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


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


There are three tones:
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.
* 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.''
=== Cases ===
* Nominative: indicates the subject of the sentence.
* 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.


Each major word contains three parts:
=== Syntax and Rules ===
* a root, which captures the main idea of the concept.
* 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.
* 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."
* Three numbers exist: singular, few (undefined, but usually for numbers less than five or six), and many (anything larger than few).
* other markers, such as cases (nouns) or tense markers (verbs).
* 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.


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


* nominative, indicating the subject of the sentence.
==== Verb Inflections to Serve as Pronouns ====
* accusative, indicating the object of the sentence.
{|
* constructive, indicating an object that helped the action occur.
|| '''Person''' || '''Singular''' || '''Few''' || '''Plural''' || '''Notes'''
* 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 || -ji || -je || -je ||
|-
|| Second || -li || -le || -lja ||
|-
|| Third || -hi || -he || -hja || Not inflected for gender.
|}


=== Root Senses ===
==== Possessive Noun Inflections ====
Each of these is explained using education as an example.
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.
{|
|| '''Person''' || '''Singular''' || '''Few''' || '''Plural''' || '''Male''' || '''Female'''
|-
|| First || -ni || -ne || -nja || -nu || -nju
|-
|| Second || -li || -le || -lja || -lu || -lju
|-
|| Third || -hi || -he || -hja || (N/A) || (N/A)
|}


* conceptual: the concept expressed by the root. (the gaining of knowledge)
== Wordlist ==
* instance: a specific example of the root's concept. (education)
* Meli /'me.li/.  Servant, to serve, subservient.  First person pronoun.  Swadesh #1, #4.
* location: the location where the action expressed by the root happens. (school)
* Ce /'ce/. Mother or inspirer, to create, inspiring.  Swadesh #42.
* causative verb: a verb causing the root to happen. (to teach)
* Njetoluhi /'nje.T2.ly.xi/. World, to exist, in existence.
* receptive verb: the result of the root. (to learn)
* Naha /'n&.x&/.  Master, to rule, dominant.  Second person pronoun.  Swadesh #2, #5.
* causative object: an object causing the root to happen. (teacher)
* Noji /'n2.ji/. Language, to speak, spoken.
* receptive object: someone who results from the action. (student)
* 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.


=== Noun Construction ===
== Example Sentences ==
Nouns consist of several different parts, in a regular order.  This order is:
* Melihi cenojihe nojijeninahi.  We speak Cenoji.
  [root] + [sense marker] + ([root] + [sense marker]) + ... + [case]
* Na meli ceninuhe tanajeninahi na na tuseji tananinahi nojihjahe nahe nojihilunalju. My mother speaks the language of the giants.
These are head-initial, meaning that stuff on the right of the word builds on the meaning of the leftmost root. Example:
* Na meli njetoluhiheni tanajiminamju na nahahe salitefjofahihi. That which might be my world might be chief in its class.
   


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

Revision as of 08:34, 17 April 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/
  • [h] = /x/
  • [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.

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. No such pause is needed between words, because the tone helps clarify this.

Grammar

Cases

  • Nominative: indicates the subject of the sentence.
  • 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

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.

Person Singular Few Plural Male Female
First -ni -ne -nja -nu -nju
Second -li -le -lja -lu -lju
Third -hi -he -hja (N/A) (N/A)

Wordlist

  • Meli /'me.li/. Servant, to serve, subservient. First person pronoun. Swadesh #1, #4.
  • 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

  • Melihi cenojihe nojijeninahi. We speak Cenoji.
  • Na meli ceninuhe tanajeninahi na na tuseji tananinahi nojihjahe nahe nojihilunalju. My mother speaks the language of the giants.
  • Na meli njetoluhiheni tanajiminamju na nahahe salitefjofahihi. That which might be my world might be chief in its class.
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