed by using either piamen 'to come' or niamen 'to take', followed by the past participle of the verb. The two choices of auxiliary are in free variation.

For example, The káke piám jaten. or The káke niám jaten. means 'The cake was eaten.'

Or, one may use the impersonal pronoun sum as the subject. This is used when the object is behind a preposition and hence the verb cannot be passivized.

Simple tenses

Simple present

The simple present denotes habitual actions or generally true facts, like the English simple present. It can also used for future events.

Ik biange mik av jámietiem.

I'm afraid of ants.

Simple past

The simple past is like the English simple past. Except for common short verbs like bión 'to be', hán 'to have' or gán 'to go', and auxiliaries, it's used mostly in New York Glommish, especially by younger speakers.

Imperative

Exactly what it says on the tin.

Compound tenses

Progressive

Progressive tenses denote ongoing actions. An Irish-like construction is used: the auxiliary bión is used (which carries the tense), and the lexical verb becomes at 'at' + infinitive. In formal Glommish, the direct object of the verb takes the genitive.

• Ik jém at jaten the apel. "I am eating the apple."
• The hund vaz at thróten jan. "The dog was threatening him."
• Ik jém thárat. "I'm doing it; I'm on it."

Perfect

The perfect is used like the English perfect; it uses the auxiliary hán + past participle. In modern Glommish there's a tendency to use the perfect where normative Glommish would use the simple past; this is especially true of Connecticut Glommish.

• Ik há gejaten the apel. "I have eaten the apple"; in Connecticut Glommish also "I ate the apple"

Clauses

Conjunctions

• end = and
• oth = or
• nierь = but
• thóch = although
• fanь = when
• thá, als (literary) = when
• ydier... oth... = either... or...
• niádier... nok... = neither... nor...
• thiersak = because
• that = that (can be used with moge + infinitive (present) or mochtie + infinitive (past) for purpose clauses)
  • Ik biesmulte et, that anthere mogen ferstanden. = 'I'm explaining it so that others may understand.'
  • Ik biesmultedie et, that anthere mochtien ferstanden. = 'I explained it so that others might understand.'
• iv = if (used for conditions that could be true)
• sadь = if (used for counterfactual conditions)
• thánь = then
• nisь = than
• thus = so, thus
• als = as
• viedier X oth Y = Both X and Y
• sáls = like
• alsá = thus, therefore

Relative clauses

Glommish relative clauses use the relativizer that, and a resumptive pronoun when the head is in an oblique argument. This resumptive pronoun structure is from Arabic influence.

The thár- words are used for prepositional objects that are inanimates; the personal pronouns are used for animates.

• Thá piane that ik żáv jar fáde thankedie mir. = 'The woman I gave food to thanked me.' (lit. the woman that I gave her food)
  • Or: Thá piane jar ik żáv fáde thankedie mir.
• the urd that ik rián thárav or the urd thárav ik rián = 'the place I ran from'

Indirect speech

Indirect speech matches the tense of the clause it's embedded in, unlike in German and like in English (due to past Italian influence). Below, the sentences on the left have the same meaning as their corresponding sentences on the right.

Direct speech

Er sażeth, "Ik há nýn żald."

He says, "I have no money."

Er sażdie, "Ik há nýn żald."

He said, "I have no money."

Er sażeth, "Ik hádie nýn żald."

He says, "I had no money."

Er sażdie, "Ik hádie nýn żald."

He said, "I have no money."'

Indirect speech

Er sażeth that er háth nýn żald.

He says he doesn't have money.

Er sażdie that er hádie nýn żald.

He said he didn't have money.

Er sażeth that er hádie nýn żald.

He says he didn't have money.

Er sażdie that er hádie gehád nýn żald.

He said he hadn't had money.

Inverted "if" clause

Like in German.

Exclamatory inversion

Brá, isь aldfírienьsk ogel!

Boy, is Old Irish complicated!

