Additional details and rarities
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This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 23 Mar 2020, 12:27.
[comments] bholessonslesson 7
7. Derivation
9. Genders
10. General grammar
13. Interrogation
14. Irregularities
17. Ov and lightning
18. Ov anthem
19. Phonology
20. Sentences
23. Tones
25. Verb morphology
28. WIP
?FYI...
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
Some peculiarities of Ov are too specific or too rarely applied to deserve the attention of the learner at first.
[top]Optional comparative marking
The -l comparee affix makes the comparative marking on the adjective optional.
U m
used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate sharp eye razor-than → the eye is sharper than the razor (literally: the eye is sharp than the razor)
[top]Archaic dual form
There is an archaic dual suffix -ś that is usable in formal contexts. Only words of the plosive harmony ending with VCVC in the plural can take it.
- tdön → kind
- tdönök → kinds
- tdönökś → two kinds
[top]rVr structures
rVr (where V stands for any vowel) is phonotactically forbidden; should an inflection yield it (typically 3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee conjugations), it will be turned into lVr.
- kownír = to abandon
*kowníror= he abandons (theoretically regular but ungrammatical)- kownílor = he abandons
This applies accross word boundaries as well, although this wasn't the case before the late 19th century.
- cyp ör = to slow down
*cypyr ör= he slows down- cypyl ör = he slows down
[top]On V1
Ov strongly enforces VSO word order when there are consecutive verbs, which turns every verb into an auxiliary for the final verb, even if they are not basically connected (example below). This is called a verbal chain (śtoeaniösan).
« If there is a search for it, then I have something I can believe in »
translates as:
« Vys mair płä kgi iöps, krohst os sois neízyk ëka kgi iöps »
which is glossed as:
if be-there-SBJVSubjunctive mood (mood)
desired or possible events search it about, then have-SBJVSubjunctive mood (mood)
desired or possible events.1SFirst person singular (person)
speaker, signer, etc.; I can-SBJVSubjunctive mood (mood)
desired or possible events believe-SBJVSubjunctive mood (mood)
desired or possible events something it about
This literally translates as:
« If there is a search it about, then I have I can believe something about »
And, if we cancel the way adpositions work in Ov:
« If there is a search about it, then I have I can believe about something »
Finally, by cancelling this word order enforcement, we illustrate how it works:
« If there is a search about it, then I have something I can believe about »
Also, keep in mind that auxiliaries trigger subjunctive in the following verb, and since both "have" and "can" are made auxiliaries in this sentence, all the following verbs are subjunctive-inflected. The reason why "have" is subjunctive is different though: this is triggered by the subordinate clause.
[top]Some counterintuitive uses of declensions and idiotisms
- In the following weeks → kakplöiësar sömök (week-INSInstrumental (case)
'with', 'using'.PLPlural (number)
more than one/few next-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few) - It is 39% more likely → u fa lëntyhnean nałripik erroiën im el
- It is 10 meters high → u fa nähs łitónto oiën (COPCopula
used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate-ADJZAdjectiviser (syntax)
turns word into adjective high metre-INSInstrumental (case)
'with', 'using'.PLPlural (number)
more than one/few ten) - Divided by x (and other mathematical operations) → divided x with
- In the direction of x→ x.INSInstrumental (case)
'with', 'using' - We / Us three→ śias el gyn (1PFirst person plural (person)
we (inclusive or exclusive).TOTTotal
all/every three of)
[top]Frequencies
Ov manages frequencies in an interesting way.
iér kaktak → time day-INEInessive (case)
'inside' → once a day
iér tongnaszttak → time month-INEInessive (case)
'inside' → once a month
iérek ät kaktak → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two in-day → twice a day
iérek ät tongnaszttak → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two month-INEInessive (case)
'inside' → twice a month
iérek ät kak ís → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two day out-of → twice in two days
iérek ät tongnaszt ís → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two month out-of → twice in two months
What happens here is that the numeral is not repeated, impliedly applying to both nouns. The noun can be pluralized so as to neutralize ambiguity.
iérek ät kyk el ís * → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two day three out-of → twice in three days
iérek ät tongnaszt el ís → time-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few two month three out-of → twice in three days
(* « kyk » is an irregular plural)
[top]« u » vs « u fa »
U fa is the variant of "u" used before a single adjective.
