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==== Declension ====
==== Declension ====
Mergian retained much of the noun declensions of Gothic. [NOTE: oh my god the sound changes really fuck things up please disregard this entire section for now]


==== Derivation ====
The declensions are organized by the ending they have in their accusative form. Thus, the declensions are
 
* -s declension
* -e declension
* -a declension
* -o declension
* -n declension
* -ij declension
* -r declension
* Empty declension
 
There are also slight differences per declension depending on the gender of the noun.
 
 
One interesting phenomenon of the declension system is that, verbs and adverbs are sometimes colloquially treated like nouns and are thus declined like ones. This only happens when they are preceded by a preposition. Consider the following examples:
 
* ''Afar img'''e''', við sig seem ni njef'' - 'After today, we will never see each other again'
In this sentence, ''imga'' 'today' is incorrectly treated like a noun and takes a dative ending. The proper way would have been to adverbalize ''imga'' and give a noun (so, ''imga'' 'today' should have become ''imzjijns dag'' 'today's day')
* ''Inne ubaven'''s''', ufremoddem loggem!'' - 'In having fun, we forgot the clock [lost track of time]'
In this sentence, ''ubaven'' 'to have fun' is incorrectly treated like a noun and takes a genitive ending. The proper way would have been to use a participle (so, ''ubaven'' 'to have fun' should have become ''ubavendai'' 'having fun (pl.)'
 
===== -s declension =====
The -s declension has contains two sub-declensions. All of its nouns are masculine.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Main -s declension
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| -s
| -o
|-
!Accusative
| -
| -ens
|-
!Genitive
| -e
| -ei
|-
!Dative
| -a
| -em
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Example with ''lefs'' 'bread'
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| ''leps''
| ''lebo''
|-
!Accusative
| ''lef''
| ''lebens''
|-
!Genitive
|''lebe''
|''lebei''
|-
!Dative
|''leba''
|''lebem''
|}
The second declension ends in a -o sound. It is a remnant of the old Gothic nouns ending in -s. The declension is the exact same, except the nominative ends in a ''-o'' and ''-z-'' infix anywhere else.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Second -s declension
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| -o
| -zo
|-
!Accusative
| -o
| -zens
|-
!Genitive
| -ze
| -zei
|-
!Dative
| -za
| -zem
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Example with ''dzjo'' 'animal'
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| ''dzjo''
| ''dzjozo''
|-
!Accusative
| ''dzjo''
| ''dzjozens''
|-
!Genitive
|''dzjoze''
|''dzjozei''
|-
!Dative
|''dzjoza''
|''dzjozem''
|}
There are three exceptions to the second -s declension. They are given below:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Exceptional -s declension
|-
!''hjo'' 'worker' <br/>''tzrjo'' 'piece' <br />''snjo'' 'knee'
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| hjo <br />tzrjo<br />snjo
| þive <br />trive<br />knive
|-
!Accusative
| hjo <br />tzrjo<br />snjo
| þive <br />trive<br />knive
|-
!Genitive
|þive <br />trive<br />knive
|þive <br />trive<br />knive
|-
!Dative
|þive <br />trive<br />knive
|þive <br />trive<br />knive
|}
 
===== -a declension =====
The -a declension contains only words ending in -e or -a. All of its nouns are almost all feminine. There are a few exceptions of biologically masculine nouns (father, husband etc.) being in the -a declension.   
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| -e/-a
| -o
|-
!Accusative
| -e/-a
| -o
|-
!Genitive
| -o
| -o
|-
!Dative
| -E
| -om
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+'''Examples with ''kounne'' 'wife' and ''runga'' 'stick''''
|-
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| kounne
runga
| kounno
rungo
|-
!Accusative
| kounne
runga
| kounno
rungo
|-
!Genitive
| kounno
rungo
| kounno
rungo
|-
!Dative
| koune
runge
| kounnom
rungom
|}
 
