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__NOTOC__
 
*'''Kala''' is meant to be a simple and euphonic personal conlang.
 
*Many lexical entries are inspired/influenced/borrowed by/from any number of natlangs
 
== Phonology ==
 
=== consonants ===
 
* Where '''~''' appears, it indicates [[Wikipedia:Free_variation|free variation]] between phonemes.
 
*Plosives
 
:'''p''' - [p~b] | '''t''' - [t~d] | '''k''' - [k~g] | ''' ' ''' - [?]
 
*Nasals
 
:'''m''' - [m] | '''n''' - [n] | '''ny''' - [J]
 
*Fricatives
 
:'''s''' - [s~S] | '''h''' - [h~h\]
 
*Africates
 
:'''ts''' - [ts~tS] | '''tl''' - [tK]
 
*Approximants
 
:'''u''' - [w] | '''l''' - [l] | '''y''' - [j]
 
=== clusters ===
 
* '''ky''' - [k_j]
* '''mp''' - [mp]
* '''mh''' - [m_h\]
* '''my''' - [m_j]
* '''nt''' - [nt]
* '''nk''' - [Nk]
* '''nh''' - [n_h\]
* '''lh''' - [l_h\]
* '''ly''' - [l_j]
 
=== vowels ===
 
* '''a''' - /a~a:/ | '''e''' - /e~e:/ | '''i''' - /i~i:/ | '''o''' - /o~o:/ | '''u''' - /u~u:/
 
==== diphthongs ====
 
* '''ua''' - /wa:/ | '''ue''' - /we:/
 
=== phonotactics ===
 
*'''Kala''' allows only a single consonant at the start or end of a syllable, and up to two consonants word medially across a syllable boundary.
:'''l''' cannot appear as an onset, the glottal stop, ''' ' ''', only appears between vowels.
 
==== syllable structure ====
 
* (C)V(k, l, m, n, t)
 
==== syllable stress ====
 
*'''Kala''' stress is  penultimate; that is, the next-to-last syllable of the word is stressed.
 
== Grammar ==
 
=== word order ===
 
* The usual, declarative formal word order is ''subject noun phrase - (object noun phrase) - verb phrase''.
:Example : He/She is preparing food.
::'''ha ina yaso'''
:::''3sg food/eat prepare/ready''
 
* The "indirect object" exists only in the form of a prepositional phrase, and follows the object noun phrase.
:Example : The woman gives the house to me.
::'''naka ke tsaka ika na yeta'''
:::''woman the/a house to/at 1sg give''
:* This construction changes when both the subject (agent) and (indirect)/object (patient) are personal pronouns. In this case, the preposition/al (phrase) is unnecessary.
:Example : She gives the house to me.
::'''ha'ena ke tsaka yeta'''
:::''3sg-TR-part-1sg the/a house give''
 
* A chart of the agent-patient transitivity constructions;
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|+ '''A-P''' ''construction''
! !! ''1<sup>st</sup> sing'' !! ''2<sup>nd</sup> sing'' !! ''3<sup>rd</sup> sing'' !! ''1<sup>st</sup> plu'' !! ''2<sup>nd</sup> plu'' !! ''3<sup>rd</sup> plu''
|- align=center
! ''1<sup>st</sup> sing''
|| '''-''' || na'eta || na'eha || '''-''' || na'etam || na'ekam
|- align=center
! ''2<sup>nd</sup> sing''
|| ta'ena || '''-''' || ta'eha || ta'enam || '''-''' || ta'ekam
|- align=center
! ''3<sup>rd</sup> sing''
|| ha'ena || ha'eta || '''-''' || ha'enam || ha'etam || ha'ekam
|- align=center
! ''1<sup>st</sup> plu''
|| '''-''' || nameta || nameha || '''-''' || nametam || namekam
|- align=center
! ''2<sup>nd</sup> plu''
|| tamena || '''-''' || tameha || tamenam || '''-''' || tamekam
|- align=center
! ''3<sup>rd</sup> plu''
|| kamena || kameta || kameha || kamenam || kametam || '''-'''
|-
|}
 
=== verbs ===
 
==== tense ====
 
*The present tense is indicated by the basic form.
:'''ha apua'''
::''3SG sing''
:::He/She sings.
 
*The simple past tense is indicated by the suffix '''-ye'''.
:'''ha apuaye'''
::''3SG sing-PAST''
:::He/She sang.
 
