Conlang Relay 18/Cəssın

by Jan Strasser

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Cəssın text

Nol epeheppen loyollogaŋ, lorånassa ornogom loyoko şötepelneş. Lunogo dirin eri, löricöyäm geşin occuk mölö, å cılcın å cyoc ugu urvı. Örän pirgä, gåto pospıntışən öröllö, vogga lunyolom lökäglönä hölküŋŋä lilmeheppen. Lunogo melve ogluryasa gıc olcın ova eŋ suşın lormozo örvöbrörötä tånuttışəŋŋas. Dara kellärişşeneş zyoryuŋ zosıŋŋa lököyosommo.

Zyunıŋŋa lorånassa lonogosa tücüneppen, lunyolom rivlä rum örkiretä tömmöllürün. A porat å sossın erren; nevin rörninyöŋ örnyömmi nin, am löbrinne setin urvı. Lara lunogo kelläreneş akarga, å lut, zärye üşö ayana mereneş. Vogga rolga, lorånassa åksun olınəş ova pupsun lotohunam lopovı seşpeheppişşeneş, ŋötommaş kilin öllyomota.

Translation

I changed the text quite a bit and added some details (especially in the first paragraph) in order to turn it into a believable excerpt from a folk tale of my conculture. Notably, I felt that a smoke-breathing dragon did not fit in, so I replaced him with the spirit of a bear, an animal highly reverenced in the Şişin mountains.

English

When the evening came, the shamaness summoned the spirit of a bear. It was a mighty bear, obviously a true lord of the forests, and he was fierce and furious as well. He roared loudly, causing a window to break, and positioned himself menacingly at the edge of the marketplace. The bear rose to his full height and scared away all the people around him. The spell-weaver, however, was watching him intently.

Slowly, the shamaness approached the bear, crossing the snow-covered marketplace. She looked proud and beautiful; her face was golden like tea made from red leaves. The woman was still watching the bear, and yes, now he returned her gaze. And then, suddenly, the shamaness raised her hand and began to caress the nose of the fearsome beast, pacifying him with a disarming smile.

English translation of previous text

(Prevli, by Roger Mills)

The day was beginning to end. A female shaman summoned a dragon. The dragon was exhaling clouds of steam and smoke. He broke a window, and sat down on a railing above the marketplace. The spell-weaver saw the dragon, but he did not look back at her.

The marketplace was covered with snow. Nearby, the shaman was standing. She was certainly beautiful and proud. Her cheeks resembled gold, having the color of tea made from red leaves. The shaman looked at the dragon, and the dragon looked at the shaman. And then, suddenly, she caressed the snout of the dragon and put on a radiant smile.

Interlinear gloss

Nol

nol

as

epeheppen

epe-hepp-en

sit-INCH-PAST.3SG

loyollogaŋ,

lo+yollogaŋ

DEF.SG.NOM-dusk

lorånassa

lo+rånah-sa

DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE

ornogom

or-nogo-am

INDEF.SG-bear-GEN

loyoko

lo-yoko

DEF.SG.ACC-spirit

şötepelneş.

şöte-pela-eneş

invite-RETR-PAST.3SG>3SG

When the evening came, the shamaness summoned the spirit of a bear.

Lunogo

lo+nogo

DEF.SG.NOM-bear

dirin

dirin

awesome

eri,

eri

COP.PAST.SG

löricöyäm

los-icöŋ-am

DEF.PL.ACC-forest-GEN

geşin

geşin

dominant

occuk

or-cuk

INDEF.SG.NOM-king

mölö,

mölö

obviously

å

å

and

cılcın

cılcın

fierce

å

å

and

cyoc

cyoc

furious

ugu

ugu

also

urvı.

urvı

PRED.PAST.SG

It was a mighty bear, obviously a true lord of the forests, and he was fierce and furious as well.

