Simar grammar sketch
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basically a copy of my CBB post
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 24 Aug 2019, 05:12.
[comments] stesimar
?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.
(so far just a copy of my post in the CBB speedlang IV thread)
I decided to pull out an old conworld that I haven't done anything with in 3 years and build my first conlang for it. This is Sîmăr Tedasu, a language spoken by a semi-aquatic/amphibious group of humanoids living on and around an island chain in a brackish subtropical inland sea.
Pronouns
Demonstratives
Demonstrative stems indicate 4 levels of referentiality: indefinite, definite proximal, definite distal visible (or audible, etc.), and definite distal nonvisible. Demonstratives are typically required for most NPs.
Prepositions and possessives (which are identical to pronouns minus the independent pronoun suffix -a) cliticize onto demonstratives
Nouns
Referentiality and number are marked on the demonstrative. There is no nominal case. Order of the noun phrase is Gen Poss=Dem=Prep Num Adj N. Examples of noun phrases:
- pîɂubaŋ vună ɂă PLPlural (number)
more than one/few-DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).VISVisible (proximity)
thing within sight-LOCLocative (case)
'in, on, at' etc shallow water "in the shallow waters" - moynov săŋ node 1PEFirst person plural exclusive (person)
we (exclusive)-DEFDefinite
"the".PROXProximal (proximity)
close to speaker three seal "our three seals"
Comparatives
Comparative form of an adjective takes the suffix -pe, e.g. sîgope big-COMPComparative (comparison)
e.g. 'better' "bigger". This originates from an abbreviation of the longer comparative form, which is formed by juɂ [adjective] pe-[demonstrative] [standard], e.g. sa bîkim juɂ sîgo peɂu INDEFIndefinite
a nonspecific referent boat RELRelative big ALLAllative (case)
'to, onto'-DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee) "a bigger boat than that". (Juɂ is also used as a relativizer and pe- as an adposition meaning onto or into.)
Verb system
There is (so far) one valency marking device, the causative, which infixes -te- after the first vowel. This infix comes after person/number and aspect infixes. (I will probably add a passive and antipassive, and maybe an inverse, later.)
Verbal person marking is through prefixes on the verb. If the verb is double marked, then A precedes P.
- 3rd person animate S and P share the same marking, prefix he-. Example: helulojot mapăvŋa gisăh 3ANUnknown code.ABSAbsolutive (case)
TRANS object, INTR argument-sleep<IPFVImperfective (aspect)
'interrupted or incomplete'>1PIFirst person plural inclusive (person)
we (inclusive)-DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).NVISNon visible (proximity)
Thing out of sight guest "our guest is sleeping" - 3rd person animate A is unmarked, as is 3rd person inanimate S and P. Example: sucă sa sîmăr ɂu pîsay cook INDEFIndefinite
a nonspecific referent person DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).VISVisible (proximity)
thing within sight bivalve "someone cooked clams" - 3rd person inanimate A is marked by gi-. Example: gicopeɂ nov coɂ ŋa sîmăr 3INANUnknown code.ERGErgative (case)
TRANS subject; agent-burn DEFDefinite
"the".PROXProximal (proximity)
close to speaker flame DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).NVISNon visible (proximity)
Thing out of sight person "the flame burned the person" - 1st person A, S marked by me-. Example: menăco (mia) nov ɂalaɂ gaɂonjî 1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument-forge (1SGUnknown code) DEFDefinite
"the".PROXProximal (proximity)
close to speaker coral cuirass "I forged this coral cuirass" - 1st person P marked by mo-. Example: motătelah (hisa) (mia) 1First person (person)
speaker, signer, etc; I.ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient-choke<CAUSCausative (valency/mood)
cause an action to occur, force another argument to act> 3SGUnknown code.ANAnimate (gender/class)
alive, moving (1SGUnknown code) "he/she choked me" - 2nd person A, S marked by re- and 2nd person P marked by ri-.
Non-singular number is always marked on an intransitive verb. For transitive verbs, the number of the more topical participant is marked. Speech act participants always outrank non-SAPs for topicality. Among speech act participants, first person outranks second person.
- dual is marked by -it- after the first C. Example: cituliluk hunt<DUDual (number)
two,IPFVImperfective (aspect)
'interrupted or incomplete'> "the two of them are spearfishing" - plural is marked by -ap- after the first C. Example: ŋapusă sa sogontîy moypîŋa node eat<PLPlural (number)
more than one/few> INDEFIndefinite
a nonspecific referent dragon.turtle 1PEFirst person plural exclusive (person)
we (exclusive).POSSPossessive (case)
owns, has-PLPlural (number)
more than one/few-DEFDefinite
"the".DISTDistal (proximity)
far from speaker (and addressee).NVISNon visible (proximity)
Thing out of sight seal "a dragon turtle ate our seals"
Default aspect is perfective, and imperfective aspect is marked by the infix -ul- after the first C.
Order of infixes is: number-aspect-valency. ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
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