Ris: Difference between revisions

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|imagesize = 250px
|imagesize = 250px
|name = Ris
|name = Ris
|nativename = Rhánzi ris
|nativename = oī́kas ri
|pronunciation= /ˈr̥ʰand͡z͎ɪ rɪs͎/
|pronunciation= /ɔˈɪːkas rɪ/
|region = [[w:Mediterranean|Mediterranean]]
|region = [[w:Mediterranean|Mediterranean]]
|states = [[w:Italy|Italy]], [[w:Cyprus|Cyprus]]; [[w:Sicily|Sicily]]
|states = [[w:Italy|Italy]], [[w:Cyprus|Cyprus]]; [[w:Sicily|Sicily]]
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|date = 2012
|date = 2012
|familycolor= American
|familycolor= American
|family=Menmer languages
|family=Jasi-Jivan languages
|ancestor=Proto-Men
|ancestor=Proto-Jivan
|script=[[w:Latin script|Latin]], [[w:Greek script|Greek]]
|script=[[w:Latin script|Latin]], [[w:Greek script|Greek]]
|agency=
|agency=
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}}
}}


'''Ris''' is my attempt to unite the sketchy constructed languages of mine; those lost forever in incomprehensible grammar, unsatisfying aesthetics and cumbersome phonologies. They stand united by the one shared feature - their relationship to the [[w:Greek language|Greek language]]; my greatest influence no matter the language.
The '''Ris''' language, ''oī́kas ri'', /ɔˈɪːkas  rɪ/ or simply '''Ris''' /rɪs/, is a Jasi-Jivan language related to the [[Kiwi]] and [[Kandi]] languages.  


The '''Ris''' language, '''ρανζι ρις''' /r̥ʰand͡z͎ɪ rɪs͎/, is a [[w:language isolate|language isolate]], and is thus not known to be related to any extant language. Ris has a normal-sized inventory of consonants and a fair amount of [[w:allophony|allophony]]. It is a [[w:fusional|fusional]] language and is morphosyntactically [[w:active-stative|active-stative]] and with a fluid subject. The [[w:morphology|morphology]] is evenly split between nominal and verbal inflections.
Grammatically speaking, the Ris language is morphologically [[w:fusional|fusional]] with a few [[w:agglutinative|agglutinative]] characteristics. It has [[Ris#Enclitic|enclitic]] pronouns representing the core arguments of agent and patient. It also has an unsusual [[Ris#Morphosyntactic-alignment|morphosyntactic alignment]]; the [[w:active-stative languages|active-stative]] one, in the [[w:Fluid-S|fluid subject]] subtype. This implies a system of [[Ris#Control|control]] and volition, closely tied to a distinction in [[Ris#Animacy|animacy]]. The [[w:morphology|morphology]] is evenly split between nominal and verbal inflections.
==Information==
The '''Ris''' language, '''ρανζι ρις''' /r̥ʰand͡z͎ɪ rɪs͎/, is a [[w:conlang|constructed language]], but does have a fictional background set in the real world. It is spoken on Sicily and on Cyprus and has about 300,000 native speakers. Or 1. Depends on how you count.


Grammatically speaking, the Ris language is morphologically [[w:fusional|fusional]] with a few [[w:agglutinative|agglutinative]] characteristics. It has '''[[Ris#Enclitic|enclitic]]''' pronouns representing the core arguments of agent and patient.  
Phonologically and phonaesthetically, the language is modelled after [[w:Greek language|Greek]]. Other influences are [[w:native American languages|native American languages]], the [[w:Shona language|Shona language]] and to certain degree [[w:Swedish language|Swedish]]. Ris has a normal-sized inventory of consonants and a fair amount of [[w:allophony|allophony]].


It also has an unsusual '''[[Ris#Morphosyntactic-alignment|morphosyntactic alignment]]'''; the [[w:active-stative languages|active-stative]] one, in the [[w:Fluid-S|fluid subject]] subtype. This implies a system of '''[[Ris#Control|control]]''' and volition, closely tied to a distinction in '''[[Ris#Animacy|animacy]]'''.
Ris is my attempt to unite the sketchy constructed languages of mine; those lost forever in incomprehensible grammar, unsatisfying aesthetics and cumbersome phonologies. They stand united by the one shared feature - their relationship to the [[w:Greek language|Greek language]]; my greatest influence no matter the language.
 
Phonologically and phonaesthetically, the language is modelled after [[w:Greek language|Greek]]. Other influences are [[w:native American languages|native American languages]], the [[w:Shona language|Shona language]] and to certain degree [[w:Swedish language|Swedish]].


==Phonology==
==Phonology==
===Consonants===
===Consonants===
The following is the inventory of consonants in the Ris language. There are 18 contrastive consonants.
The following is the inventory of consonants in the Ris language. There are 19 contrastive consonants. The inventory is very similar to what you would expect from an Indo-European language, except for the voiceless sonorant, /r̥/.
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg " style="width: 700px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg " style="width: 700px; text-align: center;"
|+'''Ris consonants'''
|+'''Ris consonants'''
|-
|-
! colspan="9"|Consonants
! colspan="8"|Consonants
|-
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"|
! colspan="2"|
! rowspan="2"| Bilabial
! Bilabial
! colspan="2" rowspan="1"| Denti-alveolar
! Dental
! rowspan="2"| Palatal
!  Alveolar
! rowspan="2"| Velar
! Postalveolar
! rowspan="2"| Glottal
! Velar
|-
! Glottal
! <small>plain</small>
! <small>apical</small>
|- align="center"
|- align="center"
!Nasals
!Nasals
!<small>plain</small>
!<small>plain</small>
|'''m''' /m/
|'''m''' /m/
|'''n '''/n/
|colspan="2"|'''n '''/n/
|
|
|
|
|[ŋ]
|
|
|-
|-
! rowspan="3"|Plosives
! rowspan="3"|Plosives
!<small>aspirated</small>
!<small>affricate</small>
|'''bh''' //
|'''ph''' /p͡f/
|'''th''' //
|'''th''' /t͡θ/
|'''ts''' /t͡s/
|
|
|
|'''kh''' /k͡x/
|'''kh''' //
|  
| colspan="1" rowspan="3"| [ʔ]
|-
|-
!<small>unvoiced</small>
!<small>unvoiced</small>
|'''p''' /p/
|'''p''' /p/
|'''t''' /t/
|colspan="2"|'''t''' /t/
|
|
|'''k''' /k/
|
|
|'''k''' /k/
|-
|-
!<small>ejective</small>
!<small>voiced</small>
|'''b''' //
|'''b''' /b/
|'''d''' //
|colspan="2"|'''d''' /d/
|
|
|'''g''' /g/
|
|
|'''g''' /kʼ/
|-
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Fricatives
! colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Fricatives
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|
|
|
|
|'''s''' /s ~ s̺/
|'''s''' /s/
| colspan="3" rowspan="1"|'''h''' /ç ~ x ~ h/
|'''sh''' /ʃ/
| colspan="2" |'''h''' /x ~ h/
|-
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
!<small>voiced</small>
|
|
| colspan="2" rowspan="1"|'''z''' /d͡z ~ d͡z̺ ~ z̺ ~ z̺/
|
|[ʝ]
|'''z''' /z/
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"|Trills
! rowspan="2"|Trills
!<small>aspirated</small>
!<small>voiceless</small>
|
|
| colspan="2"|'''r''' /r̥ʰ/
|  
| '''rh''' //
|
|
|
|
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!<small>voiced</small>
!<small>voiced</small>
|
|
| colspan="2"|'''r''' /r/
|  
| '''r''' /r/
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1"|Approximants
|'''ou, u''' /w/
|
|
|'''i''' /j/
|
|
|
|
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! colspan="2" rowspan="1"|Laterals
! colspan="2" rowspan="1"|Laterals
|
|
|'''l''' /ʎ/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|'''l''' /ɫ/
|
|
|}
|}
{{ris sidebar}}
 
====Consonant allophony====
====Consonant allophony====
[[w:Allophony|Allophony]] is common to many consonants, and [[w:sandhi|sandhi]] forces them to be realised different in different environments.
[[w:Allophony|Allophony]] is common, and a variety of processes affect the consonants.
 
=====The glottal fricative=====
The phoneme /h/, the so called glottal fricative, is in [[w:free variation|free variation]] with the unvoiced palatal fricative /ç/ as well as the unvoiced velar fricative /x/.
 
