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{{Construction}}
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
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''This article uses U+2011, the non-breaking hyphen "‑".''
''This article uses U+2011 non-breaking hyphen <code>‑</code>.''


'''Hwnic''' is an ''a priori'' semi-naturalistic agglutinative language. It attempts to broadly delineate what a future natural language might look like.
'''Hwnic''' is an ''a priori'' semi-naturalistic agglutinative language. It attempts to broadly delineate what a future natural language might look like. ''Hwnic'' is an exonym and is pronounced like WHUH-nyk.


Hwnic is a pitch-accent language. Connected speech is subject to a set of more complex rules involving use of non-modal phonation.
Hwnic is a pitch-accent language. Connected speech is subject to a set of more complex rules involving use of non-modal phonation.
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=== Nouns ===
=== Nouns ===


Nouns are not declined based on grammatical roles. Nouns may be split into two categories, namely those singular by default, often solitary, unique, or abstract, and those plural by default, often gregarious or measured by amount (such as uncountable nouns in English). When the usage indicates a different number than the default or when specification is desired, a ''suffix of number'' may be attached to the noun to express a wide range of meanings.  
Nouns are not declined based on grammatical roles. Nouns may be split into two categories, namely those singular by default, often solitary, unique, or abstract, and those plural by default, often gregarious or measured by amount (including uncountable nouns in English). When the usage indicates a different number than the default or when specification is desired, a ''suffix of number'' may be attached to the noun to express a wide range of meanings.  
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Verbs are conjugated to person, number, and sometimes mood. A suffix for person-number is glossed as 1Sg, 1Pl, 2Sg, 2Pl, 3Sg, 3Pl, 3N, or "3I". With a non-person subject, the singular and plural forms are the same. "3I" is only used in agreement when the subject is "nothing", "one" (as in an if-clause), or another hypothetical concept, and has no corresponding pronoun.
Verbs are conjugated to person, number, and sometimes mood. A suffix for person-number is glossed as 1Sg, 1Pl, 2Sg, 2Pl, 3Sg, 3Pl, 3N, or "3I". With a non-person subject, the singular and plural forms are the same. "3I" is only used in agreement when the subject is "nothing", "one" (as in an if-clause), or another hypothetical concept, and has no corresponding pronoun.


An auxiliary verb added after the main verb can show tense, aspect, and volition, glossed as PST.PFV, VOL.PRES.IPFV, or similar. For volition, there is VOL for voluntary actions, INVOL for involuntary actions which the agent is conscious of but cannot control, NONVOL for involuntary actions which the agent is not conscious of, and NOWILL for events involving no willful agents.  
An auxiliary verb added after the main verb can show tense, aspect, and volition, glossed as PST.PFV, VOL.PRES.IPFV, or similar. For volition, there is a distinction among voluntary actions, involuntary actions which the agent is conscious of but cannot control, involuntary actions which the agent is not conscious of, and events involving no willful agents.  


=== Adjectives and determiners ===
=== Adjectives and determiners ===


Adjectives are categorized as ''inherent'', ''attributive'', and ''stative''. An ''inherent adjective'', often ending in ‑''u'' or ‑''r'', describes inherent properties of an object that cannot be separated from it. Such an adjective may be used by itself, where it can be a noun of degree like English ‑ness, or it fuses with a noun and serve to narrow down a category, creating a noun-adjective compound with a definitive meaning, like ''oqulqomu'' "the blue apple". In this case the definite determiner is omitted. An ''attributive adjective'', often ending in ‑''ui'' and palatalizes the preceding consonant, describes an attribute of an object that is considered relatively stable but can be altered. Such an adjective usually fuses with a noun, like ''edrpatlui'' "busy person, person who is always busy". A ''stative adjective'', often ending in ‑''u'', describes a state that is usually temporary and can be changed. Such an adjective may or may not fuse with a noun, like ''edrpatlu'' "busy person, person who is busy in the context of that sentence". With people, the last form is preferred because the previous two forms indicate a potential value judgment.
Adjectives are categorized as ''inherent'', ''attributive'', and ''stative''. An ''inherent adjective'', often ending in ‑''u'' or ‑''r'', describes inherent properties of an object that cannot be separated from it. Such an adjective may be used by itself, where it can be a noun of degree like English ‑ness, or it fuses with a noun and serve to narrow down a category, creating a noun-adjective compound with a definitive meaning, like ''oqulqomu'' "the blue apple". In this case the definite determiner is omitted. An ''attributive adjective'', often ending in ‑''ui'' and palatalizes the preceding consonant, describes an attribute of an object that is considered relatively stable but can be altered. Such an adjective usually fuses with a noun, like ''edrpatlui'' "busy person, person who is always busy". A ''stative adjective'', often ending in ‑''u'', describes a state that is usually temporary and can be changed. Such an adjective may or may not fuse with a noun, like ''edrpatlu'' "busy person, person who is busy in the context of that sentence".