= Derivation =


=== Adjectives ===
=== Adjectives ===
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| du-
| du-
| towards (slight positive connotation)
| towards (slight positive connotation)
| ''gien'' "give"
| ''given'' "give"
| ''dugien'' "donate"
| ''dugiven'' "donate"
|-
|-
| in-
| in-
| into, patient of a causative verb
| into, patient of a causative verb
| ''ludzjen'' "shine"
| ''ljustjen'' "shine"
| ''inludzjen'' "illuminate"
| ''inljustjen'' "enlighten"
|-
|-
| miþ- <!--Always governs the dative-->
| miþ- <!--Always governs the dative-->
Line 614: Line 812:
| ''buzjen'' "buy (archaic)"
| ''buzjen'' "buy (archaic)"
| ''frauzjen'' "sell"
| ''frauzjen'' "sell"
|-
|vibre-
|against
|''stanen "''stand''"''
|''vibrestanen'' "oppose"
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Aspectual prefixes
! colspan="4" | Aspectual prefixes
Line 638: Line 841:
| ''kuðen'' "say"
| ''kuðen'' "say"
| ''frakuðen'' "curse"
| ''frakuðen'' "curse"
|-
! colspan="4" |Grammatical prefixes
|-
!Prefix
!Meaning
!Example with ...
!Example meaning
|-
|an
|
|
|
|-
|at
|
|
|
|-
|us
|
|
|
|-
|uf
|
|
|
|}
|}


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|-  
|-  
| VI
| VI
| e
| a
| ou
| ou
| ''skebha'' 'I shave', ''skouf'' 'I shaved' <!--cons+h is silent-->
| ''skebha'' 'I shave', ''skouf'' 'I shaved' <!--cons+h is silent-->
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==== Conjugation ====
==== Conjugation ====
Verbs are conjugated for three persons (first, second and third), two numbers (singular and plural), two tenses (present and past) and three moods (indicative, conjunctive and imperative) and there are five non-finite forms, which are the infinitive, present and past participles, and present and past mediopassives.


The stem of the strong verb changes depending on the tense of the verb. The infinitive and imperative should always take the present stem.
The stem of the strong verb changes depending on the tense of the verb. The infinitive and imperative should always take the present stem.
 
{| class="wikitable"
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Strong verb conjugation
|+ Strong verb conjugation
! colspan="6" |Finite forms
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" | !! colspan="2" | Indicative !! colspan="2" | Subjunctive !! rowspan="2" | Imperative
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |Indicative
! colspan="2" |Conjunctive
! rowspan="2" |Imperative
|-
|-
! Present !! Past !! Present !! Past  
!Present
!Past
!Present
!Past
|-
|-
! 1s
!<small>1S</small>
| -e
| -a
| -
| -
| -au
| -au
| -jau
| -jau
|  
|
|-
|-
! 2s
!<small>2S</small>
| -ea
| rowspan="2" | -s
| -t
| rowspan="2" | -t
| -ai
| rowspan="2" | -ai
| -ji
| rowspan="2" | -i
| -Ø
| -
|-
|-
! 3s
!<small>3S</small>
| -
| -t
| -ai
| -ji
|
|
|-
|-
! 1p
!<small>1P</small>
| -em
| -o
| -em
| -u
| -aime
| -aimme
| -me
| -imme
| -em
| -em
|-
|-
! 2p
!<small>2P</small>
| -ats
| -atz
| -uts
| -utz
| -jits
| -aitte
| -aits
| -itte
| -iþ
| -et
|-
|-
! 3p
!<small>3P</small>
| -en
| -en
| -en
| -un
| -aine
| -ainne
| -ne
| -inne
|
|
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Mediopassive
! colspan="6" |Non-finite forms
| colspan="4" | -te
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Participle
! colspan="2" |Participle
| colspan="4" | -ends
! colspan="2" |Mediopassive
! colspan="2" |Infinitive
|-
|-
! colspan="4" | Infinitive
| colspan="2" | -ens
| colspan="4" | -en
| colspan="2" | -vve*
| colspan="2" | -en
|}
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>-vve will change under some conditions:


{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
* after a cluster, it will be ''-evve''
* after ''v'', it will be ''-''
 
From a evolutionary perspective, some of the conjugations are irregular or might not make sense. This is because I, the author, have decided that to be so.
 