{| cellpadding="4" style="line-height: 1em; border:1px solid #CCC; background:#f5f5f5"
|+
<!-- Sentence -->
| colspan="5"|'''{{blue|ἒ}}ντρο'''
|-
| colspan="5"|'''{{blue|h}}entro'''
|-
<!-- Pronunciation-->
|  /ˈ{{blue|h}}ɛntrɔ/
 
! =
 
| /ˈ{{blue|x}}ɛntrɔ/
 
! =
 
|/ˈ{{blue|ç}}ɛntrɔ/
|-
<!-- Translation -->
| colspan="5"| ''I am normal, okay''
|}
 
The velar fricative is the most common one, but the phones are all affected by palatalisation from front vowels, producing the palatal fricative [ç].
 
{| cellpadding="4" style="line-height: 1em; border:1px solid #CCC; background:#f5f5f5"
|+
<!-- Sentence -->
| colspan="4"|'''{{blue|ὐ}}ο'''
| colspan="3"|'''{{blue|ἠ}}στιμι'''
|-
| colspan="4"|'''{{blue|h}}yo'''
| colspan="3"|'''{{blue|h}}éstimi'''
|-
<!-- Pronunciation-->
| /ˈ{{blue|h}}ʉ̩.ɔ/
 
! =
 
|[ˈ{{blue|h}}ʉ̩.ɔ]
 
!
 
|/ˈ{{blue|h}}eːs͎tɪmɪ/
 
! →
 
|[ˈ{{blue|ç}}eːs͎tɪmɪ]
|-
<!-- Translation -->
| colspan="4"| ''to leave'' .{{sc|ind.m.}}
| colspan="3"| ''pride'' .{{sc|f}}
|}
 
=====Palatalisation=====
[[w:Palatalisation|Palatalisation]] applies to velar consonants and occurs due to two main factors:
* '''Internally''': Front vowels and the palatal approximant, /j/, tend to palatalise preceding consonants if the syllable is stressed.
**C[-pal,  +velar]  → C[+pal,  -velar] / _V[+front, +stress]
* '''Externally''': A final near-close near-front vowel, /ɪ/, palatalises the initial consonant of the following word.
 
{| cellpadding="4" style="line-height: 1em; border:1px solid #CCC; background:#f5f5f5"
|+
<!-- Script-->
| colspan="3"| '''{{blue|ρ}}ακι'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| '''{{blue|τ}}η'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| '''{{blue|ἠ}}στιμι'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"|'''{{blue|τ}}ι {{blue|κ}}ατέρριστουας?'''
|-
<!-- Sentence -->
| colspan="3"| '''ra{{blue|k}}i'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| '''{{blue|t}}é'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| '''{{blue|h}}éstimi?'''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"|'''{{blue|t}}i {{blue|k}}atérristouas?'''
|-
<!-- Pronunciation-->
|/ˈrakɪ/
 
! →
 
|[ˈracɪ]
 
!
 
|/ˈteː/
 
! →
 
|[ˈteː]
 
!
 
|/ˈheːstɪmɪ/
 
! →
 
| [ˈçeːstɪmɪ]
 
!
 
| /ˈtɪ kaˈtɛrrɪstwas/
 
! →
 
| [ˈtɪ caˈtɛrrɪstwas̟]
|-
<!-- Translation -->
| colspan="3"| ''root'' .{{sc|in.gen}}
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| ''how''
 
!
 
| colspan="3"| ''pride.'' .{{sc|f.pat}}
 
!
 
| colspan="3"|''What are you writing?''
|}
 
====Phonological processes====
<!-- =====Assimilation=====
In verb conjugation, consonant clusters tend to appear. Various [[w:sandhi|]] rules then apply.Rules:* '''Most basic rule''': When two sounds appear next to each other, the first [[w:Assimilation (linguistics)|assimilates]] in voicing and aspiration to the second.** This applies fully to stops. Fricatives assimilate only in voicing, sonorants do not assimilate.* Before an {{IPA|/s/}} (future, aorist stem), velars become {{IPA|[k]}}, labials become {{IPA|[p]}}, and dentals disappear.* Before a {{IPA|/tʰ/}} (aorist passive stem), velars become {{IPA|[kʰ]}}, labials become {{IPA|[pʰ]}}, and dentals become {{IPA|[s]}}.* Before an {{IPA|/m/}} (perfect middle first-singular, first-plural, participle), velars become {{IPA|[ɡ]}}, nasal+velar becomes {{IPA|[ɡ]}}, labials become {{IPA|[m]}}, dentals become {{IPA|[s]}}, other sonorants remain the same.
 
-->


===Vowels===
===Vowels===
<!--
There are 6 [[w:vowel|vowel]] phonemes in the Ris language.
{{quote
|text='''Ptḗgna i rháki? Tān ptḗgi i khrísti!'''
|sign=''Common Ris saying''
|source=Idioms and phrases in Ris: An analysis. pg. 34
|about= The saying '''The hollow triangle? Rather the Christmas tree!''' is a nationalist idiom which represents the Ris people's belief that their language is superior to that of their neighbours. This is due to their vowel inventory creating an image of either an hollow triangle, or a pine tree.
}}-->
 
There are 7 [[w:vowel|vowel]] phonemes in the Ris language. In Ris, the system of vowels are known as ''ptégna i rhaki'' - 'the hollow triangle', due to their symmetrical places of articulation.  