*The simple future tense is indicated by the suffix '''-tli'''.
:'''ha apuatli'''
::''3SG sing-FUT''
:::He/She will sing.
 
*The tense may be left out if it is clearly indicated by another word in the same sentence, or when telling a story (the "historical" tense).
:'''ha yomatli apua'''
::''3SG day-FUT sing''
:::He/She will sing tomorrow.
 
:'''ha semaye apua'''
::''3SG week-PAST sing''
:::He/She sang last week.
 
==== mood ====
 
*The negative mood is indicated by the suffix '''-k''', it is affixed in all tenses.
:'''kam inak'''
::''3PL eat-NEG''
:::They are not eating. / They do not eat.
 
:'''kam inayek'''
::''3PL eat-PAST-NEG''
:::They did not eat.
 
:'''kam inatlik'''
::''3PL eat-FUT-NEG''
:::They will not eat.
 
=== nouns ===
 
==== degree ====
 
* The diminutive is formed with '''-l''', and the augmentative with '''-t'''.
:Example : '''ina''' - food, meal | '''inal''' - snack, morsel | '''inat''' - feast, banquet
:Example : '''tsaka''' - house, home, dwelling | '''tsakal''' - shack, hut, cabin | '''tsakat''' - palace, mansion
* These are also used to differentiate hue, or shade.
:Example : '''yanal''' - light yellow, '''kuyat''' - dark green
 
==== plurals ====
 
* To make a noun plural, add '''-m''' to the end, or '''-im''' for words ending in a consonant.
:Example :  '''kono''' - stone | '''konom''' - stones
:Example :  '''sukal''' - piglet | '''sukalim''' - piglets
 
* Nouns need not be marked plural if a number is used to show quantity.
:Example : '''sahi''' - color, '''sahim''' - colors,  '''sahi ya'o''' - five color(s)
 
*Adjectives do not change when they are plural. However, when an adjective is used in place of a noun, it can be pluralized.
:Example : '''nyeli''' - pink | '''nyelim''' - (the) pink (ones)
 
==== gender ====
 
*In general, nouns do not indicate their gender. To distinguish the sexes, one can use the adjectival endings '''-ta''' and '''-na'''.
:Example : '''nikata''' "a male dog", '''nikana''' "a female dog".
 
==== articles ====
 
*There is only one article in '''Kala''', '''ke'''. It is used primarily as a "noun marker".
*It is ambi-definite, meaning it can be either definite or indefinite. The distinction is made through context.
:Example : '''kama''' "village", '''ke kama''' "the/a village", '''ke kamam''' "the villages"
:Example : '''inal''' "snack", '''ke inal''' "the/a snack", '''ke inalim''' "the snacks"
 
=== questions ===
 
*When asking questions in '''Kala''', the idea, or concept, is the ''subject'', and the entire construction is followed by the interrogative particle '''ka'''.
 
*'''ama...ka''' - when, lit: ''time...INT''
 
*'''ko...ka''' - who, lit: ''person [Agentive]...INT''
 
*'''nye...ka''' - why, lit: ''reason...INT''
 
*'''to...ka''' - what, lit: ''thing [Instrument]...INT''
 
*'''koyo...ka''' - whose, lit: ''person-POSS...INT''
 
*'''mo...ka''' - where, lit: ''place...INT''
 
*'''no...ka''' - how, what manner, lit: ''manner/method...INT''
 
*'''ko'o...ka''' - how much/many, lit: ''number/amount...INT''
 
==== examples ====
 
*'''ama nam yalatli ka'''
:''time 1PL go-FUT INT''
::When will we go?
 
*'''ko ke tlaka ka'''
:''person the/that man INT''
::Who is that man?
 
*'''nye kam hina ka'''
:''reason 3PL here INT''
::Why are they here?
 
*'''to a ka'''
:''thing be INT''
::What is this?
 
*'''koyo kama ke yama hina ka'''
:''person-POSS village the mountain near INT''
::Whose village is near the mountain?
 
*'''mo nayo satila ka'''
:''place 1SG-POSS sandwich INT''
::Where is my sandwich?
 
*'''no nam yalatli ka'''
:''manner 1PL travel-FUT INT''
::How will we travel?
 
*'''ko'o ekam yetaye ka'''
:''number/amount TR-3PL give-PAST INT''
::How many were they given?
 