Consider the example with ''usngen'' 'to read'
{| class="wikitable"
|+Conjugation of ''usngen''
! colspan="6" |Finite forms
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" | Example with <br/> ''bijden'' 'to bite' !! colspan="2" | Indicative !! colspan="2" | Subjunctive !! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Imperative
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |Indicative
! colspan="2" |Conjunctive
! rowspan="2" |Imperative
|-
|-
! Present !! Past !! Present !! Past  
!Present
!Past
!Present
!Past
|-
|-
! 1s
!<small>1S</small>
| ''bijde''
|usnga
| ''beð''
|usseng
| ''bijdau''
|usngau
| ''bijdzjau''
|osngjau
|| 
|
|-
|-
! 2s
!<small>2S</small>
| ''bijdea''
| rowspan="2" |usnges
| ''best''
| rowspan="2" |ussengt
| ''bijdai''
| rowspan="2" |usngi
| ''bijdzji''
| rowspan="2" |osngi
|| ''bið!''
|usseng!
|-
|-
! 3s
!<small>3S</small>
| ''bið''
|
| ''best''
| ''bijdai''
| ''bijdzji''
||
|-
|-
! 1p
!<small>1P</small>
| ''bijdem''
|usngo
| ''bedem''
|osngu
| ''bijdaime''
|usngaimme
| ''baidme''
|osngaimme
|| ''bijdme''
|usngem
|-
|-
! 2p
!<small>2P</small>
| ''bijdats''
|usngatz
| ''beduts''
|osngutz
| ''bijdits''
|usngaitte
| ''badaits''
|osngaitte
|| ''bijdiþ''
|usnget
|-
|-
! 3p
!<small>3P</small>
| ''bijden''
|usngen
| ''beden''
|osngun
| ''bijdaine''
|usngainne
| ''bedne''
|osngainne
||  
|
|-
|-
! !! colspan="3" | Present !! colspan="3" | Past
! colspan="6" |Non-finite forms
|-
|-
! Mediopassive
! colspan="2" |Participle
| colspan="3" | bijste
! colspan="2" |Mediopassive
| colspan="3" | beste
! colspan="2" |Infinitive
|-
|-
! Participle
| colspan="2" |usngens
| colspan="3" | bijdens
osngens
| colspan="3" | bedens
| colspan="2" |usngevve
|-
osngevve/ussengvve**
! Infintive
| colspan="2" |usgnen
| colspan="6" | beden
|}
|}
* Note: A regular sound change shifts /tt/ into [st], and word-final /t/ into [ð].
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The past stem of ''usngen'' is slightly irregular.
 
<nowiki>**</nowiki>Both are in common usage.


The weak verb conjugation is slightly more varied based off the thematic vowel of the verb. The thematic vowel divides verb conjugation into four declensions. The thematic vowel is always indicated by the infinitive. They are as follows:
The weak verb conjugation is slightly more varied based off the thematic vowel of the verb. The thematic vowel divides verb conjugation into four declensions. The thematic vowel is always indicated by the infinitive. They are as follows:
Line 1,051: Line 1,299:


=== Prepositions ===
=== Prepositions ===
Mergian prepositions are typical to European languages. A preposition will have govern a certain case. Most prepositions, which are inherited from Gothic, govern the accusative or dative. Innovated prepositions govern the genitive.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of prepositions.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Prepositions governed by the dative
|-
! English
! Mergian
! Example
|-
| at, in
| að
| að resna <br/> "at home"
|-
| at, on
| an
| an gadau <br/> "on the street"
|-
| after, in front
| afar
| afar ing <br/> "after you"
|-
| out of, from
| o
| o Rume <br/> "from Rome"
|-
| with [comitative]
| miþ
| miþ vledza <br/> "with a police officer"
|-
| before, behind, following
| for
| for valdem <br/> "as per the rules"
|-
| about, around
| bi
| bi egra <br/> "around the field"
|-
| away from, due to
| fram
| languks fram ima <br/> "far from him/her"
|-
| above, over
| uvar
| uvar alma <br/> "above everything"
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Prepositions governed by the accusative
|-
! English
! Mergian
! Example
|-
| into, to
| að
| að rasn <br/> "to home"
|-
| up to, until
| for
| for statzjon <br/> "up until the station"
|-
| with [instrumental], through, by
| þerg
|}


=== Discourse particles ===
=== Discourse particles ===
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| nid
| nid
|}
|}
''nin'' and ''nid'' should follow the verb and precede the object, but ''ni'' should come before.
''nin'' and ''nid'' should follow the verb and precede the object, but ''ni'' should come before. One exception is that, transitive verbs whose object can be inferred due to common usage do not take ''nit'' when the object is missing.
Consider the examples
* ''Ig veð nit'' "I don't know" (lit. "I know not it")
* ''Ig veð nin risti hisi edde Migea'' "I do not know anyone/a person named Micah" (lit. "I know not one person who is called Micah")
* ''Ig ni rougeage'' "I do not smoke [cigarettes]" (lit. "I do not smoke")


=== Interrogatives ===
=== Interrogatives ===
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