All vowels may be long, but the phonemes /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ change their quality when long; they are then pronounced /eː/ and /oː/ respectively.
All vowels are pronounced short. The transcription into the Latin alphabet includes no single grapheme <nowiki><u></nowiki>.
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg " style="width: 375px; text-align: center;"
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg " style="width: 375px; text-align: center;"
|+'''Ris vowels'''
|+'''Ris vowels'''
|-
|-
! colspan="2"|
! colspan="1"|
! Front
! Front
! Near-front
! Near-front
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! Back
! Back
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"| Close
! Close
! <small>short</small>
|
|
|
|'''y''' /ʉ/
|
|
|
|
|-
! <small>long</small>
|
|
|'''ý''' /ʉː/
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"|Near-close
!Near-close
!<small>short</small>
|
|
|'''i '''/ɪ/  
|'''i '''/ɪ/ · '''y''' /ʏ/
|
|
|'''ou''' /ʊ/
|'''ou '''/ʊ/
|
|
|-
|-
!<small>long</small>
!Close-mid
|
|
|'''í '''/ɪː/
|
|
|'''oú '''/ʊː/
|
|
|-
! colspan="2"|Close-mid
|'''é''' /eː/
|
|
|
|
|
|'''ó''' /oː/
|-
|-
! colspan="2"|Mid
!Mid
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|-
|-
! colspan="2"|Open-mid
!Open-mid
|'''e''' /ɛ/
|'''e''' /ɛ/
|
|
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|'''o''' /ɔ/
|'''o''' /ɔ/
|-
|-
! colspan="2"|Near-open
!Near-open
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2"|Open
!<small>short</small>
|
|
|
|'''a '''/ä/
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
!<small>long</small>
!Open
|'''a '''/a/
|
|
|
|
|'''á '''/äː/
|
|
|
|
|}
Other than that, my vowels are rather simple. No mystics quirks at all. Well, that's if you choose to ignore the [[w:vowel harmony|vowel harmony]] and [[w:umlaut|umlaut]] process in the '''Damian dialect'''. Makes it a tad more interesting, in my opinion.
==Orthography==
Ris is primarily written in the [[w:Latin alphabet|Latin alphabet]], but the original alphabet was in fact [[w:Greek alphabet|Greek]]. In its classical and modern form, the alphabet has 24 letters, ordered from alpha to omega; or ''ai mḗ otḗma'' in Ris. The below table shows the two alphabets and the Ris names for the letters, as well as the pronunciation in '''Standard Ris''' and the colloquial '''Ouis dialect'''.
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width: 600px; text-align: center;"
! colspan="6" scope="col" style="width:30px;"|Orthography
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:30px;"|Greek
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:30px;"|Latin
! colspan="2" scope="col" style="width:50px;"|Pronunciation
|-
! scope="col" style="width: 50px; "|Ris
! scope="col" style="width: 50px; "|Ouis
|-
|Α α
|''άλπα''
|A a
|''ai''
| colspan="2"|/a/
|-
|Β β
|''βήτα''
|B b
|''bou''
|/b/
|/β/
|-
|Γ γ
|''γάμμα''
|G g
|''gou''
|/g/
|/ɣ/
|-
|Δ δ
|''δέλτα''
|D d
|''da''
|/d/
|/ð/
|-
|Ε ε
|''έψιλαν''
|E e
|''egnás''
| colspan="2" |/ɛ/
|-
|Ζ ζ
|''ζήτα''
|Z z
|''za''
| colspan="2"|/d͡z ~ d͡z͎ ~ z ~ z͎/
|-
|Η η
|''ήτα''
|Ē ē
|''etḗma''
|/eː/
|/eɪ̯/
|-
|Θ θ
|''θήτα''
|Th th
|''tha''
|/tʰ/
|/θ/
|-
|-
|Ι ι
|''ιότα''
|I i
|''iou''
| colspan="2" |/ɪ/
|-
|Κ κ
|''κάππα''
|K k
|''kau''
| colspan="2" |/k/
|-
|Λ λ
|''λάπτα''
|L l
|''la''
| colspan="2" |/l/
|-
|Μ μ
|''μύα''
|M m
|''ḗma''
| colspan="2" |/m/
|-
|Ν ν
|''νύα''
|N n
|''ḗna''
| colspan="2"|/n/
|-
|Ξ ξ
|''ξία''
|X x
|''ḗxa''
| colspan="2" |/ks͎ ~ gz͎/
|-
|Ο ο
|''ομίκραν''
|O o
|''ognás''
| colspan="2" |/ɔ/
|-
|Π π
|''πία''
|P p
|''pau''
| colspan="2"|/p/
|-
|Ρ ρ
|''ρό''
|R r
|''ría''
|/r/
|/ɹ/
|-
|'Ρ ῤ
|''ῤαυ''
|Rh rh
|''rhau''
|/r̥ʰ/
|/r/
|-
|Σ σ ς
|''σίγμα''
|S s
|''sa''
| colspan="2" |/s͎/
|-
|Τ τ
|''τάυ''
|T t
|''tau''
| colspan="2" |/t/
|-
|Υ υ
|''ύψιλαν''
|Y y
|''hytḗma''
|/ʉ/
|/ʏ/
|-
|Φ φ
|''φία''
|Ph ph
|''pha''
|/pʰ/
|/f/
|-
|Χ χ
|''χία''
|Kh kh
|''kha''
|/kʰ/
|/x/
|-
|Ψ ψ
|''ψία''
|Ps ps
|''ḗpsa''
| colspan="2"|/ps͎/
|-
|Ω ω
|''ώμεγα''
|Ō ō
|''otḗma''
|/oː/
|/oɪ̯/
|}
|}
===Diacritics===
The Ris alphabets, both the Latin and Greek one, use a few different diacritics to modify the pronunciation. There are five diacritics that mark the following:
*A stressed vowel in a syllable.
*A long vowel in a syllable.
*An aspirated vowel; preceded by /h/. Can also mark the phoneme /r̥ʰ/.
*A stressed, aspirated vowel.
*A long, aspirated vowel.
The use of [[w:aspiration|aspiration]] here does not refer to the co-articulating process, but rather that the vowel is preceded by an /h/, a "glottal fricative".
====Stressed vowels====
Stressed vowels are marked with an [[w:acute accent|acute accent]], <'''<big>´</big>'''>, in the Latin script. In the Greek alphabet, the diacritic is the acute accent as well, only slightly different; <'''<big>΄</big>'''>. These mark that the syllable with the vowel is to be [[w:Stress (linguistics)|stressed]], and thus articulated stronger, than other syllables.
{|class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right: 50px; margin-left: 50px; text-align: center;"
|-
|[[File:Greek acute.png|50px]]
|[[File:Greek grave.png|50px]]
|[[File:Latin eta.png|50px]]
|-
|Acute || Grave || Eta
|-
|[[File:Greek asper.png|50px]]
|[[File:Greek asper acute.png|50px]]
|[[File:Latin eta acute.png|50px]]
|-
|Spiritus asper || Asper acute || Eta acute
|}
====Long vowels====
Long vowels are vowels pronounced vowels articulated for a longer period of time. These get a [[w:grave accent|grave accent]] in the Greek alphabet, <'''<big>`</big>'''>, and a [[w:macron|macron]] in the Latin script, <'''<big>¯</big>'''>.
Long vowels grave accent in the Greek script when stressed. In the Latin alphabet, however, the stressed long vowels get a second acute accent above the macron, <''<big>' ̄́</big>'''>.
As previously mentioned, all vowels can be long vowels, but there are two vowels that change their quality when elongated; the /ɛ/ and /ɔ/. These are raised to /eː/ and /oː/ respectively. In the Latin script these are marked as expected,  <'''ē'''> and <'''ō'''>. However, in the Greek script, they are replaced by the letters [[w:eta|eta]] <'''η'''> and [[w:omega|omega]] <'''ω'''> respectively.
====Aspiration====
Aspiration, when a vowel is preceded by /h/, is marked by a so-called [[w:rough breathing|dasia]] in the Greek script, <'''<big>῾</big>'''>. In the Latin manner of style though, the letter <'''h'''> precedes the vowel, as it does phonetically.
In the Greek script, the dasia can be combined with the acute and grave accent, producing <'''<big>῞</big>'''> and <'''<big>῝</big>'''>.
The dasia can also be placed on the Greek ''ro'' sign, <'''ρ'''>. The pronunciation of <'''ῤ'''> becomes /r̥ʰ/, an aspirated voiceless alveolo-dental trill.


==Morphology==
==Morphology==
Line 604: Line 197:
The [[w:singular|singular]] ({{sc|sg}}) denotes one, single noun, and roughly corresponds to the English equivalent of [[w:singular|singular]]. A singularnoun is a single item, either of a collective noun or even a mass noun.
The [[w:singular|singular]] ({{sc|sg}}) denotes one, single noun, and roughly corresponds to the English equivalent of [[w:singular|singular]]. A singularnoun is a single item, either of a collective noun or even a mass noun.
{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Thuo trema.
|phrase = Athuo trema.
|IPA = /ˈtʰʉ̩ːɔ ˈtreːma/
|IPA = /ˈatʰʉ̩ːɔ ˈtreːma/
|morphemes = thu-o tre-{{blue|ma}}
|morphemes = athy-o tre-{{blue|ma}}
|gloss = to want-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M wheat.IV-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|gloss = to want-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M wheat.IV-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|translation = I want a grain of wheat.
|translation = I want a grain of wheat.
|index = 7
|index = 4.7
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Mnio mna koupar.
|phrase = Mnio mna koupar.
Line 616: Line 209:
|gloss = to see-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M one ram.I.{{blue|PAT}}.SG  
|gloss = to see-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M one ram.I.{{blue|PAT}}.SG  
|translation = I see a ram.
|translation = I see a ram.
| index = 8
| index = 4.8
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Imbrouas pagma?
|phrase = Imbrouas pagma?
|IPA = /ˈɪːmpʼrwas ˈpaːkma/
|IPA = /ˈɪːmprwas ˈpaːkma/
| morphemes = im-rou-as pag-{{blue|ma}}
| morphemes = im-rou-as pag-{{blue|ma}}
| gloss = to hold-SUBJ.PRFV-2.SG.M time.IV-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
| gloss = to hold-SUBJ.PRFV-2.SG.M time.IV-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
| translation = Do you have a minute?
| translation = Do you have a minute?
| index = 9
| index = 4.9
}}
}}
=====Plural numbers=====
=====Plural numbers=====
======Indefinite plural======
======Indefinite plural======
Line 636: Line 230:
| gloss = always fish.I-PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} to_want-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG  
| gloss = always fish.I-PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} to_want-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG  
| translation = I always want [two] fish(es).
| translation = I always want [two] fish(es).
| index= 10
| index= 4.10
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = {{blue|Aganti}} ous imistir {{blue|bhouna}}.
|phrase = {{blue|Aganti}} ous imistir {{blue|bhouna}}.
Line 643: Line 237:
| gloss = head.II/LOC.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} too  to_have-POT.IPFV-3.PAT.DC fat.II-PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}}
| gloss = head.II/LOC.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} too  to_have-POT.IPFV-3.PAT.DC fat.II-PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}}
| translation = You can have fat on your head as well.
| translation = You can have fat on your head as well.
|index = 11
|index = 4.11
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Kerak{{blue|ne}} noukist{{blue|ine}}
|phrase = Kerak{{blue|ne}} noukist{{blue|ine}}
Line 650: Line 244:
| gloss = bird.II-INV.PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} to_fly-IND.IPFV-3.INV.PAT.DC  
| gloss = bird.II-INV.PAT.{{blue|INDEF.PL}} to_fly-IND.IPFV-3.INV.PAT.DC  
| translation = Birds fly.
| translation = Birds fly.
|index = 12
|index = 4.12
}}
}}
======Definite plural======
======Definite plural======
Line 660: Line 254:
| gloss = before eye.III/LOC.INDF.PL my/LOC.SG to_see-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG  ball.IV-PAT.{{blue|DEF.PL}} to_roll-IND.IPFV-3{{blue|DEF.PL}}.PAT
| gloss = before eye.III/LOC.INDF.PL my/LOC.SG to_see-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG  ball.IV-PAT.{{blue|DEF.PL}} to_roll-IND.IPFV-3{{blue|DEF.PL}}.PAT
| translation = I see balls rolling before my eyes.
| translation = I see balls rolling before my eyes.
| index= 13
| index= 4.13
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase =  Ai ourani {{blue|ouekitsoi}}.
|phrase =  Ai ourani {{blue|ouekitsoi}}.
Line 667: Line 261:
| gloss = from<ref name="alpha"></ref> heaven.IV-GEN.SG tomato.IV-PAT.{{blue|DEF.PL}}
| gloss = from<ref name="alpha"></ref> heaven.IV-GEN.SG tomato.IV-PAT.{{blue|DEF.PL}}
| translation = The tomatoes from heaven.
| translation = The tomatoes from heaven.
|index = 14
|index = 4.14
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Inaskho {{blue|tabellithoulianta}}.
|phrase = Inaskho {{blue|tabellithoulianta}}.
Line 674: Line 268:
| gloss = to_be-IND.CES-1SG.PAT marker_pen.IV-INST.{{blue|DEF.PL}}
| gloss = to_be-IND.CES-1SG.PAT marker_pen.IV-INST.{{blue|DEF.PL}}
| translation = I'm out of marker pens.<ref name="beta"></ref>
| translation = I'm out of marker pens.<ref name="beta"></ref>
|index = 15
|index = 4.15
}}
}}
<ref name="alpha">''ai'', ''au'' and ''ati'' are in fact demonstrative pronouns, but in many contexts, they get an adpositional meaning.</ref>
<ref name="alpha">''ai'', ''au'' and ''ati'' are in fact demonstrative pronouns, but in many contexts, they get an adpositional meaning.</ref>
Line 680: Line 274:
<references/>
<references/>


