Daùnare

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WIP


Introduction

Phonology

Vowels

The chart below shows phonemic and [allophonic] vowels present in Daùnare. For a breakdown of how these are represented orthographically, please see →Orthography.

Front Near-front Central Near-back Back
Close
Blank vowel trapezoid.svg
i, iː
u, uː
[ɪ]
[ʊ]
e, eː
o, oː
ɛ, ɛː
[ʌ]
a, aː
Near‑close
Close‑mid
Mid
Open‑mid
Near‑open
Open

Diphthongs

Final vowel
Initial vowel ↓ ɪ ʊ ʌ
ɛ ɛɪ̯ ɛʊ̯
a aɪ̯ aʊ̯
o oɪ̯ oʌ̯
u uɪ̯ uʌ̯
e eʊ̯ eʌ̯
i iʊ̯ iʌ̯

Iotified vowels

ɪ̯ɛ ɪ̯a ɪ̯o ɪ̯u

Labialised vowels

ʊ̯ɛ ʊ̯a ʊ̯e ʊ̯i

Vowel reduction

In unstressed syllables, short monophthongs:

  • /e, i/ → ɪ
  • /o, u/ → ʊ
  • /a, ɛ/ → ʌ

Consonants

As with the →Vowel chart, phones occurring only as allophones are indicated with [square brackets].

Bilabial Labio-dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n [ŋ]
Plosive p b t d k g
Fricative f [v] s [z] [ç] x [h]
Tap r
Lateral l [ɬ]
Approximant [j]

Onset clusters

Initial fricative
/p/ /t/ /k/ /m/ /n/ /r/ /l/
/f/ ⟨fn⟩ ⟨fr⟩ ⟨fl⟩
/s/ ⟨sp⟩ ⟨st⟩ ⟨sk⟩ ⟨sn⟩ ⟨sl⟩
/x/ ⟨hm⟩ ⟨hr⟩ ⟨hl⟩
Initial stop
/s/ /n/ /r/ /l/
/p/ ⟨ps⟩ ⟨pn⟩ ⟨pr⟩ ⟨pl⟩
/b/ ⟨br⟩ ⟨bl⟩
/t/ ⟨ts⟩ ⟨tr⟩
/d/ ⟨dr⟩
/k/ ⟨ks⟩ ⟨kn⟩ ⟨kr⟩ ⟨kl⟩
/g/ ⟨gn⟩ ⟨gr⟩ ⟨gl⟩
Initial s‑cluster
/r/ /l/
/sp/ ⟨spr⟩ ⟨spl⟩
/st/ ⟨str⟩
/sk/ ⟨skr⟩ ⟨skl⟩

Coda clusters

Allophony

Syllable structure

Syllabic anaptyxis

Prosody

Stress

Intonation

Orthography

Morphophonology

Morphophonology of verbs

Voice apophony

Theme vowel Grade 0
Grade 1
anti
Grade 2
mid
a a e o
ā ē ō
ū
ą ę ǫ
ă ĕ
æ o a
ǣ ō ā
o o e u
ō ē ū
ǫ ę ų
e e u a
ē ū ā
ō
ǫ
ĕ ă
ę ų ą
u u i e
ū ī ē
ĭ
ų ę
i i a u
ī ā ū
ą
ų
ĭ ă

Thematic anaptyxis

Morphophonology of nouns

Class-dependent anaptyxis

Methelcystic t and the definite clitic

Initial consonant mutations after modal particles

Derivational morphology

Derivations are achieved in Daùnare either through one of three methods:

  • Compounding – combining two lemmas to create a new lemma
  • Class derivation – forming new nouns by altering the class of an existing noun
  • Affixation – adding a bound morpheme to a lemma to create a new lemma. This latter can be further subdivided into:
    • Ciscategorical affixation, where the lexical category stays the same (e.g. deriving a new adjective from an existing adjective)
    • Transcategorical affixation, where the lexical category changes (e.g. deriving a noun from a verb)

Derivational noun class

Noun compounding

Affix derivation of nouns

Ciscategorical

Transcategorical

Affix derivation of verbs

Ciscategorical

Transcategorical

Affix derivation of adjectives (and adverbs)

Ciscategorical

Transcategorical

Inflectional morphology

Nouns

Daùnare nouns decline according to noun class (also called gender), number, and case. There are four classes, each declining for either three or two numbers as shown below (an asterisk* indicates the default/undifferentiated form).