=== pronouns ===
 
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! !! ''Nominative'' !! ''Accusative'' !! ''Possessive'' !! ''Reflexive'' !! ''Reciprocal''
|- align=center
! ''1<sup>st</sup> sing''
|| na || ena || nayo || na'i || ''' '''
|- align=center
! ''2<sup>nd</sup> sing''
|| ta || eta ||tayo || ta'i || ''' '''
|- align=center
! ''3<sup>rd</sup> sing''
|| ha || eha || hayo || ha'i || ''' '''
|- align=center
! ''1<sup>st</sup> plu''
|| nam || enam || namyo || nami || nanku
|- align=center
! ''2<sup>nd</sup> plu''
|| tam || etam || tamyo || tami || tanku
|- align=center
! ''3<sup>rd</sup> plu''
|| kam || ekam || kamyo || kami || kanku
|-
|}
 
==== examples ====
 
*'''namyo ina'''
:''1PL-POSS food''
::Our food.
 
*'''kami itsa'''
:''3PL-REFL love''
::They love themselves.
 
*'''tanku moto ka'''
:''2PL-RECP remember/familiar INT''
::Do you remember each other?
 
*'''eha unyatlik'''
:''ACC-3SG understand-FUT-NEG''
::He/She will not be understood.
 
== Thematic Lexicon ==
 
=== numbers ===
 
* zero / nothing / 0 - '''e'o'''
* one / 1 - '''na'o'''
* two / 2 - '''ta'o'''
* three / 3 - '''ha'o'''
* four / 4 - '''ma'o'''
* five / 5 - '''ya'o'''
* six / 6 - '''tsa'o'''
* seven / 7 - '''ka'o'''
* eight / 8 - '''pa'o'''
* nine / 9 - '''sa'o'''
* ten / 10 - '''ue'o'''
* hundred / 100 - '''nye'o'''
* thousand / 1000 - '''tle'o'''
 
==== higher numbers ====
 
* eleven / 11 - '''uena'o'''
 
* twenty / 20 - '''taue'o'''
 
* one hundred one / 107 - '''nyeka'o'''
 
* three hundred twenty five / 326 - '''hanyetauetsa'o''' (''long form'') | '''hatatsa'o''' (''short form'')
 
* six thousand and twenty / 6020 - '''tsatletaue'o'''
 
==== ordinals, negatives, fractions etc. ====
 
* '''ki'''- - ordinal/multiple prefix
:Example : '''kisa'o''' - ninth, or nine times
:Example : '''kiyanyepa'o''' - 508<sup>th</sup>, or 508 times
 
* '''i'''- - fractional prefix
:Example : '''isa'o''' - a ninth
:Example : '''iha'o pa'o''' - three eighths, ⅜
 
* -'''k''' - negative/subtractive suffix
:Example : '''sa'ok''' - negative nine (-9)
:Example : '''ue'o ma sa'ok a na'o''' - 10 and -9 is 1
 
=== family ===
 
* family / kin - '''tlika'''
* parent - '''onata'''
* grandparent - '''onataha'''
* spouse - '''tlanata'''
* sibling - '''uanata'''
* child - '''inata'''
* father / uncle - '''ota'''
* mother / aunt - '''ona'''
* husband - '''tla'ota'''
* wife - '''tla'ona'''
* grandfather - '''otaha'''
* grandmother - '''onaha'''
* brother / cousin - '''otaua'''
* sister / cousin - '''onaua'''
* boy / son - '''ota'i'''
* girl / daughter - '''ona'i'''
* man / masculine / male - '''tlaka'''
* woman / feminine / female - '''naka'''
 
=== colors ===
 
* red - '''ketla'''
* orange - '''tliyo'''
* yellow - '''yana'''
* green - '''kuya'''
* blue - '''tsuku'''
* indigo, violet, purple - '''tlaku'''
* white, pale - '''nyahi'''
* black, dark - '''oya'''
* clear - '''yehi'''
 
=== time ===
 
* moment, instant - '''imal'''
* occasion | present, now (yet) - '''ima'''
* hour, period - '''imat'''
* day - '''yoma'''
* week (7 days) - '''sema'''
* month (~30 days) - '''huama'''
* season - '''amal'''
* time, year (~365 days) - '''ama'''
* era - '''amat'''
* past - '''amaye'''
* future - '''amatli'''
* always, forever - '''kuama'''
* never - '''amak'''
 
== General Lexica ==
 
*The majority of lexical units in '''Kala''' can have multiple roles.
*Most have a primary role, such as verb, noun or adjective, but almost all can serve in at least two roles.
*Because of this, this list is sorted alphabetically and not by part of speech or category.
 