====Gender====
====Gender and class====
There are two [[w:Grammatical gender|gender]]s in the Ris language, the [[w:animacy|animate]] ({{sc|an}}) and inanimate ({{sc|inan}}). The animate gender includes only living animals and insects, as well as supernaturals like spirits and deities. The inanimate gender mainly denotes non-living objects, abstractions as well as flowers and microorganisms.
<!--''origou'' and ''amirou'' -->There are two [[w:Grammatical gender|gender]]s in the Ris language, the [[w:animacy|animate]] ({{sc|an}}) and inanimate ({{sc|inan}}). The animate gender includes only living animals and insects, as well as supernaturals like spirits and deities. The inanimate gender mainly denotes non-living objects, abstractions as well as flowers and microorganisms.


In the 2nd and 3rd person singular personal pronouns as well as verbs, the animate splits into a feminine ({{sc|f.an}}) and masculine ({{sc|m.an}}) animate gender. These mark only natural gender.
In addition to this, all Ris nouns are divided into classes. The classes are morphological and semantic, and nouns are grouped according to their gender as well as if it is inherently in the indefinite plural, or if it needs marking. There are as such four classes:
 
:'''I''' - ''animate, marked indefinite plural''
:'''II''' - ''animate, unmarked indefinite plural''
:'''III''' - ''inanimate, marked indefinite plural
:'''IV''' - ''inanimate, unmarked indefinite plural''
 
The class is the only thing indicated in Ris dictionaries, such as the [[User:Waahlis/Jivanity|Ourhagmatika]], where the lemma form is always written first:
{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = thyrri, thyrrini
|IPA = /ˈtʰʉːr̥ʰːɪ ˈtʰʉːr̥ʰːɪnɪ/
|morphemes = thyrrhi-∅ thyrri-ni
|gloss = woman.I-SG woman.I-INDEF.PL
|translation = a woman, women
|index = 4.16
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = oryx, orygma
|IPA = /ˈoːrʉgz ˈoːrʉgma/
|morphemes = oryx-∅ oryg-ma
|gloss = whale.II-INDEF.PL whale.II-SG
|translation = whales, a whale<ref name="gamma"></ref>
|index = 4.17
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = kanthra, kanthrani
|IPA = /ˈkaːntʰra ˈkaːntʰranɪ/
|morphemes = kanthra-∅ kanthra-ni
|gloss = heart.III-SG heart.III-INDEF.PL
|translation = a heart, hearts
|index = 4.18
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = issix, issigma
|IPA = /ˈɪːsːɪgz ˈɪːsːɪgma/
|morphemes = issix-∅ issig-ma
|gloss = hair.IV-INDEF.PL hair.IV-SG
|translation = hair, strand of hair
|index = 4.19
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = ankis, ankisma
|IPA = /ˈaːŋkɪs ˈaːŋkɪsma/
|morphemes = ankis-∅ ankis-ma
|gloss = elbow.IV-INDEF.PL elbow.IV-SG
|translation = 2 elbows, an elbow<ref name="delta"></ref>
|index = 4.20
}}<ref name="gamma">Typical examples of class II are animals, although ''gytei'', "fish", is a notable example.
</ref><ref name="delta">Since the indefinite plural has coalesced with the dual, some nouns may have an unmarked dual form. These nouns are typically body parts.</ref>
<references/>


==Morphosyntax==
==Morphosyntax==
Line 695: Line 334:
The '''patientive''', or '''undergoing''' case, ({{sc|pat}})  is the case used to indicate both the subject of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb, in addition to being used for the citation form of nouns.  
The '''patientive''', or '''undergoing''' case, ({{sc|pat}})  is the case used to indicate both the subject of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb, in addition to being used for the citation form of nouns.  


The patientive is used on low control agents, and [[w:patient (grammar)|experiencers]] of actions - neither of which have much influence on the verb. Colloquially, the patientive can be used on agents of transitive verbs to indicate a degree of innocence, lack of control of the event.
The patientive is used on low control agents, and [[w:patient (grammar)|experiencers]] of actions - neither of which have much influence on the verb. Colloquially, the patientive can be used on agents of transitive verbs to indicate a degree of innocence, lack of control of the event.{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss
|phrase = Ankour{{blue|o}}.
|phrase = Ankouro.
|IPA = /aŋˈkʊːrɔ/
|IPA = /ˈaːŋkʊrɔ/
|morphemes = ankour-∅-{{blue|o}}
|morphemes = ānkour-∅-{{blue|o}}
|gloss = to trip-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.1SG
|gloss = to trip.ACT-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.1.SG
|translation = I fell.|index = 5.21
|translation = I fell.
}}{{Gloss/indexable
}}
|phrase = Hyrrhorebma henta inist{{blue|a}}.
 
|IPA = /çʏˈr̥ʰːoːrɛpma ˈçeːnta ˈɪːnɪsta/
{{Gloss
|morphemes = hyrrhorebma hent-∅-a in-ist-{{blue|a}}
|phrase = Energanni hentai inistin.
|gloss = squirrel_soup.III-{{blue|PAT}}.SG be_okay-IND.PRFV-3.{{blue|PAT}}.SG exist-IND.IPFV-3.{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|IPA = /ɛnˈeːrkanːɪ ˈçeːntaj ˈɪːnɪstɪn/
|translation = There is an okay squirrel soup.
|morphemes = energa{{blue|n}}-ni in-ist-{{blue|in}}
|index = 5.22
|gloss = squirrel_soup.III-{{blue|PAT}}.DC-COP okay.ADF.PAT exist-ACT-IND.IPFV-3.{{blue|PAT}}.DC
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|translation = Okay squirrel soups exist.
|phrase = Tagerras kerax!
}}
 
{{Gloss
|phrase = Tagerras kerax.
|IPA = /taˈkʼeːrːas ˈkeːraks/
|IPA = /taˈkʼeːrːas ˈkeːraks/
| morphemes = tager-r-as kerax-{{blue|∅}}
| morphemes = tager-r-as kerax-{{blue|∅}}
| gloss = hit.ACT-IMP.PRFV-2.SG.AGT bird.I-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
| gloss = hit-IMP.PRFV-AGT.2SG bird.I-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
| translation = Hit the bird.
| translation = Hit the bird!
}}
|index = 5.23
 
}}{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss
|phrase = Aner, ouinestra teskh{{blue|o}}...
|phrase = Aner, ouinestra teskho...
|IPA = /ˈaneːr wɪˈneːstra ˈteːskʰɔ/
|IPA = /ˈaneːr wɪˈneːstra ˈteːskʰɔ/
|morphemes = aner-∅ ouinestra-∅ teskh-∅-{{blue|o}}
|morphemes = aner-{{blue|}} ouinestra-{{blue|}} teskh-∅-{{blue|o}}
|gloss = mother.I-VOC.SG window.II-{{blue|PAT}}.SG smash.ACT-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.1.SG
|gloss = mother.I-{{blue|PAT}}.SG window.II-{{blue|PAT}}.SG smash-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.1.SG
|translation = Mother, I happened to smash the window...
|translation = Mother, I happened to smash the window...
|index= 5.24
}}
}}


