Náŋifi Fasúxa

Náŋifi Fasúxa
Pronounced:	['ná.ŋi.fi fa.'sú.xa]
Timeline and Universe:	Semiramis Universe, Post-Catastrophe
Species:	Post-Catastrophe Hominid
Spoken:	Kámanu
Total speakers:	c. 3,000 in 9 villages
Writing system:	Syllabic
Genealogy:	Proto-Náŋifi Fasúxa   Old Náŋifi Fasúxa   Náŋifi Fasúxa
Typology:
Morphology:	Isolating, Root-based
Morphosyntax:	Accusative
Word order:	V1
Credits
Creator:	Linguarum Magister
Created:	2010

Náŋifi Fasúxa (the Common Language) is the native language of the Pínaax (the People).

A Brief Note on the Syntax

In the Post-Catastrophe universe, one of the features of various hominid races is particular violations of pre-Catastrophe Universal Grammar. In the case of the languages of Kámanu, this violation is a rigid V1 order regardless of other grammatical-syntactical restrictions. Náŋifi Fasúxa is a nominative-accusative language, tense-based rather than aspect-based, and strictly paratactic.

A Brief Note on the Earliest Diachronics of the languages of Kámanu

In this document and other research notes on the languages of Kámanu, PNF, ONF, and NF indicate different stages of Náŋifi Fasúxa.

PNF indicates Proto-Náŋifi Fasúxa, the language spoken in the survival shelter and in the very earliest stages of emergence; at this stage the bisyllabic roots were self-segregrating from the monosyllabic suffixes. If the PNF singular and the plural were phonetically distinct, there is no trace of it in the writing system.

ONF indicates Old Náŋifi Fasúxa, the language spoken in the early day of reestablishing surface life and early expansion. The language acquired the necessary administrative terms for survival, but lost much of the more scientific terms used in the shelter. By this time, roots were trisyllabic, but an examination of the reduplicated forms (the primary grammatical innovation of this stage) shows that the speakers were analyzing the roots by the radical syllables..

NF indicates Náŋifi Fasúxa, the contemporary stage of the language (at least in the central of the nine villages). The roots have stabilized as trisyllabic, but the NF reduplicated forms, with one exception, show that they are analyzing the spoken syllables. The creation of autonomous villages and chieftainships and the movement away from the ONF conciliar structure, has resulted in the semantic shift of numerous roots, most notably, the use of workplaces to indentify persons.

Other tags are INF (Infantile Náŋifi Fasúxa) and VNF (Vulgar Náŋifi Fasúxa), but I have not had occasion to consult my collegues on these subdialects in great detail. INF displays several non-standard phonological patterns, while VNF seems to be moving towards an agglutinative language and a simplification of the number-gender overdetermination of NF.

Phonology

The phonology is relatively simple, with 9 consonants (p,t,k,m,n,ŋ,f,s,x). There are 3 basic vowels. which may be short or long (a,i,u; aa, ii, uu). The pure long vowel arise from the contact of two similar vowels. There are also six diphthongs (ai [aj], au [aw], iu [ju], ia [ja], ui [wi], ua [wa], which arose from the contact of two dissimilar vowels. Adjacent consonants do not assimilate, as that would confuse trisyllabic radicals to too great an extent. /g/ and /x/ have the relatively free-placement allophones [ʔ] and [h], respectively. [ʔ] is more frequent in initial position or between vowels, but appears to be spreading. [h] has a similar distribution. The two allophones have the following constraint: they cannot appear adjacent to one another.

Consonants
	Bilabial		Alveolar		Velar
Nasal	m		n		ŋ
Plosive	p		t		k
Fricative	f		s		x

Vowels
	Front		Central		Back
High	i				u
Low			a

Long Vowels
	A		I		U
A	a:		ja		wa
I	aj		i:		wi
U	aw		ju		u:

Stress-and-Pitch Accent

The acute accent on a vowel or diphthong indicates stress and a rising pitch; the unmarked vowels have a falling pitch, but may be stressed. The acute accent may disappear in the spoken form of the word if the stress vowel becomes a diphthong. Thus, the noun pínaxa ['pí.na.xa] 'man' is stressed and high-pitched on the initial syllable, but the equivalent feminine form pianxa ['pjan.xa] woman is not stressedon the initial (spoken) syllable. The equivalent adjectival forms, pina'xa [pi.'ná.xa] 'manly (m.sg.)' and piánxa ['pján.xa] 'womanly (f.sg.)', which place stress on the medial radical syllable, both possess stressed and high-pitched vowel.

For the purposes of stress-and-pitch accent, the long non-diphthongal vowels are considered to be composed of a vowel and the related semi-vowel. This rule applies even to aa [a:], even though there is no equivalent semivowel.