{{Template:Kala}}
 
=== p ===
 
* '''pameya''' - okra, ladies' fingers
* '''pana''' - (to) rain | perspire, moisten | dew
* '''petsa''' - mild, soft
* '''pila''' - to saw, rip, crush
* '''puna''' - dirt, soil | sand
 
=== t ===
 
* '''-ta''' - suffix indicating masculine gender
* '''taka''' - honor, respect, esteem
* '''takolo''' - peach (tree or fruit)
* '''tama''' - good / well / favorable / effective
* '''tasa''' - hunt, track | scout / seek
* '''taha''' - big, grand, large
* '''tala''' - come (back) | return
* '''tali''' - metal
* '''teyo''' - die | death | (be) dead
* '''tima''' - blood | bleed
* '''tiya''' - bread (flat round bread made out of cornmeal or flour)
* '''to''' - thing | instrument | object
* '''topa''' - bed, mattress | any piece of furniture to sleep on
* '''tohi''' - especially cabbage, but including cauliflower and other varieties of ''Brassica oleracea''
 
=== k ===
 
* '''ka''' - interrogative particle
* '''kata''' - nature, universe | essence
* '''kama''' - village, town, city
* '''kana''' - to lead, command | chief, leader
* '''kasuma''' - onion
* '''kaua''' - coffee
* '''kala''' - to speak, talk, say | language, dialect
* '''kalo''' - be difficult | burden | cumbersome
* '''ketla''' - red | blood | to bleed
* '''kipa''' - tooth | to bite, chew
* '''kita''' - to greet, welcome | hello, hi
* '''kito''' - symbol | mark | glyph
* '''ko''' - person | agentive
* '''kopa''' - mushroom | fungi
* '''koni''' - skunk
* '''kono''' - gray | stone, rock
* '''ko'o''' - number, amount, quantity | to count
* '''kue'a''' - deer, cervine
* '''kuna''' - to expel | to excrete, shit, defecate
* '''kulu''' - all, every, each
* '''kuya''' - green | grass, foliage
 
=== m ===
 
* '''ma''' - and, also, as well | plus | more
* '''mata''' - to kill, murder
* '''mala''' - bad, unfavorable, negative
* '''matla''' - stew, casserole, goulash
* '''maya''' - water, fluid | wet
* '''metla''' - to whistle | sound of wind | flute
* '''mitla''' - arrow, dart
* '''mo''' - to locate, place | locative | location [where]
* '''muluku''' - arrowhead / pointed part of an arrow
 
=== n ===
 
* '''naso''' - wolf, lupine
* '''naha''' - river, stream | lake, pond
* '''naho''' - to regulate | rule | grammar
* '''nika''' - dog, canine
* '''no''' - method, manner | way
 
=== ny ===
 
* '''nyahi''' - white | snow | to snow
* '''nye''' - reason, cause | because
* '''nyeli''' - pink
 
=== s ===
 
* '''satani''' - tick / arthropod
* '''saka''' - fish, any cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water
* '''sama''' - sun / solar / star
* '''sahi''' - color
* '''sala''' - room / chamber / section
* '''seta''' - smooth / silk / flat
* '''seka''' - dry / sharp / strict
* '''seya''' - seal / stamp
* '''sima''' - sit / recline / relax
* '''sinta''' - snake
* '''sinu''' - sand / beach / finely ground rock
* '''suka''' - pig / hog / swine
* '''suha''' - tongue / mouth / taste
 
=== h ===
 
* '''hani''' - land | a country or region
* '''hika''' - to stop, halt | wait
* '''hina''' - near, close, here
 
=== ts ===
 
* '''tsaka''' - home / house  / building
* '''tsa'i''' - tea
* '''tsala''' - paste / sauce
* '''tsili''' - attempt / try
* '''tsiya''' - freedom / liberty
* '''tsoma''' - tobacco
* '''tsola''' - fox / Vulpine
* '''tsuala''' - tree
* '''tsuku''' - blue / sky
* '''tsukuala''' - lizard
* '''tsumpa''' - buy / purchase
 
