Qwbmwdqwg

Qwbmwdqwg /ʔə˥mə˨˩˨ʔə˧˩̤/ is a tritonal root language spoken in Verse:Angai.

Phonology

• vowels: ⟨w oo⟩ /ə ã/
• consonants: ⟨q m k⟩ /ʔ m k~h/
• tones: ⟨-b -0 -x -s -t -j -v -g -d -z -l⟩ /˥ ˧ ˩˧ ˩ ˨˩ˀ ˥˧ ˨˦ ˧˩̤ ˨˩˨ ˧˦˧ ˧˩/

The -0 tone only occurs in function words and affixes.

Morphology

Most Qwbmwdqwg roots are tritonal. Some roots in the qwT₁mwT₂kwT₃ verb stem:

• qwlmwbkwj = to preside
• qwbmwdkwg = to speak
• qwxmwbkwb = to hear
• qwjmwgkwd = to see
• qwbmwxkws = to eat
• qwzmwxkwv = to drink

Some roots are bitonal:

• qwxkwj 'to stand'
• qwskws 'to go, to walk'
• qwbkwx 'to fly'

Nouns

The plural marker is -qoob: mwbkwx 'bird', mwbkwxqoob 'birds'.

Patterns

(b-j-v 'to do' is used as the placeholder root)

Verbs

Infinitive: qwlmwlkwd 'to sleep'

Person	Non-past	Past/Stative
1sg	qoolmwlqwd	qwlkwlqoodqoox
2sg	koolmwlqwd	qwlkwlqoodkwt
3sg	moolmwlqwd	qwlkwlqood
1pl	qoolmwlqood	qwlkwlqoodqoov
2pl	koolmwlqood	qwlkwlqoodkoov
3pl	moolmwlqood	qwlkwlqoodmooj
Participle	moolqwlqwd
Verbal noun	qwlmwlkwd

Patterns

(b-j-v 'to do' is used as the placeholder root)

Syntax

Word order

Stolen from Lushootseed: predicate-first clauses and determiner-based noun phrases

Noun phrases

Noun phrases acting as constituents need the determiner qw:

Compare:

Qwdkwlqwb qw qwbmwdqwg.

Qwbmwdqwg is easy.

Qwbmwdqwg kwt. Qoo Kwskwskwskws kwt.

This is Qwbmwdqwg. And this is Quququqquq.

Emphasis

The emphatic pronoun is koo in all persons and numbers. It serves the same role as Irish emphatic forms.

• qwsmws 'I go'
• qwsmws koo / koo qwsmws 'I go'