Converbs

Converbs are non-finite (i.e. they don't conjugate for person, number, etc.) verb forms that express adverbial subordination, i.e. 'when', 'because', 'while', and 'after.’ Essentially, they are optional adverbial modifiers; they modify a verb. Compare them to participles, which are deverbal adjectives; they modify a noun.

Converbs depend on another verb, but are not an argument of that verb (i.e. they are not syntactically required - they merely add extra optional information).

[edit] [top]Explanation

In Nolwynn, converbs are affixes. There are converbs of purpose and time. They are not marked for anything else - not even ergativity or person.

Purpose: in order to
-ye

eyrika eeyweyxoar, tum kwa imyeltxa
cake buy<ERG>.1S land on go.CVB
I go on land in order to buy a cake

Time: while; after; before
-yxa; -wey; -wo

tsweeywel kalomyxa
eat<ERG>.1S cook.CVB
While cooking, I eat.

tsweeywel kalomwey
eat<ERG>.1S cook.CVB
After cooking, I eat

tsweeywel kalomwo
eat<ERG>.1S cook<ERG>.1S.CVB
Before cooking, I eat.

[edit] [top]Usage notes:

Converbs are not used as frequently among the younger generations. Conjunctions are used instead. Participles and serial verb constructions are used too, but this can come across as slangy, imprecise, or informal. Converbs were used in Proto-Abyssal, but over the years, their usage became more and more restricted. It is now more common to hear converbs in formal speech, among elders, or in faux archaic speech. They are not typically used in Tulwyn.

Examples using conjunctions instead:

eyrika eeyweyxoar zwe, tum kwa imeeyltxawe.
cake buy<ERG>.1S in order to land on go.1S<ERG>
I go on land in order to buy a cake

tsweeywel yxa, kalomeeywe
eat<ERG>.1S when cook.1S<ERG>
While cooking, I eat.

To underscore that the eating and cooking occurred at the same time, this sentence could also be phrased as:

erotsweeywel yxa kalomeeywe
CONT.eat.1S<ERG> when eat.1S<ERG>
While cooking, I eat.

tsweeywel iinwey kalomeeywe
eat<ERG>.1S after eat.1S<ERG>
After cooking, I eat

tsweeywel kuba sozu kalomeeywe
eat<ERG>.1S before cook<ERG>.1S
Before cooking, I eat.

Here are the same examples again, this time with participles:

eyrika eeyweyxoar, tum kwa imwolúltxa.
cake buy<ERG>.1S in order to land on go.PCP
I go on land in order to buy a cake

tsweeywel yxa, kalomwolú
eat<ERG>.1S when cook.PCP
While cooking, I eat.

To underscore that the eating and cooking occurred at the same time, this sentence could also be phrased as:

erotsweeywel yxa kalomwolú
CONT.eat.1S<ERG> when eat.PCP
While cooking, I eat.

tsweeywel iinwey kalomwolú
eat<ERG>.1S after eat.PCP
After cooking, I eat

tsweeywel kuba sozu kalomwolú
eat<ERG>.1S before cook.PCP
Before cooking, I eat.

Serial verbs could also be used in this manner as well. For example:

tsweeywel kalomeey.
eat.1S<ERG> cook.1S<ERG>
I eat | I cook
I cook [and] eat

This is not explicit, so it can come across as slangy. This would be used in casual settings where the meaning is clear by context.

[edit] [top]Other Articles

Here are some other articles that describe other details about Nolwynn's verbs:

participles

intransitive verbs

indirect objects

grammatical moods

captative verbs

ergativity

converbs

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