Khangaþyagon Nouns

Roots

The root of a noun is singular and may be used as the subject or object of the verb - the two roles are distinguished syntactically.

The root may be followed by segunakar of up to six ranks. Each rank of segunak performs a particular grammatical role, and complex combinations of segunakar of different ranks are possible. Similar noun systems are found in Daghestanian languages.

The term "case" is not used in relation to Khangaþyagon nouns - the sheer variety of different grammatical forms a noun can take means that it isn't a very useful concept.

The ranks of segunakar are given below in the order they follow the root.

modsegunakar

These are deixis markers. They often occur when a noun is modified by a subordinate clause. They also take the place of relative and interrogative pronouns, which Khangaþyagon lacks.

il

this

rikil

this man

ban

that

rikban

that man

dau

what

rikdau

what man, who

she

no

rikshe

no man

wo

any

rikwo

any man

ye

Vocative deixis. Marks the noun as referring to the person addressed when it occurs in any role other than the subject of a second person sentence (which obviously refers to the addressee, so isn't marked).

rikye

You, man

densegunakar

Proximity markers. In the noun phrase A B-densegunak, the densegunak indicates how closely A is associated with B.

ut

at, exactly colocated

tirrut

at the village

eb

in contact, touching

mageb

touching a tree

magileb

touching this tree

art

with (commitative, not instrumental)

sarmneart

with a friend

ash

without

brakhtash

without a wand

erkifwo'ash

without any grain

iss

near

þoaiss

near the sea

orr

far

relgorr

far from the house

radsegunakar

Position markers. A B-radsegunak indicates where A is in relation to B.

ip

in

tirrip

in the village

sta

outside

tirrsta

outside the village

magebsta

touching the outside of the tree

omb

around

tirromb

around the village

slenna'utomb

made of clay. This is more idiomatic than most combinations of segunakar, and appears to be a metaphorical extension that turned out to be more useful than the literal meaning.

gri

above

morgagri

above the head

banilebgri

upon this rock

od

below

seldaod

under the water

shing

left

oskelshing

left of the boat

hop

beside

tens'hop

beside the seat

urþ

right

oskelurþ

right of the boat

oskelissurþ

close to the right of the boat

æks

alligned with

pirræks

in line with the sun

tuk

in front of

zeultuk

in front of the fool

ðen

behind

tensðen

behind the seat

talpbanorrðen

beyond that mountain

karvsegunakar

Sense of motion

am

destination

tirram

to the village

seldaipam

into the water

talpilebgriam

onto this mountain

ig

origin

tirrig

from the village

talpgriig

from above the mountain

gu

path

oplen'gu

through the glade

yapebgu

along the wall

magbangrigu

over that tree

sintsegunakar

Abstract relationships

uz

of

ol

by (instrumental)

akh

to (recipient)

ku

about

ung

for (benefactive)

zen

on behalf of

aug

for (goal, reason)

yat

against

bantsegunak

Number

(a)r

Plural

Paradigm Summary

The form of the noun is therefore

stem+[deixis]+{[proximity]+[position]+[motion],[abstract]}+[number]

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