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Luthic: Difference between revisions
→Numerals
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* millionth millioneþo; | * millionth millioneþo; | ||
* billionth milliardeþo. | * billionth milliardeþo. | ||
===Syntax=== | |||
The fundamental principle of clause structure is the Verb-Second (V2) word order. This rule dictates that in any declarative main clause, the finite (conjugated) verb must always appear in the second position. The first position is occupied by the sentence’s topic, which can be the subject or another element (such as an adverb or object) moved to the front for emphasis. When a non-subject element occupies the first position, the subject must be inverted and placed after the verb. | |||
dregco þata vato. | |||
dregc-o þata vat-o | |||
drink-1SG the water | |||
“I drink the water.” | |||
þata vato dregco. | |||
þata vat-o dregc-o | |||
the water drink-1SG | |||
“The water is what I drink.” | |||
bii liuvalicu. | |||
bi-i liuv-a-lic-u | |||
be-2SG adorable | |||
“You are adorable.” | |||
liuvalicu bii | |||
liuv-a-lic-u bi-i | |||
adorable be-2SG | |||
“Adorable is what you are.” | |||
In contrast, subordinate clauses (introduced by conjunctions like í, ei, si, or þande) follow a strict Verb-Final (VF) word order, where the finite verb is placed at the very end of the clause. | |||
galuovo í, betese sarebbe si eta | |||
ga=luov-o í betes-e sar-ebb-e si eta | |||
think-1SG that better be-COND.3SG if it | |||
crai togissimu. | |||
crai tog-iss-imu | |||
tomorrow do-SUBJ.IMPF.1PL | |||
“I think that it would be better if we did it tomorrow.” | |||
Yes/no questions and direct commands use a Verb-First (V1) word order. Questions with an interrogative pronoun (e.g., vata) maintain the V2 structure, with the interrogative pronoun in the first position. | |||
gai þú snele? | |||
ga-i þú snel-e | |||
walk-2SG you fast | |||
“Do you walk fast?” | |||
togi þú svasvi qeþo! | |||
tog-i þú svasvi qeþ-o | |||
do-IMP.2SG you as say-1SG | |||
“Do as I say!” | |||
vata togi þú? | |||
vata tog-i þú | |||
what do-2SG you | |||
“What are you doing?” | |||
Non-finite verb forms (infinitives, participles) and separable verb particles are placed at the end of the main clause. | |||
Sa mina fregionda è aþþa festa anaqemando. | |||
s-a min-a fregi-ond-a è aþ=þa festa ana=qem-and-o | |||
the my friend is to=the party on=come-GER | |||
“My friend is arriving (oncoming) at the party.” | |||
sa mina fregionda qemò aþþa festa ana. | |||
s-a min-a fregi-ond-a qem-ò aþ=þa fest-a ana | |||
the my friend came to=the party on | |||
“My friend arrived (came on) at the party.” | |||
As a rule, the subject pronoun is omitted unless it is expressed for emphasis, clusivity or clarity. Double emphasis can be used. | |||
snele bii þú. | |||
snel-e bi-i þú | |||
fast be-2SG you | |||
“Fast is what you really are.” | |||
====Case usage==== | |||
The primary function of the accusative case is to mark the direct object of a transitive verb, indicating the patient or receiver of the action. In addition to this role, the accusative is used in a variety of adverbial contexts, often without a governing preposition. These functions include expressing: | |||
* Extent of space: qervò þri chilometri. “He walked three kilometres” | |||
* Duration of time: non bidò ieno dago. “He didn’t wait for one day” | |||
* Place when: þana staþe. “In/on this place” | |||
:* Sometimes prepositional: neþþana staþe. “id.” | |||
* Time when: gieno ventru. “In/at/during that winter” | |||
* Within which: licchie ore schia svoltare. “Within a few hours he shall die” | |||
A preposition is typically required for these temporal and locative uses only when the accusative form of the noun is identical to its nominative form (i.e., with feminine, neuter, and all plural nouns) in order to avoid ambiguity. | |||
The main function of the dative case is to mark the indirect object of a verb, typically indicating the recipient, beneficiary, or the entity affected by the action. Beyond this core role, the dative has a wide range of adverbial and instrumental functions. It is used to express: | |||
* Purpose: manne non obbia, òc goþa toginda. “Humans are not made for evil, but for good” | |||
* Action for: þu schio elpare þi fregionde þine. “I must help your friends for you” | |||
* Purpose for action for: qeno nasini bio. “I am the (cause of) salvation for women” | |||
* Action against: þamma þina fregiatada schio duoþare þuc. “Against/in opposition to your freedom I shall kill you” | |||
* Purpose for action against: manne duoþa bio. “I am the (cause of) death for men” (affects negatively) | |||
* Concerning: vata þú me schia togire? “What will you do for me (expressing the speaker being especially interested in what the other is doing for him or her)?” | |||
* Instrument: screvo penna. “I write with a pen” | |||
* Means: sevo uogona. “I see with the eyes” | |||
* Impersonal agent: gaduoþaþa coltella velvi. “He was killed by the knife of the robber” | |||
* Manner: fregio þuc manage fregiaþþe. “I love you with many affection” | |||
:* Prepositional if with no adjective: fregio þuc meþ fregiaþþe. “I love you with affection” | |||
* Accompaniment: schio qemare fregionda. “I shall come with friends” | |||
* Sometimes prepositional: schio qemare meþ fregionda. “id.” | |||
* Degree of difference: alþeso iena giera. “He is older by a few years” | |||
* Quality: ienu vieru summa onestada. “A man of highest honesty” | |||
* Separation: schio copire þan’ovelo þu. “I shall keep the evil away from you” | |||
* Motion away (prepositional): giupa Ravenna du America furondo. “They went from Ravenna to America” | |||
*- Comparison (adjectival): qeno scuonesa. “More beautiful than women” | |||
* Cause: greto ira gio agi. “I cry with anger and fear” (marks the reason) | |||
The dative also serves a special grammatical function as the impersonal agent in passive constructions, where it marks an inanimate tool or force. | |||
The genitive case primarily expresses possession. However, its functions extend to several other important relational and descriptive roles: | |||
* Material: sa celecna stieni. “The tower made of stone” | |||
* Author/creator or personal agent: sa celecna togiþa andevi mino. “This tower was built by my hands” | |||
* Behaviour: molle vati. “Soft like water” | |||
:* Often displaced by the relative adverb: molle svasvi vato. “Soft like water” | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||