=== Adverbs ===
=== Adverbs ===
There isn't an adverb suffix, unlike in English. An adverb applied to a verb usually takes the form of "particle + noun", sometimes fused into one word like ''nrit'' "here". An adverb applied to an adjective may take the form of a modification on that adjective, like -''[R]ui'' "well" and -''[R]ur'' "badly", where [R] is the final consonant of that word reduplicated, although this is limited to a few words. The common way of having a word act like an adverb is with a determiner that describes the branching structure of the phrase.


=== Numerals ===
=== Numerals ===
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== Syntax ==
== Syntax ==
=== Constituent order ===
Word order is SOV, although sentences frequently appear as OV due to pro-drop, or SV due to an indefinite noun phrase and the verb coming together to form a compound. Some words trigger a reordering of the sentence into VSO, like negation of multiple elements, unusual topic or focus, some temporal relationships ("before"), and reduplicated forms of verbs ("undo", "redo").
Ordering of delimiting(?) words is usually NAG, and follow a rule of familiarity. For example, in "expensive family dinner", typically "family dinner" is more common and would be put together as dinner-family-expensive, but if this particular family often have expensive dinners, then dinner-expensive-family is also possible.


=== Constituent order ===
These rules may lead to ambiguities. The ultimate disambiguation technique is to include a morpheme in the determiner that comes before a noun phrase to describe its branching structure. This morpheme may be omitted in further mentions of the same noun phrase.


=== Noun phrase ===
=== Noun phrase ===
Noun phrases are generally right-branching.
The demonstrative system is currently incomplete. This is one of the most important parts of Hwnic and I have been studying other systems to decide what it will look like here.


=== Verb phrase ===
=== Verb phrase ===
Transitive and intransitive verbs work mostly like in English. But each adjective can have a linking verb and a complementary verb, formed with attaching -''tni'' "to become" and -''sdi'' "to remain" to an adjective, respectively. Transitive verbs can be used without an object, where the object of that verb is seen as (null), with a number of possible interpretations. Intransitive verbs usually cannot be used with an object (unless the word is used in a different sense with a transitive meaning).


=== Dependent clause ===
=== Dependent clause ===


== Lexicon ==
== Lexicon ==
The lexicon is built around nouns. Generally, a nominal concept is expressed with a single word. Many scientific words are borrowings or calques from English, but also combined into one word and reordered, as in ''Axtosugul'' "covert aggression".
The lexicon is built around nouns. Generally, a nominal concept is expressed with a single word. Many scientific words are borrowings or calques from English, but also combined into one word and reordered, as in ''Axtosugul'' "covert aggression".


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On the other hand, the lexicon lacks specific words (other than calqued scientific names) for many plants and animals. In Hwnic, "daffodil", "chrysanthemum", and "osmanthus" are all ''isalbunr'' "conspicuous flower". Some recognizable species may have unique names, such as ''isalibordal'' "rose; poet's flower". This is because flowers have become rare as a result of ecological events, and any allegorical or cultural meanings have been taken up by other terms.
On the other hand, the lexicon lacks specific words (other than calqued scientific names) for many plants and animals. In Hwnic, "daffodil", "chrysanthemum", and "osmanthus" are all ''isalbunr'' "conspicuous flower". Some recognizable species may have unique names, such as ''isalibordal'' "rose; poet's flower". This is because flowers have become rare as a result of ecological events, and any allegorical or cultural meanings have been taken up by other terms.
=== Idioms ===
Hwnic idioms are often long compound words that describe a specific mood or situation; ''el''- can form a multi-morpheme word by joining together items in a list. Often, this word consists of four morphemes, like four-character compounds in Chinese and Japanese. The terms about time are borrowed from English, as Hwnic time is expressed in a different way, but Hwnic is open to incorporating foreign words into its vocabulary and mixing foreign and native words. An example would be ''[[Contionary:elaurminitseknd|elaurminitseknd]]''.


