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Scellan/Syntax: Difference between revisions
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A mostly-analytic language, Eevo is strongly head-initial (with exceptions in poetry). It usually uses VSO word order; the focused constituent is fronted. | |||
Eevo is strongly head-initial (with exceptions in poetry). It usually uses VSO word order; the focused constituent is fronted. | |||
Eevo is split-ergative, the split being conditioned by aspect. | Eevo is split-ergative, the split being conditioned by aspect. | ||
==Negation== | |||
The usual negative particle is ''twm'', which is placed after the verb. ''ni'' (which is preverbal) can be found in literary or poetic language. | The usual negative particle is ''twm'', which is placed after the verb. ''ni'' (which is preverbal) can be found in literary or poetic language. | ||
==Noun phrase== | |||
''a'' (''að'' before a vowel or after ''a'') is used as a determiner before the noun phrase (like Lushootseed ''ti'' and ''kʷi''). Determiners are not used with prepositions or when the noun is used as a predicate. | ''a'' (''að'' before a vowel or after ''a'') is used as a determiner before the noun phrase (like Lushootseed ''ti'' and ''kʷi''). Determiners are not used with prepositions or when the noun is used as a predicate. | ||
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Determiners can be omitted in elevated language. | Determiners can be omitted in elevated language. | ||
==Predicates are fronted== | |||
Eevo has no copula. Instead, the "predicate" or the focused constituent is fronted: | Eevo has no copula. Instead, the "predicate" or the focused constituent is fronted: | ||
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:It's the teacher who is sleeping. | :It's the teacher who is sleeping. | ||
==Ergativity== | |||
Eevo is split-ergative, with imperfective tenses using accusative morphosyntax and perfective tenses using ergative morphosyntax. The ergative preposition is ''rw''. | Eevo is split-ergative, with imperfective tenses using accusative morphosyntax and perfective tenses using ergative morphosyntax. The ergative preposition is ''rw''. | ||
It's conflated with the possessive pronouns in some dialects, where it is used even outside ergative tenses to mark an ergative subject in clauses with fronting, and the possessive pronouns are also used ergatively. Some even argue that ''a(ð)'' is on its way to becoming an absolutive case marker. | It's conflated with the possessive pronouns in some dialects, where it is used even outside ergative tenses to mark an ergative subject in clauses with fronting, and the possessive pronouns are also used ergatively. Some even argue that ''a(ð)'' is on its way to becoming an absolutive case marker. | ||
==Clause types== | |||
===Conjunctions=== | ===Conjunctions=== | ||
*''as'' = and | *''as'' = and | ||
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Eevo provides other syntaxes for complement clauses which are non-finite... | Eevo provides other syntaxes for complement clauses which are non-finite... | ||
=== | ===Conditional clauses=== | ||
:'''''I yv tøøh a barah, (coþ) gias a cnoo.''''' | :'''''I yv tøøh a barah, (coþ) gias a cnoo.''''' | ||
:''If it has rained, (then) the grass is wet.'' | :''If it has rained, (then) the grass is wet.'' | ||
:If it rains the grass will be wet. | |||
:If it rained, the grass would be wet. | |||
:Had it rained, the grass would have been wet. | |||
==Modal expressions== | |||
*''Ŋiwð naw'' = I want to | *''Ŋiwð naw'' = I want to | ||
*''Beð ryn a...'' = I have to (lit. it is my part to) | *''Beð ryn a...'' = I have to (lit. it is my part to) | ||
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*''Ulyn naw...'' = I might... (probabilistic) | *''Ulyn naw...'' = I might... (probabilistic) | ||
==Infinitive absolute== | |||
In an infinitive absolute construction, the verb is repeated once before being "conjugated" for TAM. This is found in literary usage. | In an infinitive absolute construction, the verb is repeated once before being "conjugated" for TAM. This is found in literary usage. | ||