Numbers

0-10: nól, yn, tvy, thrí, fiór, finf, siaks, siém, acht, nión, tién /no:l, ɨːn, tvɨː, θʲrʲiː, fʲoːr, fʲɪnf, sʲaks, sʲe:m, axt, nʲoːn, tʲeːn/

11-19: ylief, tvalief, thrítién, fiórъtién, finfъtién, siaksъtién, siefъtién, achtién, nióntién /ɨːlʲɪf, tvalʲɪf, θʲrʲiːtʲeːn, fʲoːrtʲeːn, fʲɪnftʲeːn, sʲakstʲeːn, sʲɛftʲeːn, axtʲeːn, nʲoːnʲtʲeːn/

20-90: tvyntich, thrítich, ... achtich, nióntich /tvɨːnʲtʲɪx, etc./

21, 22, ...: yn-án-tvyntich, tvy-án-tvyntich, ...

100: hunderth /hʊndərθ/

Ordinal numbers are formed with -te or -the (weak declension): nólthe, yrste, tvythe, thridie, fiórthe, finfthe, ...

When they do not modify nouns, plural numerals tvy, thrí, fiór, ... have genitive forms tvyer, thríer, fiórer, ..., and dative forms tvym, thríem, fiórem, ....

This is how numerals modify plural nouns:

• Nominative: tvy thinge 'two things'; thá tvy thinge 'the two things'
• Dative: tvy(e)m thingem; thím tvy(e)m thingem
• Genitive: tvyer thingen; thier tvy thingen

Vocabulary

A sentence made entirely of Celtic vocabulary (except function words and derivational affixes):

The ódiche map isь at ferbytren the máre ave. = The terrible boy is traversing the big river.

Derivational morphology

• -ъ- is often used in compound words.
• bie-: "be-", forms applicatives
• -bier: '-able'
• -czen (m): diminutive
  • the kotczen 'kitten' < the kot 'cat'
• -dám (m): "-dom"
  • kuniengdám = kingdom
  • the júdendám = Judaism
• end-: 'de-, dis-'
  • endyren: 'dishonor'
• er-: telic
• fer-: "for-"
• fur-: "fore-"
• -fól: "-ful"
  • fóliefól: "complete" < fólie 'fullness; fill'
• ge-: intensifies a verb or derives an adverb; collective nouns
  • A false example: geliór ('galore', from Irish go leor via Irish immigration into America)
• -hyd /-iːd/: -ness, -hood
  • sialvhyd: 'identity'
• -ich: "-y"; forms adjectives of the form '[adj]-[noun]ed'
  • ynóżich: 'one-eyed' < yn 'one' + óge 'eye'
  • kaldhiertich: 'coldhearted'
• -iel: forms nouns
  • the lapiel: 'spoon'
  • the katiel: 'kettle'
• -izen: "-ize", from PGmc -isōną
• -elen: "-le", German -eln (frequentative verbs)
• -lóz: "-less"
  • andielóz: 'endless' < the andie 'end'
• -ling (m): "-ling"
• -lik: "-ly"; forms adjectives from noun
  • dażlik 'daily' < the dag 'day'
  • vurdlik 'literal' < the vurd 'word'
• mis-: "mis-"
  • misdiád: "misdeed, misdemeanor"
• -nes (f; pl. -nesen): forms nouns from verbs
• -nie: feminine suffix
  • thá lyriernie 'teacher (female)' < the lyrierь 'teacher'
  • thá fuksnie 'vixen' < the fuks 'fox'
• sam-: equi-, con-, together
• -sam: "-some"
  • ynsam 'lonely' < yn 'one'
  • gefiársam 'dangerous' < thá gefiár 'danger'
  • vysam 'woeful' < the vy 'woe'
• -sk: "-ish"
• -skapie: "-ship", forms collective nouns for groups of people
  • simbskapie = chorus
• tier-: German zer-
• -tórь, -tórnie (from Italian -tore)
  • kompozitórь 'composer'
• tví-: "twi-"
• un-: "un-" (negation or opposite)
  • thá unróe 'unrest, unease'
• ur-
  • the urdylь 'decision' < dylь 'part'
• -eng/-ieng: forms nouns from verbs
  • thá sriáleng 'radiation' < sriálen 'shine, radiate'
  • thá hytieng 'heating' < hytien 'to heat'
• -eríe = -ery, -erei