== Example texts ==
== Example texts ==
=== Babel text ===
=== Babel text ===
 
''Qs niciq b odqoasu velo isloxait bizitsnsui arlek''
''Qs niciq b orkoasu velo isloxait bizitsnsui arleg''


and LOCV-context GEN world-whole ACC-and language-single speak-nominalizer-common be.3Pl.PST.GNO
and LOCV-context GEN world-whole ACC-and language-single speak-nominalizer-common be.3Pl.PST.GNO
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and ACC brick DAT stone ACC tar DAT mortar use.3Pl
and ACC brick DAT stone ACC tar DAT mortar use.3Pl


''Qs bizirn xopinc yza nozn velocti udn blboc eoro varozon ni parxembo jesctiboqro''
''Qs bizirn xopinc yza nozn velocti odn blboc eoro varozon ni parcembo jesctiboqro''


and say.3Pl quote go EXCLM ACC-and-to_be city tower we-DAT build.HORT LOCV arriving-heaven top-to_be-this-GEN
and say.3Pl quote go EXCLM ACC-and-to_be city tower we-DAT build.HORT LOCV arriving-heaven top-to_be-this-GEN


''Qs labasyizon xne xersyireis lnu nr meruictignorkoasu''
''Qs labasyizon stso xersyireis lnu nr meruicdignodqoasu''


and be_famous.HORT lest be_scattered.3Pl.SUBJ FUT.STATE LOC spreading-surface-earth-whole
and be_famous.HORT lest be_scattered.3Pl.SUBJ FUT.STATE LOC spreading-surface-earth-whole
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and the_Lord come_down.3N REL sight-tower this the children-of-man build.3Pl PST.PFV
and the_Lord come_down.3N REL sight-tower this the children-of-man build.3Pl PST.PFV


''Fnri bizid xopinc mxazon ci qoxnzngu irn boqro isloxait in ust uctsmy lectn''
''Fnri bizid xopinc mxazon ci qoxnxuigu irn boqro isloxuir in ust uctsmy lectn''


the_Lord say.3N quote look.HORT the people-united be_property.3Pl they-GEN language-singular be_property.3N and this-ACC-do.3Pl PRES.INCHO
the_Lord say.3N quote look.HORT the people-united be_property.3Pl they-GEN language-singular be_property.3N and this-ACC-do.3Pl PRES.INCHO
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go EXCLM go_down.HORT then ACC language-they-GEN confound.HORT REL purpose ACC speech each_other understand.3Pl.NEG
go EXCLM go_down.HORT then ACC language-they-GEN confound.HORT REL purpose ACC speech each_other understand.3Pl.NEG


''Zal Fnri t cirgn nr meruictignorko uoro blted lsvo cist sagrudnka ectnrn''
''Zal Fnri t cirgn nr meruicdignodqo uoro blted lsvo cist varocodnka ectnrn''


hence the_Lord ABL there LOC spreading-surface-earth they-ACC scatter.3N PST.PFV then construction-city.NEG stop.3Pl
hence the_Lord ABL there LOC spreading-surface-earth they-ACC scatter.3N PST.PFV then construction-city.NEG stop.3Pl


''Zal alorboq Babel klr bimuk ubocnx b Fnri u isloorkoasu''
''Zal alorboq Babel klr bimuk ubocnx b Fnri u isloodqoasu''


hence name it-GEN Babel be_eqivalent.3N because_of confounding ABL the_Lord ACC language-earth-all
hence name it-GEN Babel be_eqivalent.3N because_of confounding ABL the_Lord ACC language-earth-all


