Netagin
'Netagin brítz nˀAthághín בְּרִיץ אֲ֬תָגִין
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Spoken in: | Cyprus, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey |
Conworld: | |
Total speakers: | 393,000 |
Genealogical classification: | Isolate
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Basic word order: | SOV |
Morphological type: | Templatic, Fusional |
Morphosyntactic alignment: | Accusative, Dechticaetiative, Hierarchical |
Writing system: | |
Created by: | |
IlL | 2013~ |
Netagin is intended to be my "real" jump-on-the-pseudo-Celtic-bandwagon - a morphophonological rather than syntactic imitation of Celtic, specifically within a Semitoid framework. It is an a priori language intended to have a Northwest Semitic and Irish aesthetic, (Indeed Tiberian Hebrew and Aramaic are the most stereotypically "Celtic" of all Semitic languages, with their use of lenition. So much that I was once tempted to make an Irish-looking Semlang. For the curious, it resulted in something like A chathabh an séibhear an seabhar ba bhíth an dtóir? 'Did the scribe write the book in the house of purity?' This project can be considered a compromise between the two aesthetics.) and also as a semi-joke (though I'm not sure if it is best understood as laughing with or at Israelis/Modern Hebrew for their mutational challengedness. The aim definitely is, however, to create a language that would inspire *DIVINE FEAR* and *DREAD* in the minds of the average Israeli). It employs templatic morphology, animacy hierarchy-based person marking and mutation-triggering proclitics encoding multiple grammatical functions such as topic-prominence, TAM and modality/evidentiality.
Background
The Netagin language (Netagin: בְּרִיץ אֲ֬תָגִין
ββρείτζ νἈθωγείν brítz nˀAthághín [bʁɨtɬ naθɒˈʝin] "speech of the recluses"; Greek: νεθαγίν nethayín; Modern Hebrew: נְתָגִין netagín or נְתָגִינִית netaginít) is a language isolate autochthonous to Cyprus and spoken in Cyprus and its Middle Eastern environs, including the Holy Land. As a result of interaction with Greek it shares with it extensive spirantization, nasal mutation and palatalization. Rather remarkably, however, Netagin additionally grammaticalized these sandhi processes, much like the insular Celtic languages and to a lesser extent Tiberian Hebrew. It is a fusional and templatic language with some agglutinative characteristics. The language has been small but vigorous up until modern times. Currently the language is suffering from decline in speakers and attrition of its many unique grammatical features. The latter is especially severe in Israel as the marginalized speakers assimilate more Israeli roots, vocabulary and syntax, and omit mutations as in spoken Israeli Hebrew.
Phonology
Consonants
There are 35 phonemic consonants.
Consonants | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bilabial | Labio-dental | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Pharyngeal | Glottal | |||
plain | emphatic | |||||||||||
Nasals | m, mb /m~mʲ/ | n, nd, nˀ, nh /n~nʲ/ | nˤ, nḥ /nˤ/ | ng /ɲ~ŋ/ | ||||||||
Plosives | voiceless | p /p~pʲ/ | t /t~tɕ/ | ṭ /tˤ~ɗˤ/ | c /c~k/ | q /q/ | ˀ /ʔ/ | |||||
voiced | b, bp /b~bʲ/ | d, dt /d~dʑ/ | dṭ /dˤ/ | g, gc /ɟ~g/ | gq /ɢ/ | |||||||
Fricatives | unvoiced | f, ph /f~fʲ/ | th /θ/ | s /s~ɕ/ | ṭh /sˁ~θˁ/ | š /ʂ~ʃ/ | ch /ç~x/ | qh /χ/ | ḥ, fh /ħ/ | h /h~ɦ/ | ||
voiced | bh /v/ ([vʲ]) |
dh /ð/ | z /z~ʑ/ | gh /ʝ~ɣ/ | r /ʁ/ | ˁ /ʕ/ | ||||||
Approximants | mh, mhf /w/ | y /j/ | ||||||||||
Lateral app. | l /ɫ~ʎ/ | |||||||||||
Lateral fric. | ś /ɬ/ | |||||||||||
Lateral aff. | tz /tɬ/ |
The phoneme /tˤ/ is realized as an implosive, [ɗˤ] word-initially.
In the standard pronunciation (but not in all dialects; notably not in the Ṭašálí dialect) all consonants except /j/, emphatics, uvulars, gutturals (pharyngeals and glottals), lateral fricatives and affricates and dental fricatives are palatalized when preceding a front vowel. /w/'s palatalized allophone is /vʲ/.
Plain | /ɣ/ | /x/ | /g/ | /k/ | /ŋ/ | /ʂ/ | /ɫ/ | /z/ | /s/ | /d/ | /t/ | /n/ | /w/ | /v/ | /f/ | /b/ | /p/ | /m/ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palatalized | [ʝ] | [ç] | [ɟ] | [c] | [ɲ] | [ʃ] | [ʎ] | [ʑ] | [ɕ] | [dʑ] | [tɕ] | [nʲ] | [vʲ] | [fʲ] | [bʲ] | [pʲ] | [mʲ] |
Vowels
The vowels written with an acute accent can be analyzed as long vowels or tense vowels; one or more of both pronunciations may be realized simultaneously.