Radical Syllables and Spoken Syllables

A peculiarity of Náŋifi Fasúxa is the ability of the syllables in its three-syllable CVCVCV roots to flip form CV to VC depending on the use of the root in the sentence. A CV syllable is herein referred as unflipped or taken as basic and unmarked; a VC syllable is referred to as 'flipped'. In discussion of the grammar of Náŋifi Fasúxa, the terms 'initial syllable', 'medial syllable', and 'final syllable' refer to the syllables of the masculine singular CVCVCV root before any flipping; the feminine plural adjective kuáŋit ['kwá.ŋit] 'the big (feminine things)' has stress on the flipped medial syllable -aŋ-, even though the realization of the stress is on the initial syllable of the word as pronounced.

Nouns, Adjectives, and Prepositions

Nouns, adjectives, and prepositions are characterized by an unflipped intial syllable.

Nouns

Nouns indicate gender and grammatical number. The masculine singular retains all the syllables as CV; plurality is indicated by flipping the final syllable, femininity by flipping the medial syllable. Nouns are accented on the initial syllable. Thus:

pínaxa ['pí.na.xa] man

pínaax ['pí.na:x] men

pianxa ['pjan.xa] woman

pianax ['pja.nax] women

Non-Q Adjectives

Adjectives are similar to nouns, and agree with the noun they modify in gender and number (the exceptions are the possessive pronouns). Adjectives are accented on the medial syllable and follow the nouns they modify. Thus:

pínaxa kuŋáti ['pí.na.xa ku.'ŋá.ti] a great man

pínaax kuŋáit ['pí.na:x ku.'ŋájt] great men

pianxa kuáŋti ['pjan.xa 'kwáŋ.ti] a great woman

pianax kuáŋit ['pja.nax 'kwá.ŋit] great women

Adjectives in Náŋifi Fasúxa may be divided into two categories: quantifiable (Q) and non-quantifiable (non-Q). Q adjectives have their own intrinsic number and gender, while non-Q adjectives agree in number and gender with the noun that they modify. This section addresses non-Q adjectives, which are simpler. The Q adjectives will be addressed in the next section along with prepositions.

Prepositions, Q Adjectives, and the Genitive Prepositional Construct

Prepositions are accented on the final syllable. They agree with the noun which the prepositional phrase modifies in gender and number, but not with the object of the preposition. Thus:

páŋasa tamapú múfaxa ['pá.ŋa.sa ta.ma.'pú 'mú.fa.xa] the house above the village

páaŋas taamíx múfaxa ['pá:.ŋas ta:.'míx 'mú.fa.xa] the huts below the village

Q adjectives use a similar formation to prepositions. Instead of using a specific preposition, Q adjectives use something called a Genitive Prepositional Construct (GPC), which combines elements of a preposition, a reflexive pronoun, and a relative pronoun. Personal pronouns must use a GPC. The head noun remains the same and the object of the GPC retains its gender and number as if it were an ordinary preposition. The GPC takes a prepositional form (accent on the final radical syllable), the gender and number of the head noun, and the actual root of the object of the preposition. Thus:

tíŋaif pumaaf puamfa ['tí.ŋajf pu.'ma:f 'pwam.fa] my (fsg) sons

Verbs and Adverbs

Verbs and adverbs are characterized by a flipped initial syllable.

Active Verbs

Active verbs and intransitive verbs are accented on the initial syllable. The verbs agree in gender and number with the subject. Náŋifi Fasúxa is a VSO language. Thus:

átmaxi ... pínaxa kuŋáti ['át.ma.xi ... 'pí.na.xa ku.'ŋá.ti] a great man descends

átmaix ... pínaax kuŋáit ['át.majx ... 'pí.na:x ku.'ŋájt] great men descend

átamxi ... pianxa kuáŋti ['á.tam.xi ... pjan.xa 'kwáŋ.ti] a great woman descends

átamix ... pianax kuáŋit ['á.ta.mix ... pja.nax 'kwá.ŋit] great women descend

An active verb may function as an active participle after a noun. Thus:

páŋaas úŋxauk ['pá.ŋa:s 'úŋ.xawk] the burning houses

pianxa átamxi ['pjan.'xa:.tam.xi] the women who are descending

The active participle may not be used as a substitute for the equivalent nouns. Thus there is a difference between:

táamxi ['tá:m.xi] the descending ones (feminine plural) vs. pianxa átamxi ['pjan.'xa.tam.xi] the women who are descending

Passive Verbs

Passive verbs are accented on the medial syllable. They agree in gender and number with the subject. Thus:

uŋxáuk ... páŋaas [uŋ.'xáwk ... 'pá.ŋa:s] the houses are burning

A passive verb may function as a passive participle after a noun. As with the active form, the passive participle is strictly adjectival. Thus:

páŋaas uŋxáuk ['pá.ŋa:s uŋ.'xáwk] the burnt houses

There is no nominal equivalent of the passive participle.

