Roots & Phoneme Grammar
All words contain one or more rootwords. A rootword with an active sense has the form [consonant + vowel], and with a passive sense has the form [consonant + nasalized vowel]. In practice, a passive rootword becomes [consonant + vowel + N], where N is one of [m n ŋ].
Each consonant and vowel has a phonaesthemic, biophysical or poetic connotation (see below), and in rootwords they combine to give a meaning which is either verbal (an action) or nominal (a thing), depending on the context.
For example [ma] means “cares for”, or “one who cares for, mother”, using connotations of [m] “intimacy” and [a] “acceptance”. The passive version is [maN] meaning “is cared for”, or “one who is cared for, child”. The primary meaning for a rootword must be carefully chosen, in order for it to be useful in word-building, as a fundamental unit of our cognitive world. A passive version will exist for all cv roots, receiving the result or influence of a cv action/agent, even if only in the sense of “made to be something by a more active entity”.
Use of phoneme types
Each phoneme type has a role in the grammar. For example affricates are reserved for phrase tags, ejectives are reserved for verbal person-marking, and various other vowel-less consonants are used in particular ways. Again, there is connotational background to the choice and use of these elements. One outcome of this approach is that there is no ambiguity about where words begin and end in the speech flow.
Repetition infix
After plosives and some other consonants may be inserted a flap [ɾ] which adds connotations of repetition or duplication to the main cv meaning.
Functions
- view Rootwords (in new window)
Words
Combining rootwords
A word in the general sense is defined as a compoundWord, containing one or more rootwords. Their combinational sequence engenders a meaning, and between each root may be put a linkPhoneme to show the accumulating relationship in more detail:nothing | which is, acting like |
[θ] | and also, and then, so, to |
[ʃ] | involving, using, by |
[f] | part of, from, away |
[s] | in quantity of (for counted entities) |
[ji] | ⇒ [i] | small |
[ja] | ⇒ [a] after unrounded vowels | greater |
[wa] | ⇒ [a] after rounded vowels | large |
[wu] | ⇒ [u] | enter |
An example can be seen in the language name [səɡai] “small actors”.
Prefixes
Before a compoundWord may be put a class prefix. This is an option to help establish a semantic distinction for the particular combination of rootwords:[bə] | female |
[ɡə] | male |
[də] | tree, star, divine (compare the Sumerian determinative d) |
[pə] | place |
[pr̩] | time |
Suffixes
At the end of a sequence of rootwords and interspersed linkPhonemes is an optional suffix, giving an extra dimension of meaning to the word:[f] | mobile, travel, swift |
[fs] | instantaneous, sudden; superlative |
[fʃ] | mixed, various, interactive, thoroughly |
[s] | abstract |
[x] | physical, inanimate, gross |
[θ] | color; sequence, divided, repeating |
[ʃ] | vague, -like, -ish |
[ʔu] | 0 = not |
[ʔi] | 1 = only just, minimally |
[ʔæ] | 2 = some |
[ʔa] | 3 = very, fully, all |
[ʔo] | 4 = overly, too |
Plural
Coming first in a word is the pluralizer (if necessary). It is simply [sə], and similar to the use of final s in English, it applies to the entire built-up word. In some cases, a plural may take a slightly different meaning to its singular version.
SUMMARY
word = (pluralizer) + (classPrefix) + root + (linkPhoneme + (…) + root) + (suffix) + (intensity)
Phrases
Verbs and their marking
Verbs are words whose action is primary to the phrase or sentence. They usually come at the end of a phrase. To show they have prime importance (as verbs) they have a person tag-suffix. This refers to the agent and patient roles filled by words (and maybe phrases) mentioned before the verb. There are four person tags, being ejectives:[qʼ] | I, me |
[pʼ] | you |
[tʼ] | they, other |
[ʧ’] | something, Fate |
There may be two tags after a verb. The first tag points to the agent of the verb, the second to the patient. A single tag assumes patient is “other” (unwritten [tʼ]). In practice only [pʼqʼ] and [tʼqʼ] double tags are used — so “I” am forced to be passive (humble) towards “you”, by virtue of the more natural pronunciation. There are also many more pronominal possibilities for [qʼ] and [pʼ] than most languages account for.
A phrase may be meaningful with only a verb. If verb personage is obvious from the context, and if there is a phrase modifier (see below), the person tag(s) may be omitted.
Role tags
A word taking part in a verbal phrase (or even an entire phrase taking a role in a larger sentence) will have a tag-suffix to show whether it is the agent or patient of the verb:[tʰ] | agent, instigator of verbal action |
[kʰ] | patient, recipient of verbal action |
[ktʰ] | both agent & patient, action upon self |
Phrase modifiers
Phrase modifiers come at the end of a phrase or sentence, and are formed very much like rootwords, their cv syllable having a phonaesthemic consonant but followed by a toned magnitude vowel. They act as clarifying or editorial comments on the statement. There are four kinds, and they may be used in sequence. If there is only one phraseMod, it closes the entire statement with a falling tone. A sequence of phraseMods will form a tonal contour: rise (high (high)) fall.