====Agentive case====
====Agentive case====
The '''agentative''' ({{sc|agt}}) case is used to mark the subject, or agent, of transitive verbs.
The '''agentative''' ({{sc|agt}}) case is used to mark the subject, or agent, of transitive verbs. The agentive marks high control, volitional [[w:Agent (grammar)|agents]] of verbs.{{Gloss/indexable
The agentive marks high control, volitional [[w:Agent (grammar)|agents]] of verbs.
|phrase = Kater{{red|os}} kterma.
 
|IPA = /ˈkaːtɛrɔs ˈktɛrma/
{{Gloss|phrase = Mau katēro kterma.
|morphemes = kater-∅-{{red|os}} kterma-{{blue|∅}}
|IPA = /maw kaˈteːrɔ ˈktɛrma/
|gloss = to_write-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}.1SG letter.III-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|morphemes = {{red|mau}} katēr-∅-{{red|o}} kterma-{{blue|∅}}
|gloss = 1.{{red|AGT}}.SG writeACT-IND.PRFV-{{red|IN.PAT}}.1.SG letter.III-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|translation = I am writing a letter.
|translation = I am writing a letter.
}}
|index=5.25
 
}}{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss
|phrase = Kaukanthri{{red|as}} hai!
|phrase = He tethoūris.
|IPA = /kawˈkantʰrijas xaj/
|IPA = /ˈhɛ tɛˈtʰʊːrɪ/
|morphemes = kau~ka<n>ter-i-{{red|as}} hai
|morphemes = {{red|he}} te~thoūr-{{red|is}}
|gloss =  <NEG>ITR~to_write-POT-{{red|AGT}}.1SG such
|gloss = 2.{{red|AGT}}.SG IND.ITR~run.ACT-1.{{red|AGT}}.SG
|translation = You can't go on writing like that!
|translation = He is running around.
|index=5.26
}}
}}{{Gloss/indexable
 
|phrase = Katerr{{red|as}} sta ha{{red|os}}!
{{Gloss
|IPA = /kaˈtɛrːas sta ˈxaɔ̩s/
|phrase = Ānkouros...!
|morphemes = kater-r-as sta ha-∅-os
|gloss = to_write-SUBJ-{{red|AGT}}.1SG what to_wish-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}
|translation = I'll write what I wish!
|index=5.26
}}{{Gloss/indexable
|phrase = Ankouros...!
|IPA = /ˈaːŋkʊros/
|IPA = /ˈaːŋkʊros/
| morphemes = ānkour-∅-{{red|os}}
| morphemes = ankour-∅-{{red|os}}
| gloss = trip.ACT-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}.1.SG
| gloss = to_trip-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}.1.SG
| translation = I purposely trip...!
| translation = I purposely trip...!
|index=5.27
}}
}}


====Unaccusatives, unergatives and inversion of cases====
====Unaccusatives, unergatives and the inversion of cases====
[[Image:Alignment-qri.png|right|thumb|An illustration of the Ris alignment of verbal arguments, as a function of control, unergatives and unaccusatives.|450px]]
[[Image:Alignment-qri.png|right|thumb|An illustration of the Ris alignment of verbal arguments, as a function of control, unergatives and unaccusatives.|350px]]
Not all intransitive verbs are marked as described above. This only applies to Ris unaccusative verbs. The Ris unergative verbs instead inverse the marking, using the agentive as a default, low-control marking, and the patientive for high-control subjects.  
Not all intransitive verbs are marked as described above. This only applies to Ris unaccusative verbs. The Ris unergative verbs inverse the marking, using the agentive as a default, low-control marking, and the patientive for high-control subjects.  


An unaccusative verb is a verb that has an experiencer as its subject, that is; the syntactic subject is not a semantic agent. When the subject is marked with the agentive, the agency, control and volition is increased, and it in effect becomes unergative. It gives a sense of intent, and trying.
An unaccusative verb is a verb that has an experiencer as its subject, that is; the syntactic subject is not a semantic agent. When the subject is marked with the agentive, the agency, control and volition is increased, and it in effect becomes unergative. It gives a sense of intent, and trying.{{Gloss/indexable
 
|phrase = Ekras{{blue|a}} makhina.
{{Gloss
|IPA = /ɛˈkraːsa ˈmaːkʰɪna/
|phrase = Ekrasi mākhina.
|morphemes = ekras-∅-{{blue|a}} mākhina-{{blue|∅}}
|IPA = /ˈɛkrasːi maːˈkʰɪna/
|gloss = to_crash-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.3SG car.III-{{blue|PAT}}.SG
|morphemes = ekras-∅-{{blue|i}} mākhina-{{blue|∅}}
|gloss = crash.ACT-IND.PRFV-{{blue|PAT}}.3.SG
|translation = The car crashed.
|translation = The car crashed.
}}
|index = 5.28
 
}}{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss
|phrase = Aner tsanist{{blue|a}}.
|phrase = Anēr psānisti.
|IPA = /aˈneːr ˈtsaːnɪsta/
|IPA = /ˈaneːr psaːˈnɪstɪ/
|morphemes = aner-{{blue|∅}} psan-ist-{{blue|a}}
|morphemes = anēr-{{blue|∅}} psān-ist-{{blue|ɪ}}
|gloss = mother.I-PAT.SG to_cry-IND.IPFV-{{blue|PAT}}.3SG
|gloss = mother.I-PAT.SG cry.ACT-IND.IPVF-{{blue|PAT}}.3.SG
|translation = Mother cries.
|translation = Mother cries.
}}
|index = 5.29
 
}}{{Gloss/indexable
{{Gloss
|phrase = Nta{{blue|os}}.
|phrase = Ngaos.
|IPA = /ˈntaːos/
|IPA = /ŋgaˈos/
|morphemes = nga-∅-{{red|os}}
|morphemes = nga-∅-{{red|os}}
|gloss = sleep.ACT-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}.1.SG
|gloss = to_sleep-IND.PRFV-{{red|AGT}}.1.SG
|translation = I am trying to sleep.
|translation = I am trying to sleep.
|index = 5.30
}}
}}
Unergatives are intransitive verbs and have a semantic agent as their subject. When the subject is marked with the agentive case, the verb almost unaccusative, lowering the volition, control and agency with the syntactic subject. In the gloss, unergatives have the letters {{sc|inv}}} before the casees. Thus, an unergative with a subject in the agentive conveys a feeling of involuntary actions, or trying.
Unergatives are intransitive verbs and have a semantic agent as their subject. When the subject is marked with the agentive case, the verb almost unaccusative, lowering the volition, control and agency with the syntactic subject. In the gloss, unergatives have the letters {{sc|inv}}} before the casees. Thus, an unergative with a subject in the agentive conveys a feeling of involuntary actions, or trying.


{{Gloss
{{Gloss
|phrase = He gāmi!
|phrase = Khamista!
|IPA = /hɛ gaːˈmi/
|IPA = /ˈkʰaːmɪsta/
|morphemes = he gām--{{blue|i}}
|morphemes = kham-ist-{{blue|a}}
|gloss = 3.PROX.MA.SG to come.ACT-IND.IMPV-{{blue|INV.PAT}}.3.SG
|gloss = to_come-IND.IPFV-{{blue|INV.PAT}}.3SG
|translation = He's coming!
|translation = It's coming!
}}
}}


Line 817: Line 453:
|translation = You're driving, you're driving! (''How is it possible?'')
|translation = You're driving, you're driving! (''How is it possible?'')
}}
}}
===Case===
===Case===
There are 7 [[w:grammatical case|grammatical case]]s in Ris. Most of these are rather common to the [[w:Indo-European languages|Indo-European languages]].
There are 7 [[w:grammatical case|grammatical case]]s in Ris. Most of these are rather common to the [[w:Indo-European languages|Indo-European languages]].
Line 1,389: Line 1,026:
*''Atḗ, inḗ gytḗn ~ Atḗ, inḗ gýtē ne!''
*''Atḗ, inḗ gytḗn ~ Atḗ, inḗ gýtē ne!''


[[Category:Languages]][[Category:Conlangs]][[Category:A priori]][[Category:Ris]]
[[Category:Languages]][[Category:Languages]][[Category:A priori]][[Category:Jasi-Jivan languages]][[Category:Ris]]

Revision as of 09:43, 20 January 2017


Ris
oī́kas ri
Ris.png
Pronunciation[/ɔˈɪːkas rɪ/]
Created by
Native toItaly, Cyprus; Sicily
Native speakers301,486 (2012)
Jasi-Jivan languages
  • Ris
Early form
Proto-Jivan
Language codes
ISO 639-1ri
ISO 639-2ri
ISO 639-3qri
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

The Ris language, oī́kas ri, /ɔˈɪːkas rɪ/ or simply Ris /rɪs/, is a Jasi-Jivan language related to the Kiwi and Kandi languages.