Front | Near-front | Central | Near-back | Back | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Close | í /i(ː)/ | [ɨ] | ú /u(ː)/ | ||
Near-close | i /ɪ/ | u /ʊ/ | |||
Close-mid | é /e(ː)/ | [ɘ] | ó /o(ː)/ | ||
Mid | |||||
Open-mid | e /ɛ/ | [ɜ] | o /ɔ/ | ||
Near-open | |||||
Open | a /ä/ | á /ɒ(ː)/ |
Front vowels /i e ɛ/ are centralized to [ɨ ɘ ɜ] after emphatic or uvular consonants.
Stress
In native words primary stress can only fall on the ultimate, or less commonly the penultimate syllable.
Orthography
Until recently the Greek alphabet and the Hebrew abjad (especially in Israel or by Jews) were more often used. However, recently the Latin script, especially imprecise renditions thereof, has been spreading to the exclusion of the Hebrew-based orthography.
Consonants
The dagesh is used to mark historical gemination (dagesh forte) that is nowadays realized only for resonants n, l and r, and non-lenition (dagesh lene) for the case of b, g, d, ṭ, c, m, p, q, and t. In Netagin the lenitable letters are termed בֵּגָֿ״דֿ וֲּטֵֿכָֿ״םֿ וֻּפֶֿקָֿ״תֿ
béghádh fa-ṭhéchámh fu-phéqháth [beˌɣɒð fasˤɘˌxɒw fʊfʲeχɒθ]. Mémh, however, often resists lenition after /ɪ/, /i/ or /j/. A word-medial dageshed lenitable consonant is not written as double letters in Latin script.
Syllable/word-final <ˀ> and <h> are silent. When a word-final he has a mappiq (homographic to the dagesh) it is not silent, but is to be pronounced /h/ (Romanized as hh and Hellenized as a doubled vowel).
Netagin consonants | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Hebrew | Name | Latin | Greek | IPA |
א | ˀálaph | ˀ | spiritus lenis | /ʔ/ |
בּ | báith | b | ββ | /b~bʲ/ |
גּ | gímhal | g | γγ | /ɟ~g/ |
דּ | dálath | d | δδ | /d~dʑ/ |
ה | hé | h | spiritus asper, vowel doubling (when word-final) | /h/ |
וּ | fó | f | ϝϝ | /f~fʲ/ |
ז | záin | z | ζ | /z~ʑ/ |
ח | ḥéth | ḥ | η | /ħ/ |
טּ | ṭéth | ṭ | ττ | /tˤ~ɗˤ/ |
י | yódh | y, i after a vowel | ι, ϊ after a vowel | /j/ |
כּךּ | cáph | c | χχ | /c~k/ |
ל | lámhadh | l | λ | /ɫ~ʎ/ |
מּםּ | mémh | m | μμ | /m~mʲ/ |
נן | nún | n | ν | /n/ |
ס | sámhach | s | σ, ς | /s~ɕ/ |
ע | ˁáin | ˁ | ω | /ʕ/ |
פּףּ | pé | p | φφ | /p~pʲ/ |
צץ | tzádhe | tz | τζ | /tɬ/ |
קּ | qóph | q | κκ | /q/ |
ר | réš | r | ρ | /ʁ/ |
ש | šín | š | σζ | /ʃ/ |
שֹ | śín | ś | θζ | /ɬ/ |
תּ | tó | t | θθ | /t~tɕ/ |
Lenition (Netagin taqídháh 'melting; dissolution') is marked with a lack of a dagesh in the Hebrew script, or a following h in the Latin script. The rafe may be used for improved contrast.
Lenition | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Hebrew script | Latin | Greek | IPA | |
ב | bh | β | /v~vʲ/ | |
ג | gh | γ | /ʝ~ɣ/ | |
ד | dh | δ | /ð/ | |
ו | fh | ϝ | /ħ/ | |
ט | ṭh | τ | /sˤ~θˤ/ | |
כך | ch | χ | /ç~x/ | |
מם | mh | μ | /w~vʲ/ | |
פף | ph | φ | /f~fʲ/ | |
ק | qh | κ | /χ/ | |
ת | th | θ | /θ/ |
Historical nasalization (Netagin: carríṭháh 'befogging; making turbid') is marked in the Hebrew script with a nún mecharríṭh ('befogging nún'; rendered here as an iluy) in conjunction with a dagesh for lenitable consonants.
Eclipsis | |||
---|---|---|---|
Hebrew script | Latin | Greek | IPA |
א֬, ה֬ | nˀ, nh | ν- added | /n~nʲ/ |
בּ֬ | mb | μβ | /m/ |
גּ֬ | ng | νγ | /ɲ~ŋ/ |
דּ֬ | nd | νδ | /n~nʲ/ |
וּ֬ | mhf | μϝ | /w~vʲ/ |
ח֬, ע֬ | nḥ, nˁ | ν- added | /nˤ/ |
י֬ | ny | ν- added | /nʲ/ |
טּ֬ | dṭ | ντ | /dˤ/ |
כּ֬ | gc | γχ | /ɟ~g/ |
פּ֬ | bp | μφ | /b/ |
קּ֬ | gq | γκ | /gˤ~ɢ/ |
תּ֬ | dt | νθ | /d~dʑ/ |
Vowels
Vowels | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Hebrew | Latin | Greek | IPA (Standard) | IPA (Țašálí) |
אַ, אֲ | a | α | /a/ | /a/ |
אָ
1||á|| ω || /ɒ/ || /o/ | ||||
אֶ, אֱ, אְ | e | ε | /ɛ/ | /æ/ |
אֵ | é | αι | /e/ | /e/ |
אִ | i | ι | /ɪ/ | /i/ |
אִי | í | ει | /i/ | /i/ |
אָ, אֳ | o | ο | /ɔ/ | /o/ |
אֹ, אוֹ | ó | αυ | /o/ | /ø/ |
אֻ | u | υ | /ʊ/ | /u/ |
אֻו | ú | ου | /u/ | /y/ |
אְ | Ø |
Disambiguation
In the Latin and Greek scripts interpuncts (•) are used to separate digraph combinations that are to be pronounced as two letters: piq•háh (they dream).
