483 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
483 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Lántas nouns
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backname: Lántas
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backlink: .
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conlang: lántas
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...
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Lántas is unusual (as far as I know) in that words which are often considered
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to form a separate "adjective" class, or, a subset of verbs, are in fact (the
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genitive case of) nouns.
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# Number
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The basic form of a noun is its singular, in all cases. The plural is formed by adding:
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- `{!–al}` to a word ending in `{l}` or `{ł}`,
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- `{!–l}` to a word ending in a vowel, or
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- `{!–ł}` to a word ending in a consonant, syllabic or not, other than `{l}`.
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This plural form can also be applied to names of people. In this case it forms
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what is called an _associative plural_, and refers to a person plus a group
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associated with them, usually their family or friend group.
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:::glosses
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- ǧunail
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- ǧunai-l
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- stick-PL
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- sticks
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------------
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- Jánimł
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- Jáni-m-ł
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- John-DEF-PL
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- John and his friends
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:::
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# Definiteness
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The definite suffix for nouns `!(DEF)!` is usually `{!–m}`, and is used more
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frequently than 'the' in English. For example, in the first sentence below Sam
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has one dog, but in the second he is implied to have several. The names of
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people and places are also definite.
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The suffix has a few different forms depending on how the word ends:
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Ending Suffix Examples
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------------------------- ---------- --------------------------------
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`{m}` or `{ḿ}` `{!–am}` `{!šaksḿam}` 'the ash',
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**TODO word ending in m**
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other consonant or `{ń}` `{!–ḿ}` `{!lántasḿ}` 'the language',
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`{!kášńḿ}` 'the lizard'
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vowel, `{ŕ}`, or `{ł}` `{!–m}` `{!luwam}` 'the truth',
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`{!laksŕm}` 'the fish',
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`{!ustaiƶłm}` 'the singer'
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------------------------- ---------- --------------------------------
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A sequence `{ńḿ}` formed in this way is pronounced as `/nm̩/`. In other words,
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`{!kášńḿ}` has *two* syllables, not three like it is written. An extra `{-a}` is
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inserted after the `{-m}` form of the suffix if it is needed due to another
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suffix following it.
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:::glosses
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- Sámimat ƶasim
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- Sami-ma-t ƶasi-m
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- Sam-DEF-GEN dog-DEF
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- Sam's dog
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---
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- Sámimat ƶasi
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- Sami-ma-t ƶasi
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- Sam-DEF-GEN dog
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- one of Sam's dogs
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:::
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:::glosses
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- guwanḿt samńḿ
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- ˈɡu.wa.nm̩t ˈsam.nm̩
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- guwan-ḿ-t samń-ḿ
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- sun-DEF-GEN colour-DEF
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- the colour of the sun
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:::
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## Using the definite suffix
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The definite suffix is used:
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:::examples
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- When the referent is old information already mentioned.
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- `{!Pas nú bairusina.}` \
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`{!Nai rala núm manifnut gašnat ippausi.}` \
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I saw two people. One of them was wearing a nice shirt.
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- For people, places, countries, and other proper names.
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- `{!Ƶuƶ pas kášńł ǧiššimamba nuabia.}`\
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Those two lizards live above the bakery.
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- In time phrases with `{!gimi}`. However, `{!naigimi}` 'sometime' is indefinite.
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- `{!Gimimli lána.}`\
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I'm doing it now.
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- `{!Naigimimli lámána.}`\
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I'll do it at some point.
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- In statements of general fact.
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- `{!Númsal pasla aƶal ai.}`\
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Humans have two eyes.
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- __TODO: ?__
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:::
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The definite suffix is _not_ used (in contrast to English):
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:::examples
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- In superlatives.
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- `{!Milnutlit aifa.}`\
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It's the smallest.
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- __TODO: ?__
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:::
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# Core cases {#corecases}
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Declension for the core cases of `{!nú}` 'man' and `{!lun}` 'road' are shown
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below. Some of the endings are slightly different in the case of a stem ending
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in a consonant or vowel, and if the ending starts with multiple consonants the
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final one of the stem is dropped.