=== tl ===
 
* '''tlatsa''' - fire / burn / hot
* '''tlayo''' - to wed, marry | marriage, matrimony
* '''tlela''' - to wash, bathe | clean, pure
* '''-tli''' - future tense affix
* '''tlito''' - bread, baked with sauce and other assorted toppings
 
=== ua ===
 
* '''ua''' - flower
* '''uana''' - there / far / distant
 
=== l ===
 
=== y ===
 
* '''yato''' - finger | hand
* '''yaka''' - arm, leg | appendage
* '''yama''' - mountain, hill | pile, mound
* '''ya'asa''' - wind, breeze | air
* '''yala''' - go, move | travel
* '''yesa''' - be quiet, tranquil | peaceful
* '''-yo''' - possessive, genitive suffix
 
=== a ===
 
* '''a''' - to be, exist | yes
* '''aposi''' - outhouse, toilette
* '''apo''' - genitalia
* '''apota''' - penis
* '''apona''' - vagina
* '''apua''' - sing / music / song
* '''ato''' - body, anatomy | corpse
* '''ato'a''' - torso | chest, belly
* '''ama''' - time, year, season
* '''ani''' - wish, hope | to aspire
* '''ahi''' - potato
* '''ala''' - to be born | to birth
* '''aya''' - beauty | to be beautiful
 
=== e ===
 
* '''-'e-''' - used to link agent and patient
* '''e-''' - prefix that marks accusative form of personal pronouns
 
=== i ===
 
* '''ito''' - wood
* '''itola''' - to fall, drop, plummet
* '''ikana''' - friend, ally
* '''impa''' - table | desk | flat work surface
* '''ina''' - food, sustenance | to eat, consume
* '''iso''' - to hit, strike | slap
* '''itsa''' - love, affection | to love, care for
* '''ila''' - bird, avian | to fly, glide
 
=== o ===
 
* '''oka''' - bake / cook
* '''oku''' - owl
* '''omo''' - to exchange, trade | commerce, business
* '''olika''' - small fish
* '''oya''' - black / night
 
=== u ===
 
* '''unya''' - know / understand / knowledge
* '''uya''' - cut / slice
 
== Examples ==
 
* '''mo ta yala ka'''
:''place/locale 2sg go/walk/travel INT-part''
::Where are you going?
 
* '''nam tsala inaye'''
:''1pl sauce/paste eat-PAST''
::We ate the sauce.
 
* '''ko tayo onatam ka'''
:''person 2sg-POSS parent-PL INT-part''
::Who are your parents?
 
* '''na yalaye nye ta talaye'''
:''1SG go-PAST because 2SG return-PAST''
::I left because you returned.
 
=== Article 1, UDHR ===
 
''' '''
 
==  ==
 
[[Category:Conlangs]]

Revision as of 18:58, 21 June 2009


  • Kala is meant to be a simple and euphonic personal conlang.
  • Many lexical entries are inspired/influenced/borrowed by/from any number of natlangs

Phonology

consonants

  • Plosives
p - [p~b] | t - [t~d] | k - [k~g] | ' - [?]
  • Nasals
m - [m] | n - [n] | ny - [J]
  • Fricatives
s - [s~S] | h - [h~h\]
  • Africates
ts - [ts~tS] | tl - [tK]
  • Approximants
u - [w] | l - [l] | y - [j]

clusters

  • ky - [k_j]
  • mp - [mp]
  • mh - [m_h\]
  • my - [m_j]
  • nt - [nt]
  • nk - [Nk]
  • nh - [n_h\]
  • lh - [l_h\]
  • ly - [l_j]

vowels

  • a - /a~a:/ | e - /e~e:/ | i - /i~i:/ | o - /o~o:/ | u - /u~u:/

diphthongs

  • ua - /wa:/ | ue - /we:/

phonotactics

  • Kala allows only a single consonant at the start or end of a syllable, and up to two consonants word medially across a syllable boundary.
l cannot appear as an onset, the glottal stop, ' , only appears between vowels.

syllable structure

  • (C)V(k, l, m, n, t)

syllable stress

  • Kala stress is penultimate; that is, the next-to-last syllable of the word is stressed.

