Zesipian Sentence Structure
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Presents the grammar rules of sentence structure and word order.
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 25 Apr 2021, 18:25.
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1. Number System
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3. Zesipian Verbs
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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.
Zesipian is a strict Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) language. Every Clause contains a Subject and at least one Verb, with the Verb always at the head of the Clause.
The Subject of a Clause indicates the person or thing that performing an action, while the Verb indicates the action being performed. The Object always precedes the Subject and, depending on the Verb, may include a Direct Object, Indirect Object, Object Pronoun, or Phrase.
The following is an example of a simple sentence in Zesipian, where the Verb is « kæṣpanæ » ("to live") and the Subject is « im » ("I"):
kæṣpanæ im.
kæṣpanæ im.
I live
Here a Direct Object, « æk bælumū we » ("the city in"), is added to the sentence:
kæṣpanæ im æk bælumū we.
kæṣpanæ im æk bælumū we.
I live in the city
Here is an example with an Indirect Object:
bæbēnæ bæk æk seṣipar ækan zeṣulæin.
bæbēnæ bæk æk seṣipar ækan zeṣulæin.
They give the sandwich to the child.
The Verb, « bæbēnæ » ("to give"), and the Subject, « bæk » ("him / her / they / it"), setup the Direct Object « æk seṣipar » ("the sandwich") with an Indirect Object of « ækan zeṣulæin » ("the child").
Nouns
Zesipian does not modify its Nouns. Instead, it leverages Determiners to indicate the Case and Plurality of a Noun. Because of this all Nouns are always preceded by a Determiner that has been modified according to the Determiner Declension rules.
When Nouns are compounded,
The same applies to Objects with multiple Nouns: Butcher Shop = Shop Butcher.
Determiners
Zesipian does not modify its Nouns but instead leverages Determiners heavily to indicate the Case and Plurality of the Objects in a sentence. .
In the previous example, «
bæbēnæ bæk æk seṣipar ækan zeṣulæin. », the Direct Object is placed before the Indirect Object, however, « bæbēnæ bæk ækan zeṣulæin æk seṣipar. » ("They give the child the sandwich") is an equally a valid sentence, where the order is a matter of preference and/or emphasis.
The four cases of Zesipian are Nominative which indicates the Subject, Accusative, which indicates the Direct Object, Dative which indicates the Indirect Object, and Genitive which indicates possession.
In the same example, « æk » is the Accusative form of "the" and « ækan » is the Dative form.
Determiner Declension is applied to the Determiner that immediately precedes the Noun, in the case of more than one Determiner, as follows:
Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Vowel ending, drop the « a » | Vowel ending, drop the « ē » | ||
Plural | Consonant ending, drop the « n » | Consonant ending, drop the « n » | Vowel ending, drop the « a » | Vowel ending, drop the « ē » |
Here is a table demonstrating the Determiner Declension with different types of Determiners:
Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Definite Determiner « æk » |
æk dæḳe æk dæḳe the plant ækū dæḳe ækū dæḳe the plants | æk dæḳe æk dæḳe the plant ækū dæḳe ækū dæḳe he plants | ækan dæḳe ækan dæḳe the plant ækanū dæḳe ækanū dæḳe the plants | ækēd dæḳe ækēd dæḳe of the plant ækēdū dæḳe ækēdū dæḳe the plants |
Indefinite Determiner « az » |
az mælra az mælra a river azū mælra azū mælra rivers | az mælra az mælra a river azū mælra azū mælra rivers | azan mælra azan mælra a river azanū mælra azanū mælra rivers | azēd mælra azēd mælra of a river azēdū mælra azēdū mælra of rivers |
Quantitative Determiner « lūez » |
lūezū telleṣ lūezū telleṣ all stars lūez ækū telleṣ lūez ækū telleṣ all the stars | lūezū telleṣ lūezū telleṣ all stars lūez ækū telleṣ lūez ækū telleṣ all the stars | lūezanū telleṣ lūezanū telleṣ all stars lūez ækanū telleṣ lūez ækanū telleṣ all the stars | lūezēdū telleṣ lūezēdū telleṣ of all stars lūez ækēdū telleṣ lūez ækēdū telleṣ of all the stars |
Verbs
Adjectives
Adjectives themselves have an order preference with the general rule to least specific to most specific and descriptions involving direction, time, or quantity are towards the end (and in that order)
Negation
Negation via nṣ always terminates the Clause it negates.
likinæ im lūḳū kada nṣ.
likinæ im lūḳū kada nṣ.
I do not like a lot of salt.
Determiners always precede the Noun(s).
Counts (numerals ) are after the are after the Noun (and Adjectives).
Questions
nidaṣina ḳau tell?
nidaṣina ḳau tell?
what are you carrying?
Postpositions
In the example, « kæṣpanæ im æk bælumū we. » the Postposition « we » ("in") is used. Postpositions are always placed after the Object it compliments. When an Adjective is added to the Object, for example « lū » ("big"), the Postposition is placed after any and all Adjectives:
kæṣpanæ im æk bælumū lū we.
kæṣpanæ im æk bælumū lū we.
I live in the big city
Subordinate Clauses
Subordinate Clause is always after the main clause joined by the conjunction. The subordinate clause structure is conjunction / subject / object / verb.
likinū æki ækū telleṣ, nurzsōūs daḳū tæier kænez. — "He / She / They like stars, because they are pretty.[br]"æki" is the subject. the subordinate is referencing the object not the subject so "daḳū" is used. Verb to the end.
dalūrēnæ ima, nurzsōūs ima æk tēzūia ki. — "I eat, because I am hungry"
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