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:::figure
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`!SG !` `!PL!`
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----------------------- ------------ --------------
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Nominative `!(NOM)!` `{!nú}` `{!nú·l}`
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Genitive `!(GEN)!` `{!nú·t}` `{!nú·t·ł}`
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Comitative `!(COM)!` `{!nú·kas}` `{!nú·kas·ł}`
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Caritive `!(CAR)!` `{!nú·ssa}` `{!nú·ssa·l}`
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Instrumental `!(INS)!` `{!nú·la}` `{!nú·la·l}`
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Essive `!(ESS)!` `{!nú·gu}` `{!nú·gu·l}`
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Translative `!(TRA)!` `{!nú·sti}` `{!nú·sti·l}`
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Exessive `!(EXE)!` `{!nú·ču}` `{!nú·ču·l}`
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`!SG!` `!PL!`
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-------- ------------ ---------------
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`!NOM!` `{!lun}` `{!lun·ł}`
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`!GEN!` `{!lu·t}` `{!lun·t·ł}`
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`!COM!` `{!lun·kas}` `{!lun·kas·ł}`
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`!CAR!` `{!lu·ssa}` `{!lu·ssa·l}`
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`!INS!` `{!lun·la}` `{!lun·la·l}`
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`!ESS!` `{!lun·gu}` `{!lun·gu·l}`
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`!TRA!` `{!lu·sti}` `{!lu·sti·l}`
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`!EXE!` `{!lun·ču}` `{!lun·ču·l}`
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:::
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The _nominative_ is the subject of sentences, and the unmarked form. The
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_genitive_ is used for the object of sentences, the possessive, and for
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modifying other nouns (see [below](#adjectivals)).
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:::glosses
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- Jánim línait bairusi.
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- Jáni-m línai-t bairu-si
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- John-DEF mouse-GEN see-RPST
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- John saw a mouse.
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---
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- Jánimat línai
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- Jáni-ma-t línai
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- John-DEF-GEN mouse
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- John's mouse
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---
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- ausut línai
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- ausu-t línai
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- large-GEN mouse
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- a large mouse
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:::
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For _inalienable_ possession (body parts, family members, etc), the [definite](#definiteness) is usually used instead of an explicit genitive construction.
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:::glosses
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- Nattumatł bairusina.
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- nattu-ma-t-ł bairu-si-na
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- parent-DEF-GEN-PL see-PST-1SG
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- I saw my [the] parents.
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:::
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The _comitative_ case is used for 'and' between two nouns, as well as 'with' in
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the sense of 'accompanied by'. It is used on all but the _last_ noun being
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conjoined, with the last one taking the semantic case for the whole sequence.
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The opposite case, the _caritive_, means 'without', and is also used for
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_negative_ possessive statements. (See the adessive, described below, for
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affirmative statements.)
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:::glosses
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- suksł ká
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- suksł ká
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- they;COM I
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- they and I
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---
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- Kalńkas ƶasit bairusina.
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- kalń-kas ƶasi-t bairu-si-na
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- cat-COM dog-GEN see-RPST-1SG
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- I saw a cat and a dog.
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---
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- Sairiassa aina.
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- sairia-ssa ai-na
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- money-CAR be-1SG
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- I don't have any money.
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---
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- Kat fadaukas ká rut ǧimamlis šikkúsi.
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- kat fadau-kas ká rut ǧima-m-li-s šikkú-si
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- my friend-COM I his house-DEF-IN-LAT go-RPST
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- I went with my friend to his house.
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:::
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The most common use of the _instrumental_ case is the "[theme]" of ditransitive
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sentences (while the recipient is in the genitive). It is also used for 'with'
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as in 'using', in distributive phrases such as `{!kallila}` 'in threes, in sets
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of three, three each', and quantifiers like 'every'.
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[theme]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secundative_language
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:::glosses
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- Sanǧula paraina.
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- sanǧu-la parai-na
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- pen-INS write-1SG
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- I write with a pen.
