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Dama Diwan: Difference between revisions
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It can take a week to learn all the '''Dama Diwan''' vocabulary, (I tried, it took me 5 days) but once you know it, you have a treasure: the International Auxiliary Language, minimal but all efficient, artistic and perfectly logical, flexible syntax and permanent vocabulary yet with unlimited possibilities for creating new terms. It is not based on any human language. All the vocabulary comes from the sky, hence the name Dama (or tama) "by the sky" and it is for the earth, hence it is Dewan / Diwan (or tiwan) "of the earth". | It can take a week to learn all the '''Dama Diwan''' vocabulary, (I tried, it took me 5 days) but once you know it, you have a treasure: the International Auxiliary Language, minimal but all efficient, artistic and perfectly logical, flexible syntax and permanent vocabulary yet with unlimited possibilities for creating new terms. It is not based on any human language, but it exists within all human languages and it can imitate the ways of all languages. All the vocabulary (including grammar) comes from the sky, hence the name Dama (or tama) "by the sky" and it is for the whole earth, hence it is Dewan / Diwan (or tiwan) "of the earth". | ||
It allows wonderful freedom of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_(linguistics) word order] within the frame of the head-final syntax. | It allows wonderful freedom of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_(linguistics) word order] within the frame of the head-final syntax. | ||
A language not suitable for telling any lies, but ideal for telling any truth. | |||
== Grammar / kiwan nijo == | == Grammar / kiwan nijo == | ||
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===MODIFIERS TO NOUNS / ruro nuna juno=== | ===MODIFIERS TO NOUNS / ruro nuna juno=== | ||
So for example JASO is a tooth / teeth; JASA is the adverb "teeth-way", with (the) teeth, teeth-like, by means of teeth; and JASE is the verb: to use the teeth, bite or chew. All these can be used as predicates (after the subject) or as adjectives / modifiers (before the modified word); | So for example JASO is a tooth / teeth; JASA is the adverb "teeth-way", with (the) teeth, teeth-like, by means of teeth; and JASE is the verb: to use the teeth, bite or chew. All these can be used as predicates (after the subject) or as adjectives / modifiers (before the modified word); | ||
suppose the modified word is a noun such as BASO (fish); then JASO BASO = "the teeth-fish" (implying an important role of teeth, so it is a shark, if the context agrees). | suppose the modified word is a noun such as BASO (fish); then JASO BASO = "the teeth-fish" (implying an important role of teeth, so it is a shark, if the context agrees). However, note that with a zero-copula if we put two nouns next to each other, the first is naturally a subject and the second is its predicate: this is the original construction. Now, if subject=describing and predicate=categorizing, then object-predicate means adjective-noun, so such an adjective has a connotation of subject (A=B); for example, a "tail" is called "JAMO WOSO" ("back cord"): JAMO (the rear thing) is an adjective to the noun WOSO (cord, rope, etc.), but at the same time there is the relation A=B: the back (thing) is a cord. So, even when saying JASO BASO "teeth fish" this is to give an impression that the fish is all teeth. If we must make clear that there is not an A=B relationship, then we use the suffix -AN, broadly analogous to English "of": JAMAN WOSO =the cord (or rope, thread) ''of'' the back part; or, the word SE forms a possessive function: JAMO SE WOSO "the cord that the back part ''has''"; A SE JANO= your pig, clearly different from A JANO =you (are a) pig. However, we can still say e.g. A RUSO "your eye(s)" because the pragmatic context makes it obvious that we do not say exactly that "you are an eye". | ||
In JASA BASO the modifier is an adverb; an adverb modifying a noun works much like a derivative adjective, in this case "teethy", "teeth-like", or "teeth- | In JASA BASO the modifier is an adverb; an adverb modifying a noun works much like a '''derivative''' adjective, in this case "teethy", "teeth-like", or "teeth-kind", such a kind of fish. A practical way to understand the meaning of an adverb is to use the word -"way" or the English suffixes -"wise", -"ly", -"like" or "with"-. | ||
Very often in Dama the modifier of a noun is a verb, then it is equal to an active verb participle: JASE BASO =the biting fish =the fish that bites. | Very often in Dama the modifier of a noun is a verb, then it is equal to an active verb participle: JASE BASO =the biting fish =the fish that bites. | ||
