Dictionary Manual and Abbreviations: view article

Menu 1. Fields 2. Abbreviations 3. Linking Roots All words in Tsunem can be related to a primary consonant root. A large amount of roots are triliteral, some older, more basic roots are biliteral and some extended roots are quadriliteral. Each root is inherently a verbal or nominal root, all other words are derived from these. The roots themselves are not in the dictionary, but listed under the most basic word derived.

[edit] [top]Fields

The “etymology” field gives the detailed dictionary definition with a specific layout. The etymology field of a root word follows this paradigm and refer to most of the important derivatives, illustrated by the entry calo:

√CL > calo [TR-2] cut; >> colo [G2] cut; > cal [C] nor; >> (~ladolh) calnolh [C] or > celi [INTR-4] decide; >> cile [G4] decision; > cal [C] if; > ce [C] when; > √ZCL (lza-) lzacel [TR-4] choose; >> lzecle [G4] choice; > √CCL (cut-) cacel [TR-4] elect; >> cecle [G4] election; > √HCL (agent) oclo [G2] knife; >> acol [TR-2] shave; > √VCL (u-) vaclo [G2] scissors; >> vacol [TR-2] shear; > √LCL (ulat-) lacol [TR-2] separate; > locul [INTR-2] be pregnant; >> loclu [G1] birth; >> lecli [G2] newborn; √KCL (kuk-) kakol [INTR-2] be separated; >> koclo [G2] separation;

The entry begins with the consonant root; the 'greater than sign' (>) indicates a derived stem with the word classes between squared brackets, followed by translations or definitions. Root words also have the secondary derivatives indicated (>>), “lzecle” in the example, which is derived from “lzacel”. The abbreviations listed below are used.

The notes of the derivative words are a simplified version of the above, for example “lzecle”. Etymological information has now been removed and the word is related to the consonant root √ZCL, which can be found under the entry “lzacel”:

√ZCL (lzacel) > lzecle [G4] choice;

The etymology at the entry “lzacel” will refer back to “calo”

√ZCL (lza-calo) lzacel [TR-4] choose; > lzecle [G4] choice;

[edit] [top]Abbreviations

√ consonant root. The root that underlie the word and its grammatical forms.
> derivative. A word derived from the root
>> indirect derivative. A word that through some intermediate is derived from the root.
[TR] transitive verb. This verb is conjugated as a transitive verb. It has active voice and passive voice; the active voice has the subject in the ergative case and the object in the absolutive case; the passive voice has the subject in the absolutive case. A number of verbs have a medium voice, which has the same stem as the passive voice.
[INTR] intransitive verb. This verb has no passive voice. It may have medium voice which is the same in form to the passive voice of the transitive verb but the medium voice will have it's own dictionary entry as a deponent verb [DEP]. The subject has the absolutive case.
[DEP] deponent verb. This verb only appears in passive or medium voice and requires the subject in the absolutive case. A number of deponent verbs can have a predicate which is also in the absolutive case.
(medp) medio-passive voice. The medio-passive form of this verb has a specific meaning.
(cop) copulative verb or adjective. The verb, the specific verb form or the derived adjective can be used as a copula to link to objects in the form A is B. The linked object has the same case as the one linked to; see also [DEP].
[G] noun class This specifies the noun class 1 till 4, such as [G1] for nouns in the u-class.
[-1] class 1: u-class. This secondary class is combined with a primary class such as [TR-1] or [DEP-4]. Noun classes are [G1] to [G4].
[-2] class 1: o-class. Idem.
[-3] class 1: i-class. Idem.
[-4] class 1: e-class. Idem.
[+GEN] with genitive case. This preposition governs the genitive case with a specific meaning.
[+INS] with instrumental case. This preposition governs the instrumental case with a specific meaning.
[+DAT] with dative case. This preposition governs the dative case with a specific meaning.
[+ABL] with ablative case. This preposition governs the ablative case with a specific meaning.
(temp) temporal Either any word that has a specific meaning when referring to time, or a preposition that refers to time when it governs a certain noun case, usually [+GEN].
(spac) spacial Either any word that has a specific meaning when referring to a place, or a preposition that refers to a location when it governs a certain noun case, usually [+INS].

[edit] [top]Linking Roots

For non-compound words, the “roots and derivatives” option links to the dictionary entry with the most basic stem of the root, e.g.: “locul”, “loclu”, “lecli” all refer to “lacol” √LCL (ulat-). The entry “lacol” in turn refers back to “calo” (ulat-calo).

The notes section gives the natural language inspiration for the conlang word and the natlang of origin. It only appears on words from which the conlanger took inspiration, i.e. not on derivatives or back-formations. ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article

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