The Verbs "To Be"

In Náŋifi Fasúxa, the only verbs which do not require a temporal adverb after the verb are the forms átkami, ítŋafi, and íxpunu. These are the active verbal forms of the temporal adverbs. Thus:

átkami tákaxu ['át.ka.mi ,tá.ka.xu] he was an elder

ítaŋfi táakxu ['í.taŋ.fi 'tá:kxu] she is an elder

íxpuun tákaux ['íx.pu:n 'tá.kawx] they (mpl) will be elders

Adverbs

Adverbs are accented on the final syllable. They agree in gender and number with the verb they modify. The chief adverbs are the temporal participles atkamí (past), itŋafí (present), and ixpunú (future). Just as adjectives follow the noun they modify, so too do the adverbs follow the verb.

átamxi atakmí pianxa ['á.tam.xja.tak.'mí 'pjan.xa] the woman descended

átamxi itaŋfí pianxa ['á.tam.xi:.taŋ.'fí 'pjan.xa]the woman descends

átamxi ixupnú pianxa ['á.tam.xi:.xup.'nú 'pjan.xa] the woman will descend

Adverbs may modify adjectives, including active and passive participles.

páŋasa kuŋáti ukŋatí ['pá.ŋa.sa ku.'ŋá.tjuk.ŋa.'tí] the very big house

páŋasa úŋxaku ukŋatí ['pá.ŋa.'sawŋ.xa.ku:k.ŋa.'tí] the great burning house

túnasi uŋxáku ukŋatí ['tu.na.sjuŋ.'xá.ku:k.ŋa.'tí] the big burned stone

The order of adverbs after the noun are descriptive, numerals, and demonstratives. Any of these, should they appear as the sole modifier, appear as adjectives.

Pronouns

There are three basic pronominal roots (ŋasipu, natufi, pumafa), which inflect for gender and number. Thus the complete set of pronouns is:

ŋásipu he

ŋásiup they (masculine)

ŋáispu she

ŋáisup they (feminine)

nátufi you (masculine singular)

nátuif you (masculine plural)

náutfi you (feminine singular)

náutif you (feminine plural)

púmafa I (masculine)

púmaaf we (masculine)

puamfa I (feminine)

puamaf we (feminine)

In addition to these three, there are five other personal pronominal forms referring to relative rank of the speaker and the addressee:

púmapu I (higher rank than addressee)

púmaxi I (lower rank than addressee)

púmasu I (no rank reference; often used affectionately)

nátupu you (higher rank than speaker)

nátuxi you (lower rank than speaker)

nátunu you (in general; often used contemptuously)

Indicative Sentences

An affirmative indicative active sentence in Náŋifi Fasúxa has the following construction: Verb + Temporal Adverb + Agent + Patient.

ánŋixi ixpunú náŋixa náŋiti the village crier will berate the teacher

A negative indicative active sentence in Náŋifi Fasúxa has the following construction: Verb + Temporal Adverb + Negative Adverb + Agent + Patient.

ánŋixi ixpunú aŋsixí náŋixa náŋiti the village crier will berate the teacher

An affirmative indicative passive sentence in Náŋifi Fasúxa has the following construction: Verb + Temporal Adverb + Patient + Agent.

ánŋiit atkaim xípuax náŋiti the children were taught by the teacher

A negative indicative passive sentence in Náŋifi Fasúxa has the following construction: Verb + Temporal Adverb + Patient + Agent.

ánŋiit atkaim aŋsiix xípuax náŋiti the children were not taught by the teacher

Predicate Sentences

Náŋifi Fasúxa predicate sentences have the structure Verb + Predicate Adverb + Subject or Verb + Predicate Noun + Subject. The verb in predicate sentences is the passive form of the verbs "to be". Thus:

itáŋfi akansá páaŋsa a hut is circular

itáŋfi páŋasa kuŋása páaŋsa a hut is a small house

Náŋifi Fasúxa sentences with a predicate adverb can drop the verb. This only works for tenseless (and often gnomic) statements. It is important to note that this adverbial tranformation only works for adjectives, not nouns or noun phrase.

akansá páaŋsa a hut is circular

Interrogative Sentences

Strictly speaking, Náŋifi Fasúxa has no interrogatives (a rare but attested custom on pre-Hegemonic Earth). The construction of a yes/no question is the same as an ordinary declarative sentence; the interrogative sense comes from context. If the answer to the question is negative, it can easily be denied; if the answer is positive, the question is as much a statement as a question. Thus:

uŋxáuk itŋaif páŋaas [uŋ.'xáw.ki:t.'ŋaif 'pá.ŋa:s] are the houses burning?

uŋxáuk aŋsiix itŋaif páŋaas [uŋ.'xáw.kaŋ.'si:.xit.'ŋaif 'pá.ŋa:s] are the houses burning?

For who/what questions, the indefinite pronouns ŋásixu (somebody) and ŋásinu (anybody) are inserted into the interrogative sentence.

úŋxaku atkamí ŋásixu páŋaas who burned the huts?

uŋxáuk atkaim páŋaas ŋásinu by whom were the houses burned?

