Cenoji: Difference between revisions

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The consonants are [c], [f], [h], [j], [l], [m], [n], [s], [t].  All of these are pronounced like their lower-case X-SAMPA counterparts, except for the following:
The consonants are [c], [f], [h], [j], [l], [m], [n], [s], [t].  All of these are pronounced like their lower-case X-SAMPA counterparts, except for the following:
* [c] = /s/
* [c] = /s/
* [h] = /x/
* [s] = /S/
* [s] = /S/
* [t] = /T/
* [t] = /T/
Line 36: Line 35:
The syllable structure is <CV>.  C is a consonant (or cluster) and V is a vowel.
The syllable structure is <CV>.  C is a consonant (or cluster) and V is a vowel.


Emphasis starts high and declines towards the end of the word, but then rises about halfway on the last syllable.
A small pause is placed between grammatical inflections and roots.  This is optional but helps when dealing with large words.


A small pause is placed between grammatical inflections and roots.  This is optional but helps when dealing with large words.  No such pause is needed between words, because the tone helps clarify this.
There are three tones:
* low flat, unmarked
* high flat, doubled vowel
* high falling, marked with an acute accent over the vowel


== Grammar ==
== Grammar ==
''I took off all of the grammar; I'm going to change it out.''
Each major word contains three parts:
* a root, which captures the main idea of the concept.
* a sense of the root.  For example, "teach" and "student" would have the same root but different senses--one being "the act of causing this to happen" and the other being "the receiver of this action."
* other markers, such as cases (nouns) or tense markers (verbs).
=== Cases ===
=== Cases ===
* Nominative: indicates the subject of the sentence.
Cases can be stacked; for example, recursion (the subject also being the object) is indicated by using the nominative and the accusative.
* Accusative: indicates the object of the sentence.
* Temporal: indicates the time an event took place.
* Facilitative: indicates a noun that helps the event take place.  In the case of a three-noun sentence (such as ''I gave a letter to John''), ''letter'' would be in the nominative and ''I'' would be in the facilitative.  (this sentence would probably be closer to ''With my help, a letter gave itself to John.'')
* Obstructive: indicates a noun that prevents or hinders an event.
* Result: Indicates the result of a sentence.
 
=== Syntax and Rules ===
* The basic order is Subject-Object-Verb, although any order is valid.  The item appearing first is given the emphasis.  Example: ''joe.NOM mary.ACC like'' indicates that Joe likes Mary, as opposed to Bill liking Mary.  If we were to say that Joe likes Mary, as opposed to Joe liking Felicia, we would say ''mary.ACC joe.NOM like'' instead.
* Three numbers exist: singular, few (undefined, but usually for numbers less than five or six), and many (anything larger than few).
* Adjectives must agree with their noun in number (singular, few, or many) and case.
* Subclauses are simply sentences with a [na] particle on each end.  The equivalents to prepositions (but, therefore) are marking the ending [na] particle with the proper case.  Example: ''I would go skiing, but I had a concussion'' would be ''I would go skiing na I had a concussion na.OBSTRUCTIVE''.
* There are no definite or indefinite articles.
* Any number of cases may be added to a word to express an added meaning.  Example: in a reflexive action, the noun would have both the nominative and accusative.
* The temporal case does not have plural endings.
* There is no future tense, you use the "I plan to ''verb''" construction.  This is a cultural consideration, since the Elves firmly believe that the future cannot be predicted and can always change.
* Possession with pronouns ('''I''', '''you''', '''he''', as opposed to '''Bob''') is indicated using the inflections in the table below.  Possession for other nouns ('''Bob''', or '''the tree''') is indicated using subclauses and auxiliary verbs, as in: ''(george.NOM possess.PRESENTINDICATIVE.3PSINGULAR tent.ACC).NOM has-property.PRESENTINDICATIVE.3PSINGULAR green.ACC'', which means ''George's tent is green''.
* Verbs are inflected for their pronoun in the table below and the tense, also in one of the below tables.
 
=== Grammatical Markers ===
==== Case Table ====
{|
|| '''Case''' || '''Singular''' || '''Few''' || '''Plural''' || '''Notes'''
|-
|| Nominative || (none) || -hi || -hitja ||
|-
|| Accusative || -he || -ne || (remove previous vowel)-etja ||
|-
|| Temporal || -ju || (N/A) || (N/A) || Only used in the singular.
|-
|| Facilitative || -homja || -homjita || -homitja ||
|-
|| Obstructive || -hoho || -huho || -huho || No inflection for "plural".
|-
|| Result || -mji || -mjuli || -mjitja ||
|}
 
==== Verb Tenses ====
{|
|| '''Mode''' || '''Past''' || '''Present''' || '''Conditional''' || '''Notes'''
|-
|| Indicative || -lolahi || -ninahi || -fjofahi || Only used when talking factually.
|-
|| Subjunctive || -lunalju || -minamju || -ninanju || Used in storytelling, lies, possible truths, etc.
|-
|| Imperative || -nitu || -ljatu || -fehija || Command form.
|}
 