Örän

örä-en

roar-PAST.3SG

pirgä,

pire-ga

loud-ADV

gåto

gåto

so_that

pospıntışən

pospə-im-tiş-en

smash-TPASS-ICAUS-PAST.3SG

öröllö,

or-öllö

INDEF.SG.NOM-window

vogga

vogga

and_then

lunyolom

lo-nyolo-am

DEF.SG-marketplace-GEN

lökäglönä

lo-käglö-na

DEF.SG-boundary-LOC

hölküŋŋä

hölkün-ga

threaten-ADV

lilmeheppen.

lilme-hepp-en

stand-INCH-PAST.3SG

He roared loudly, causing a window to break, and positioned himself menacingly at the edge of the marketplace.

Lunogo

lo+nogo

DEF.SG.NOM-bear

melve

melve

whole

ogluryasa

ag-lurya-sa

3POSS.SG-size-LAT

gıc

gıc

up_to

olcın

olcı-en

rise-PAST.3SG

ova

ova

and

eŋ

eŋ

all

suşın

suşın

nearby

lormozo

los-mozo

DEF.PL.ACC-person

örvöbrörötä

orv-ebrörö-ta

INDEF.SG-fear-INSTR

tånuttışəŋŋas.

tåno-uro-tiş-eŋŋas

flee-PROG-ICAUS-PAST.3SG>3PL

The bear rose to his full height and scared away all the people around him.

Dara

dara

but

kellärişşeneş

kelle-are-şş-eneş

watch-DUR-EMPH-PAST.3SG>3SG

zyoryuŋ

zyoryuŋ

that_one.ACC

zosıŋŋa

zosın-ga

focused-ADV

lököyosommo.

lo+ökö-osommo

DEF.SG.NOM-blessing-weaver

The spell-weaver, however, was watching him intently.

Zyunıŋŋa

zyunın-ga

slow-ADV

lorånassa

lo+rånah-sa

DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE

lonogosa

lo-nogo-sa

DEF.SG-bear-LAT

tücüneppen,

tücün-hepp-en

approach-INCH-PAST.3SG

lunyolom

lo-nyolo-am

DEF.SG-marketplace-GEN

rivlä

rivlä

across

rum

rum

REL

örkiretä

or-kire-ta

INDEF.SG-snow-INSTR

tömmöllürün.

tömmi-oll-uro-en

conceal-APASS-PROG-PAST.3SG

Slowly, the shamaness approached the bear, crossing the snow-covered marketplace.

A

a

3SG.NOM

porat

porat

determined

å

å

and

sossın

sossın

beautiful

erren;

erre-en

seem-PAST.3SG

nevin

nevin

red

rörninyöŋ

ros-niŋi-oŋ

INDEF.PL-leaf-ABL

örnyömmi

or+nyömmi

INDEF.SG.NOM-tea

nin,

nin

like,

am

am

3SG.GEN

löbrinne

lo+brinne

DEF.PL.NOM-face

setin

setin

golden

urvı.

urvı

PRED.PAST.SG

She looked proud and beautiful; her face was golden like tea made from red leaves.

Lara

lo+ara

DEF.SG.NOM-woman

lunogo

lo-nogo

DEF.SG.ACC-bear

kelläreneş

kelle-äre-eneş

watch-DUR-PAST.3SG>3SG

akarga,

akarga

still

å

å

and

lut,

lut

yes

zärye

zärye

that_one

üşö

üşö

now

ayana

ag-yana

3POSS.ACC-gaze

mereneş.

mere-eneş

meet-PAST.3SG>3SG

The woman was still watching the bear, and yes, now he returned her gaze.