Phrasebook

• Czáv! = hello, goodbye
  • Czáv thir! (informal AND to one person)
  • Czáv ú! (formal OR to more than one person)
• Gáde murgen/dag/jévend/nachtь! = 'Good morning/afternoon/evening/night!'
• Vilьpiumen! = 'Welcome!'
• óntú (formal OR to more than one person) / ónthir (informal AND to one person) = 'please' (lit. may it please you/if it pleases you)
• Thank! = 'Thank you!'
• Rió isь mir. = 'I'm sorry.'
• Rió'sь. = 'Sorry.'
• Fí hyteth úr? = 'What is your name?'
• Ik hyte ... = 'My name is ...'
• Fí isь thín/úrer mád? = 'How are you?' (lit. What is your state?)
• Fanьs piemier thú? / Fanьs piameth úr? = 'Where are you from?'
• Ik piame av... = 'I'm from ...'
  • Anglandie. = 'England'.
  • Glómsьklandie. = 'Thedeland.'
  • Fírienılandie. (Inherited from PCeltic *Φiweryū) = 'Ireland.'
  • Kamberlandie. = 'Wales.'
• Sprieczer thú / Spriaketh úr ... = 'Do you speak ...'
  • ... angelьsk? = '... English?'
  • ... thiúsk? = '... German?'
  • ... nitherlandьsk? = '... Dutch?'
  • ... itálьsk? = '... Italian?'
  • ... griéczk? = '... Greek?'
  • ... árebьsk? = '... Arabic?'
  • ... tamierьsk? = '... Tamil?'
• Já. = 'Yes.'
  • Já, thú mát / úr máteth. = 'Yes, you may.'
• Ny. = 'No.'
• Ik spriake glómsьk yncz. = 'I can't speak Glómsьk.'
• Mát ik ú thúten? = 'May I address you informally (i.e. using thú)?'
• Isь that santh? = 'Is that true?'
• Mir davieth/davenь... = 'I like... (a thing)'
• Ik há (person) lióv = 'I like (person)'
• Ándie thir / ú... / Ándienь thir / ú... = 'Would you like...'
• Mir ándie... / mir ándienь... = 'I would like...'
  • Mir ándie 'n glás vatie, óntú. = 'I would like a glass of water, please.'
  • ... 'n dylь bród. 'a slice of bread.'
• Míne hond isь in varmenь vatrie. = My hand is in warm water.
• Mín stiúl isь in míner hond. = My pen is in my hand.
• mín miesniórь/míne fróje = sir/miss (polite way to address strangers)
• Ik lióve thik. = I love you.
• Mát ik thik kusien? = Can I kiss you?

Names

TODO: P-Celtic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic names; Anglicized Glommish surnames

• Biarhard (m.) ("bear-hard"; ~ Bernard)
• Gardь (f.) (~ Gerðr)
• Gyr- ("spear")
  • Gyrhard (~ Gerhard)
  • Gyrnod (~ Gernot)
  • Gyrъhildь (~ Gerhilde)
• Hazel /hazəɫ/ (f.) ("hazel")
• Hildie /çɪlʲdʲə/, -hildь (f.) (< hildiz "battle")
• Kól (m.) (From a Celtic word for "hazel"; Anglicized as Cole)
• Machtildь (f.) ("mighty in battle"; ~ Matilda, Mechthild)
• Onlyv (m.) (~ Olaf)
• Priten (m.) (~ Brittany)
• Santhie /ˈsanθʲə/ (f.) ("truth")
• Siag- ("victory")
  • Siagfriuth, Siaghildь, ...
• Svyn /svɨːn/ (m.) (*swainaz "servant"; ~ Sveinn/Sven)
• Thuner (m.) (*Thunraz)
• Váden /vaːdən/ (m.) (~ Odin)
• Vulf /vʊɫəf/ (m.)
• Ibrym (~ Ibrahim)

Days of the week

• án miándag = on Monday, miándags = on Mondays
• tiúsdag = Tuesday
• vánsdag = Wednesday
• thunsdag = Thursday
• frídag = Friday
• sabsdag = Saturday
• sóndag = Sunday

Elements

Elements are masculine.