==== Verb Inflections to Serve as Pronouns ====
{|
|| '''Person''' || '''Singular''' || '''Few''' || '''Plural''' || '''Notes'''
|-
|| First || -ji || -je || -je ||
|-
|| Second || -li || -le || -lja ||
|-
|| Third || -hi || -he || -hja || Not inflected for gender.
|}


==== Possessive Noun Inflections ====
* nominative, indicating the subject of the sentence.
These are added to the noun they modify. Plurality is based on the noun, not the pronoun.  Gender is optional and is based on the gender of the person.
* accusative, indicating the object of the sentence.
{|
* constructive, indicating an object that helped the action occur.
|| '''Person''' || '''Singular''' || '''Few''' || '''Plural''' || '''Male''' || '''Female'''
* obstructive, indicating an object that hindered the action.
|-
* descriptive, indicating a property of another object.  (This serves as the genitive, temporal, dative, etc. cases.  It also serves as a means for adjectives.)
|| First || -ni || -ne || -nja || -nu || -nju
|-
|| Second || -li || -le || -lja || -lu || -lju
|-
|| Third || -hi || -he || -hja || (N/A) || (N/A)
|}


== Wordlist ==
=== Root Senses ===
* Meli /'me.li/.  Servant, to serve, subservient.  First person pronoun.  Swadesh #1, #4.
Each of these is explained using education as an example.
* Ce /'ce/. Mother or inspirer, to create, inspiring.  Swadesh #42.
* Njetoluhi /'nje.T2.ly.xi/. World, to exist, in existence.
* Naha /'n&.x&/.  Master, to rule, dominant.  Second person pronoun.  Swadesh #2, #5.
* Noji /'n2.ji/. Language, to speak, spoken.
* Salite /'S&.li.Te/.  Verb used to assign adjectives to nouns.
* Tuseji /'Ty.Se.jI/.  Monolith or giant, to enlarge, large, overall.  Swadesh #27.
* Tana /'T&.n&/. Genitive verb.
* Tosu /'T2.Sy/.  Feet or legs, to walk or move, moving.


== Example Sentences ==
* conceptual: the concept expressed by the root. (learning)
* Melihi cenojihe nojijeninahi. We speak Cenoji.
* location: the location where the action expressed by the root happens. (school)
* Na meli ceninuhe tanajeninahi na na tuseji tananinahi nojihjahe nahe nojihilunalju.  My mother speaks the language of the giants.
* causative verb: a verb causing the root to happen. (to teach)
* Na meli njetoluhiheni tanajiminamju na nahahe salitefjofahihi. That which might be my world might be chief in its class.
* receptive verb: the result of the root. (to learn)
* causative object: an object causing the root to happen. (teacher)
* receptive object: someone who results from the action. (student)


[[Category:A priori conlangs]]
[[Category:A priori conlangs]]

Revision as of 09:53, 16 March 2006

Cenoji
Spoken in: Njetoluhi, by the Sea Elves
Timeline/Universe: unknown
Total speakers: ~3 000, distributed in clans of about 20 people.
Genealogical classification: Njetoluhi
Elfin
Sea Races
Eastern Coast
Cenoji
Created by:
Eosp 2006

Phonology

The vowels [a], [e], [i], [o], and [u] are pronounced /{/, /e/, /i/, /2/, and /y/, respectively. [i] is pronounced /I/ if directly preceded by the letter [j].

The consonants are [c], [f], [h], [j], [l], [m], [n], [s], [t]. All of these are pronounced like their lower-case X-SAMPA counterparts, except for the following:

  • [c] = /s/
  • [s] = /S/
  • [t] = /T/

All of the consonants except [j] and [s] can be followed by [j] to make a cluster. Example: [lju] is pronounced /'ljy/.

The syllable structure is <CV>. C is a consonant (or cluster) and V is a vowel.

A small pause is placed between grammatical inflections and roots. This is optional but helps when dealing with large words.

There are three tones:

  • low flat, unmarked
  • high flat, doubled vowel
  • high falling, marked with an acute accent over the vowel

Grammar

I took off all of the grammar; I'm going to change it out.

Each major word contains three parts:

  • a root, which captures the main idea of the concept.
  • a sense of the root. For example, "teach" and "student" would have the same root but different senses--one being "the act of causing this to happen" and the other being "the receiver of this action."
  • other markers, such as cases (nouns) or tense markers (verbs).

Cases

Cases can be stacked; for example, recursion (the subject also being the object) is indicated by using the nominative and the accusative.

  • nominative, indicating the subject of the sentence.
  • accusative, indicating the object of the sentence.
  • constructive, indicating an object that helped the action occur.
  • obstructive, indicating an object that hindered the action.
  • descriptive, indicating a property of another object. (This serves as the genitive, temporal, dative, etc. cases. It also serves as a means for adjectives.)

Root Senses

Each of these is explained using education as an example.

  • conceptual: the concept expressed by the root. (learning)
  • location: the location where the action expressed by the root happens. (school)
  • causative verb: a verb causing the root to happen. (to teach)
  • receptive verb: the result of the root. (to learn)
  • causative object: an object causing the root to happen. (teacher)
  • receptive object: someone who results from the action. (student)
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