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Chlouvānem/Syntax: Difference between revisions
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==Explicit and unmarked topic== | ==Explicit and unmarked topic== | ||
Explicit topic is typically used for marking an element that has a semantic but not syntactic role in the sentence. Among sentences that make use of explicit topics rank some of the most basic ones: | Explicit topic is typically used for marking an element that has a semantic but not syntactic role in the sentence. Among sentences that make use of explicit topics rank some of the most basic ones: | ||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = lili mæn māmimojende liven. | |||
| gloss = <small>1SG.DIR</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. 19<sub>12</sub>-<small>ORD.DIR</small>. go.<small>UNIDIR.PRES.IND.3SG.PATIENT.EXTERIOR</small>. | |||
| translation = I am in my 19<sub>12</sub>th year of age. <small>''(i.e. I am 20<sub>10</sub>.)''<ref>Chlouvānem age reckoning counts the number of the ongoing year, not how many years have passed - thus a newborn is in its first year, and a 20-years-old is in its twenty-first year.</ref></small> | |||
}} | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = lili mæn ñæltāt jali. | |||
| gloss = <small>1SG.DIR</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. sister-<small>DIR.DU</small>. be.<small>IND.PRES.3DU.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. | |||
| translation = I have two sisters. | |||
}} | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = lili mæn līve šulka dvārma jali. | |||
| gloss = <small>1SG.DIR</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. apartment-<small>LOC.SG</small>. five.<small>DIR</small>. room.<small>DIR.SG</small>. be.<small>IND.PRES.3PL.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. | |||
| translation = In my apartment there are five rooms. | |||
}} | |||
Topics are very commonly used to mark a broad context, acting as a sort of "heading" for a sequence of otherwise seemingly unrelated sentences: | Topics are very commonly used to mark a broad context, acting as a sort of "heading" for a sequence of otherwise seemingly unrelated sentences: | ||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = nāmñē mæn švai chlǣvānumi maichleyuñci, jaryāmaile lilah, soramiya mušigērisilīm tora, ñikumi viṣam haloe līlas vi no. nenēhu līlasuṃghāṇa ga camimarti haloe gṇyāvire. | |||
| gloss = nāmñē.<small>DIR.SG</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. animal-<small>DIR.PL.</small> Chlouvānem-<small>GEN.PL</small>. south-<small>GEN.SG.</small>. – seawater-<small>LOC.SG</small>. live-<small>IND.PRES.3PL.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. – sometimes. tidal.lake-<small>LOC.PL</small>. also. – cub-<small>GEN.PL</small>. other.<small>DIR</small>. name.<small>DIR.SG.</small>. līlas.<small>DIR.SG</small>. be.<small>IND.PRES.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. and. — this-<small>ABL</small>. Līlasuṃghāṇa.<small>DIR</small>. <small>ADP</small>. capital.city-<small>GEN.SG</small>. name.<small>DIR.SG</small>. give.birth-<small>IND.PRES.3SG.INTERIOR.COMMON</small>. | |||
| translation = Nāmñai<ref>A kind of tropical seal, iconic and sacred in Chlouvānem culture.</ref> are animals of the Southern Inquisition that live in seawater and sometimes can also be found in tidal lakes; another name for their cubs is "līlas". This is the source of the name of the Chlouvānem capital Līlasuṃghāṇa. | |||
}} | |||
Sequences of two different explicit topics are commonly used in order to express a (highly context-dependent) contrast: | Sequences of two different explicit topics are commonly used in order to express a (highly context-dependent) contrast: | ||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = snūṣṭras mæn tadadrā lili mæn yąlē. | |||
| gloss = husband.<small>DIR.SG</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. cook.<small>IND.PERF.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. <small>1SG.DIR</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. eat-<small>IND.PRES.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. | |||
Note that in such a sentence whose husband it is is not known - context likely tells us it's the speaker's husband who does, but given the appropriate context it could also be the listener's one.<br/>Compare with the following three sentences, which all have the exact same meaning, but would be used in different contexts: | | translation = The husband has cooked, but I eat. ''[it's only me who eats <small>OR</small> the meal wasn't meant for me]'' | ||
}} | |||
Note that in such a sentence whose husband it is is not known - context likely tells us it's the speaker's husband who does, but given the appropriate context it could also be the listener's one.<br/>Compare with the following three sentences, which all have the exact same meaning, but would be used in different contexts: | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = snūṣṭras mæn tadadrā lili yąlute (no). | |||
| gloss = husband.<small>DIR.SG</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. cook.<small>IND.PERF.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. <small>1SG.DIR</small>. eat-<small>IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. (and.) | |||
| translation = The husband has cooked, so I eat. | |||
}} | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = lili mæn snūṣṭrei tadadrā sama yąlute. | |||
| gloss = <small>1SG.DIR</small>. <small>TOPIC</small>. husband-<small>ERG.SG</small>. cook.<small>IND.PERF.3SG.EXTERIOR.PATIENT</small>. and. eat-<small>IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | |||
| translation = As for me, my husband has cooked, so I eat. | |||
}} | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = lili nali snūṣṭrei takædadrām yąlute. | |||
| gloss = <small>1SG.DIR</small>. for. husband-<small>ERG.SG</small>. cook.<small>IND.PERF.1SG.EXTERIOR-BENEF</small>. eat-<small>IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | |||
| translation = The husband has cooked for me, so I eat. <small>''(or: I have been cooked for by the husband and eat.)''</small> | |||
}} | |||
The lack of contrasting explicit topics implies a consequential, natural action, as if expected. Again, whose husband it is is not specified, but in the second sentence the first-person explicit topic clearly states that the husband mentioned in the comment is the topic's, therefore "my husband" is the correct translation. | The lack of contrasting explicit topics implies a consequential, natural action, as if expected. Again, whose husband it is is not specified, but in the second sentence the first-person explicit topic clearly states that the husband mentioned in the comment is the topic's, therefore "my husband" is the correct translation. | ||
In answers, the choice between an explicit and an unmarked topic is usually dictated by the question's form. If the topic explicitely answers the question marker (e.g. "who?" → "me"), then the topic is unmarked; otherwise an explicit topic is used: | In answers, the choice between an explicit and an unmarked topic is usually dictated by the question's form. If the topic explicitely answers the question marker (e.g. "who?" → "me"), then the topic is unmarked; otherwise an explicit topic is used: | ||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = (A:) yavita lunāyu tatedarē? – (B:) lili lunāyu tatedaru. | |||
| gloss = who.<small>DIR</small>. tea-<small>ACC.SG</small>. prepare-<small>IND.PRES.3SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. || <small>1SG.DIR</small>. tea-<small>ACC.SG</small>. prepare-<small>IND.PRES.1SG.EXTERIOR-AGENT</small>. | |||
| translation = Who is preparing tea? – I [no one but me] is preparing tea. | |||
}} | |||
{{Gloss | |||
| phrase = (A:) yananū ejulā darire? – (B:) lili mæn lunai tadarē. | |||
| gloss = what.<small>DIR</small>. here. do-<small>IND.PRES.3SG.INTERIOR.COMMON</small>. | |||
| translation = What's going on here? – I am preparing tea. | |||
}} | |||
==Verb phrase== | ==Verb phrase== | ||