Why words in Awatese get long: a case study
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This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 29 Apr 2023, 08:14.
[comments] cwspawatgrammarmorphology
1. The Awatese script
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This is the longest grammatically possible word in the Awatese language. It is longer than the longest English word in a major dictionary ("pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" at 45 letters). This is the word:roxonotuIENniNoIEnipuNUOhoIEnipuNUOhoIEnipuNUOhxozNhurNoxohotiOponUERu
rąxąnotuyenganingąyenipungwąhąyenipungwąhąyenipungwąhałązanghurangąxąhątyopąnaweřu
[ɾɐ.sɐ.no.tu.je.ŋa.ni.ŋɐ.je.ni.pu.ŋwɐ.hɐ.je.ni.pu.ŋwɐ.hɐ.je.ni.pu.ŋwɐ.ha.ɬɐ.zaŋ.hu.ɾa.ŋɐ.sɐ.hɐt.jo.pɐ.na.we.ru]
"and that if, assumedly, they were each not wanting to be able to stop trying to habitually throw it [semianimate] outward"
Let’s break it down and list each of its 15 productive morphemes!
rą- = and
-xą- = relativizer/complementizer
-no- = assumptive evidential; indicates something that is assumed by the speaker
-tu- = animate third-person subject
-yeng- = semianimate third-person object
-aning- = out, outward (directional)
-ąyenipungwą = to send, to throw [reduplicated twice; once for pluractionality and again for distributive; subject is now plural]
-h- = epenthesis
-ałą = be able to; when compounded, represents potential
-zang = want, desire; when compounded, represents optative
-hur = stop, finish; when compounded, represents cessative
-a- = epenthesis
-ngąxą = try, attempt; meaning is preserved when compounded
-h- = epenthesis
-ąt = continuous aspect
-yo = past tense
-pą = negative
-nawe = habitual
-řu = conditional
It needs no mention that Awatese is among the most refined languages in Akulanen and, indeed, on Sahar. In informal Awatese, usually only the first two syllables of a word are reduplicated, but standard or formal Awatese writing conventions require that the entire word is reduplicated where applicable. Additionally, only four additional serial verb constructions are allowed per verb root. While there's a 99% chance that words like this will never see the light of day in any extant Awatese writing, make no mistake that this is grammatically correct Awatese. However, this word is attested in only one text. It was found in the 14th century philosophical text Řu rą Lepi a Dądąha ("Ways of the Mind and Heart"), a work attributed to medieval Awatese author Xu Řąziya Ngukunum Wąxku, who was known contemporaneously to purposefully use extremely long words in his writings. ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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