  • Masculine (singular,* dual, plural)
  • Feminine (singular,* dual, plural)
  • Concrete (singular,* dual, plural)
  • Abstract (collective,* singulative)

However, in many ways the abstract singulative can be regarded more as a derivational than inflectional process, as it isn't universally productive (there are many collective-only abstract nouns).

Masculine, feminine, and concrete nouns decline for six cases: absolutive, ergative, dative, genitive, ablative, and vocative. Abstract nouns feature the same cases except for the vocative, i.e. a total of five. Declension suffixes are shown in the table below – for an overview of what the parenthesised letters indicate, please see the above sections on →class-dependent anaptyxis and the →methelcystic t and the definite clitic.

Declension table (most nouns)
masculine feminine concrete abstract
sg dl pl sg dl pl sg dl pl col sgv
abs ‑(t)an ‑(t)aın ‑(t)ana ‑(i)ni ‑(i)nis ‑(t)in ‑(t)en ‑(t)eın ‑(t)ene ‑(u)nu ‑(t)unu
erg ‑(t)as ‑(t)aıs ‑(t)ara ‑(t)i ‑(t)is ‑(t)ir ‑(t)es ‑(t)eıs ‑(t)ere ‑(t)u ‑(t)uru
dat ‑(t)am ‑(t)aım ‑(t)ama ‑(i)mi ‑(i)mis ‑(t)im ‑(t)em ‑(t)eım ‑(t)eme ‑(u)mu ‑(t)umu
gen ‑(t)ar ‑(t)ari ‑(t)ā ‑(i)ri ‑(i)ris ‑(t)ī ‑(t)er ‑(t)eri ‑(t)ē ‑(u)ru ‑(t)ū
abl ‑(t)al ‑(t)aıl ‑(i)li ‑(i)lis ‑(t)el ‑(t)eıl ‑(u)lu ‑(t)ul
voc ‑(t)a ‑(t)aı ‑(t)īs ‑(t)īr ‑(t)e ‑(t)eı

Some singulative abstract nouns have been reanalysed as concrete nouns (known as concretised nouns). These follow a special uncountable declension:

Concretised nouns
abs ‑(t)uın
erg ‑(t)uruıs
dat ‑(t)uım
gen ‑(t)uri
abl ‑(t)uli

Definiteness is expressed using the definite clitic, for which see above (→Morphophonology of nouns § Methelcystic t and the definite clitic).

Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Daùnare decline according to person, number, case, formality (second person only) and class (third person only). The vocative case only exists in the second person.

Personal pronouns
first person second person third person
sg dl pl sg dl pl sg/col dl pl/sgv
inc exc inc exc infor for infor for infor for masc fem conc abst masc fem conc masc fem conc abst
abs kon noın moın nin min hun huvun huın huvin hin hivin san sini ten tunu saın sinis teın sana sin tene tunur
erg ko noı moı ni mi hut huv huıt huvi hit hiv sas si tes tu saıs sis teıs sara sir tere turu
dat kom noım moım nim mim hum huvum huım huvim him hivim sam simi tem tumu saım simis teım sama sim teme tumur
gen kor nori mori nir mir hur huvur huri huvir hir hivir sar siri ter tru sari siris teri
abl kol noıl moıl nil mil hul huvul huıl huvil hil hivil sal sli tel tulu saıl slis teıl
voc hutu huvu huti huvi hiti hivi

Possessive pronouns decline the same way, except that there are no vocative possessive pronouns (in any person).