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The suffix -a is used when the adverb is used as a POSTposition, or more generally to show that the adverb is connected primarily with the PREVIOUS words before the meaning is joined to the following. | The suffix -a is used when the adverb is used as a POSTposition, or more generally to show that the adverb is connected primarily with the PREVIOUS words before the meaning is joined to the following. | ||
UNTIL 2016 MARCH 03, the suffix -an was used | UNTIL 2016 MARCH 03, the suffix -an was used to mark that the adverb is used as a PREposition or conjunction, or more generally to show that the adverb connects primarily to the FOLLOWING word and not to the previous. | ||
AFTER 2016 MARCH 04, it has been decided to abolish the use of PREpositions except IN and use only POSTpositions, which, anyway, have always been preferred in Dama. So now the suffix -AN forms the genitive of nouns, and this solves the main problem of Dama, which was that the same form with the suffix -O could be used both for nominative and | AFTER 2016 MARCH 04, it has been decided to abolish the use of PREpositions (except IN, UN, AN) and use only POSTpositions, which, anyway, have always been preferred in Dama. So now the suffix -AN forms the genitive of nouns, and this solves the main problem of Dama, which was that the same form with the suffix -O could be used both for nominative and as an adjective, with optional means to distinguish between them. | ||
The "genitive" with the ending -AN broadly means relation, usually translated by Engligh "of", including "in relation to", "about", so e.g. "MAWA KIWE" = "they talk in a manly way", while "MAWAN KIWE" = "they talk of men, about men". Of course, MUTAN MUSO = "women's clothes", MAWAN JATO = "a man's bag"; BUBO TAN NUMA SAKE = "considering s/he is a new/young person, s/he knows quite well", "knows well for a novice / young person". | The "genitive" with the ending -AN broadly means relation, usually translated by Engligh "of", including "in relation to", "about", so e.g. "MAWA KIWE" = "they talk in a manly way", while "MAWAN KIWE" = "they talk of men, about men". Of course, MUTAN MUSO = "women's clothes", MAWAN JATO = "a man's bag"; BUBO TAN NUMA SAKE = "considering s/he is a new/young person, s/he knows quite well", "knows well for a novice / young person". | ||
Although there are formally no prepositions in Dama, if we consider a phrase like: "BASO AN MARA KAN JASE" ("the fish is getting near of-intention biting"), "of-intention biting" cannot mean but "with an intention to bite"; such is the function of all adverbs that can be used as postpositions, especially RASA (from), MA (to), KA (in order to; must); so it is quite logical and in correct grammar to use them as prepositions in the form RASAN, MAN, KAN, although this usage is discouraged, yet it is another proof that Dama can imitate the usages of all languages. | |||
'''In general it is advisable to use the -n as sparingly as possible'''. | '''In general it is advisable to use the -n as sparingly as possible'''. | ||
And yet a prepositional syntax can also be imitated with the help of the indeclinable preposition IN: the most normal way is to say, e.g. SURA SURA TARO IN RABO KUTA or SURA SURA TARO RABAN KUTA = "the monkey is up the tree", or with a comma used: SURA SURA TARO, RABO KUTA, but we can also say the same as SURA SURA TARO, KUTA IN RABO. | |||
IN is really used as a separator: IN RABO means "on/at the tree" and the adverb KUTA "up" makes the position more specific. RABO KUTA meaning already "on the tree", IN is superfluous unless for separating SURA SURA TARO from RABO KUTA; a comma too can act in the role of separating words grouped together on either side of it. The JUNAN WOMO SIJO (see next) are also used as such separators. | |||
=== Other parts of speech / junan womo sijo === | === Other parts of speech / junan womo sijo === | ||
These are: the 3 pronouns ( | These are: the 3 pronouns (NARO JUNO): A (you, second person), I (third person), O (I, first person); and | ||
:the 3 logical particles ( | :the 3 logical particles (SIME JUNO / SIME KUMO), used mostly like prepositions but they are a kind of indeclinable verbs so they can be placed in the end of clause in a verbal sense: AN (become), IN (is there, is somewhere), UN (is not, does not). | ||
==== Informal Dama Diwan / jiro nijo wuwa Dama Diwan ==== | ==== Informal Dama Diwan / jiro nijo wuwa Dama Diwan ==== | ||
jiro nijo wuwa Dama Diwan kiwo jan sen wa wiko mujo: 1."jume", 2."i kiban", 3."kaso", 4."nanon". | jiro nijo wuwa Dama Diwan kiwo jan sen wa wiko mujo: 1."jume", 2."i kiban", 3."kaso", 4."nanon". | ||
:Informal Dama Diwan can express four "degrees" ( | :Informal Dama Diwan can express four "degrees" (MUJO) which bear the native names : 1."JUME", 2."I KIBAN", 3."KASO", 4."NANON". | ||