Grammar

word order

  • The usual, declarative formal word order is subject noun phrase - (object noun phrase) - verb phrase.
Example : He/She is preparing food.
ha ina yaso
3sg food/eat prepare/ready
  • The "indirect object" exists only in the form of a prepositional phrase, and follows the object noun phrase.
Example : The woman gives the house to me.
naka ke tsaka ika na yeta
woman the/a house to/at 1sg give
  • This construction changes when both the subject (agent) and (indirect)/object (patient) are personal pronouns. In this case, the preposition/al (phrase) is unnecessary.
Example : She gives the house to me.
ha'ena ke tsaka yeta
3sg-TR-part-1sg the/a house give
  • A chart of the agent-patient transitivity constructions;
A-P construction
1st sing 2nd sing 3rd sing 1st plu 2nd plu 3rd plu
1st sing - na'eta na'eha - na'etam na'ekam
2nd sing ta'ena - ta'eha ta'enam - ta'ekam
3rd sing ha'ena ha'eta - ha'enam ha'etam ha'ekam
1st plu - nameta nameha - nametam namekam
2nd plu tamena - tameha tamenam - tamekam
3rd plu kamena kameta kameha kamenam kametam -

verbs

tense

  • The present tense is indicated by the basic form.
ha apua
3SG sing
He/She sings.
  • The simple past tense is indicated by the suffix -ye.
ha apuaye
3SG sing-PAST
He/She sang.
  • The simple future tense is indicated by the suffix -tli.
ha apuatli
3SG sing-FUT
He/She will sing.
  • The tense may be left out if it is clearly indicated by another word in the same sentence, or when telling a story (the "historical" tense).
ha yomatli apua
3SG day-FUT sing
He/She will sing tomorrow.
ha semaye apua
3SG week-PAST sing
He/She sang last week.

mood

  • The negative mood is indicated by the suffix -k, it is affixed in all tenses.
kam inak
3PL eat-NEG
They are not eating. / They do not eat.
kam inayek
3PL eat-PAST-NEG
They did not eat.
kam inatlik
3PL eat-FUT-NEG
They will not eat.

nouns

degree

  • The diminutive is formed with -l, and the augmentative with -t.
Example : ina - food, meal | inal - snack, morsel | inat - feast, banquet
Example : tsaka - house, home, dwelling | tsakal - shack, hut, cabin | tsakat - palace, mansion
  • These are also used to differentiate hue, or shade.
Example : yanal - light yellow, kuyat - dark green

plurals

  • To make a noun plural, add -m to the end, or -im for words ending in a consonant.
Example : kono - stone | konom - stones
Example : sukal - piglet | sukalim - piglets
  • Nouns need not be marked plural if a number is used to show quantity.
Example : sahi - color, sahim - colors, sahi ya'o - five color(s)
  • Adjectives do not change when they are plural. However, when an adjective is used in place of a noun, it can be pluralized.
Example : nyeli - pink | nyelim - (the) pink (ones)

gender

  • In general, nouns do not indicate their gender. To distinguish the sexes, one can use the adjectival endings -ta and -na.
Example : nikata "a male dog", nikana "a female dog".

articles

  • There is only one article in Kala, ke. It is used primarily as a "noun marker".
  • It is ambi-definite, meaning it can be either definite or indefinite. The distinction is made through context.
Example : kama "village", ke kama "the/a village", ke kamam "the villages"
Example : inal "snack", ke inal "the/a snack", ke inalim "the snacks"

questions

  • When asking questions in Kala, the idea, or concept, is the subject, and the entire construction is followed by the interrogative particle ka.
  • ama...ka - when, lit: time...INT
  • ko...ka - who, lit: person [Agentive]...INT
  • nye...ka - why, lit: reason...INT
  • to...ka - what, lit: thing [Instrument]...INT
  • koyo...ka - whose, lit: person-POSS...INT
  • mo...ka - where, lit: place...INT
  • no...ka - how, what manner, lit: manner/method...INT
  • ko'o...ka - how much/many, lit: number/amount...INT

examples

  • ama nam yalatli ka
time 1PL go-FUT INT
When will we go?
  • ko ke tlaka ka
person the/that man INT
Who is that man?
  • nye kam hina ka
reason 3PL here INT
Why are they here?
  • to a ka
thing be INT
What is this?
  • koyo kama ke yama hina ka
person-POSS village the mountain near INT
Whose village is near the mountain?
  • mo nayo satila ka
place 1SG-POSS sandwich INT
Where is my sandwich?
  • no nam yalatli ka
manner 1PL travel-FUT INT
How will we travel?
  • ko'o ekam yetaye ka
number/amount TR-3PL give-PAST INT
How many were they given?

