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Modals in Naduta
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An explanation of the Naduta modal stem
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 14 Nov 2016, 00:00.

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Menu 1. Formation 2. Use 3. Combining Modals All Naduta verbs can form a modal stem, which is used to accept modal suffixes.

[edit] [top]Formation

The modal stem is identifiable by the suffix 満​ -hi.

For most verbs, this may simply be appended to the stem:

止​ ke-止満​ kehi- "to stop"
隠​ nhus-隠満​ nhushi- "to hide"

However, there are a number of complications, all of which are indicated with explicit phonetic signs:

Verb stems ending in -h instead take the suffix 刃​ –ki:

来​ eh-来刃​ ehki- "to come"
字​ phah-字刃​ phahki- "to write"

This also happens to the verb 遣​ hi- "to do", in order to differentiate it from its passive stem 操遣​ hihi:

遣​ hi-遣刃​ hiki- "to do"

Verbs ending in -n, -y and vowel + -u replace the expected -n'hi/-y'hi/-uhi ending with -nhi/-yhi/-whi, essentially converting the h of the ending to breathiness applied to the final consonant. This is also marked explicitly through suffixes other than 満​:

意​ yun-意鴇​ yunhi- "to plan; to attempt"
沿​ buy-沿k​ buyhi- "to follow along"
飛​ yau-飛釘​ yawhi- "to fly"

This also occurs for verb stems that end in a stop that is usually elided:
教​ kisa-教消​ kisaphi- "to teach"
決​ na-決火小​ nathi- "to decide"
合​ i-合鶴​ ikhi- "to fit; to match"

This occurs also for verbs ending in consonants that have breathy counterparts (p, t, k, m, n, y, w) followed by i. The final non-breathy consonant is simply replaced with the breathy one:

包​ biti-包火小​ bithi- "to wrap; to cover"
蠢出​ dephuni-蠢出鴇​ dephunhi- "to crawl out"


The modal stem is used in conjunction with a variety of modal suffixes. Here is a list:

可​ -wun "can; be able"
願​ -si "want to"
必​ -pu "must; have to"
須​ -rhwa "be likely to; be sure to"
允​ -tre "may; be allowed to"
如​ -ga "if"

The regular personal suffixes are added on immediately after these. Examples:

犬斧0l除1不M​
Phuta kureha khuhiwunmu-buru.
dog-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.ANIMUnknown code.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument
stone-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few
.UKNWUnknown gender (gender)
large or unknown things
.OBJObject (argument) remove-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-can-3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee
=NEGNegative (polarity)
not

"The dog can't move the stones out of the way."

炎j包炎必n​
Thiy bithipura.
flame-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.ANIMUnknown code.OBJObject (argument) cover.MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-must-2Second person (person)
addressee (you)

"You have to cover the flame."

牛斧穴ls脛入落走満須m​
Nhayta reih tu musurhirwhamu.
cow-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.ANIMUnknown code.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument
hole-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.UKNUnknown code.OBJObject (argument) DATDative (case)
indirect object; recipient, beneficiary, location
enter-fall-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-EVIDUnknown code-3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee

"The cow will surely fall in the hole."

走舌l木l切倒満願c​
Pasuh bih teydurhisigu.
that-SG.KNW.OBJ tree-SG.KNW.OBJ cut.down-MOD-want-1
"I want to cut down that tree."

川l了渡走満允d不C​
Yhushe tah-bayuruhitreri-buru.
river-SG.KNW.OBJ PAS-go.across-MOD-PERM-1.PL-NEG
"We weren't allowed to cross the river."

The final suffix on the list, -ga, deserves special attention, as it functions as a conjunction of sorts. Originating as a sort of conditional potential mood, this suffix has evolved to mark conditional clauses, analogous to English "if".

彼斧君P​ s脛口目見満如m我L告D猫​
Usta nah tuni kukuhigara buh menu-du-me.
3-SG.ANIM.NOM 2-SG.OBJ PASS-see-MOD-if-3 1-OBJ report-IMP-HORT
"If you see him, let me know."

It can be used to form other temporal clauses when combined with certain conjunctions. Combined with the conjunction 爰​ aru "so therefore; hence; from this", it becomes equivalent to English "when".

Without -ga:
了速走c爰疲​ W​
Tah-miugu aru sapargu.
PSTPast (tense)
action occurred before moment of speech
=run-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I
hence tire-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I

"I'm tired because I ran."

With -ga:
速走釘如c爰疲​ W​
Miwhigagu aru sapargu.
run-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-if-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I
hence tire-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I

When I run I will get tired.

It can also be used with the particle 更​ unar "more" and another conjunction to indicate "if ever" or "whenever".

Unar combines with 且​ mis "and (then)" and is used with -ga to indicate "if ever":
蜥斧蠢出鴇如​ X更且彼j刺c​
Bunta dephunhigamu unarmis usey khengu.
lizard-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.ANIMUnknown code.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument
crawl.out-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-if-3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee
even-and 3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee
-SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
.ANIMUnknown code.OBJObject (argument) stab.1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I

"If the lizard ever crawls out I will stab it."

Used in conjunction with aru, it mean "whenever":
会満如​ Wd更爰嬉是dc​
Khemehigari unararu iwa-yuri.
meet-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-if-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I
.PLPlural (number)
more than one/few
even-hence be.pleased-be-1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I
.PLPlural (number)
more than one/few

"Whenever we meet we are happy."

Unararu may be contracted to unatru: Khemehigari unatru iwa-yuri.

[edit] [top]Combining Modals

A modal stem can take only one modal suffix. Thus, when one verb is to take multiple modal suffixes, it must subordinate the main verb as an adverbial, and use the copula as a surrogate.

伊読1n​
Induhiwunra.
APLUnknown code-read-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-can-2Second person (person)
addressee (you)
.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity

"You can read."

伊読1角是満須n​
APLUnknown code-read-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-can-CONJConjunction
links two arguments or clauses together
be-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-EVIDUnknown code-2Second person (person)
addressee (you)
.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity

Inuhiwunwa yuhirwhara.
"Surely you can read."

去満必角是満如n去n骨​
Werhipa yuhigara wetra-du.
leave-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-must-CONJConjunction
links two arguments or clauses together
be-MODModerate (animacy)
not-quite-animate
-if-2Second person (person)
addressee (you)
.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity
leave-2Second person (person)
addressee (you)
-IMPERImpersonal (valency)
Has no arguments

"If you must leave, then leave."
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