Grammatically speaking, the Ris language is morphologically fusional with a few agglutinative characteristics. It has enclitic pronouns representing the core arguments of agent and patient. It also has an unsusual morphosyntactic alignment; the active-stative one, in the fluid subject subtype. This implies a system of control and volition, closely tied to a distinction in animacy. The morphology is evenly split between nominal and verbal inflections.

Phonologically and phonaesthetically, the language is modelled after Greek. Other influences are native American languages, the Shona language and to certain degree Swedish. Ris has a normal-sized inventory of consonants and a fair amount of allophony.

Ris is my attempt to unite the sketchy constructed languages of mine; those lost forever in incomprehensible grammar, unsatisfying aesthetics and cumbersome phonologies. They stand united by the one shared feature - their relationship to the Greek language; my greatest influence no matter the language.

Phonology

Consonants

The following is the inventory of consonants in the Ris language. There are 19 contrastive consonants. The inventory is very similar to what you would expect from an Indo-European language, except for the voiceless sonorant, /r̥/.

Ris consonants
Consonants
Bilabial Dental Alveolar Postalveolar Velar Glottal
Nasals plain m /m/ n /n/
Plosives affricate ph /p͡f/ th /t͡θ/ ts /t͡s/ kh /k͡x/
unvoiced p /p/ t /t/ k /k/
voiced b /b/ d /d/ g /g/
Fricatives unvoiced s /s/ sh /ʃ/ h /x ~ h/
voiced z /z/
Trills voiceless rh /r̥/
voiced r /r/
Laterals l /ɫ/

Consonant allophony

Allophony is common, and a variety of processes affect the consonants.

Vowels

There are 6 vowel phonemes in the Ris language.

All vowels are pronounced short. The transcription into the Latin alphabet includes no single grapheme <u>.

Ris vowels
Front Near-front Central Near-back Back
Close
Near-close i /ɪ/ · y /ʏ/ ou /ʊ/
Close-mid
Mid
Open-mid e /ɛ/ o /ɔ/
Near-open
Open a /a/

Morphology

Main article: Ris morphology

Grammar

Number

Ris has three numbers, all of which are equally common in the language. The Ris numbers are different to those of English, instead using a system similar to a collective-singulative distinction.

Singular number

The singular (sg) denotes one, single noun, and roughly corresponds to the English equivalent of singular. A singularnoun is a single item, either of a collective noun or even a mass noun.

Athuo trema.
/ˈatʰʉ̩ːɔ ˈtreːma/
athy-o tre-ma
to want-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M wheat.IV-PAT.SG

I want a grain of wheat.

(4.7)

Mnio mna koupar.
/ˈmnɪ̩ːɔ mna ˈkʊːpar/
mni-o mna koupar-
to see-IND.PRFV.1.SG.M one ram.I.PAT.SG

I see a ram.

(4.8)

Imbrouas pagma?
/ˈɪːmprwas ˈpaːkma/
im-rou-as pag-ma
to hold-SUBJ.PRFV-2.SG.M time.IV-PAT.SG

Do you have a minute?

(4.9)


Plural numbers
Indefinite plural

The indefinite plural number (indef.pl) is a special number to the Ris language. The indefinite plural primarily marks a collective number, whereas English uses the plural, or any indefinite amount in general.

In addition, it also signify a pair of nouns, in certain contexts. The reason for this is historical; the old indefinite ending was similar in form to the dual ending, and eventually, the distinction between them disappeared.

Aroumena gunte thuisto.
/aˈrʊːmɛna ˈɣʉːntə ˈtʰwiːstɔ/
aroumena gunte thu-ist-o
always fish.I-PAT.INDEF.PL to_want-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG

I always want [two] fish(es).

(4.10)

Aganti ous imistir bhouna.
/ˈaːkʼantɪ ʊs ɪˈmɪːstɪr ˈpʼʊːna/
aganti ous im-ist-ir bhou-na
head.II/LOC.INDEF.PL too to_have-POT.IPFV-3.PAT.DC fat.II-PAT.INDEF.PL

You can have fat on your head as well.

(4.11)

Kerakne noukistine
/ˈke:raknə nʊˈkɪːstɪnə/
kerax-ne nouk-ist-ine
bird.II-INV.PAT.INDEF.PL to_fly-IND.IPFV-3.INV.PAT.DC

Birds fly.

(4.12)

Definite plural

The definite plural (def.pl) marks when there are multiple nouns, but more than two. It does not have the collective sense that the English equivalent does, which means plurals automatically get an article due to context.

Ani ngou mou, mnio bhalloi bhallistina .
/aˈnɪː ˈŋgʊːˌmʊ ˈŋ͡mɪ̩ːɔ ˈpʰaːlːɔj ˈpʰaːlːɪstɪna/
ani ngou mou mni-o bhall-oi bhall-ist-ina
before eye.III/LOC.INDF.PL my/LOC.SG to_see-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG ball.IV-PAT.DEF.PL to_roll-IND.IPFV-3DEF.PL.PAT

I see balls rolling before my eyes.

(4.13)

Ai ourani ouekitsoi.
/aj ˈʊːranɪ ˈweːkiˌt͡sɔj/
ai ouran-i oekits-oi
from[1] heaven.IV-GEN.SG tomato.IV-PAT.DEF.PL

The tomatoes from heaven.

(4.14)

Inaskho tabellithoulianta.
/ˈɪːnaskʰɔ taˌpʼɛlːɪtʰʊˈlɪ̩ːanta/
in-askh-o tabellithouli-anta
to_be-IND.CES-1SG.PAT marker_pen.IV-INST.DEF.PL

I'm out of marker pens.[2]

(4.15)

[1] [2]

  1. ^ a b ai, au and ati are in fact demonstrative pronouns, but in many contexts, they get an adpositional meaning.
  2. ^ a b Literally; I am no longer with marker pens.

Gender and class

There are two genders in the Ris language, the animate (an) and inanimate (inan). The animate gender includes only living animals and insects, as well as supernaturals like spirits and deities. The inanimate gender mainly denotes non-living objects, abstractions as well as flowers and microorganisms.

In addition to this, all Ris nouns are divided into classes. The classes are morphological and semantic, and nouns are grouped according to their gender as well as if it is inherently in the indefinite plural, or if it needs marking. There are as such four classes:

I - animate, marked indefinite plural
II - animate, unmarked indefinite plural
III - inanimate, marked indefinite plural
IV - inanimate, unmarked indefinite plural

The class is the only thing indicated in Ris dictionaries, such as the Ourhagmatika, where the lemma form is always written first:

thyrri, thyrrini
/ˈtʰʉːr̥ʰːɪ ˈtʰʉːr̥ʰːɪnɪ/
thyrrhi-∅ thyrri-ni
woman.I-SG woman.I-INDEF.PL

a woman, women

(4.16)

oryx, orygma
/ˈoːrʉgz ˈoːrʉgma/
oryx-∅ oryg-ma
whale.II-INDEF.PL whale.II-SG

whales, a whale[1]

(4.17)

kanthra, kanthrani
/ˈkaːntʰra ˈkaːntʰranɪ/
kanthra-∅ kanthra-ni
heart.III-SG heart.III-INDEF.PL

a heart, hearts

(4.18)

issix, issigma
/ˈɪːsːɪgz ˈɪːsːɪgma/
issix-∅ issig-ma
hair.IV-INDEF.PL hair.IV-SG

hair, strand of hair

(4.19)

ankis, ankisma
/ˈaːŋkɪs ˈaːŋkɪsma/
ankis-∅ ankis-ma
elbow.IV-INDEF.PL elbow.IV-SG

2 elbows, an elbow[2]

(4.20)

[1][2]

  1. ^ a b Typical examples of class II are animals, although gytei, "fish", is a notable example.
  2. ^ a b Since the indefinite plural has coalesced with the dual, some nouns may have an unmarked dual form. These nouns are typically body parts.

Morphosyntax

Morphosyntactic alignment and core cases

A table of the Ris control and volition distinction in the core arguments, illustrating the two-way distinction in the subject of intransitive clauses.

Ris possess an originally active-stative alignment, which means that the two arguments of transitive verbs, the subject and object, are marked with the agentive case and patientive case respectively. The agent of an intransitive verb, however, can be marked with either. The agentive and patientive cases denote a different degree of control and volition with the arguments. Depending on the intransitive verb, different cases would be used.