Vogga

vogga

and_then

rolga,

rolga

suddenly,

lorånassa

lo+rånah-sa

DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE

åksun

ag-tun

3POSS.SG.ACC-hand

olınəş

olı-eneş

raise-PAST.3SG>3SG

ova

ova

and

pupsun

pupsun

fearsome

lotohunam

lo-tohun-am

DEF.SG-wild_animal-GEN

lopovı

lo-povı

DEF.SG.ACC-nose

seşpeheppişşeneş,

seşpe-hepp-işş-eneş

caress-INCH-EMPH-PAST.3SG>3SG

ŋötommaş

ŋa-ötommə-aş

PTCP-pacify-NPST.3SG>3SG

kilin

kilin

affectionate

öllyomota.

or-lyomo-ta

INDEF.SG-smile-INSTR

And then, suddenly, the shamaness raised her hand and began to caress the nose of the fearsome beast, pacifying him with a disarming smile.

Vocabulary

morpheme	class	meaning	notes
-(a)m	suffix	(genitive-benefactive case)
-(e)n	suffix	(3sg intransitive verbal suffix, past tense)
-(e)neş	suffix	(3sg subject, 3sg object verbal suffix, past tense)
-(h)epp-	suffix	(inchoative aspect)
-(i)şş-	suffix	(emphatic mood)	used to mark an action as important, intensified and/or contrastive
-är-	suffix	(durative/habitual aspect)
-aş	suffix	(3sg subject, 3sg object verbal suffix, non-past tense)
-eŋŋas	suffix	(3sg subject, 3pl object verbal suffix, past tense)
-ga	suffix	(adverbializer)	becomes -ŋa after nasals
-im-	suffix	(passive voice, telic/dynamic)
-na	suffix	(locative case)
-oll-	suffix	(passive voice, atelic/stative)
-oŋ	suffix	(ablative case)
-pel-	suffix	(retrospective aspect)	describes an action whose results are still relevant later
-sa	suffix	(lative case)
-ta	suffix	(instrumental case)
-tiş-	suffix	(causative)
-ur(u)-	suffix	(progressive aspect)	allomorph: ut-
a	pron	(3rd person singular)
ag-	prefix	(3rd person possessive)	allomorphs: a-, åk-, og-
akarga	adv	still
ara	n	woman
å	cj	and	mostly used within syntactic constituents
brinne	n	face
cılcın	adj	fierce, dangerous
cuk	n	king
cyoc	adj	angry, furious
dara	cj	but, however, in contrast
dirin	adj	great, awesome, overwhelming
ebrörö	n	fear, emotional shock	becomes öbrörö in the indefinite singular
eŋ	qu	all, every
epe	v.it	sit
eri	aux	(copula, singular past stative)
erre	v.it	seem, appear	takes adjectival complement
gåto	cj	so that, in order to, therefore
geşin	adj	dominant, superior
gıc	pp	up to, towards, in the direction of
hölkün	v.mt	threaten, menace
icöŋ	n	forest, woodland, wilderness	becomes icöy- when suffixes are added
käglö	n	border, boundary, edge, side
kelle	v.mt	watch, observe, supervise
kilin	adj	tender, affectionate, loving
kire	n	snow
lilme	v.it	stand
lo-	prefix	(definite article, singular)	allomorphs: l-, lu-
lor-	prefix	(definite article, plural
lurya	n	size, height
lut	adv	yes, indeed
lyomo	n	smile
melve	adj	whole, complete, comprehensive
mere	v.mt	meet, encounter, reciprocate
mozo	n	person, human being
mölö	adv	clearly, obviously, can be taken for granted
nevin	adj	red
nin	pp	as, like, similar to
niŋi	n	leaf (of a plant)	becomes ninye- when suffixes are added
nogo	n	bear
nol	cj	as, when, with
nyolo	n	market, marketplace
nyömmi	n	tea, herbal infusion
ŋ(a)-	prefix	(participle
olcı	v.it	rise, get up, lift oneself
olı	v.mt	raise, lift (something else)
or-	prefix	(indefinite article, singular)	allomorphs: oc-, ol-, orv-
osommo	n	weaver
ova	cj	and	mostly used to link clauses and phrases
ökö	n	blessing, charm
öllö	n	window, opening
örä	v.it	shout, scream, yell, roar
ötommə	v.mt	tame, pacify, disarm
pire	adj	loud
porat	adj	solid, firm, determined, trustworthy
pospə	v.mt	smash, break, destroy
povı	n	nose
pupsun	adj	terrible, fearsome
rånassa	n	shamaness, witch
rivlä	pp	along, through, by way of, across
rolga	adv	unpredictably, surprisingly, suddenly
ror-	prefix	(indefinite article, plural)
rum	cj	(relativizer)
seşpe	v.mt	caress, fondle, stroke gently
setin	adj	richly decorated; golden
sossın	adj	beautiful, attractive (said of women)
şöte	v.mt	call, invite, summon
suşın	adj	adjacent, nearby
tåno	v.mt	avoid, evade, run away, flee
tohun	n	wild animal, beast
tömmi	v.mt	hide, conceal, cover
tun	n	hand	becomes -sun with prefixes ending in a plosive
tücün	v.it	approach, go to	goal takes lative case
ugu	adv	also, as well
urvı	aux	(copula, singular past temporary)
üşö	adv	now, immediately
vogga	adv	and then, next, subsequently
yana	n	view, look, gaze, stare (instance of viewing/watching)
yoko	n	spirit, soul, avatar, totem
yollogaŋ	n	evening, dusk, sunset
zärye	pron	that one, that person (nominative)
zosın	adj	alert, concentrated, focused, vigilant
zyoryuŋ	pron	that one, that person (accusative)
zyunın	adj	slow, solemn, relaxed