Imperatives

The Náŋifi Fasúxa imperative is conjugated for number and gender. The positive form consists of the bare stem of the verb. Thus one might say

ínixpi speak! (fsg)

The negative form adds the negative adverb to the bare stem. Thus one can say,

ínixpi aŋsixí don't speak (fsg)!

The grammatical person of the imperative is inherently second person. The syntax of a complete imperative sentence is thus: Verb (+ Negative Adverb, if any) + Vocative + Patient. Negative and affirmative examples follow:

ínixip aŋisíx ŋítaif sisters, do not speak!

úmfasa xípufi pumafá puampu tákafi natufí nátufi (said by a mother) my son, obey your father!

There is a passive imperative created by reversing the order of the patient and the vocative, but it is extremely rare. One of the Irrealis forms is more frequently found in its place.

Irrealis Tenses and Moods

The Náŋifi Fasúxa Subjunctive (which covers many of the irrealis aspects of language) is formed by placing the affirmative adverb aŋsinú after the bare verb; the noun or pronoun follows the affirmative adverb. The negative subjunctive places the negative adverb between the affirmative adverb and the pronoun. Thus a chief of the Pínaax might say:

úmfaas aŋsinú kánuux púmapu May the villagers obey me.

ípnasa aŋsinú aŋsixí púmaxi múfaxu pumaxí púmaxi May I not fail my chief!

Specific Subjunctive

The Specific Subjunctive is used when the basic Subjunctive refers to a specific person (the personal pronouns are an exception to this rule). The adverb is aŋsixú. Thus:

úmafpi aŋisxú xiupxi puamfá púmapu múfaxu May my daughter assist the chief!

Impersonal Gnomic Aorist

The Impersonal Gnomic Aorist is used for proverbs about moral conduct when the intended addressee (if any) is not present. The proper adverb is agsipú. Thus:

ípnaxi aŋsipú pínaxa kanafú kánaxi A person would die in the wastelands.

Personal Gnomic Aorist

The Personal Gnomic Aorist is similar to the Impersonal, but is used when the intended addressee (not necessarily the person with whom the speaker is talking) is present. Its adverb is antufí. Thus:

ípnaxi antufí pínaxa kanafú kánaxi A person would die in the wastelands.

Perjorative Gnomic Aorist

The Perjorative Gnomic Aorist is similar to the Personal, but conveys contempt. Its adverb is antunú. Thus:

ípnaxi antunú pínaxa kanafú kánaxi A person (you moron!) would die in the wastelands.

General Gnomic Aorist

The General Gnomic Aorist is similar to the Personal and Impersonal Forms, but has no moral implications, merely a connotation of "everyone knows this". Its adverb is afsuxá.

ípnaxi afsuxá pínaxa kanafú kánaxi A person would die in the wastelands.

Opinative

The Opinative indicates "in my/your/his opinion". Its adverb is upmasú.

áfusfa upamsú ŋáispu ŋásinu. In my opinion, she's sleeping with someone.

Conjunctions

There are no true conjunctions in Náŋifi Fasúxa, since the language is entirely paratactic (but it does love its adverbs!). If coordination is necessary, specific adverbs are placed after the canonical temporal and negative adverbs. Even when a coordinating conjunctive adverb is present in a sentence, the sense of conjunction is closer to a semi-colon rather than a comma. The temporal conjunctive adverbs fit a seven-point scale of time, based on the words for days; from the farthest past these are: atkatí (before) - atkasú (before) - atkasá (before) - itŋasá or itŋasú(when/now) and itŋafá (now/while) - ixpusá (after) - ixpusú (after) - ixputí (after). The adverb "where" is either antuxú or antuxá.

Interrogative Conjunction Displacement

All of the adverbs meaning “before”, “when”, “now”, “while”, or “after” can be used as an interrogative "when?" in the appropriate context – in these case, the conjunction takes the place of the temporal adverb if the temporal adverb agrees with the the anteriority or posteriority of the interrogative conjunction. Thus, itŋasá or itŋasú may substitute for the temporal adverb itŋafí, but not the past temporal adverb atkamí or the future temporal adverb ixpunú. In those cases, the the interrogative conjunctional adverb comes after the temporal adverb and the negative adverb, if present, but before the first noun of the sentence.

Auxiliary Verbs

Náŋifi Fasúxa is strictly paratactic. This means that auxiliary verb cannot exist. There are two ways of saying "The woman is ready to collect kindling." The first method, much more common and clearer, is to separate the components of the sentiment into two sentences - "The woman is ready. She will collect kindling." The second is to promote the auxiliary verb to the main verb and demote the former main verb to a verbal adverb: "The woman is ready to collect kindling." In the latter case, the surviving temporal adverb is the one from the first sentence ("is ready") rather than the second ("will collect").