:This is done by expressive usage of vowels, as follows: | :This is done by expressive usage of vowels, as follows: | ||
*1." | *1."JUME" (intensification), means that informal Dama can lengthen (double, triple, or even more) the first or only vowel of a word in order to express largeness, e.g. BAAKO =a big body (BAKO), TAAAMO =the huge sky, MUUKO =a big volume, WIIIWO =huge water (ocean), and so on. | ||
*2." | *2."I KIBAN", which, in theory, means that only the lengthened suffix (of disyllabic words only) is emphasized according to the lengthening of its vowel; in practice, this is asserting the grammatical function of the word on the cost of its stem; so e.g. if we say RABOO, this means we assert it is a noun, an extant thing, because the extant thing in this case is very small and tends to be neglected, so RABOO means a small tree (RABO), and likewise TAROO= a small animal (TARO), JUTOOO is a tiny piece of skin (JUTO). It works the same way with verbs and adverbs; so, if we say "JAJEE" it means that (s/he) gave money indeed, but it was so little money (JAJ-). An example with an adverb is SUNAAA "in the past", which is very very near past. So this function lessens, makes light, or even makes fun, of the stem meaning. | ||
:Formal Dama uses no augmentative / diminutive devices unless adjectives as | Note: in monosyllabic words, lengthening the only vowel makes them augmentative (JUME). Augmented SANO (small), i.e. SAAANO, means very very small. "I KIBAN" MIWO (big), i.e. MIWOO lessens the greatness, so MIWOO =somewhat big. | ||
:Formal Dama uses no augmentative / diminutive devices unless adjectives as MIWO (big) and SANO (small). | |||
*3." | *3."KASO", is the "vrddhi" function which is formed as "vrddhi" in Sanskrit; that is, an "A" is added immediately after the first consonant (before the stem vowel) of a disyllabic word, so e.g. "NIWO" becomes "NAIWO" and "WAJO" becomes "WA'AJO". | ||
Note that if an " | Note that if an "A" is marked with another "A" in vrddhi function, there must be a separatiting mark (') after the first "a" (WA'ARO, NA'AMO etc.), which is shown in pronunciation by a glottal stop or an "h" or a similar "light" laryngeal sound. | ||
The usefulness of the vrddhi (a+vowel) word is primarily to express a color, e.g. | The usefulness of the vrddhi (a+vowel) word is primarily to express a color, e.g. TINO =a (blue) gem, TAINO =blue; (some other common colors are WAUKO =yellow, i.e. of citrus fruit, TAIKO =green [of plants], RA'AKO =green [of leek etc.], SAITO =red [of blood], MAIMO [of fire] or saujo [of the sun] =golden color, JAUSO [of the moon] =silvery white). JAIWO [of egg] is white, but WAURO [of milk] is expressly more white, and the perfect white is WA'AJO [of light]. | ||
If the original word cannot be used for its color, the vrddhi is used for its similarity, e.g. | If the original word cannot be used for its color, the vrddhi is used for its similarity, e.g. BUSO =a dog, BAUSO =an animal similar to a dog, e.g. the Tasmanian tiger; or for outer appearance, as in NURO =normal, NAURO =something that seems to be normal, ordinary. | ||
:Formal Dama does not use the vrddhi (augmented vowel) function; instead, it uses " | :Formal Dama does not use the vrddhi (augmented vowel) function; instead, it uses "BUW(O)" for color, "RAN-" for similarity, and "KAWA" for outer appearance. | ||
*4." | *4."NANON". This can apply only to the disyllabic words with I/E or U/O in their stem; then the stem vowel (other than "A") can take an "A" after it, thus the stem vowel becomes a semivowel (J / W, not different from I/E and U/O respectively, only that the stem vowel must be weaker or not stronger than the added "A"); thus, NIMO → NJAMO / NIAMO, KIWO → KJAWO / KIAWO, TUBE → TWABE / TUABE, NUWE → NWAWE / NUAWE, etc. | ||
This expresses the negative or opposite of the stem; e.g. | This expresses the negative or opposite of the stem; e.g. NIMO =meat, NIAMO =meatless, KIWO =word, KIAWO =without words, TUBE =give, TWABE =not give, refuse, NUWE =to make unclear, NUAWE =to clarify. | ||
:Formal Dama uses instead the negative particle " | :Formal Dama uses instead the negative particle "UN" and the stem BIM- "to undo, reverse". | ||
: | : | ||
:So, informal Dama can form long vowels and diphthongs which are absent in formal Dama; moreover informal Dama is known for its possibility to omit a weak | :So, informal Dama can form long vowels and diphthongs which are absent in formal Dama; moreover informal Dama is known for its possibility to omit a weak O/U, except in case of a possible confusion when a final O/U is preceded by a nasal (N/M). | ||
: | : | ||