Unvocalized orthography
In the unvocalized Hebrew-based orthography it is generally accepted to indicate all mutations in addition to writing matres lectionis for certain long vowels. The diphthong ái and sometimes éi are written with two consecutive yódh.
Morphology
NB. Superscript L = lenition of the following consonant, N = eclipsis, D = following consonant is dageshed.
Nouns and Adjectives
- See also: Netagin/Declension patterns.
Nouns and adjectives are inflected for number (singular, paucal and plural), gender (animate, honorific, inanimate and abstract; historically the latter two, being somewhat arbitrary with respect to abstract nouns, had been dubbed "masculine" and "feminine" after the Semitic genders they resemble), and four cases.
The mutations that accompany the words only affect other words in the same prosodic phrase or NP.
Declensions with sound plurals
Animate plurals are typically sound, while inanimate sound plurals are typically adjectives (and their nounless forms derived from them via the prefix m- if they don't have it already) and abstract/honorifics.
Animate declension: qinnáth ('stranger') | |||
---|---|---|---|
Case | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
Direct | qinnáth | qinnáthú | qinnáthíyáh |
Genitive | qinnáthímN | qinnáthannL | qinnáthínN |
Instrumental | qinnáthath | qinnátháich | qinnáthícháhL |
Locative | qinnáthámh | qinnáthéimN | qinnáthán |
Inanimate declension: yáréph ('wheel') | |||
---|---|---|---|
Case | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
Direct | yáréphN | yiréphú | yirépháh |
Genitive | yiréphéiL | yiréphannL | yirépháiN |
Instrumental | yiréphéchN | yirépháich | yiréphcháhL |
Locative | yiréphín | yiréphéimN | yiréphán |
Uncountable/honorific declension: ˀimáh ('mother') | |||
---|---|---|---|
Case | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
Direct | ˀimáh(N if abstract) | ˀimáthéi | ˀimótháh |
Genitive | ˀimathN | ˀimáthannL | ˀimótháiN |
Instrumental | ˀimáthéchN | ˀimátháich | ˀimóthcháhL |
Locative | ˀimáthámh | ˀimáthéimN | ˀimóthín |
Declensions with broken plurals
Broken plurals are nonconcatenative plurals that take singular case markers (they derive diachronically from collective noun patterns). Broken plurals only occur with (mainly less animate) nouns. Unlike in Arabic broken plurals induce no irregularity in agreement.
Broken plural patterns | ||
---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Examples |
C1əC2íC3 | C1əC2úC3 | brítz (language) > brútz psíph (vote) > psúph |
C1əC2óC3 | fríaˁ (arrow, ray) > fróaˁ | |
C1eC2[a]C3 | C1əC2áC3, C1əC2éC3 | śebhar (fish) > śbhár |
C1éC2[a]C3 | létzí (sow, contemptible person) > letzí | |
C1óC2[a]C3 | C1oC2áC3, C1oC2éC3 | |
C1éC2óC3, C1éC2áC3 | ˀəC1C2íC3, ˀəC1C2úC3, ˀəC1C2áC3 | céthóaˁ (encounter) > ˀechtíaˁ |
C1óC2áC3 | C1əC2óC3áh | |
C1áC2íC3 | ˀəC1íC2úC3 | |
C1áC2óC3 | C1əC2C2éC3 | |
CəCCVːC | CəCáCóC, CəCóCéC, CəCáCúC | |
CiCCəCáh | CəCCóCáh |
Derivational morphology
- -ón: certain nouns, pejorative suffix
- -í, -íy-: nisba adjectival suffix, borrowed from Semitic
Pronouns
Second person plural pronouns and verbs are used for politeness, and first person paucal is used for humility in very formal situations. Subject and direct object forms are usually omitted, except for topicalization or focusing. The short forms are adpositional object forms, which follow the adposition unlike other NPs.
The third person pronouns only refer to animates.
Personal pronouns | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case | Zeroth person | First person | Second person | Third person | ||||||
Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural | ||
Nominative | ˀagáˀ | ˀachd | ˀadú | ˀadáˀ | ˀanní | ˀannú | ˀannáˀ | héhh | hennú | hennáˀ |
Accusative | ˀácháˀ, cháˀ | ˀachtí, tí | ˀáthú, thú | ˀátháˀ, tháˀ | ˀání, ní | ˀánú, nú | ˀánáˀ, náˀ | hethí, hí | hethú, hú | hetháˀ, háˀ |
Genitive | ˀácháiN, cháiN</sup | ˀachímN, chímN | ˀáthannL, thannL | ˀátháiN, tháiN | ˀanímN, nímN | ˀánannL, nannL | ˀánáiN, náiN | hímN | hannL | háiN |
Instrumental | ˀácháhL, cháhL | ˀachath, chath | ˀátháich, tháich | ˀáthcháhL, thacháhL | ˀanath, nath | ˀánáich, náich | ˀáncháhL, nacháhL | hath | háich | hacháhL |
Locative | ˀáchín, chín | ˀachámh, chámh | ˀáthéimN, théimN | ˀáthín, thín | ˀanámh, námh | ˀánéimN, néimN | ˀánín, nín | hámh | héimN | hín |
Interrogative pronouns | ||
---|---|---|
Case | 'who' | 'what' |
Nominative | mí | ˀéiN |
Accusative | máh | ˀéiN |
Genitive | méiL | ˀayyéiL |
Instrumental | míth | ˀéich |
Locative | mím | ˀayyó |
The demonstrative pronoun is used adnominally or pronominally. It may be used as a pronoun for inanimates.