It later developed the so-called fluid-S subtype, which infers that any intransitive verb can use both the patientive and agentive cases, wich each grant a different degree of control of the verb.

Patientive case

The patientive, or undergoing case, (pat) is the case used to indicate both the subject of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb, in addition to being used for the citation form of nouns.

The patientive is used on low control agents, and experiencers of actions - neither of which have much influence on the verb. Colloquially, the patientive can be used on agents of transitive verbs to indicate a degree of innocence, lack of control of the event.

Ankouro.
/aŋˈkʊːrɔ/
ankour-∅-o
to trip-IND.PRFV-PAT.1SG

I fell.

(5.21)

Hyrrhorebma henta inista.
/çʏˈr̥ʰːoːrɛpma ˈçeːnta ˈɪːnɪsta/
hyrrhorebma hent-∅-a in-ist-a
squirrel_soup.III-PAT.SG be_okay-IND.PRFV-3.PAT.SG exist-IND.IPFV-3.PAT.SG

There is an okay squirrel soup.

(5.22)

Tagerras kerax!
/taˈkʼeːrːas ˈkeːraks/
tager-r-as kerax-
hit-IMP.PRFV-AGT.2SG bird.I-PAT.SG

Hit the bird!

(5.23)

Aner, ouinestra teskho...
/ˈaneːr wɪˈneːstra ˈteːskʰɔ/
aner- ouinestra- teskh-∅-o
mother.I-PAT.SG window.II-PAT.SG smash-IND.PRFV-PAT.1.SG

Mother, I happened to smash the window...

(5.24)


Agentive case

The agentative (agt) case is used to mark the subject, or agent, of transitive verbs. The agentive marks high control, volitional agents of verbs.

Kateros kterma.
/ˈkaːtɛrɔs ˈktɛrma/
kater-∅-os kterma-
to_write-IND.PRFV-AGT.1SG letter.III-PAT.SG

I am writing a letter.

(5.25)

Kaukanthrias hai!
/kawˈkantʰrijas xaj/
kau~ka<n>ter-i-as hai
<NEG>ITR~to_write-POT-AGT.1SG such

You can't go on writing like that!

(5.26)

Katerras sta haos!
/kaˈtɛrːas sta ˈxaɔ̩s/
kater-r-as sta ha-∅-os
to_write-SUBJ-AGT.1SG what to_wish-IND.PRFV-AGT

I'll write what I wish!

(5.26)

Ankouros...!
/ˈaːŋkʊros/
ankour-∅-os
to_trip-IND.PRFV-AGT.1.SG

I purposely trip...!

(5.27)


Unaccusatives, unergatives and the inversion of cases

An illustration of the Ris alignment of verbal arguments, as a function of control, unergatives and unaccusatives.

Not all intransitive verbs are marked as described above. This only applies to Ris unaccusative verbs. The Ris unergative verbs inverse the marking, using the agentive as a default, low-control marking, and the patientive for high-control subjects.

An unaccusative verb is a verb that has an experiencer as its subject, that is; the syntactic subject is not a semantic agent. When the subject is marked with the agentive, the agency, control and volition is increased, and it in effect becomes unergative. It gives a sense of intent, and trying.

Ekrasa makhina.
/ɛˈkraːsa ˈmaːkʰɪna/
ekras-∅-a mākhina-
to_crash-IND.PRFV-PAT.3SG car.III-PAT.SG

The car crashed.

(5.28)

Aner tsanista.
/aˈneːr ˈtsaːnɪsta/
aner- psan-ist-a
mother.I-PAT.SG to_cry-IND.IPFV-PAT.3SG

Mother cries.

(5.29)

Ntaos.
/ˈntaːos/
nga-∅-os
to_sleep-IND.PRFV-AGT.1.SG

I am trying to sleep.

(5.30)

Unergatives are intransitive verbs and have a semantic agent as their subject. When the subject is marked with the agentive case, the verb almost unaccusative, lowering the volition, control and agency with the syntactic subject. In the gloss, unergatives have the letters inv} before the casees. Thus, an unergative with a subject in the agentive conveys a feeling of involuntary actions, or trying.

Khamista!
/ˈkʰaːmɪsta/
kham-ist-a
to_come-IND.IPFV-INV.PAT.3SG

It's coming!
Antiou rhaistos...
/ˈantjʊ r̥ʰaˈɔs/
anti-ou rha-ist-os
night.IV-LOC.DC talk.ACT-IND.IPVF-INV.AGT.1.SG

I sleep-talk in the night.
Ti rhās?
/tɪ ˈr̥ʰaːs/
ti rha-∅-as
what.PAT.SG talk.ACT-IND.PRFV-INV.AGT.2.SG

What are you trying to say?
Kinizas, kinizas!
/kɪnɪˈd͡zas kɪnɪˈd͡zas/
kiniz-∅-as
drive.ACT-IND.PRFV-INV.AGT.2.SG

You're driving, you're driving! (How is it possible?)

Case

There are 7 grammatical cases in Ris. Most of these are rather common to the Indo-European languages.

Instrumental

Instrumental proper

The instrumental (ins) case serves a number of purposes in the Ris language. Primarily, it is used to indicate that a noun is the instrument or means by or with which an action is conducted.

Thērouna nasērrhan.
/tʰeːˈrʊna naˈseːr̥ʰːan/
thēr-∅-ouna nasēr-rhan
go.ACT-IND.PRFV-AGT.1.SG boat.III-INS.SG

We go by boat.
Napsantan as...
/naˈpsantan as/
napsa-ntas-n as
learn.ACT-PCP-INS.SG this.PROX.3.SG

By learning this...
Ankis mia skhasto igan mia.
/ˈancɪs mʊ ˈsxastɔ ˈɪkʼan mʊ/
ankis-∅ mou skha-ist-o i
elbow.III-PAT.DC my.GEN.1.SG scratch.ACT-IND.IPFV-INV.PAT.1.SG nail.II-INS.DC my.GEN.1.SG

I scratch my shoulders with my nails.
Inanimate subjective instrumental

Marking the inanimate noun with the agentive is incorrect. This is a distinction quite well known in natural languages, and even the Proto-Indo-European language is supposed to have made the distinction.

On subject of control in the Ris verbs, inanimate agents of transitive verbs: subjects such as "the knife" in the sentence "The knife slices the bread" could impossibly be marked with the agentive case, since the subject has no control of its actions. Nor is it experiencing the slicing, and can as such not be marked with the patientive. Instead a construction with the mediopassive and instrumental used.

Of course if desired, the agent can be reintroduced, which means a switch from passive to active.

Lemner me tagī.
/ʎɛmˈnɛr mɛ taˈkʼɪː/
lemn-er me tagi-∅-i
stone.II-AGT.SG me.1.PAT.SG hit.ACT-IND.PRFV-3.AGT.SG

*A stone hit me.
Entagio lemnanta.
/ˈɛntakʼjɔ ʎɛmˈnanta/
en-tagi-∅-o lemn-anta
MED.hit.IND-PRFV-1.SG.PAT stone.III-INS.PL

I am hit with stones.
Tagias me lemnanta.
/ˈtakʼjas mɛ ʎɛmˈnanta/
tagi-∅-as me lemn-anta
hit.ACT.IND-PRFV-2.SG.AGT me.1.PAT.SG stone.II-INS.PL

You hit me with stones.
Kinis lanērrha pāni.
/cɪˈnɪ ʎaˈnɛr̥ʰːa paːˈnɪ/
kin-∅-is lanēr-rha pāni-∅
cut.ACT-IND.PRFV-3.INV.AGT.SG knife.III-AGT.SG bread.III-PAT.SG

*A knife cuts the bread.
Inkini lanērrhan pāni.
/cɪˈnɪ ʎaˈnɛr̥ʰːan paːˈnɪ/
kin-∅-is lanēr-rhan pāni-∅
MED.cut-IND.PRFV-3.INV.PAT.SG knife.III-INS.SG bread.III-PAT.SG

The bread was cut with a knife.
Comitative instrumental

The Ris instrumental also bears comitative and quantitative senses. It indicates actions in company with other subjects, amounts, as well as lacking things:

Indroua mena?
/ˈɪndrwa mɛˈna/
in-r-oua me-na
be.ACT-SUBJ.PRFV-2.PAT.SG me.1-INS.SG

Are you with me?
As arrhos ena.
/as ˈar̥ʰːɔs ɛˈna/
as-∅ arrh-∅-os e-na
it.3.PROX-PAT.SG make.ACT-IND.PRFV-1.AGT.SG s/he.1-INS.SG

I'm making it with him/her.
Ne nenisto na issigan nai.
/nɛ nɛˈnɪstɔ na ˈɪsːɪgan naj/
⟨ne⟩ nen-ist-o ⟨na⟩ issig-an nai
⟨VB.NEG⟩ not_be.ACT-IND.IPFV-1.PAT.SG ⟨VB.NEG⟩ hair.IV-INS.DC NOM.NG

I have no hair / I am not with no hair.
Animate subjective instrumental

The last use of the instrumental, similarly to Russian and in part to English is to reintroduce a subject in a passive clause. The usage is very similar to the adpositional phrase "by me" in English, as in "He was killed", and later; "He was killed by me".