útanfi itaŋfí pianxa. útanxa ixupnú ŋáispu ŋúxauf.

be ready-VB-FSG PRES-ADV-FSG man-NOM-FSG collect-VB-FSG FUT-ADV-FSG 3SG-NOM-FSG log-NOM-MPL

útanfi utanxá itaŋfí pianxa ŋúxauf.

be ready-VB-FSG collect-ADV-FSG PRES-ADV-FSG man-NOM-FSG log-NOM-MPL

In contrast, the sentence (with a future temporal adverb and the two possible verbs reversed)

útanfi ixupnú utanfí pianxa ŋúxauf

means “The woman will collect firewood readily (with the appropriate tools).”

Numbers

As of this writing, only two NF numbers have been identified: ŋáfisu (one) and fáputu (three); the Pínaax appear to prefer relative quantity over absolute quantatity in speaking. Note that the number used as an independent count noun is masculine singular. A cardinal number agrees with its noun in number and gender, as all non-Q adjectives agree. An ordinal number is a Q adjective, and therefore uses the GPC. A distributive number other than "one" uses a prepositional construction and gafisu' as a preposition. A singular distributive number ("individually, each one") uses reduplication. ONF used both constructions indiscriminately. Thus:

ŋáfisu one

fáputu three

páŋasa ŋafísu one house, a house

páŋaas fapúut three houses

páŋasa ŋafisú ŋáfisu the first house

páŋaas fapuut fáputu the third house

páŋasa ŋafisúsu each house

páŋaas ŋafisú fáputu every third house

Pluractional and Reduplicated Verbs

ONF Pluractionality

Reduplication in ONF applied only to plural forms with stressed initial and medial radical syllables. The primary sense of reduplication was iterative and distributive. ONF formed reduplicated words by taking the underlying post-tonic radical syllable, using stress rather than pitch as a metric, and inserting it between 1) the tonic radical syllable if the tonic radical syllable is CV 2) the (still tonic) vowel of the tonic radical syllable and the consonant of the tonic radical syllable if the tonic radical syllable is VC. So if you take the root /tunasi/:

túnais > túnanais

tunáis > tunánais

tuanis > tuaninis

útnais > únatnais

útanis > útaninis

NF Reduplication

By NF, the reduplication applied to the surface spoken syllable rather than the underlying radical syllable, and could occur in the singular of verbs and nouns. Reduplication in a singular form means something like "a step (in a series of steps originally described by the plural reduplicated verb). The pitch, and therefore the primary stress, shifted to the appropriate syllabic vowel, before diphthongization and possible high pitch deletion, for the form. This vowel is antepenultimate for nouns/active verbs and penultimate for adjectives/passive verbs. Thus:

túnasi > tunánasi

tunási > tunásisi

tuansi > tuásinsi

tuánsi > tuasínsi

túnais > tunainais

tunáis > tunaináis (by analogy with tunainais)

tuanis > tuáninis

tuánis > tuanínis

útnasi > unátnasi

utnási > utnasísi

útansi > utátansi

utánsi > utasínsi

útnais > unaitnais

utnáis > unaitnáis (by analogy with unaitnais)

útanis > utátanis

utánis > utanínis

Comparisons

The proper way to form comparisons in Náŋifi Fasúxa is by placing two or more sentences next to one another.

úŋxasa itŋafí tíŋasu. úŋxasa atkamí aŋsixí tákati.

Today it is warm. The day before yesterday it was not warm.

Today is warmer than the day before yesterday.

ukŋatí múfaxu pumapú púmaup. úkŋati itŋafí aŋsixí múfaux ŋásiun.

Our (mpl) chief is great. Any (other) chief is not great.

Our (mpl) chief is the greatest.

Naming Practices

NF names need not have any significance beyond personal identification, but for names that are or seem to be legitimate roots (nominal or verbal), the number and gender does matter. Thus Natuni and Antuni are percieved as masculine, and Nautni and Anutni as feminine. Within one's own village, a Pínaxa or Pianxa will generally use only one name. If he (or she) visited a different village, he will generally use the name of his village or some other geographical designation. If there is a need to identify a lineage, or a distinct benefit to doing so, the Pínaxa may choose a patronymic, a matronymic, the name of a close relative, a loosely defined clan name, or a line of apprenticeship. Thus "Kuisfi Káitni" is the "[the woman] Kuisfi, [female relative/female apprentice] of Káitni", while "Kuisfi Káitin" is the "[the woman] Kuisfi, [female relative/female apprentice] of [the blood or craft lineage of] Káitni [or the Káitin 'guild']". Note that the genitive relationship of the two names here does ""not"" use the genitive prepositional construct. Its use in a NF name would be pretentious, even for the most exalted chief. Such use is typical of ONF names, but the genitive prepositional construct has lost that sense in NF.

Language Sample

This passage is taken from an epic about a young man curious (perhaps too curious) about the world outside the fertile mountain oases of his world. The second verse is about a similar young woman and her mother.