Having arisen from historical gemination, the demonstrative pronoun resists mutations.
Demonstrative pronoun | |||
---|---|---|---|
Case | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
Nominative | dí | lú | cáˀ |
Accusative | dáh | láh | cáˀ |
Genitive | déiL | lannL | cáiN |
Instrumental | dách | léich | cacháh |
Locative | dó | léimN | cán |
Verbs
Netagin verbs, perhaps similarly to those of Biblical Hebrew, mark aspect and person, but not tense. (Netagin, rather unusually, renders tense as proclitics on NPs instead.) Non-concatenative morphology figures prominently in conjugation for valence and TAM, much like in Semitic and Proto-Indo-European.
Patterns
Up to 4 verbal patterns may be derived from a root in Netagin:
- In the Intransitive paradigm are verbs denoting intransitive actions ("come"), as well as stative verbs ("be cold"). It is often considered the most basic form.
- The Transitive paradigm contains most monotransitive verbs, ("eat") including causativizations of Intransitive verbs ("make happy"). Can also have a telic (desired outcome was reached) meaning.
- The Reflexive pattern consists of verbs denote reflexive/reciprocal action ("get dressed", "kiss each other"), or change of state ("thicken").
- The Causative pattern contains causatives of transitive verbs ("feed") (and of some Intransitives and Reflexives). Causatives of statives in the imperfective aspect may denote active maintenance of a state (as opposed to changing a state in the perfective aspect).
Note that there is no passive in Netagin - this function is mainly served by zeroth person in transitive verbs or with Reflexive verbs.
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2aC3 | C1iC2C2aC3 | C1óC2éC3 | C1C2íC3N |
Transitive | C1C2óC3 | C1aC2C2í1C3 | meC1aC2C2íC3 | C1aC2C2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀiC1C2é1C3 | niC1C2é1C3 | miNC1úC2áC3 | ˀaC1C2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀaC1C2aC3 | NC1éC2aC3 | maC1C2áC3 | ˀaC1C2úC3áhN |
1 Attenuates to a before a stressed suffix beginning with a consonant.
Suffixes beginning with a vowel cause the vowel between C2 and C3 to be elided.
The infinitive (inf) is formed by leniting the first letter of the bare stem of the verb, or if said first letter is a guttural, adding fa-.
The action noun (axn) or gerund is used in action noun constructions, which are of the form SUBJECT-gen AXN OBJECT-acc. It is of importance in forming relative clauses, for Netagin does not have a relativizer.
- בֶּן אָתַןּ גְדִיב כַּ֬וֵּה וַּתַּתֵּ֬לַם.
- Ben ˀáthann ghedhíbh gcaféh fatedtélamh.
- FUT=1PC.GEN drink.AXN.SG.DIR coffee.SG.DIR INV-(1,3)-awaken/CAUS.IPFV
- Our drinking coffee will keep us alert.
Affixes
Unipersonal (suffix) conjugation
The suffix conjugation is used for inherently intransitive (unaccusative) or reflexive verbs, and imperatives. Unipersonal verbs are negated in the optative/imperative by núrN.
0 | 1 | 2 |
---|---|---|
Stem/Voice/Aspect | Personal suffix | Imperative or Polarity/Focus |
(There are the intransitive stem, the reflexive stem, and the transitive/causative stem(s). The latter is used in imperatives of transitive verbs.)
In the indicative the personal suffixes represent the subject; in the imperative they indicate the object.
Unipersonal suffixes | |||
---|---|---|---|
Person | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
0 | -c[h]1áˀ | ||
1 | -d(i)/-ch(i)1/-t[h]1í3 | -t[h]1ú | -t[h]1áˀ |
2 | -ní | -nú | -náˀ |
3 | -(a)2/-í3 | -ú | -áh |
The 0th, 1st and 2nd person forms are penultimately stressed; the 3rd person forms are ultimately stressed.
1After vowels or mh.
2As indicative subject; not expressed without another suffix
3As imperative object.
Slot 2 suffixes | |
---|---|
Netagin | Gloss |
-n | Imperative (imp) |
-chú | Affirmative focus (aff.foc) |
-chí | Negative (neg) |
-náh/-cháh* | Negative focus (neg.foc) |
*In second person forms.
Bipersonal (prefix) conjugation
The prefix conjugation is used for non-imperative transitive verbs (verbs that can take an agent and a patient).