pronouns

Nominative Accusative Possessive Reflexive Reciprocal
1st sing na ena nayo na'i
2nd sing ta eta tayo ta'i
3rd sing ha eha hayo ha'i
1st plu nam enam namyo nami nanku
2nd plu tam etam tamyo tami tanku
3rd plu kam ekam kamyo kami kanku

examples

  • namyo ina
1PL-POSS food
Our food.
  • kami itsa
3PL-REFL love
They love themselves.
  • tanku moto ka
2PL-RECP remember/familiar INT
Do you remember each other?
  • eha unyatlik
ACC-3SG understand-FUT-NEG
He/She will not be understood.

Thematic Lexicon

numbers

  • zero / nothing / 0 - e'o
  • one / 1 - na'o
  • two / 2 - ta'o
  • three / 3 - ha'o
  • four / 4 - ma'o
  • five / 5 - ya'o
  • six / 6 - tsa'o
  • seven / 7 - ka'o
  • eight / 8 - pa'o
  • nine / 9 - sa'o
  • ten / 10 - ue'o
  • hundred / 100 - nye'o
  • thousand / 1000 - tle'o

higher numbers

  • eleven / 11 - uena'o
  • twenty / 20 - taue'o
  • one hundred one / 107 - nyeka'o
  • three hundred twenty five / 326 - hanyetauetsa'o (long form) | hatatsa'o (short form)
  • six thousand and twenty / 6020 - tsatletaue'o

ordinals, negatives, fractions etc.

  • ki- - ordinal/multiple prefix
Example : kisa'o - ninth, or nine times
Example : kiyanyepa'o - 508th, or 508 times
  • i- - fractional prefix
Example : isa'o - a ninth
Example : iha'o pa'o - three eighths, ⅜
  • -k - negative/subtractive suffix
Example : sa'ok - negative nine (-9)
Example : ue'o ma sa'ok a na'o - 10 and -9 is 1

family

  • family / kin - tlika
  • parent - onata
  • grandparent - onataha
  • spouse - tlanata
  • sibling - uanata
  • child - inata
  • father / uncle - ota
  • mother / aunt - ona
  • husband - tla'ota
  • wife - tla'ona
  • grandfather - otaha
  • grandmother - onaha
  • brother / cousin - otaua
  • sister / cousin - onaua
  • boy / son - ota'i
  • girl / daughter - ona'i
  • man / masculine / male - tlaka
  • woman / feminine / female - naka

colors

  • red - ketla
  • orange - tliyo
  • yellow - yana
  • green - kuya
  • blue - tsuku
  • indigo, violet, purple - tlaku
  • white, pale - nyahi
  • black, dark - oya
  • clear - yehi

time

  • moment, instant - imal
  • occasion | present, now (yet) - ima
  • hour, period - imat
  • day - yoma
  • week (7 days) - sema
  • month (~30 days) - huama
  • season - amal
  • time, year (~365 days) - ama
  • era - amat
  • past - amaye
  • future - amatli
  • always, forever - kuama
  • never - amak

General Lexica

  • The majority of lexical units in Kala can have multiple roles.
  • Most have a primary role, such as verb, noun or adjective, but almost all can serve in at least two roles.
  • Because of this, this list is sorted alphabetically and not by part of speech or category.


p t k m n s h l a

p

  • pameya - okra, ladies' fingers
  • pana - (to) rain | perspire, moisten | dew
  • petsa - mild, soft
  • pila - to saw, rip, crush
  • puna - dirt, soil | sand

t

  • -ta - suffix indicating masculine gender
  • taka - honor, respect, esteem
  • takolo - peach (tree or fruit)
  • tama - good / well / favorable / effective
  • tasa - hunt, track | scout / seek
  • taha - big, grand, large
  • tala - come (back) | return
  • tali - metal
  • teyo - die | death | (be) dead
  • tima - blood | bleed
  • tiya - bread (flat round bread made out of cornmeal or flour)
  • to - thing | instrument | object
  • topa - bed, mattress | any piece of furniture to sleep on
  • tohi - especially cabbage, but including cauliflower and other varieties of Brassica oleracea

