Qino

Qino (native: Qino afka /ɠíno afka/) is a Lowland East Cushitic conlang.

Introduction

Qino is a Lowland East Cushitic language with implosives. The phonology is largely inspired by Hadda. The syntax and verbal morphology are most similar to Saho-Afar.

Morphology

Case

Nouns and pronouns are declined by case.

• Absolutive: Citation form, used for the direct object of a verb, the object of prepositions and most postpositions, and predicative nouns. Personal pronouns have a distinct accusative form that is used for direct objects.
• Nominative: Used for the subject of a verb. Formed as follows:
  • Absolutive ending in consonant, -a, or -o: -ú - e.g. nama "person" → namú
  • Absolutive ending in -e or -i: -í - e.g. shimmírti "bird (sing.)" → shimmirtí
  • Absolutive ending in a long vowel: -n
• Genitive: Used for possession ("of") and the object of some postpositions.
  • Absolutive ending in consonant or -a: –́ i - e.g. nama → námi
  • Absolutive ending in other vowel: penultimate high tone - e.g. qino → qíno
• Dative: Used for recipient, benefactor, purpose ("to" or "for").
  • Absolutive ending in consonant or -a: -oó - e.g. nama → namoó
  • Absolutive ending in other short vowel: lengthen final vowel + final high tone - e.g. shimmírti → shimmirtií
  • Absolutive ending in long vowel: -wo
  • Independent form: oó
• Ablative: Used for source ("from").
  • Absolutive ending in consonant: -áh
  • Absolutive ending in vowel: –́ h
  • Independent form: áh
• Instrumental: Used for instrument, means, agent, cause, time.
  • Absolutive ending in consonant: -ás
  • Absolutive ending in vowel: –́ s
  • Independent form: ás
• Comitative: Used for accompaniment ("in company with").
  • Absolutive ending in consonant: -ál
  • Absolutive ending in vowel: –́ l
  • Independent form: ál
• Locative: Used for location. For more specific location, postpositions are used.
  • Absolutive ending in consonant: -ád
  • Absolutive ending in vowel: –́ d
  • Independent form: ád

Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

Qino independent personal pronouns

	Absolutive	Nominative	Accusative	Genitive	Dative	Ablative	Instrumental	Comitative	Locative
1S	ana	anú	kiisha	kiíshi	kiishoo	kiishah	kiishas	kiishal	kiishad
2SM	ata	atú	kaaha	kaáhi	kaahoo	kaahah	kaahas	kaahal	kaahad
2SF	ati	atí	taati	taáti	taatii	taatiih	taatis	taatil	taatid
3SM	usa	usú	keesha	keéshi	keeshoo	keeshah	keeshas	keeshal	keeshad
3SF	ishi	ishí	teeti	teéti	teetii	teetih	teetis	teetil	teetid
1Ex	una	unú	keena	keéni	keennoo	keenah	keenas	keenal	keenad
1Inc	anáni	ananí	kiina	kiíni	kiinoo	kiinah	kiinas	kiinal	kiinad
2P	atáni	ataní	siina	siíni	siinoo	siinah	siinas	siinal	siinad
3P	isáni	isaní	koota	koóti	kootii	kootih	kootis	kootil	kootid

Qino clitic personal pronouns

	Subject	Accusative 1	Accusative 2	Dative	Ablative	Instrumental	Comitative	Locative
1S	an	yi	kii	yoo	yah	yas	yal	yad
2SM	at	ku	kaa	kuu	kuh	kus	kul	kud
2SF	at	tu	taa	tuu	tuh	tus	tul	tud
3SM	us	ka	keesh	koo	kah	kas	kal	kad
3SF	ish	ta	teet	too	tah	tas	tal	tad
1Ex	un	na	keen	noo	nah	nas	nal	nad
1Inc	anan	yin	kiin	yinoo	yinah	yinas	yinal	yinad
2P	atan	sin	siin	sinoo	sinah	sinas	sinal	sinad
3P	isan	tin	koot	tinoo	tinah	tinas	tinal	tinad
REF	–	is	–	isoo	isah	isas	isal	isad
REC	–	ol	–	oloo	olah	olas	olal	olad

Notes:

• When there is one accusative object pronoun, either the "accusative 1" or "accusative 2" forms can be used. When there are multiple clitic objects, the final one takes the "accusative 2" form and the rest the "accusative 1" form.
• Third person clitic pronouns are often omitted. When the this occurs in oblique cases, the corresponding free postposition forms are used (oo, ak, as, al, and ad respectively).

Syntax

Constituent order

SOV

Noun phrase

• Modifiers come before the noun being modified.
• Case endings and postpositions come at the end of a noun phrase, which often ends in a noun but may not. If it does not end in a noun, independent forms are used.