0 not -u |
1 minimally -i |
2 somewhat -æ |
3 fully -a |
4 overly -o |
|
Deictic | |||||
ŋ p s tɾ ʃ hl |
current final, won’t simultaneous never at separate |
just now about to momentary once, rarely near passing |
earlier will, later timespan sometimes apart touching |
old, completed eventual long time often, always far attached |
mythical late static, forever too often out of range the same |
Informational | |||||
n v w |
unknown untrue denial |
vague hypothetical doubting |
rumored potential curious |
certain real question |
inevitable fantastic interrogation |
Palimpsest | |||||
d t θ |
comic familiar useless |
trivial variation poor |
noteworthy novelty usable |
serious surprise ideal |
urgent shock spoilt |
Attitudinal | |||||
f b m ʒ |
threat ironic indifferent rejection |
must obtuse formal disappointed |
should polite common ambivalent |
request straight inviting pleased |
allow harsh private desirous |
For example, [fekʰmat’wæF] “wondering if they are looking after the bird”; and [fekʰmat’buF] “it looks after the bird (perhaps by eating it)”.
Phrase modifiers are optional. Or they may contain enough relevant information that they stand alone, without any verbal content beforehand.
SUMMARY
phrase = word + roleTag + (word + roleTag) + verb + personTag + (phraseMod)
| verb + personTag + (phraseMod)
| phraseMod
Complex Sentences
Among other things, phrases may be linked and grouped to create complex sentences.
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Further Details
The mechanics outlined above are really enough for a language. But in practice, there are many details of verbal expression — using the available elements — which do not become obvious without a little more exploration.
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CONSONANTS | |
Voiced | effort, intention, man-made, ambience of (sonic) support and density, strength, vitality, forceful, active, engine (drive) |
Voiceless | effortless, unintentional, natural (as against man-made), weak, airy, lightweight, whisper, secret, background, passive |
Continuants | music, (living) air, lasting, continuous, consistent, extensible, reliable, a period, gradual |
Semivowels | [see Vowels below] |
Liquids | wandering, pathways, (smoothly) shifting, curving, nearly (touching), posing, the tongue, speech |
Fricatives | noise, wind, impurity, restriction, friction, roughness, hairiness, flow, swirl, hiss, vibration, dragging, stimulation, extending, gradual, on the move |
Nasals | closing, firmness, certainty, diverting, behind, private, smooth, smell |
Discontinuants | contact, solidity, earth, physicality, various degrees of hardness, an edge (sudden change in contour), encounter, temporary, reticent |
Plosives | (violent) encounter, banging, knocking, flicking, bursting, explosion, ejecting, suddenness, surprise, heat, potent, ready |
Flap | flick, quick appearance of solidity, divider, trigger, bounce |
LOCATION: | |
Front | front, forward, advancing, outer, light, shallow, exposed, unfinished |
Rear | back, behind, retreating, inner, private, dark, deep, inevitable, heavy |
Labial | external identity, front door, exit or entrance, seal, holding in, soft clamp, intimate, tactile, (my) mouth, speech, signaling, (no taste) |
Dental | practical, hard, sharp, edge, inner gate, accepting or barring, row of shields, delight or aggression (simple but extreme expression), biting, separating, crushing, grip, firm, strength, reinforced (by jawbone) |
Alveolar | antechamber, inner threshold, just hidden, just inside or arrived, squashing, high-pitched, signal |
Retroflex/Rhotic | middle, soft peak, pulled back, raised, exploring deeper, under cover, turning, chewing over, thoughtful |
Lateral | [see Liquids above] |
Front velar | front, high, firm, thick, confident, from within, caught, savouring, straightforward (not fancy), interior minister |
Back velar | back door, inner limit, no escape, full retreat, about to consume, crushed, covert, cameral, dim, discreet, inevitable, about to descend, gagging, primal speech |
Glottal | consumed, within, (to) the depths, inner, bodily, breath, honest, reflex, prior, beginning, source, beyond, invisible, satiation, meal, end |
VOWELS | |
Open vowels | loose, large, open, accepting, welcoming, ready to act or devour |
Close vowels | pressure, confinement, small, fine |
Rounding | intimate, tactile, (my) mouth, speech, pointing, “this”/“that”, near, exterior, outward, obvious, away from, closing, rounding, controlled opening, curious |
Non-rounding | broad, grin, taut, pulled sideways, flat, sliding in or out, satisfaction |
Front | front, forward, advancing, outer, light, shallow, exposed, unfinished |
Rear | back, behind, retreating, inner, private, dark, deep, inevitable, heavy |