Please note, that this formation, although grammatically correct, is considered quite rude by most speakers. The subjective instrumental is reserved for inanimates for most speakers, and an active verb is used for animate subjects.

Enmnīnta ouena
/ɛnˈmnɪnta wɛˈna/
en-mnīo-nta oue-na
MED-to_see-PCP 1.EXC-INS.DC

Seen by the two of us.
Atai eniniskhanta ērrhasterrhan
/ˈataj ɛnɪnɪsˈxanta eːˈr̥ʰːastɛr̥ʰːan/
atai en-ino-iskha-nta ērrho-aster-rhan
they.3.PAT.PL MED-to_be-CAU.CES-PCP to_love-AG-INS.SG

They were killed by the lover.
Ērrhastera atai iniskhis
/eːˈr̥ʰːastɛra ˈataj ɪnɪsˈxɪs /
ino-iskha-∅-is atai ērrho-aster-a
to_love-AG-AGT.SG they.3.PAT.PL to_be.ACT-IND.PRFV-1.AGT.SG

The lover killed them.

Locative

Locative proper
See also: Ris possession

The locative case (loc) vaguely corresponds to the English spatial prepositions of "by", "at", "in", and "on". However, the Ris locative also bears a temporal usage, similarly to English "in an hour", "today", "after three o'clock".

The Ris language does have adpositions in the traditional sense, to control the exact location of the locative.

Amnayya azimat? ʔineyna enazamut. amagyat
/aˈŋ͡majːa azˈiŋ͡mat/ /ˈʔinɛjna ɛnˈazaŋut/ /aŋaɡˈjat/
amna -yya azima -t ʔiney -na en- azama -ut am- agy -at
you/2.sg.c.pat -cop.act.ind.stat home/sg.n -n.loc lie/act.ind.stat.n.sg -it/n.pat.3.sg below.locp- house/2.sg.c -n.loc after/behind.locp- hour/f.sg -f.loc
Are you at home? It lies below the house. In an hour
Lative locative

Related to location is movement, and the locative can through a construction with the lative particle ‹a› /a/, transform the locative meaning to a lative or translative one. Before a null-onset, it is pronounced /aɦ/.

The particle and the proclitic adpositions will be marked green.

Gam a azimat! ʔinena a enazamut. Ann erʔit.
/ɡøŋ aɦazˈiŋat/ /ˈʔinɛna aɦ ɛnˈazaŋut/ /anː erˈʔit/
gam a azima -t ʔine -na a en- azama -ut a- -nn erʔi -t
come/act.dir.pos.m latp home/sg.f -f.loc lay/act.ind.dyn.n.sg -it/n.pat.3.sg latp below.locp- house/n.sg -n.loc latp -m.pat.1.sg anger/f.sg -f.loc
Come home! Put it below the house. I am getting angry.
Possessive locative

The third purpose of the locative case is that it is also the main tool to express possession, a construction very close to the Celtic and Finnish equivalents, confer:

  • Minulla on talo - I have a house (literally: There is a house at me)

This is the one of the ways of expressing alienable possession in Ris, and it is as such never used for inalienable constructions.

gat azamayya Manim gat azamayya!
/ˈɡ͡bøt aˈzaŋajːa/ /ˈŋ͡mønin ˈɡ͡bøt aˈzaŋajːa/
g -at azama -yya emin g -āt azama -yya
I/1.sg.m -c.loc home/sg.n.pat -cop.act.ind.stat see/act.dir.pos.c.pl I/1.sg.m -c.loc home/sg.n.pat -cop.act.ind.stat
My house Behold my house!
azamayya gat ta trasino Atnvayya gat girgemn.
/ aˈzaŋajːa ˈɡ͡bøt wa taˈtr̥asino/ / atˈŋ͡majːa ˈɡ͡bøt ˈɡirɡemn/
azama -yya g -at ta trasino atn -va -yya g -at girge -mn
home/sg.n.pat -cop.act.ind.stat I/1.sg.m -f.loc def art.n green(n.sg.pat) dog/sg.n -agt.n.sg -cop.act.ind.stat I/1.sg.m -f.loc see/act.ind.dyn.n.sg -you.m.pat.2.sg
My green house My dog barks at you.

Animacy

A table of the different Attian stages of animacy and salency.

Just as the Ris language makes a difference regarding gender, a fairly strong distinction in animacy[*] is made, mainly for semantical and grammatical reasons, since there is no morphological distinction.

The Ris rules of animacy dictates that no inanimate objects may stand in the agentative case. Inanimate nouns are perceived as incapable of actually performing deliberate actions. Inanimates that are the subjects of an action are therefore most often marked with the instrumental case. This construction forces the speaker to directly name an animate agent, use a passive construction, or to use an indefinite pronoun. Inanimate, or less animate nouns also have a lesser probability to be compatible with verbs connected with higher degrees of animacy, like the words for "to talk", "to think" and "control".

There are several different degrees of animacy, which at times also intertwine with salency. The grading goes from Very high to Very low and spans 7 degrees. The top and most animate nouns are humans, and especially men and leaders. Women normally rank as at least as animate as men, but they can in certain circumstances be degraded to indicate inferiority. The least animate substantives are minerals, abstraction and in part; plants.

Don't blame the stone

Quote.png
Men vathim vana.
—Anathir t'Armavir, Descriptions of the language, p. 35

Don't blame the stone is a well known Attian saying, invented by the Attian grammarian Athanir t'Armavir. It's idiomatic meaning is that one should not blame the tool when it is not the master of its own actions. It also carries grammatical significance, since the Attian language does not allow inanimate nouns to be the agent of a verb. An equivalent phrase in English would be: It isn't the gun that kills, but the one who pulled the trigger.

Below is an example of someone hit with stones. Here, the subject impossibly could be marked with the agentive, taking their inanimacy in regard. Instead, you may put the subject in the instrumental case, and mediopassivise the verb. Alternatively the subject is degraded to an oblique, and a new subject is introduced.

vanev ittimann vanun tutinn yatva vanum titann
/ˈwanɛw itˈtiŋanː/ /ˈwanun ˈtutinː/ /ˈjatwa ˈwanuŋ ˈtitanː/
vana -ev ittim -ann vana -un tuti -nn yat -va vana -um tita -nn
stone/n.pl. -n.pl.agt hit/ind.dyn.n.pl --m.pat.1.sg stone/n.pl -n.pl.ins hit/med.dyn-stat.m.sg --m.pat.1.sg someone/m.sg -m.agt stone/n.pl -n.pl.ins hit/ind.dyn.m.sg --m.pat.1.sg
*Stones hit me I am hit with stones Some guy hits me with stones

Both verbs and nouns have different inherent animacy. Both the type of noun and verb are thus essential to interpret whether it can be the in the agentative case. Some verbs are more inherently animate than others in the Ris language, determining whether inanimate subjects may perform them; the word "to speak", thana, is used unexclusively for humans. Less animate subjects cannot perform this verb and are therefore coupled with another, more appropriate, one. Please note that only because inanimate nouns are less likely to perform more animate actions, more animate nouns may act out inanimate verbs.

Below is table with example nouns and verbs with their respective animacy. Please note that the first two degrees most often intertwine. It is common for slightly sexistic or separatistic speakers to use work-arounds when speaking about women or children: Instead of saying that they are capable, they would say they can do (it). In other terms; stative or generic verbs describing characteristics are less likely to be used with women. They have to satisfy with the appropriate dynamic verb.

Degrees of Animacy
Very High High Medium high Medium Medium low Low Very low
man women, children infants, pets animals, weather plants minerals abstractions
to talk to communicate to bark, to be noisy to be green to be heavy to be complicated

Possession

Possession is a complicated subject in Ris grammar. There are about seven different constructions to indicate ownership, depending on context. The primary parameters is the alienability of the possessed, but also the animacy of the possessor.

Predicative possession

Copula and dative

Copula and locative

Copula and instrumental

Transitive construction

Adnominal possession

Genitive construction

Locative construction

Dative construction

Samples

  • thýo hā́ katḗrrazas
  • tḗ rhánzatha
  • gytḗra ouārathí ērikí
  • inḗ gýtē mna.
  • Atḗ, inḗ gytḗn ~ Atḗ, inḗ gýtē ne!