''Cirgn b blted Fnri uoro nr meruictignorkoasu''
''Cirgn b blted Fnri uoro nr meruicdignodqoasu''


There ABL scatter.3N the_Lord they-ACC LOC spreading-surface-earth-whole
There ABL scatter.3N the_Lord they-ACC LOC spreading-surface-earth-whole


=== Notes for Babel text ===
=== Notes for Babel text ===
* This text has not been fully checked for consistency yet and may contain minor errors.
* ''rumxud'' is ''ru·mxu·d'', "come-down.3N" ...
* ''rumxud'' is ''ru·mxu·d'', "come-down.3N" ...
* ''Fnri'' is from ''fntu'' + ''-ri'', meaning "before the beginning"; ''nokr'' "chief, lord" is the name of a megacorporation and has negative connotations, and the native word ''cirom'' "gods" indicates polytheism.
* ''Fnri'' is from ''fntu'' + ''-ri'', meaning "before the beginning"; ''nokr'' "chief, lord" is the name of a megacorporation and has negative connotations, and the native word ''cirom'' "gods" indicates polytheism.
* LOC, ACC, DAT all refer to particles.
* LOC, ACC, DAT all refer to particles.
* Hwnic is head-final. The broadest category comes first and the most specific comes last. This order applies to qualifier sequences, compound words, and more.
* Hwnic is head-initial. The broadest category comes first and the most specific comes last. This order applies to qualifier sequences, compound words, and more.
* Nouns are not declined, but a particle may fuse with certain pronouns and other particles.
* Nouns are not declined, but a particle may fuse with certain pronouns and other particles.
* Most nouns are by default plural, and the suffix -''is'' makes a noun singular.
* Most nouns are by default plural, and the suffix -''is'' makes a noun singular.
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* The two exclamation particles, ''nozn'' and ''zinbn'', come from two speech registers.
* The two exclamation particles, ''nozn'' and ''zinbn'', come from two speech registers.
* LOCV or "virtual locative" is a concept I made up for the preposition ''ni'', meaning "in a specified context/situation/state".
* LOCV or "virtual locative" is a concept I made up for the preposition ''ni'', meaning "in a specified context/situation/state".
* Hwnic has an unusual form of negative concord. For example, "The house is not here" requires a negative marker on "is" and a suffix meaning "in this context does not exist" on "the house", whereas "I'm not going to build the house" requires a negative marker on "build" and a suffix meaning "will not exist in the future" on "the house".
* Negation constructs display an unusual form of negative concord. For example, "The house is not here" requires a negative marker on "is" and a suffix meaning "in this context does not exist" on "the house", whereas "I'm not going to build the house" requires a negative marker on "build" and a suffix meaning "will not exist in the future" on "the house".
* The "and ACC-and": the former is a conjunction that forms the parallel structure; the latter marks a list of items, in the form of "and X Y Z ..." until the next verb or particle.
* The "and ACC-and": the former is a conjunction that forms the parallel structure; the latter marks a list of items, in the form of "and X Y Z ..." until the next verb or particle.
** The latter "and", ''elo'', is further fused with the accusative particle ''u'', and here it means the accusative particle applies to each item in the list.
** The latter "and", ''elo'', is further fused with the accusative particle ''u'', and here it means the accusative particle applies to each item in the list.
* The tense-aspect auxiliary verb is flexible: it can govern a full sentence, as shown here, or apply only to the one verb before it.
* The tense-aspect auxiliary verb is flexible: it can govern a full sentence, as shown here, or apply only to the one verb before it.
* A single concept corresponds to a single word, which is common in agglutinative languages.
* A single concept often corresponds to a single word, which is common in agglutinative languages.


=== Digression ===
=== Digression ===
 
I've been writing original texts in Hwnic, in order to keep note of events in my life or thoughts that frequently arise, based directly on how the memory or thought is structured.
[[Hwnic/For Ri of the Lab]]
# [[Hwnic/For Ri of the Lab]]
 
# [[Hwnic/For the Future]]
I've been writing other texts in Hwnic. There is a reason why I'm writing them in a new conlang and I'll explain it somewhere
# [[Hwnic/For the End of Introspection]]
SN2rname
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