• vaterstuf = hydrogen
• heli = helium
• lithi = lithium
• beriuli = Be
• bóre = boron
• kólstuf = carbon
• palьstuf = nitrogen
• súrstuf = oxygen
• fluóri = fluorine
• neë = neon
• natri = sodium
• magnézi = magnesium
• alumini = aluminium
• samedstuf = silicon
• liúchtiestuf = phosphorus
• sviál = sulfur
• chlóri = chlorine
• arge = argon
• yriene = copper
• siulver/silver = silver
• tin = tin
• fítgulth = platinum
• gulth = gold
• piksiulver/piksilver = mercury (element)
• bliú = lead

Sample texts

Featured language banner

Thiz rarde vaz ynst gerichtied fur.

This language was once featured.

Thank jazer líkamfólhyder, furvichtlikhyder end ferdavlikhyder geczór sum ta richtien jan fur.

Thanks to its quality (lit. bodyfulness, i.e. concreteness), plausibility (lit. naturalness) and usage features (lit. usefulness), it has been voted as featured.

VENI, VIDI, VICI

Ik piám, ik só, ik siagdie.

I came, I saw, I conquered.

UDHR, Article 1

Álgemynie Útriádeng thier Manьskenriachten

Útglith 1

Ále liúdie sinь geburen frí end javen án vurthie end ánriachtem. Sí sinь bieżávd mid ferstandie end riachtkánie end thurvenь biedríven yn gaszt niávьste im andenь bráthierhyder.

[ˈɑːɫə ˈlʲu:dʲɪ sʲɪnʲ ɣəˈbʊɹən fʲɾʲiː ən ˈjavən ɑ:n ˈvuɾʲtʱʲɪ ən ˈɑ:nrʲæxt̪əm || sʲiː sʲɪnʲ bʲɪˈʒɑːvd mʲɪt̪ fəˈʂt̪and ən ˈrʲæxt̪kɑːnʲɪ | ən ˈt̪ʰʊɹvən bʲɪˈdʲɾʲiːvən iːn ɣaʃt ˈnʲɑːfʲst̪ə jɪn ˈandənʲ ˈbrɑːtʱʲɪɹiːdəɹ]

All human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Schleicher's Fable

The száp end thá ruse

An száp that hádie nyn vóle myr siáv ruse: yn at tiúchen an thunge vage, yn at biaren ne máre lost, end yn at snióm biaren an mánsьk. The száp sażdie thím rusem: "The hiarte isь mir syr, fanь ik sióe an mánsьk at dríven ruse án." Thá ruse sażdienь: "Lusnie, száp, unsь isь the hiarte syr saker thiz hám bír gesióen: an mánsьk, the druchtien, maketh sir varmen klythe út thier szápen vóle, end the száp háth niót vóle myr." Als the száp hóriedie thiz, flióch er thruch thá miédve.

Gettysburg Address

Achtich-sieven járe isь et, after unsьre fadrie gebarenь án thizem jarthedylie ne niúe thióde, getiúszt in fríhyd, end ervíszt thier belóvneser that ále liúdie sinь geskafen javen.

Erlkönig

For rídieth sá lat thruch nachtь end vind?
Et isь the fadier mid sínem czindie;
Er háth the map vial in them armie,
Er fateth jan tróstich, er haldieth jan varm.

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

Platenь Furьanfer (Plato's Apology)

Fí úr, lió Athiénierie, háth niumen vichtied at av mínem bievráżeriem, vyt ik yncz; sá bielióvvirczend spriákenь sí, that ik hadie sialv jénachtь ferżaten for ik viérie. Santhes hánь sí áltbieachtied gesażd tvíls ynfat. Under thím miczelem lużem that sí sażdienь sprang mir sik yn út in návem:

Siúre 1: Thá Erupneng (tr. Hasien Elь-Chuliédí)

The syntax and diction used are characteristic of the puristic, archaizing Glommish pioneered by Hasien Elь-Chuliédí.

1. Im namenь thes sambiarendenь, líchtliátichenь Gudes.
2. Ále ráthь Gudie, áler viáldien Druchtnie,
3. them sambiarendenь, them líchtliátichenь,
4. them im dámsdaże uvierriádendenь.
5. Thik ályn bieyriem bír, end thik ályn bidiem bír um hulpie.
6. Lydie unsь the sniále viag,
7. the viag jíner án í thú geniáthe viz, nié jíner án í thín turn geviurden isь, nieth thier jérienden.