Grammar

• The basic word order of Cəssın is SOV, but other arrangements are also possible. Notably, subclauses are often built on a VSO model, and the subject may be extraposited to sentence-final position to receive contrastive emphasis. Adjectivial subject complements usually appear right before the verb; adverbial elements and adpositional phrases may appear in various positions in a sentence.
• Nouns inflect for eight cases, six of which are marked with recently grammaticalised suffixes. The nominative and accusative case are etymologically older, and are not morphologically distinct from each other for any of the noun instances in this text; word order and context will need to disambiguate. The distinction is more robust in pronouns.
• Almost every noun phrase takes a mandatory article inflecting for definiteness and number, which is prefixed to the head noun. The main exception is that articles are not used when the noun already has a possessive prefix. Possessive prefixes, on the other hand, are not used when the possessor overtly precedes the head noun.
• A peculiarity of Cəssın noun phrase syntax is that adjectives and quantifiers precede not only the head noun, but also its article. Relative clauses follow the head.
• Cəssın has both pre- and postpositions, but they are not used very frequently because many basic adpositional concepts can be expressed by case-marking. This text contains a few postpositional phrases, but no prepositional ones.
• Verbal morphology is almost exclusively suffixing and consists of two parts: an agglutinative layer of aspectual and modal suffixes that derive from earlier auxiliaries, and a fusional set of tense/person/number endings agreeing with both subject and object.
• Participles are marked with a prefix, do not take any aspect/mood suffixes, and do not inflect for the past tense in their person/number endings either.
• There are several copulae distinguished by the aspectual value of the predication, which have a much simpler inflection, being marked only for tense and number.
• A prominent feature of Cəssın is vowel harmony, whereby all vowels in suffixes agree in frontness with the last vowel in the root. Front vowels are /i e æ ø y/ i e ä ö ü, and back vowels are /ɯ ɤ ɑ o u/ ı ə a o u. The rounded open vowel /ɒ/ å also counts as a back vowel, but it does not take part in vowel harmony alternations itself. In the morpheme list, harmonizing vowels are given with the simple graphemes i e a o u.
• Prefixes also undergo vowel harmony, but the rules are much more complicated than for suffixes. For simplicity, I've simply listed irregular allomorphs (which also take into account some consonant sandhi).
• Some words feature mixed vowel harmony; this is holds true especially for compounds, which may be formed head-finally.

Links

• Cəssın grammar sketch