−2 | −1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Inverse prefix | Bipersonal prefix | Transitive stem/Voice/Aspect | Polarity/Focus | Pluractionality suffix |
Inverse prefix | |
---|---|
Netagin | Gloss |
faD- | Inverse (inv) |
Personal prefixes | |
---|---|
Netagin | Gloss |
b- | (2,0) |
c- | (1,0) |
h- | (1,2) |
l- | (0,3) |
n- | (2,3) |
t- | (1,3) |
y- | (3,3) |
Polarity/focus suffixes | |
---|---|
Netagin | Gloss |
-(a) | Affirmative (aff) |
-cú | Affirmative focus (aff.foc) |
-cí | Negative (neg) |
-náh | Negative focus (neg.foc) |
All of the above suffixes are stressed. The focused suffixes emphasize the truth value and are therefore used to answer yes/no questions.
Pluractionality suffix | |
---|---|
Netagin | Gloss |
-nn | Pluractional (plax) |
The pluractionality suffix never affects the thematic vowel in irregular verbs, unlike other suffixes beginning with a consonant.
Example paradigm
The following is the paradigm of the verb root g-d-b ('drown, drink') which has verbs in all four verb patterns:
gadhabh - to drown | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective | |||||
Subject | Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
0 | gadhabhcáˀ | gidabhcáˀ | ||||
1 | gadhabhd | gadhabhtú | gadhabhtáˀ | gidabhd | gidabhtú | gidabhtáˀ |
2 | gadhabhní | gadhabhnú | gadhabhnáˀ | gidabhní | gidabhnú | gidabhnáˀ |
3 | gadhabh | gadhbhú | gadhbháh | gidabh | gidbhú | gidbháh |
gadhóbh - to drink, prefixed | |||
---|---|---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective | ||
Direct | Inverse | Direct | |
bighdóbh | fabighdóbh | beghadíbh | |
cighdóbh | facighdóbh | ceghadíbh | |
highdóbh | fahighdóbh | heghadíbh | |
lighdóbh | fallighdóbh | leghadíbh | |
nighdóbh | fannighdóbh | neghadíbh | |
tighdóbh | fatighdóbh | teghadíbh | |
yighdóbh | fayyighdóbh | yeghadíbh |
gadhóbh - to drink, w/ focus suffixes | |||
---|---|---|---|
yighdóbhcí | yighdóbhcú | yighdóbhnáh |
gadhóbh - to drink, imperative | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective | |||||
Object | Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
0 | gadhóbhcán! | gadabhcán! | ||||
1 | gadhóbhtín! | gadhóbhtún! | gadhóbhtán! | gadabhdin! | gadabhtún! | gadabhtán! |
3 | gidhbhín! | gidhbhún! | gidhbhán! | gadbhín! | gadbhún! | gadbhán! |
ˀighdébh - to get oneself drowned; to fill up with liquid | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective | |||||
Subject | Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
0 | ˀighdabhcáˀ | nighdabhcáˀ | ||||
1 | ˀighdabhd | ˀighdabhtú | ˀighdabhtáˀ | nighdabhd | nighdabhtú | nighdabhtáˀ |
2 | ˀighdabhní | ˀighdabhnú | ˀighdabhnáˀ | nighdabhní | nighdabhnú | nighdabhnáˀ |
3 | ˀighdébh | ˀighdebhú | ˀighdebháh | nighdébh | nighdebhú | nighdebháh |
ˀaghdabh - to drown (transitive)/to cause to drink/to fill w/ liquid, prefixed | |
---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective |
baghdabh | bingédabh |
caghdabh | cingédabh |
haghdabh | hingédabh |
laghdabh | lingédabh |
naghdabh | ningédabh |
taghdabh | tingédabh |
yaghdabh | yingédabh |
ˀaghdabh, imperative | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Perfective | Imperfective | |||||
Object | Singular | Paucal | Plural | Singular | Paucal | Plural |
0 | ˀaghdabhcán! | ˀingédabhcán! | ||||
1 | ˀaghdabhtín! | ˀaghdabhtún! | ˀaghdabhtán! | ˀingédabhtín! | ˀingédabhtún! | ˀingédabhtán! |
3 | ˀaghdabhín! | ˀaghdabhún! | ˀaghdabhán! | ˀingédbhín! | ˀingédbhún! | ˀingédbhán! |
Weak roots
The so-called weak roots have consonants that create various irregularities in conjugation.