Personal pronouns
first person second person third person
sg dl pl sg dl pl sg/col dl pl/sgv
inc exc inc exc infor for infor for infor for masc fem conc abst masc fem conc masc fem conc abst
abs kron norin morin nirin mirin hrun hruvun hrutin hruvin hrin hrivin saran sirni tren trunu sarin sirnis trisen sāsan sisni tēsen tutnu
erg koros noris moris niris miris hrut hruv hurit huriv hirit hiriv saras siri tres tru saris siris tris sās sisi tēs tut
dat krom norim morim nirim mirim hrum hruvum hrutim hruvim hrim hrivim saram sirmi trem trumu sarim sirmis trisem sāsam sismi tēsem tutmu
gen krōs norīs morīs nirīs mirīs hrūt hrūv hūrit hūriv hĭrit hĭriv săr sĭri trēs trū săris sĭris trīs săs sĭsi tĕs tūt
abl krol noril moril niril miril hrul hruvul hrutil hruvil hril hrivil saral sirli trel trul saril sirlis trisel sāsal sisli tēsel tutlu

Verbs

Tense and aspect

The "default" (unmarked) aspect of the present and future tenses is the gnomic or simple aspect (by convention, the nomenclature is gnomic present but future simple). A progressive aspect can be expressed through the regular suffix ⟨‑ta⟩ affixed to the base declension of both tenses, and a perfect aspect only in the future tense through the suffixes ⟨‑bi⟩ (first person), ⟨‑si⟩ (second person) and ⟨‑ni⟩ (third person).

The past tense, by contrast, has no unmarked aspect; each past aspect (preterite or simple past, imperfect or progressive past, and habitual [past]) has its own set of person‑number inflections.

Below is an inflection table, where V represents the thematic vowel of the verb (→Morphophonology of verbs § Thematic anaptyxis). The progressive and perfect aspects for the future and present are not shown, as they are perfectly regular, with the exception that the present progressive third person singular/collective (or second person singular formal) has another theme vowel inserted between the declensional suffix and the progressive suffix to prevent the two /t/s colliding, which is the only instance of double thematic anaptyxis.

Inflection table
first person second person third person
sg dl pl sg dl pl sg/col dl pl/sgv
informal formal informal formal informal formal
present ‑Vg ‑Vm ‑Vn ‑Vs ‑Vt ‑Vsi ‑Vti ‑Vsin ‑Vri ‑Vt ‑Vti ‑Vri
preterite ‑Vbo ‑Vbim ‑Vbin ‑Vtas ‑Vsat ‑Vtis ‑Vsti ‑Vtin ‑Vsri ‑Vsat ‑Vsti ‑Vsri
imperfect ‑Vbota ‑Vbita ‑Vbitan ‑Vtasta ‑Vtasat ‑Vtista ‑Vtasti ‑Vtinta ‑Vtasri ‑Vtasat ‑Vtasti ‑Vtasri
habitual ‑Vbotag ‑Vbitam ‑Vtabin ‑Vtastas ‑Vsata ‑Vtistas ‑Vstita ‑Vtintan ‑Vtasir ‑Vsata ‑Vstita ‑Vtasir
future ‑Vgi ‑Vmi ‑Vni ‑Vsti ‑Vti ‑Vstir ‑Vtir ‑Vstin ‑Vnir ‑Vti ‑Vtir ‑Vnir

Mood

Mood in Daùnare is best analysed as being composed through three modal dimensions, comprising factual‑intentional modality (indicative, imperative, subjunctive, conditional, or optative), syntactic modality (declarative, interrogative, relative, or subordinate) and negativity (positive or negative).

The default/unmarked mood is the positive declarative indicative; other moods are expressed through modal particles, for which see below (→Particles § Modal particles)

Adjectives

Adverbs

Conjunctions

Determiners

Particles

Modal particles

Modal particles, placed at the beginning of clauses, express grammatical mood. For an overview of mood, please see (→Verbs § Mood)

Indicative Imperative Subjunctive Conditional Optative
Declarative Positive lo mu da ki
Negative ne nel nem ned nek
Interrogative Positive um mol mum maùd um ki
Negative num nemol nemum numda num ki
Relative Positive sa slo smu sta sa ki
Negative nes neslo nesmu nesta nes ki
Subordinate Positive ge glo gem ged ge ki
Negative neg neg lo negem neged ne ki

Syntax

Constituent order

Noun phrase

Verb phrase

Sentence phrase

Dependent clauses

Semantics

The verb tug

The Daùnare verb ⟨tug⟩ nominally means "to bring", but is capable of expressing a whole host of things for which English uses different verbs. It is a so‑called defective verb, meaning it has no antipassive.

Intransitive

When used intransitively in primary voice, it can be used with non‑sentient/non‑volitional arguments to mean "there is":

S V
Harnu tugut.
har‑nu tug‑u‑t
way‑abst.sg.abs bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A way is brought.
‘There is a way.’