k

  • ka - interrogative particle
  • kata - nature, universe | essence
  • kama - village, town, city
  • kana - to lead, command | chief, leader
  • kasuma - onion
  • kaua - coffee
  • kala - to speak, talk, say | language, dialect
  • kalo - be difficult | burden | cumbersome
  • ketla - red | blood | to bleed
  • kipa - tooth | to bite, chew
  • kita - to greet, welcome | hello, hi
  • kito - symbol | mark | glyph
  • ko - person | agentive
  • kopa - mushroom | fungi
  • koni - skunk
  • kono - gray | stone, rock
  • ko'o - number, amount, quantity | to count
  • kue'a - deer, cervine
  • kuna - to expel | to excrete, shit, defecate
  • kulu - all, every, each
  • kuya - green | grass, foliage

m

  • ma - and, also, as well | plus | more
  • mata - to kill, murder
  • mala - bad, unfavorable, negative
  • matla - stew, casserole, goulash
  • maya - water, fluid | wet
  • metla - to whistle | sound of wind | flute
  • mitla - arrow, dart
  • mo - to locate, place | locative | location [where]
  • muluku - arrowhead / pointed part of an arrow

n

  • naso - wolf, lupine
  • naha - river, stream | lake, pond
  • naho - to regulate | rule | grammar
  • nika - dog, canine
  • no - method, manner | way

ny

  • nyahi - white | snow | to snow
  • nye - reason, cause | because
  • nyeli - pink

s

  • satani - tick / arthropod
  • saka - fish, any cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives in water
  • sama - sun / solar / star
  • sahi - color
  • sala - room / chamber / section
  • seta - smooth / silk / flat
  • seka - dry / sharp / strict
  • seya - seal / stamp
  • sima - sit / recline / relax
  • sinta - snake
  • sinu - sand / beach / finely ground rock
  • suka - pig / hog / swine
  • suha - tongue / mouth / taste

h

  • hani - land | a country or region
  • hika - to stop, halt | wait
  • hina - near, close, here

ts

  • tsaka - home / house / building
  • tsa'i - tea
  • tsala - paste / sauce
  • tsili - attempt / try
  • tsiya - freedom / liberty
  • tsoma - tobacco
  • tsola - fox / Vulpine
  • tsuala - tree
  • tsuku - blue / sky
  • tsukuala - lizard
  • tsumpa - buy / purchase

tl

  • tlatsa - fire / burn / hot
  • tlayo - to wed, marry | marriage, matrimony
  • tlela - to wash, bathe | clean, pure
  • -tli - future tense affix
  • tlito - bread, baked with sauce and other assorted toppings

ua

  • ua - flower
  • uana - there / far / distant

l

y

  • yato - finger | hand
  • yaka - arm, leg | appendage
  • yama - mountain, hill | pile, mound
  • ya'asa - wind, breeze | air
  • yala - go, move | travel
  • yesa - be quiet, tranquil | peaceful
  • -yo - possessive, genitive suffix

a

  • a - to be, exist | yes
  • aposi - outhouse, toilette
  • apo - genitalia
  • apota - penis
  • apona - vagina
  • apua - sing / music / song
  • ato - body, anatomy | corpse
  • ato'a - torso | chest, belly
  • ama - time, year, season
  • ani - wish, hope | to aspire
  • ahi - potato
  • ala - to be born | to birth
  • aya - beauty | to be beautiful

e

  • -'e- - used to link agent and patient
  • e- - prefix that marks accusative form of personal pronouns

i

  • ito - wood
  • itola - to fall, drop, plummet
  • ikana - friend, ally
  • impa - table | desk | flat work surface
  • ina - food, sustenance | to eat, consume
  • iso - to hit, strike | slap
  • itsa - love, affection | to love, care for
  • ila - bird, avian | to fly, glide

o

  • oka - bake / cook
  • oku - owl
  • omo - to exchange, trade | commerce, business
  • olika - small fish
  • oya - black / night

u

  • unya - know / understand / knowledge
  • uya - cut / slice

Examples

  • mo ta yala ka
place/locale 2sg go/walk/travel INT-part
Where are you going?
  • nam tsala inaye
1pl sauce/paste eat-PAST
We ate the sauce.
  • ko tayo onatam ka
person 2sg-POSS parent-PL INT-part
Who are your parents?
  • na yalaye nye ta talaye
1SG go-PAST because 2SG return-PAST
I left because you returned.

Article 1, UDHR

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