átkami átkami tíŋaxa kuŋása

ínxipi atkamí tákaxa ŋasipú ŋásipu:

ítŋafi itŋafí xípuxa pumafá púmasu

úmfasa múfaxu pumafá púmaup

átmaxi aŋsixí tamaxí kánaxi

átmapu aŋsixí tamapú kánapu

ípnapu afsuxá aŋsixí nátufi

ípnaxi afsuxá nátufi kanafú káanxi

íknafu kanafú múfaxa pumafá púmapu

úmfasa atkamí aŋsixí tíŋaxa tákaxa ŋasipú ŋásipu

úmfasa atkamí aŋsixí ŋásipu múfaxu mufaxá múfaxa

Once there was a young man.

His father said:

You are my son!

Obey our chief!

Do not go down to the valley wasteland.

Do not go up to the mountain wasteland.

You will not survive.

You will perish in the wasteland.

Remain in our village!

The young man* did not obey his father.

He did not obey the chief of the village.

Notes: tíŋaxa in the penultimate line strictly means "adult", but here it is short for tíŋaxa kuŋása, "young man" from the first line.

átakmi atakmí tiaŋxa kuáŋsa

ínixpi atakmí táakxa ŋaispú ŋáispu:

ítaŋfi itaŋfí xiupxa puamfá puamsu

úmafsa múfaxu pumafá puamup

átamxi aŋisxí tamaxí kánaxi

átampu aŋisxí tamapú kánapu

ípanpu afusxá aŋisxí náutfi

ípanxi afusxá náutfi kanafú káanxi

íkanfu kanafú múfaxa pumafá puamup

úmafsa atakmí aŋisxí tiaŋxa táakxa ŋaispú ŋáispu

úmafsa atakmí aŋisxí ŋáispu múfaxu mufaxá múfaxa

Once there was a young woman.

Her mother said:

You are my daughter!

Obey our chief!

Do not go down to the valley wasteland.

Do not go up to the mountain wasteland.

You will not survive.

You will perish in the wasteland.

Remain in our village!

The young woman did not obey her mother.

She did not obey the chief of the village.

Annotated Babel Text

11:1 áptaka atkatí kámanu maníŋa náŋifi ŋafísu pataká náŋifi fasúxa.

The whole world had one language and [a] common tongue.

áptaka – hold; the V'CCVCV shape indicates a masculine singular active verb.

atkatí – distal past; VCCVCV' indicates an adverb agreeing in gender and number with áptaka.

kámanu – world; CV'CVCV indicates a masculine singular noun; as the first noun in a sentence with an active verb, kámanu is the subject of the sentence

maníŋa – whole; CVCV'CV indicates a masculine singular adjective; since it follows kámanu, maníŋa modifies the noun.

náŋifi – language; CV'CVCV indicates a masculine singular noun; as the second noun in a sentence with an active verb, náŋifi is the object of the sentence.

ŋafísu – one; CVCV'CV indicates a masculine singular noun; it modifies náŋifi.

pataká – and/with; CVCVCV' indicates a prepostition, agreeing in number and gender with náŋifi.

náŋifi – direct object of pataká

fasúxa – common; modifies náŋifi

11:2 apuuxpuut atkaus pínaax. íkmaus atkaus ŋásiup kánanu Sinána. áknaaf atkaim aknaaf ŋásiup.

The people easted. They found the plain at Shinar. They dwelt there.

apuuxpuut – easted; reduplicated form of V'CCVVC (masculine plural active verb); the reduplicated form is VCVV'CCVVC, where the the V' has become a semivowel and lost the rising pitch.

atkaus – medial past; VCCVV'C indicates an adverb agreeing in gender and number with apuuxpuut; note that reduplication is not part of mandatory agreement; also note the loss of pitch on the /u/

pínaax – men (Pínaax); CV'CVVC indicates a masculine singular noun; Pínaax refers specifically to the hominids of Kamanu; the generic word for genus Homo (Transpositive Men, Marching Morons, Mothersdarlings) is Pínaun

íkmaus – find; V'CCVVC indicates a masculine plural active verb

atkaus – see above

ŋásiup – they; CV'CVVC indicates a masculine plural active (pro)noun; subject of sentence

kánanu – plain; CV'CVCV indicates a masculine plural active noun; object of sentence

Sinána – Shinar; CVCV'CV indicates an adjective agreeing with kánanu, while the reduplication in the medial and final radical syllables betrays its loanword status

áknaaf – stay; V'CCVCV indicates a masculine plural active verb

atkaim – generic past; VCCVV'C (with semivocalized pitch loss) indicates an adverb agreeing with áknaaf

aknaaf – there; adverb agreeing with áknaaf; this is the same root, but note the difference in pitch

ŋásiup – see above

11:3 ínxiip atkaim ŋásiup tamaaŋ ŋásiaf. úŋxauk aŋsiún púmaaf túnais uŋxáuk. úŋxauk aŋsiún ukŋait púmaaf ŋásiup. úŋxuuk atkaim ŋásiup túnais uŋxáuk. úŋxuuk atkaim aŋsiix ŋásiup túnais. úŋxuuk atkaim ŋásiup tas. úŋxuuk atkaim aŋsiix ŋásiup mústas.