First radical
Gutturals (ˀálaph, héˀ, ḥéth, ˁáin)
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2aC3 | C1iC2C2aC3 | C1óC2éC3 | C1aC2íC3N |
Transitive | C1aC2óC3 | C1aC2C2íC3 | meC1aC2C2íC3 | C1aC2C2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀeC1eC2éC3 | neC1eC2éC3 | miNC1úC2áC3 | ˀáC2óC3athN (C1 = ˀ) ˀaC1aC2óC3athN (C1 = h, ḥ, ˁ) |
Causative | ˀaC1aC2aC3 | n(e)C1éC2aC3 | maC1aC2áC3 | ˀáC2úC3áhN (C1 = ˀ) ˀaC1aC2úC3áhN (C1 = h, ḥ, ˁ) |
Nún
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | naC2aC3 | niC2C2aC3 | nóC2éC3 | neC2íC3N |
Transitive | NC2óC3, ~NC2óC3 | naC2C2íC3 | menaC2C2íC3 | naC2C2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀiNC2éC3 | niNC2éC3 | minnúC2áC3 | ˀaNC2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀaNC2aC3 | (n)néC2aC3 | maNC2áC3 | ˀaNC2úC3áhN |
Yódh
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | yaC2aC3 | yiC2C2aC3 | yóC2éC3 | yeC2íC3N |
Transitive | C2óC3, ~éC2óC3 | yaC2C2íC3 | meyaC2C2íC3 | yaC2C2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀéiC2éC3 | néiC2éC3 | minyúC2áC3 | ˀéiC2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀéiC2aC3 | nyéC2aC3 | méiC2áC3 | ˀéiC2úC3áhN |
Fó
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action Noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | faC2aC3 | fiC2C2aC3 | fóC2éC3 | f(e)C2íC3N |
Transitive | C2óC3, ~óC2áC3 | faC2C2íC3 | mefhaC2C2íC3 | faC2C2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀóC2éC3 | nóC2éC3 | mimhfúC2áC3 | ˀóC2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀóC2aC3 | mhféC2aC3 | móC2áC3 | ˀóC2úC3áhN |
Second radical
Guttural
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2aC3 | C1éC2aC3 | C1óC2éC3 | C1eC2íC3N |
Transitive | C1eC2aC3 | C1áC2íC3 | meC1áC2íC3 | C1áC2íC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀeC1C2éC3 | niC1C2éC3 | miNC1úC2áC3 | ˀaC1C2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀaC1C2aC3 | NC1éC2aC3 | maC1C2áC3 | ˀaC1C2úC3áhN |
Hollow-Y
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1áC3 | C1iyyaC3 | C1áC3 | C1íC3N |
Transitive | C1éC3 | C1ayyíC3 | meC1ayyíC3 | C1ayyíC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀéC1íC3 | náC1éC3 | miNC1éC3 | táC1óC3athN |
Causative | ˀáC1íC3 | NC1éC3 | máC1íC3 | táC1úC3áhN |
Hollow-W
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1áC3 | C1ifaC3 | C1áC3 | C1íC3N |
Transitive | C1úC3 | C1afíC3 | meC1afíC3 | C1afíC3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀéC1úC3 | náC1óC3 | miNC1óC3 | táC1óC3athN |
Causative | ˀáC1úC3 | NC1óC3 | máC1úC3 | táC1úC3áhN |
Third radical
Guttural
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2aC3 | C1iC2C2aC3 | C1óC2é[a]1C3 | C1(e)C2í[a]1C3N |
Transitive | C1C2aC3 | C1aC2C2í[a]1C3 | meC1aC2C2í[a]1C3 | C1aC2C2í1C3áhN |
Reflexive | ˀiC1C2é2C3 | niC1C2é[a]1C3 | miNC1úC2áC3 | ˀaC1C2óC3athN |
Causative | ˀaC1C2aC3 | NC1éC2áC3 | maC1C2áC3 | ˀaC1C2úC3áhN |
1 inserted if C3[+pharyngeal]. 2 becomes á if C3[+pharyngeal].
Nún
This irregularity does not hold for all verbs whose C3 = n; specifically, this class is no longer productive with new verbs.
If a unipersonal suffix beginning with an eclipsable consonant is attached, the final nún vanishes, eclipsing the consonant:
1sg: -c 1pc, pl: -dtú, -dtá
For all other suffixes, the nún is written/geminated as normal.
Yódh
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2áh, -í- / _C | C1iC2C2áh, -í- / _C | C1óC2eh | C1(e)C2íN |
Transitive | C1C2eh, -éi- / _C | C1aC2C2eh, -í- / _C | meC1aC2C2eh | C1aC2C2íyáhN |
Reflexive | ˀiC1C2áh, -éi- / _C | niC1C2áh, -éi- / _C | miNC1úC2eh | ˀaC1C2íthN |
Causative | ˀaC1C2eh, -í- / _C | NC1éC2eh, -í- / _C | maC1C2eh | ˀaC1C2úyáhN |
The suffixes -áh and -eh are deleted before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
Consonants in suffixes lenite after a vowel.
Fó
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2áh, -ú- / _C | C1iC2C2áh, -ú- / _C | C1óC2eh | C1(e)C2íN |
Transitive | C1C2eh, -ó- / _C | C1aC2C2eh, -ú- / _C | meC1aC2C2eh | C1aC2C2ífáhN |
Reflexive | ˀiC1C2áh, -ó- / _C | niC1C2áh, -ó- / _C | miNC1úC2eh | ˀaC1C2úthN |
Causative | ˀaC1C2eh, -ú- / _C | NC1éC2eh, -ú- / _C | maC1C2eh | ˀaC1C2úfáhN |
The vowel suffixes -áh and -eh are deleted before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
Consonants in suffixes lenite after a vowel.
Geminate roots
Geminate roots are those with identical second and third radicals.
Perfective | Imperfective | Participle | Action noun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Intransitive | C1aC2C2, -ó- / _C | C1úC2aC2 | C1óC2éC2 | C1iC2C2N |
Transitive | C1óC2C2, -ó- / _C | C1úC2íC2 | meC1úC2íC2 | C1úC2íC2áhN |
Reflexive | ˀéC1iC2C2, -ó- / _C | néC1iC2C2, -ó- / _C | miNC1úC2áC2 | ˀaC1C2óC2athN |
Causative | ˀáC1aC2C2, -ó- / _C | NC1éC2aC2 | máC1aC2C2 | táC1uC2C2áhN |
Numerals
Numerals are essentially ordinary adjectives or nouns (for 100 and higher units). Numerals larger than 10 turn their heads into the genitive case.