U wäi ast → be cat beautiful → the cat is beautiful
U fa ast → be beautiful → it is beautiful
[top]Ironic negation
Interronegatives don't exist in Ov, with the exception of ironic negations like « ain't it nice » which are rendered by a negation followed by « kyś ».
[top]One of them…
The ”one of them” structure is translated with the numeral only. In that case, it is always situated at the beginning of a sentence, overriding the expected word order.
ät nonkuk iw → two <PASSPassive voice (valency)
be verb-ed.3PThird person plural (person)
neither speaker nor addressee, they/them>give out → Two (of them) are reported
When the numeral is one, the singulative particle ”ibl” is used.
ibl nondruk iw → SGVSingulative (number)
'one piece of the whole' <PASSPassive voice (valency)
be verb-ed.3SThird person singular (person)
neither speaker nor addressee>give out → One (of them) is reported
The determiner "other" has its own unvariant singulative form "oił".
[top]Narrative style
Where English would say "he claimed" or "said he" in a narrative style, Ov would simply put "so" before a verb in the future tense.
Plapla, céd sparan → blabla, so say-FUTFuture (tense)
action occurring after the moment of speech.2SSecond person singular (person)
addressee (you) → Blabla, he said.
[top]A neat list of Ov sayings
O śköblar swahnok unk.
/o̞ skʏɫ̪ɑɾ ɕvɑːno̞k uŋk/
There's a sheep in my coffee = there's something wrong
(can be used with a complement followed by "kgä" to mark the topic)
Amlíliä cyhs blëiszan nev pea slont ol bela mohrwöuszëł.
/ɑliːʝæ θyːɕ ɫ̪e̞ɪ̯sɑn ne̞f pɤ ɕlo̞nt o̞l be̞lɑ moːɾvʏwsɪç/
It's better to know for sure it rains on you than to believe it's sunny at the world's tail = a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Swaiësztan víbl aszm öf oun noszëł.
/ɕvɑɪ̯stɑn viːɫ̪ ɑsm ʏf o̞wn no̞sɪç/
You're precious as a marble of air in space = said to someone negligible in appearance but who turns out to be extremely useful, without whom even great things couldn't be accomplished
Urvytín öyswa!
/urvʏtiːn yːɕvɑ/
Milk would blush! = said when something shocking but funny has just been said, typically accidentally by a child
Kuhartsał winilyr!
/kuːɑrt͡ɕɑx vɪnɪlʏɾ/
Your heart moved = You're blushing hard(the "to move" verb used here is that of changing residence; the possession is expressed through the construct case so the person this adresses is virtually anyone)
Ar mibkik Temaskasan.
/ɑɾ mɪbkɪk te̞mɑɕk(ɑ)ɕɑn/
S/He is in the fogs of the Temaska river = S/He is not born yet / s/he is to be born(calqued from a regional french idiom)
Lar öyf kgi.
/lɑɾ yːf kɪ/
The wind keeps it = Rumor has it
Bair língäs ékglumea.
/bɑɪ̯ɾ liːŋæɕ e̞ɪ̯klumɤ/
I can bring my own = I can play my role.
Ovnel ënkovnel.
/o̞vne̞l ɪŋko̞vne̞l/
What's done won't be to be done.
Tdunur zahlyryl yhalcciaus.
/tunuɾ t͡ɕɑːlʏɾʏl yːɑlθjɑwɕ/
It makes as much sense as an equatorial winter.
Mulur kgan kgäipi läszsa.
/muluɾ kɑn kæɪ̯pɪ læsɕɑ/
The sky opens for me = I'm very tired/sleepy
Urplinoun dohlírok.
/urɫ̪ɪno̞wn doːliːɾo̞k/
You made my words shy = I'm very flattered
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