The same meaning ("there is") can be expressed with the middle voice for sentient/volitional arguments:

S V
Distan tegut.
dis‑t‑an teg‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.abs mid\bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man brings (himself).
‘There is a man.’

Of course, this also works in conjunction with other tenses and aspects (for, e.g., "There used to be a man", "There will have been a way") – with the exception of the progressive aspect (which exists in the present and future tense).

(Mono)transitive

In (mono)transitive usage in the primary voice, the verb usually does translate as "bring":

A P V
Distas kunen tugut.
dis‑t‑as kun‑en tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg dog‑conc.sg.abs bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man brings a dog.
‘A man brings a dog.’

A peculiarity of this verb is that it is possible to use the middle voice form of the verb transitively, i.e. with an ergative argument (which middle voice verbs usually do not take) functioning as recipient:

A P V
Distas kunen tegut.
dis‑t‑as kun‑en teg‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg dog‑conc.sg.abs mid\bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
(To) a man a dog brings (itself).
‘A man gets a dog.’

Ditransitive

In ditransitive usage the verb can either be translated as "give" or "take" depending on whether the indirect object is dative or ablative:

A P I(DAT) V
Distas kunen disnimi tugut.
dis‑t‑as kun‑en dis=n=i‑mi tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg dog‑conc.sg.abs person=def=∅‑fem.sg.dat bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man brings a dog to the woman.
‘A man gives the woman a dog.’
A P I(ABL) V
Distas kunen plastel tugut.
dis‑t‑as kun‑en plas‑t‑el tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg dog‑conc.sg.abs child‑∅‑conc.sg.abl bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man brings a dog from a child.
‘A man takes a child's dog.’ / ‘A man takes a dog from a child.’

Tritransitive

Both indirect objects can be present to express the idea of giving A to B having taken it from C:

A P I(DAT) I(ABL) V
Distas kunen disnimi plastel tugut.
dis‑t‑as kun‑en dis=n=i‑mi plas‑t‑el tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg dog‑conc.sg.abs person=def=∅‑fem.sg.dat child‑∅‑conc.sg.abl bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man brings a dog to the woman from a child.
‘A man gives the woman a child's dog.’ / ‘A man gives the woman a dog taken from a child.’

Applicative

When used as a di‑ or tritransitive, the verb can be modified using the applicative prefix ⟨do‑⟩ which promotes the dative to patient (and the secondary indirect object to primary). Relatively unusually, ⟨tug⟩ does not function as an intransitive verb with the applicative. Also, unlike some verbs, the applicative prefix cannot be combined with the middle voice stem to produce a medioapplicative.

A P V
Distas disnini dotugut.
dis‑t‑as dis=n=i‑ni do‑tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg person=def=∅‑fem.sg.abs appl‑bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man "bebrings" the woman.
‘A man gives [something] to the woman.’
A P I(DAT) V
Distas disnini plastem dotugut.
dis‑t‑as dis=n=i‑ni plas‑t‑em do‑tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg person=def=∅‑fem.sg.abs child‑∅‑conc.sg.dat appl‑bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man "bebrings" the woman through the child.
‘A man gives [something] to the woman [taken] from the child.’

Diapplicative

As is the case with other tritransitive verbs, the diapplicative prefix ⟨ro‑⟩ can be used to promote the secondary indirect object to patient instead. Much like with the applicative, the diapplicative does not function intransitively (unlike in other verbs). Also, again like the applicative, the diapplicative prefix cannot be combined with the middle stem to produce a mediodiapplicative.

A P V
Distas disnini rotugut.
dis‑t‑as dis=n=i‑ni ro‑tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg person=def=∅‑fem.sg.abs diappl‑bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man "disbrings" the woman.
‘A man takes [something] from the woman.’
A P I(DAT) V
Distas disnini plastem rotugut.
dis‑t‑as dis=n=i‑ni plas‑t‑em ro‑tug‑u‑t
person‑∅‑masc.sg.erg person=def=∅‑fem.sg.abs child‑∅‑conc.sg.dat diappl‑bring‑∅‑prs.3sg
A man "disbrings" the woman through the child.
‘A man takes [something] from the woman [and gives it] to the child.’

Example texts

Other resources