Netagin numerals | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | nth | n each/at a time | n-fold; n-ad | 1/n | |
0 | séphar | *mesáphúr | - | - | - |
1 | hálódh | mehálúdh | halúdhládh | halálédh | - |
2 | gáḥéz | megáḥúz | gaḥuzḥáz | gaḥáḥéz | géḥáz |
3 | tzúbhál | metzábhúl | tzebhulbál | tzebhábhél | tzibál |
4 | méqhátz | memháqhútz | meqhutzqátz | meqháqhétz | miqátz |
5 | pazzím | mepházúmh | pezumhzámh | pezázémh | pizzámh |
6 | ˀalbán | melábhún | lebhunbán | lebhábhén | libán |
7 | qátzídh | meqhátzúdh | qetzudhtzádh | qetzátzédh | qittzádh |
8 | cóˁáš | mecháˁúš | ceˁušˁáš | ceˁáˁéš | céˁáš |
9 | ripúi | merápheh | rephuipheh | rephápheh | ripeh |
10 | ḥachúbh | meḥáchúbh | ḥachubhcábh | ḥacháchébh | ḥicábh |
11 | ḥáchúbh fa-hálódh | ḥáchúbh mehálúdh | - | - | - |
20 | gáḥéz nḥachúbh | megháḥúz nḥachúbh | - | - | - |
100 | méˀáh | maˀáthí | - | - | - |
1000 | ˀelaph | ˀalphí | - | - | - |
10^6 | ˀeqaṭomíryó, ˀeqaṭ | - | - | - | - |
10^9 | diseqaṭomíryó, diseq | - | - | - | - |
Grammar
Word order
The constituent order defaults to SXVO/SVOX, but topicalization may promote a constituent to first position. Adjectives and genitives usually follow the noun unless they are topicalized or focalized. Genitive/possessive pronouns always precede the possessed NP.
Two types of function words can be recognized in Netagin: proclitics (coordinating conjunctions, topic/focus, etc.), which attach to the host or to another clitic and form what counts as one word, and relators (prepositions and subordinating conjunctions) which occupy second position (a.k.a. Wackernagel's position) in their dependent noun phrases or clauses.
Nominal/Adjectival predication
Netagin is entirely devoid of copulas. Instead one uses the topic particle ha-L with the subject, and the focus particle ha-N on the predicate nominal.
- הֲזְמָלִ אֶלָּא הַגַּ֬שֻּודָה.
- Ἁ-ζεμώλ ἐλλώ ἁ-νγασζζουδώ.
- Ha-zemhál ˀelláˀ ha-ngaššúdháh.
- TOP-person.PL.DIR NEG FOC-thing-INAN.PL.DIR
- People are not objects.
Predication of possession
Predicative possession is constructed similarly to the dative construction in many languages, but the possessor is topicalized.
- הֲאַכְדְּ חָמָה חִצָּה אַקְדֻּול.
- Ἁ-ἄχδδ ηωμώ ηιτζζώ ἀκδδούλ.
- Ha-ˀachd ḥámháh ḥittzáh ˀaqhdúl.
- TOP-1SG.NOM exist-3PL excess.PL.DIR coin.PL.DIR
- I have too many coins. (lit. Me-wise, there are excess coins.)
Relative clauses
Netagin uses deranked relative clauses that employ a possessive construction using the action noun of the verb. Resumptive pronouns are required as oblique arguments in the RC, and may be used in subject/DO positions as well. The position of tense particles in the RC is useful for reconstructing the aspect of the clause; they are found on the most patient-like argument when the verb is perfective and the most agentive argument when the verb is imperfective. Relative clauses are negated with the prefix míl- ('un-, lack of') which is hyphenated.
- הַוָרָשֹ לְאָ֬תָי דַ֬סִּילַת?
- Ἁ-ϝωρώθζ λε-ὠθώϊ νδασσειλάθ?
- Ha-fháráś le-ˀáthái ndassílath?
- TOP=silver.SG.DIR RECENT_PAST=1PL.GEN earn/AXN-GEN
- What of the money we've been earning? [lit. as for the money of past-our earning]
Using the plural form of the verbal noun indicates pluractionality.
Relative clauses may occur before the noun in poetry.
Copulative RCs (i.e. of the form "which is NP"), can be rendered with apposition (FOC=[predicate NP]).
Clitics
Clitics serve a diversity of functions in Netagin. The order of pre-NP clitics is as follows: attitudinal-epistemic/evidential-tense-topic/focus.
Inpositional
Netagin adpositions come in second position (cf. the Latin phrase magna cum laude) unless the object is pronominal, in which case they are prepositional.
- קִּ֬ב כִיםּ
- γκιβ χειμμ
- qibh chím
- for 1SG.GEN
- for me
- תִּפְלוֹן אָ֬נָי תַּ֬ל אִ֬מַּת
- θθιφλαύν νὠνώϊ νθαλ νἰμμάθ
- tiphlón nˀánái dtal nˀimath
- letter.INAN.DIR 2PL.GEN from mother-HON.GEN
- a letter from your mother
- talN [genitive]: from
- qibhL [genitive]: for the sake of
- cíL [genitive]: in order that
- qrúthN [genitive]: lest, in order that... not
- ˁarN [instrumental]: with (accompanying)
- ˀelN [instrumental]: without
- déráˀL [accusative]: because of
- hídhL [accusative]: towards
- mašN [locative] in, within; [accusative] into
- celN [locative: place; accusative: movement]: above, over
- dónL: on, about [genitive]; onto [accusative]
- nótzL [genitive place; accusative: movement]: before, in front of
- cadL [locative]: when
- tarN [locative place; accusative: movement]: after, behind, for
- meṭáˀL [locative] over, beyond; [accusative]: movement beyond, through
- bachN: [locative: place; accusative: movement] below, under
- ferrN [genitive]: between, among
- yirinL [genitive]: instead of
Usage of cí/qrúth/cad/nótz/tar
Purpose clauses and time clauses have a different structure than independent clauses. The subject is declined in the appropriate case and occupies first position, and the infinitive form is used for the verb.