They said to one another. Let us burn burned stones. Let us burn them well. They used burned stones. They did not use stones. They used “tar'. They did not use “mortar”.

ínxiip – say; VC'CVVC indicates masculine singular active verb

atkaim – generic past adverb, modifying ínxiip

ŋásiup – they; subject of sentence

tamaaŋ – to; CVCVV'C indicates agreement with ŋásiup

ŋásiaf – self; CV'CVVC indicates it is a masculine plural noun, the object of tamaaŋ

úŋxauk – burn; V'CCVVC indicates a masculine plural active verb

aŋsiún – adverb marking the Plain Subjunctive and agreeing with úŋxauk. Note that the personal pronouns use the Plain Subjunctive rather the Specific Subjunctive

púmaaf – we; CV'CVVC indicates a masculine plural noun; subject of sentence

túnais – stones; CV'CVVC indicates a masculine plural noun; direct object of sentence

uŋxáuk – burnt; VCCV'VC indicates a masculine plural passive (not necessarily past) participle modifying túnais

túnais uŋxáuk - “burnt stones” or “bricks”

úŋxauk – see above

aŋsiún – see above

ukŋait – greatly or thoroughly; VCVV'C indicates an adverb modifying úŋxauk; note that “greatly” here does not mean “excessive”

púmaaf – see above

ŋásiup – them; as the second noun in the sentence, this is the direct object

úŋxuuk – use; V'CCVVC indicates a masculine plural active verb

atkaim – see above

ŋásiup - they

túnais uŋxáuk - “bricks”

úŋxuuk – see above

atkaim – see above

aŋsiix – negative adverb, modifying úŋxuuk

ŋásiup – they; subject of sentence

túnais – stones; direct object of sentence

úŋxuuk – see above

atkaim – see above

ŋásiup - they

tás - “tar”; foreign word treated as a masculine plural noun; direct object of sentence; violates phonological constraints outside names

úŋxuuk – see above

atkaim – see above

aŋsiix – see above

ŋásiup – they; subject of sentence

mústas - “mortar”; foreign word treated as masculine plural noun; pseudo-semantically connected to foreign word tás

11:4 ínxiip atkaim ŋásiup. ískuim aŋsiún púmaaf múfaxa kuŋáti pumafá púmaaf aptaká páŋasa punáxa. átmapu ixpuun páŋasa punáxa tamapú kámapu. íxpuun aŋsiún púmaaf túŋiif pumaaf púmaaf. ukmíis aŋsiún aŋsiix púmaaf kanauf kámanu maníŋa.

They said: let us build our (own) city with a tower. The tower will ascend to Heaven. Let us be our own names (be famous). Let us not be scattered across the earth.

ínxiip – to say, speak; masculine plural active verb

atkaim – generic past temporal adverb

ŋásiup – they; subject of sentence

ískuim – to build, make; masculine plural active verb

aŋsiún – Plain Subjunctive adverb

púmaaf – we, masculine plural; subject of sentence

múfaxa kuŋáti - “great village”; direct object of sentence

pumafá – genitive prepositional construct, note agreement in number and gender with múfaxa, and in root with púmaaf

púmaaf – direct object of pumafá; the reflexive root here would indicate “the city itself” rather than “our own city”

pataká – preposition, “with”; note the gender and number agreement with múfaxa rather púmaaf

páŋasa punáxa - “tall house”; object of the preposition

átmapu – to go up, to ascend

ixpuun – generic future temporal adverb

páŋasa punáxa – see above; subject of sentence

tamapú – preposition, “up, up to”

kámapu – heaven

íxpuun – future form of the verb “to be”

aŋsiún – Plain Subjunctive adverb

púmaaf – we

túŋiif – names; CV'CVVC indicates masculine plural

pumaaf púmaaf – our (masculine plural)

ukmíis – to be scattered; VCCV'VC indicates a masculine plural passive verb

aŋsiún – see above

aŋsiix – negative adverb

púmaaf – see above

kanauf – at; note the agreement with púmaaf

kámanu maníŋa - “the whole earth”

11:5 átmaxi atkamí múfanu kamápu. ínxipú atkamí ŋásipu múfaxa kuŋáti pataká páŋasa punáxa iskuim itŋaaf pínaax.

The sky bretwalda came down. He perceived the city and the tower being made by the men.

