Morphology & Syntax
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Various notes on Sipalh
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 11 Jan 2016, 19:40.
[comments] sphmorphologypronouns
3. Nouns & Adjectives
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4. Sounds of Sipalh
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Three noun classes: nonliving, living, and "human". Worldview: they consider themselves above nature, and have to master it. Abstract nouns are mostly nonliving, but "love" might be human - some arbitrary? Perhaps the human class inflects more than the others to reflect being more important?
Verbs are mostly isolating: tense, voice, etc. are separate words. Leave the possibility of inflecting for something, not sure what. Perhaps inflect for an object's class - in some cases might liberate word order.
Nouns inflect for number (sg/pl) and for case (minimally). Nominative/accusative distinction. Maybe abstract nouns are defective [sic]: no singular form (affects pronoun use too).
Adjectives agree with the noun on number and noun class. Some "adjectives" could be incorporated in nouns or verbs though.
Want some freedom of word order: maybe only in certain contexts? Varies between SOV and SVO? Put O at the end of emphasis: standard is SOV.
No articles?
Possessive: double marking? (like Southern Sierra Miwok & Finnish according to WALS) Look at http://wals.info/feature/description/24
Typology
- Fusional, somewhat aggultinative: number, case, and noun class are fused
- Head-final, head-first, or a mix?
- Verbs and nouns mostly suffixing - adjectives prefixing
- Alignment: nominative/accusative
- TAM leans toward aspect? Also some mood
- Verb phrases definitely lean towards dependent-marking, with a remnant of head-marking
- Noun phrases definitely double marked (http://wals.info/feature/description/23)
- No gender difference
- Yes number: singular and plural
- Definitely the three noun classes
- Inclusive/exclusive distinction for 1p (us including you?)
- Maybe a set of three: someone, everyone, noone
The living and nonliving categories can have separate words instead? Is there a difference?
Maybe relate the word to the pronoun - clitic became part of the pronoun because it was used a lot?
1sg human "je"
1pl human inclusive / 1pl human exclusive "nous"
2sg human "tu"
2pl human "vous"
3sg human "il"
spl human "ils"
2pl nonliving/living: use 3pl
3sg nonliving
3pl nonliving
3sg living
3pl living
someone "on"
everyone "tout le monde"
noone "personne"
Total 13 pronouns. Some could collapse. I'd better make some of it predictable/regular. If pronouns are carrying so much of the load, they should be used frequently in the language. Or maybe used infrequently, and haven't been simplified yet?
Nominative Pronouns
| Person | Noun Class | Singular | Plural (incl) | Plural (excl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | I | na | segu | zig |
| 2nd | I | rtaip | lhi | |
| 3rd | I | rdu | tsa | |
| 3rd | II | klu | yili | |
| 3rd | III | rsai | plhan |
Accusative Pronouns
| Person | Noun Class | Singular | Plural (incl) | Plural (excl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | I | ne | sig | zu |
| 2nd | I | rteip | lhai | |
| 3rd | I | rzu | tsai | |
| 3rd | II | klui | yi | |
| 3rd | III | rsi | plhe |
So, I need forms:
- 11 pronouns
- words/phrases for something/everything/nothing, etc. Related to pronouns?
- object inflections for nouns
- number inflections for human nouns
- case inflections for human nouns
- number and class inflections for adjectives
Derivational morphemes to turn
- nouns to verbs (suffix) ? is this one needed ?
- verbs to nouns (prefix)
- one N.C. to another (prefix)
- adjective to verb (suffix)
Have been going modifier-head order for compound forms (the second word defines what it is, the first describes it). buktilla = sun + journey = a journey that's for the sun, i.e. a day.
Use postpositions: at end of [... sic, no idea what I was going to write there] ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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