Complex sentences in Cuuyamu
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Some things just take too long to explain
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 12 Feb 2016, 17:47.
[comments] cuysyntax
7. Syntax Samples
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10. The Shàalilu
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This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Continued from Forming a sentence in Cuuyamu, because it didn't all fit in one article.
The most basic form of a relative clause is when the verb is intransitive. In this case, the relative clause takes the form of an adjective, by applying the -ita suffix to the verb stem and placing it before the noun. This works for dynamic as well as stative verbs.
Diçilu shúuliita tuñii.
be_small-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense) fly-ADJAdjectival
syntactic bird
The bird that flies is small. or The flying bird is small.
Transitive verbs with relative clauses
If the verb in the relative clause is transitive, the strategy is quite different. The relativizing conjunction san directly follows the noun in the main phrase and introduces the relative clause. Inside the clause, that noun is removed (whether it's the subject or the object) and its verbal suffix replaced with -uu.
Náálu jipa san atiquuja dzaal ñáátu.
be_tall-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense) man RELZRelativiser (derivation) see-RELRelative-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) OBJObject (argument) goat
The man who sees the goat is tall.
If the verb in the main clause is transitive, the construction is basically the same. Here are two examples, tying the relative clause to both the object and the subject.
Atiqluja sinlu jipa dzaal lìilu san liaaluu wuduu.
see-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense)-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) that.DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).SUBSubject (argument) man OBJObject (argument) person RELZRelativiser (derivation) come-RELRelative yesterday
That man sees the person who came yesterday.
Atiqluja lìilu san liaaluu wuduu dzaal sinpi jipa.
see-3S.AN.PRS-3S.AN.OBJ person RELZ come-REL yesterday OBJ that.DIST.OBJ man
The person who came yesterday sees that man.
If the relative clause is long and is modifying the subject of the main sentence, this can leave the object of the main phrase stranded far from the verb it relates to. If the object is an essential part of the meaning and the speaker wants to emphasize it earlier, it can be moved to the start of the sentence (resulting in an OVS word order).
Dzaal níiwa patsyimlupu çíí miitu san muts wùuduita dzimba taanutuuja wuduu sinpi áadçi.
OBJObject (argument) meat eat-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense)-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.INANInanimate (gender/class)
inanimate, sessile.OBJObject (argument) today woman RELZRelativiser (derivation) until be_dark-ADJAdjectival
syntactic forest lead-RELRelative-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) yesterday that.DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).OBJObject (argument) guest
The woman who led her guest to the dark forest yesterday is eating meat today.
When both the main clause and the relative clause use transitive verbs and the relative clause is built from the main subject, the dislocation of the main clause's object to the start of the sentence is mandatory.
Dzaal shííçi cuuyaluja shu san atiquupu dzaal ñaal.
OBJObject (argument) clan_father speak-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense)-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) boy RELZRelativiser (derivation) see-RELRelative-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.INANInanimate (gender/class)
inanimate, sessile.OBJObject (argument) OBJObject (argument) tree
The boy who saw the tree is talking to the clan father.
Nested clauses
Relative clauses can be nested by using the same relativizing conjunction on a noun within a relative clause. Such sentences can get complicated very quickly, so there are two different forms they can take, depending on the nature of the sentence and the preference of the speaker. The most straightforward uses the same construction for every clause.
Náálu jipa san atiquuja dzaal ñáátu san patsyimi yiidluu jipa.
be_tall-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense) man RELZRelativiser (derivation) see-RELRelative-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) OBJObject (argument) goat RELZRelativiser (derivation) eat-CMPComplementiser (syntactic)
[clause] that [clause] want-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense)-RELRelative man
The man who sees the goat that he wants to eat is tall.
The alternative structure for that sentence is to use a passive construction in the innermost clause to avoid reusing the man as the subject. The subject of the main clause is implied as the unstated subject for the passive relative clause as well.
Náálu jipa san atiquuja dzaal ñáátu san patsyimi yiidnuu.
be_tall-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.PRSPresent tense (tense) man RELZRelativiser (derivation) see-RELRelative-3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving.OBJObject (argument) OBJObject (argument) goat RELZRelativiser (derivation) eat-CMPComplementiser (syntactic)
[clause] that [clause] want-PASSPassive voice (valency)
be verb-ed-RELRelative
(Literally, Tall is the man who sees the goat that is wanted to be eaten.)
* Comparatives and superlatives
* Conditionals, predictions, counterfactuals
* Expressing opinions and wishes
* Various prepositions
* Perfectiveness/telicity/mirativity markers
* Quotative particle
* Using simile
* Prosody ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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