átmaxi – to come down, to descend

atkamí – generic past temporal adverb

múfanu – bretwalda; a mythical concept in Pínaxa culture

kamápu – heavenly; CVCV'CV indicates masculine singular adjective

múfanu kamápu - “heavenly bretwalda” or “God”

ínxipu – to perceive; the root /ínxipu/ means “to smell/hear/see, to use the receptive senses”

atkamí – see above

ŋásipu – he (God)

múfaxa kuŋáti – city

pataká – with, and

páŋasa punáxa - tower

iskumí – masculine singular passive participle modifying both “múfaxa kuŋáti” and “páŋasa punáxa”; a participle with plural objects usually agrees in number

itŋafá – here, a temporal adverb corresponding to “while”;

pínaax. - “by men”; since iskumí is singular and pínaax is plural, pínaax must be the “second” noun in the sentence, and therefore the agent rather than the patient

11:6 ínxipu atkamí múfanu kamápu. itŋáfi pínanu ŋafísu ŋásiup. ánŋiif itŋaif ŋásiup náŋifi ŋafísu. íxpuaf uŋxuíp atkaus ŋásiup síkumi ŋafíxi. ískuim ixpuun ŋásiup ŋásiun

The sky bretwalda percieved. They are one people. They speak one language. They have begun this work. They will make anything.

ínxipu – to percieve (receptive senses)

atkamí – generic past temporal adverb

múfanu kamápu - God

itŋáfi – present passive form of the verb to be, this indicates a following predicate

pínanu - “people”; the predicate noun of the sentence; the difference between pínanu and pínaxa is that the former refers to all post-Catastrophe hominid races, while the latter refers only to the hominids of Kámanu

ŋafísu – one; CVCV'CV indicates an adjective

ŋásiup – they; the main noun of the sentence

ánŋiif – to speak (a language)

itŋaif – generic present temporal adverb

ŋásiup – see above; subject of sentence

náŋifi ŋafísu – one language; direct object of sentence

íxpuaf – to begin; auxiliary verb promoted to primary verb

uŋxuíp – to do the proper motion to make something; main verb demoted to adverb

atkaus – medial temporal adverb; often used in conditional parataxis.

ŋásiup – see above; subject of sentence

síkumi – work; direct object of sentence

ŋafíxi – a particular (thing); here used as equivalent to “that/the”

ískuim – to make;

ixpuun – generic future temporal adverb

ŋásiup – see above; subject of sentence

ŋásiun.- anything; direct object of sentence

11:7 átmaix aŋsiún púmaaf. áŋfiun náŋifi ŋasipú ŋásiup. áfsuax íxpuun aŋsiix níxiip ŋasiúp ŋásiup.

Let us descend. Confuse their language! They will not share their own conversation.

átmaixi – to descend

aŋsiúx – Plain Subjunctive adverb

púmaaf – we; subject of sentence

áŋfiun – V'CCVVC indicates a masculine plural imperative.

náŋifi – language

ŋasipú ŋásiup – their own

áfsuax – to share

íxpuun – generic future temporal adverb

aŋsiix – negative adverb

níxiip – conversations

ŋasiúp ŋásiup – see above

11:8 úkmisi atkamí múfanu kamápu ŋásiup kanauf kánafa kanafú kámanu maníŋa. atkáfa atkamí aŋsixí múfaxa kuŋáti.

The sky bretwalda scattered them from the place across the earth. The city was not finished.

úkmisi – to scatter

atkamí – generic past temporal adverb

múfanu kamápu - God

ŋásiup – subject of sentence

kanauf – at; preposition modifying ŋásiup

kánafa – place; object of the preposition

kanafú – at; preposition modifying kánafa;

kámanu maníŋa – “the whole world” - object of the prepostion; note that the entire notions of “from” and “to” are contained in the verb “to scatter” rather than the prepositions

atkáfa - to finish; CVCV'CV indicates a masculine singular passive verb

atkamí – generic past temporal adverb

aŋsixí – negative adverb

múfaxa kuŋáti – city; subject of sentence.

11:9 utŋáfi atkamí anŋipí Papínu. áŋfinu atkamí aknafá múfanu kamápu náŋifi kamanú kámanu maníŋa. úkmisi atkamí múfanu kamápu ŋásiup kanauf kánafa kanafú níxixa kamanú kámanu maníŋa.

It was named Babel for this reason. There the sky bretwalda confused the language of the whole earth. The sky bretwalda scattered them from there upon the face of the whole earth.

utŋáfi – to name; VCCV'CV indicates a passive verb

atkamí – generic past temporal adverb

anŋipí – adverb “by this logic”

Papínu – Babel (loanword); subject of sentence

áŋfinu – to (be) vague

atkamí – see above

aknafá – there (adverb)

múfanu kamápu - God

náŋifi - language

kamanú – genitive prepositional construct

kámanu maníŋa - “the whole earth”

úkmisi – to scatter

atkamí – see above

múfanu kamápu – see above; subject of sentence

ŋásiup – they; direct object of sentence

kanauf – at; modifies ŋásiup

kánafa – place; object of preposition

kanafú – at; modifies kánafa

níxixa – face; this time the first preposition involves motion, the second does not

kamanú – genitive prepositional construct

kámanu maníŋa - “the whole world”

Náŋifi Fasúxa Thematic Lexicon