Informal Dama may only be used in spoken language when one has to be very quick in expressing something. In written texts, informal Dama may appear in order to render accurately some informally spoken phrases, or in poetry for metric reasons. | Informal Dama may only be used in spoken language when one has to be very quick in expressing something. In written texts, informal Dama may appear in order to render accurately some informally spoken phrases, or in poetry for metric reasons. | ||
==== Highly formal Dama Diwan / miba jeto Dama Diwan ==== | ==== Highly formal Dama Diwan / miba jeto Dama Diwan ==== | ||
Highly formal Dama Diwan can use a W (or unstressed | Highly formal Dama Diwan can use a W (or unstressed O/U) before the I of a stem and a J (or unstressed E/I) before the U of a stem in order to express the abstract aspect of a word. | ||
:Every Dama noun (and consequently every adverb and verb) can refer to a concrete thing (NO) or an abstract concept (WANO). E.g., BAMO can be “food” or “eating”; NUKO can be “road” or “trip”; SAMO can be a seat or “sitting”. | :Every Dama noun (and consequently every adverb and verb) can refer to a concrete thing (NO) or an abstract concept (WANO). E.g., BAMO can be “food” or “eating”; NUKO can be “road” or “trip”; SAMO can be a seat or “sitting”. | ||
:This distinction is usually not to be marked at all, as it is understood by the context or it makes no difference; e.g. if i say “A RUKO?” it can be taken as “you tired?” or “your fatigue?”, both ways meaning the same “are you tired?”; if necessary, the distinction is shown by adding words as NO (thing) or WANO (abstract concept). | :This distinction is usually not to be marked at all, as it is understood by the context or it makes no difference; e.g. if i say “A RUKO?” it can be taken as “you tired?” or “your fatigue?”, both ways meaning the same “are you tired?”; if necessary, the distinction is shown by adding words as NO (thing) or WANO (abstract concept). | ||
The main distinction in Dama is that between the active (TUBE BO), shown as an active verb and the passive (KIJE BO), shown as a noun . This distinction is always marked and not left to the context; e.g. A KUWO =you (are) afraid, versus A KUWE =you scare (others); I RUKE =s/he makes tired, gives trouble, versus I RUKO =s/he is tired. | |||
:However, highly formal Dama can mark the abstract aspect of a word as described above; e.g. RUSO =eye, RJUSO = “βλέμμα, glance, way of looking”; KURO =safe, KJURO =safety; RIMO =promise, vow, RWIMO =assertiveness; KIKO =strong, KWIKO =strength, and so on. | :However, highly formal Dama can mark the abstract aspect of a word as described above; e.g. RUSO =eye, RJUSO = “βλέμμα, glance, way of looking”; KURO =safe, KJURO =safety; RIMO =promise, vow, RWIMO =assertiveness; KIKO =strong, KWIKO =strength, and so on. | ||
:This feature can be difficult for some people to use; in fact, it has never been in actual usage until now (the first months of the year 2016); on the other hand, this features completes all possibilities of making diphthongs with the vowels of Dama, and its use may be useful in the future for elaborate or artistic expounding of ideas. | :This feature can be difficult for some people to use; in fact, it has never been in actual usage until now (the first months of the year 2016); on the other hand, this features completes all possibilities of making diphthongs with the vowels of Dama, and its use may be useful in the future for elaborate or artistic expounding of ideas. | ||
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Although so simple, the Dama Diwan language can be personalized in as many ways as there are people on earth. There are two main styles of using Dama: the oriental style, and the western style. | Although so simple, the Dama Diwan language can be personalized in as many ways as there are people on earth. There are two main styles of using Dama: the oriental style, and the western style. | ||
By the oriental style disyllabic words use open vowels in the first syllable and closed vowels in the suffix; by the western style, closed vowels are used in the stem and open ones in the suffixes of disyllabic words. E.g. “space, room” is | By the oriental style disyllabic words use open vowels in the first syllable and closed vowels in the suffix; by the western style, closed vowels are used in the stem and open ones in the suffixes of disyllabic words. E.g. “space, room” is “BIRO” (western style) or “BERU” (oriental style). None of these is objectively better than the other, although the western style has prevailed in actual usage until now. | ||
Apart from these two, the user of Dama can choose between k/g, t/ts/d, o/u, e/i depending on many factors that can influence one’s choice; such factors are: | Apart from these two, the user of Dama can choose between k/g, t/ts/d, o/u, e/i depending on many factors that can influence one’s choice; such factors are: | ||