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---
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- kalli litrala tippi
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- kalli litra-la tippi
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- three litre-INS water
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- three litres of water
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---
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- nakasnala hámal
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- nakasnala háma-l
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- every;INS country-PL
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- every country
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---
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- nala núl
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- nala nú-l
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- any;INS person-PL
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- some people
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---
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- nai rala númł
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- nai ra(n)-la nú-m-ł
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- one thing-INS person-DEF-PL
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- one of the people
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---
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- nala númł
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- nala nú-m-ł
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- any;INS person-DEF-PL
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- some of the people
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:::
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The basic meaning of the _essive_ case is a state. It is used:
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- when a noun modifies another, but with a descriptive meaning\
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`{!wasalgu fadau}` "animal friend" (i.e. a friend who is an animal);
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- as the object of certain verbs like __TODO what?__;
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- with [comparatives](#adjectivals);
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- as the second argument of `{!ai}`
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(in very conservative styles the nominative is still used here)
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The _translative_ and _exessive_ cases indicate a change of state:
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- with state-change verbs, the translative marks the new state, and the
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exessive the old;
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- the exessive is also used with [comparatives](#adjectivals);
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- __TODO what else is the translative used with otherwise why does it exist__
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__TODO: examples__
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# Locational cases
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The locational cases are formed by pairs of suffixes, one for the type of
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motion and one for the orientation or part of the target object.[^tsez] These
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cases have formulaic names, e.g., 'adessive' (at), 'superablative' (from
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above), and so on. The prefixes describe the type of motion, and the main words
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indicate the relative position:
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[^tsez]: You might think that this sounds too artificial, but I actually stole
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it from [Tsez]. That's also where I got the pseudolatin names.
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[Tsez]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsez_language "Tsez on Wikipedia"
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:::figure
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-------- ----------- -------------------------
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ad-- `!AD!` at, on
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in-- `!IN!` in
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pre-- `!PRE!` in front of
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post-- `!POST!` behind
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inter-- `!INTER!` between, among
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super-- `!SUPER!` on top of, above
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sub-- `!SUB!` below, under
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apud-- `!APUD!` near, next to
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-------- ----------- -------------------------
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---------- --------- -------------------------
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essive `!ESS!` at, on
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lative `!LAT!` towards
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ablative `!ABL!` away from
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perlative `!PRL!` through, along
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---------- --------- -------------------------
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:::
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Unlike for the core cases, the endings are the same regardless of whether the
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stem ends in a consonant or vowel, so they are only listed for `{!nú}`.
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:::figure
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`!ESS!` `!LAT!` `!ABL!` `!PRL!`
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---------- ------- -------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
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`!AD!` `!SG!` `{!nú·sa}` `{!nú·sa·s}` `{!nú·sa·n}` `{!nú·sa·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·sa·l}` `{!nú·sa·s·ł}` `{!nú·sa·n·ł}` `{!nú·sa·ri·l}`
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`!IN!` `!SG!` `{!nú·li}` `{!nú·li·s}` `{!nú·li·n}` `{!nú·li·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·li·l}` `{!nú·li·s·ł}` `{!nú·li·n·ł}` `{!nú·li·ri·l}`
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`!PRE!` `!SG!` `{!nú·ƶu}` `{!nú·ƶu·s}` `{!nú·ƶu·n}` `{!nú·ƶu·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·ƶu·l}` `{!nú·ƶu·s·ł}` `{!nú·ƶu·n·ł}` `{!nú·ƶu·ri·l}`
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`!POST!` `!SG!` `{!nú·gi}` `{!nú·gi·s}` `{!nú·gi·n}` `{!nú·gi·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·gi·l}` `{!nú·gi·s·ł}` `{!nú·gi·n·ł}` `{!nú·gi·ri·l}`
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`!INTER!` `!SG!` `{!nú·nua}` `{!nú·nua·s}` `{!nú·nua·n}` `{!nú·nua·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·nua·l}` `{!nú·nua·s·ł}` `{!nú·nua·n·ł}` `{!nú·nua·ri·l}`
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`!SUPER!` `!SG!` `{!nú·ba}` `{!nú·ba·s}` `{!nú·ba·n}` `{!nú·ba·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·ba·l}` `{!nú·ba·s·ł}` `{!nú·ba·n·ł}` `{!nú·ba·ri·l}`
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`!SUB!` `!SG!` `{!nú·ku}` `{!nú·ku·s}` `{!nú·ku·n}` `{!nú·ku·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·ku·l}` `{!nú·ku·s·ł}` `{!nú·ku·n·ł}` `{!nú·ku·ri·l}`
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`!APUD!` `!SG!` `{!nú·mi}` `{!nú·mi·s}` `{!nú·mi·n}` `{!nú·mi·ri}`
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`!PL!` `{!nú·mi·l}` `{!nú·mi·s·ł}` `{!nú·mi·n·ł}` `{!nú·mi·ri·l}`
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:::
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:::figure
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- `{!Dufnamsas júlisina.}`\
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`!(AD-LAT)!` I stuck it onto the wall.