- מִּבְלוֹקֵי קְרֻות תַּקַם צָּפִיחַ
- Μμιβλαυκαίϊ κρούθ θακαμ τζωφείαη
- Mibhlóqhéi qhrúth thaqhamh tzáphíaḥ
- ice-SG.GEN lest INF-melt early
- lest the ice melt prematurely
Pronominal subjects follow the conjunction:
- תַּר נֻו לָט!
- Θθαρ νου λώτ!
- Tar nú láṭh!
- after 2PC.ACC INF.die.PFV
- After you die! (hostile response to a command/request)
Discourse
- הֲ-
ha-L: topic/vocative
- הַ-
ha-N: focus
- דֵּי
déL: "after all"
- הֵן
hénL: tag question
Epistemic
- טִּםּ
ṭim: certainty
- קָּש
qáš: deductive/inferential
- כֲּ-
ca-L: possibility
- הֵג
hégh: doubt
Evidential
- bél: witnessed
- ˁatáˀ: hearsay
- tzúl: axiomatic
Tense
Tense marking can be omitted depending on the context; it is most often marked on the most patientive argument available if the verb is perfective, and on the most agentive argument if the verb is imperfective.
- ל-
l-: recent past
- ש-
š-: remote (historical or more than ~20 years ago) past
- בֶּן-
ben: future
Attitudinal
- nacL: happiness
- šúN: entreaty for empathy
- ˀichL: optative
- dimL: hope
- qrúthN: fear, 'lest'
Number
There exist three numbers in Netagin: singular (sg) representing one object, paucal (pc) for a few, and plural (pl) for many. The paucal form usually denotes two to nine items, but the boundary between paucal and plural is quite fluid; a paucal could be used for a larger number for contrast with a much larger number of things. The plural number in pronouns also serves as an honorific; complementarily, using paucal pronouns where a plural is expected entails a "dishonorific", humble or pejorative meaning.
Nominal number
Nouns are declined for all three numbers.
Verbal number
Pluractionality denotes that an action is performed a plural (as opposed to singular or paucal) number of times or places, or the number of objects is plural. Pluractionality with a second person object, or lack of pluractionality with a first person object, may also be used to indicate politeness.
Politeness/Honorific
Honorific suffixes on nouns indicate that the speaker raises the referent, accompanied by a rise above the speaker (only for animates) in animacy.
- אִךְ בֲתֻורָה תֵּרְנַף.
- Ἰχ Βαθουρώ θθαρνάφ.
- ˀIch Bhathúráh tarnaph.
- ˀich-L báthúr-áh Ø-t-[r-n-p]/ˀaCCaC
- OPT deity-HON.DIR DIR-(1,3)-attest/CAUS.PFV
- God be my witness.
Cases
All cases have prepositions that govern them.
Direct
The direct case (dir) marks a core argument of a verb, either subject or direct object. It should be noted that Netagin marks the recipient (usually the more animate patient), rather than the theme (the less animate patient), of most ditransitive verbs with the direct case; Netagin is thus a dechticaetiative language. Pronouns, unlike nouns, distinguish nominative (nom) and accusative (acc). The direct/accusative case is the case governed by prepositions that originate from verbs.
Genitive
The genitive case (gen) indicates possession, origin, cause, or concern. It is used also appositionally (in the order noun-genitive), where English would use a compound. The genitive case also has partitive uses.
Possessor-less genitives are possible and, by corollary, headless relative clauses.
Instrumental
The instrumental (ins) indicates instrument/means or comitation (with certain prepositions; the bare instrumental can optionally be used as a comitative for pronouns). What is considered the direct object of ditransitive constructions in dative languages is most often cast in the instrumental in Netagin. (Netagin, although a dechticaetiative language, does not have a dedicated dechticaetiative case.)
Locative
The locative or allative case (loc) marks location or destination (often with locational prepositions), spatial, temporal or abstract. Some ditransitive verbs cause their themes to take the locative.
Hierarchy
Person, animacy and social status are all factors in the hierarchical person marking. The hierarchy is:
2.honorific > 3.honorific > 1 > 2.familiar > 3.familiar > 0 > 3.inanimate
By default the direction of transitivity is assumed to be from higher to lower animacy. Generally when a less animate participant acts on a more animate one, the verb is required to take an inverse-marking affix.
Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions always come in second position.
- fa- (fu- / _C[+labial]): and (nominal/adjectival)
- ˀis: and (sentential)
- mó: or
- ˀach: but
- ˀóth: but/rather
- ṭúL: that [complement clause]
- haṭhúL: if
- ˀaph: although, even if
- barL: then
- gúnN: because
- habhráˀL: so, therefore
Dictionary
Please see Netagin/Dictionary.