Dzetcavu

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Introduction

Phonology

Consonants

Bilabial Dental Alveolar Post Alveolar Velar
Plosive voicless p /p/ t /t/ k /k/
voiced b /b/ d /d/ g /g/
Nasal m /m/ n /n/
Fricative voiceless f /f/ s /s/ c /ʃ/ x /x/
voiced v /v/ z /z/ j /ʒ/ ĝ /ɣ/
Trill r /r/
Lateral Approximant l /l/
Affricate voiceless ps /ps/
pc /pʃ/
pf /pf/
ts /ts/
tc /tʃ/
ks /ks/
kc /kʃ/
voiced bz /bz/
bj /bʒ/
bv /bv/
dz /dz/
dj /dʒ/
gz /gz/
gj /gʒ/

Vowels

Front Back Diphthongs
Close i /i/ u /u/ ui /ui/
Near-Close ī /ɪ/
Close-Mid e /e/ o /o/ ei /ei/
Open a /a/ ai /ai/

Orthography

Romanized Alphabet

Dzetcavu Alphabetical Order
p b t d k g m n r f v s z c j x ğ l i u ī e o a

Syntax

Word Order

  • VOS/VPA
  • Modifier second

Morphology

Morphosyntactic Alignment

  • Ergative-Absolutive

Verbs

Tense

Tenses, other than the present, in Dzetcavu are indicated by tense particles proceeding the verb. There are five tense particles: past, near past, future, near future, and the infinite.

Past

Near Past

Future

Near Future

Infinite

The Infinite Particle

The infinite "tense" particle is not so much a tense marker as a lack-of-tense marker. The infinite tense is used most often when stating facts or making promises and oaths. Any other situation where tense is not a factor, the infinite tense is used. It can also be used to make emphasize a declaration of some sort such as a declaration of faith, love, or guilt.

Imperative Mood

-ij Verbs

Simple Progressive Perfect
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
1st Person -i -iac
2nd Person -iz -ita
3rd Person -ize -izev

-uj Verbs

Simple Progressive Perfect
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
1st Person -u -uīc
2nd Person -uz -utī
3rd Person -uzī -uzīv

-īj Verbs

Simple Progressive Perfect
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
1st Person -īc
2nd Person -īz -īt
3rd Person -īze -īv

-ej Verbs

Simple Progressive Perfect
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
1st Person -e -ec
2nd Person -ez -eta
3rd Person -eze -ezev

Nouns

Sample Texts