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- `{!Ǧimamsa aihapa?}`\
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`!(AD-ESS)!` Are you at home?
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- `{!Sihamgit ǧimamlis šikkúmána.}`\
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`!(IN-LAT)!` I'll be going home soon.
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- `{!Sabut kalń káƶuri narasi.}`\
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`!(PRE-PRL)!` A black cat passed in front of me.
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- `{!Ǧimamgi waibifás.}`\
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`!(POST-ESS)!` They're playing round the back of the house.
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- `{!Lunsari šikkúsina.}`\
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`!(AD-PRL)!` I went down the road.
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- `{!Lunliri šikkúsina.}`\
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`!(IN-PRL)!` I went across the road.
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- `{!Lunmiri šikkúsina.}`\
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`!(APUD-PRL)!` I followed (alongside) the river.
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:::
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## Non-locative uses
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- Subessive is used for:
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- 'in the opinion of':
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`{!Kaku manifnut ai.}`\
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That's pleasant to me/I like that.
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- Superessive is used for:
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- 'about'\
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`{!Suba jaisi fína.}`\
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I had a dream about you.
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## Position words
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The position suffixes give rise to the following words based on some roots
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`{!fan}`, `{!gis}`, and `{!pul}`, which no longer exist as separate words:
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:::figure
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- `{!fanaƶ}`: surface
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- `{!falliƶ}`: interior
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- `{!gissuƶ}`: front
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- `{!giksiƶ}`: back
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- `{!pulluaƶ}`: company
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- `{!gisbaƶ}`: top
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- `{!giskuƶ}`: bottom
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- `{!pummiƶ}`: vicinity
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:::
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# Adjectivals
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Most words considered as adjectives in other languages are in fact
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grammatically nouns in Lántas; words such as `{!sabu}` can be translated as
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'the colour black'. When one noun modifies another attributively, the [genitive
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case](#corecases) suffix `{-t}` is used. In the case of multiple adjectives,
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all other than the last have a modified form of the comitative suffix,
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`{–kat}`. Adjectives, like other noun modifiers, precede the head noun.
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Genitive forms can be used as adverbs with the suffix `{-tta}`; the conjunctive
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variant is `{-ttás}`. Adverbs appear immediately before the verb if they are
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short. Long adverbial phrases, as well as context-setting adverbs such as time
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words, are usually placed before the rest of the sentence. Longer adverb
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phrases at the start of a sentence are often separated from the rest by
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a comma.
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:::glosses
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- sabut ƶasi
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- sabu-t ƶasi
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- black-GEN dog
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- a black dog
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---
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- líbit ƶasi
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- líbi(s)-t ƶasi
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- happy-GEN dog
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- a happy dog
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---
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- sabut líbiskat ƶasi
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- sabu-kat líbi(s)-t ƶasi
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- black-ADJCOM happy-GEN dog
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- a happy black dog
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---
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- Línaim sihatta irhi.
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- línai-m siha-tta irhi
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- mouse-GEN small-ADV squeak
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- The mouse is squeaking quietly.
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:::
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From adjectivals, several further derivations can be made: the _equative_,
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which expresses that two objects have an equal measure of some property; the
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_comparative_, which says that one object has more of a property than another
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object; and the _superlative_, which claims that an object has the most of
|
||
a property.
|
||
|
||
:::figure
|
||
----------------------- ---------------- ------------
|
||
Adjective `{!ausu·t}` big
|
||
Equative `!(EQU)!` `{!ausu·t·sat}` as big as
|
||
Comparative `!(CMP)!` `{!ausu·t·pat}` bigger than
|
||
Superlative `!(SUPL)!` `{!ausu·t·lit}` the biggest
|
||
----------------------- ---------------- ------------
|
||
:::
|
||
|
||
The noun being compared with is in the [essive case](#corecases) for the
|
||
equative, and the exessive for the comparative.
|
||
|
||
:::glosses
|
||
- ǧimagu ausutsat
|
||
- ǧima-gu ausu-t-sat
|
||
- house-ESS big-GEN-EQU
|
||
- as big as a house
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
- fíraču panísatpat
|
||
- fíra-ču panísa-t-pat
|
||
- sky-EXE blue-GEN-CMP
|
||
- bluer than the sky
|
||
:::
|