Celestial Laefêvëši pronouns

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Celestial Laefêvëši has many types of pronouns.

There are two large classes of pronouns in Laefêvëši: substantival (or nominal) pronouns, and adjectival pronouns. As their name suggests, substantival pronouns replace nouns while adjectival pronouns replace adjectives. Each of these classes has further subdivisions.

Substantival pronouns

Substantival pronouns are divided into two main groups: personal and non-personal pronouns. The personal pronouns are pronouns like ós "I", "you", njûn "we", etc., as well as reflexive and reciprocal pronouns.

The group of non-personal pronouns includes interrogative pronouns (sel "who" and sei "what"), relative pronouns, unspecified pronouns, relative unspecified pronouns, indefinite pronouns, negative pronouns, total pronouns, and manifold pronouns.

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns (jubila ljaklansa) are used to denote the speaker, the addressee, or a third person - they are inflected for three persons. There is also a fourth person form of the pronouns, the obviative pronoun. Personal pronouns further inflect for number (singular, dual, plural), case, and clusivity.

The personal pronouns have unique forms for the six basic cases. Other case endings are added to these basic six forms, according to the case hierarchy.

Many pronouns also have two possible forms for each case: the long or emphatic form, and the short or unstressed form. Some pronouns have a third form in some of the cases: the preclitic form, which is a clitic form attached to the verb. The unstressed forms are used when the pronoun is not important. However, then inflecting for the subcases or additional cases, then the emphatic forms are used (along with Class II nominal suffixes, corresponding to the number, ie. singular pronouns take singular endings, and so on). Lastly, the clitic forms are often used when the verb begins in a vowel and the pronoun contracts. This is especially common in set phrases or idiomatic expressions.

Laefêvëši personal pronouns differentiate clusivity too - between inclusive (me and you) and exclusive (me and someone else) forms. Inclusive and exclusive pronouns exist in first person dual and plural, as well for second person dual and plural. However, the second person inclusive and exclusive pronouns are rarely used - the shorter inclusive forms are typically used.

There is also a fourth person pronoun, which exists only in singular. It is somewhat defective compared to other pronouns because it lacks certain forms. It is used when it's necessary to indicate that there are two separate people or things.

Third person pronouns in singular also differentiate between animate (ie. he/she) and inanimate (ie. it) forms, but only in nominative. The difference is non-existed in all other forms. There is also no gender difference or any other class difference.

Since Laefêvëši is a pro-drop language, nominative forms are rarely used explicitly. An exception to this might be the exclusive pronouns and the obviative pronoun, which tend to be used more often to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Non-nominative forms of any pronoun are frequently used.

Case Singular
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 4th person
(obviative)
Long Short Clitic Long Short Clitic Long Short Clitic
Nominative ós ó é jâ; dô â; ô léis
Genitive vrai va stai sa trai ta lau
Dative vriu vi vl- stiu si st- triu ti tr- leu
Accusative vrei ve vj- stei se sj- trei te tj- lei
Locative vrui vu stui su trui tu lui
Instrumental vroi vo stoi so trói to lou
Case Dual
1st person 2nd person 3rd person
Inclusive Exclusive Inclusive Exclusive
Long Short Long Short
Nominative hat xat tal dal
Genitive hrai xirrai čai dilai kjai
Dative hriu xirriu čiu diliu kjiu
Accusative hrei xirrei čei dilei kjei
Locative hrui xirrui čui dilui kjui
Instrumental hroi xirroi čoi diloi kjoi
Case Plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person
Inclusive Exclusive Inclusive Exclusive Long Short
Nominative njûn njôr pal bal
Genitive njai rjai prai birrai jai
Dative njiu rjiu priu birriu jiu ji
Accusative njei rjei prei birrei jei je
Locative njui rjui prui birrui jui
Instrumental njoi rjoi proi birroi joi

Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns

The reflexive pronoun is used to refer back to the subject of the sentence. It inflects only for case, but not for number. It takes singular Class II case endings. There is also no stand-alone nominative form, but a nominative form exists when additional cases require it.

The reciprocal pronoun indicates that the persons or things do the same thing, feel the same way or have the same relationship. It also inflects only for case, takes singular Class II case endings, and has no stand-alone nominative form, except for additional cases.

Case Reflexive Reciprocal
Nominative (nî-) (nû-)
Genitive nai nûda
Dative niu nûdi
Accusative nei nûde
Locative nui nûdu
Instrumental noi nûd

Examples of the reflexive pronoun:

  • Nareu šillar noido.
    Take the book with you.
  • Nei lallais tvēalu.
    He saw himself in the mirror.
  • Lottallúksi nuiru.
    She doesn't want to speak about herself.

Examples of the reciprocal pronoun:

  • Nûdi grîttes neires.
    The two of them are washing each other's hands.
  • Tajatoksi nûdo.
    They don't agree with each other.


Reflexive verbs and reflexive/reciprocal pronouns

Laefêvëši also has reciprocal verbs, which also indicate that the action refers back to the subject. Because of that, there is some overlap with the reflexive and reciprocal verbs. In many cases, one can be used instead of the other, sometimes there are slight nuances in the meaning, and sometimes they convey very different information.


Some verbs are inherently reflexive. The reflexive pronoun can be added to indicate the direction of the action. Compare the three examples below:

  • Neinnasse. (reflexive without the reflexive pronoun)
    He's laughing.
  • Neinnasse niu. (reflexive with the reflexive pronoun)
    He's laughing at himself.
  • Neinnasse vi. (reflexive with a non-reflexive pronoun)
    He's laughing at me.


In other cases, the reflexive pronoun can be replaced by turning a regular verb into a reflexive verb when the reflexive pronoun isn't important.

  • Nei lallais tvēalu. → Laillaisse tvēalu.
    He saw himself in the mirror. → He saw himself in the mirror.


Some verbs can be used either reflexively or with a reflexive pronouns without any change in meaning, apart from emphasising the reflexivity of the action. Compare the following examples:

  • Grîtta nioreu. (non-reflexive)
    I'm washing the child.
  • Grîttare. (reflexive)
    I'm washing myself.
  • Grîtta nei. (non-reflexive with the reflexive pronoun)
    I'm washing myself.


In dual and plural, further distinctions can be made by using the reciprocal pronoun. Continuing from the previous examples:

  • Grîtteri. (reflexive) - Grîtte nei. (non-reflexive with the reflexive pronoun)
    The two of us are washing ourselves. (each person is washing themselves)
  • Grîtte nûde. (non-reflexive with the reciprocal pronoun)
    The two of us are washing each other. (person A is washing person B, and person B is washing person A)


The same applies to inherently reflexive pronouns:

  • Neinneri. (reflexive without the reflexive pronoun)
    The two of us are laughing.
  • Neinneri niu. (reflexive with the reflexive pronoun)
    The two of us are laughing at ourselves.
  • Neinneri nûdi. (reflexive with the reciprocal pronoun)
    The two of us are laughing at each other.

Interrogative pronouns

The interrogative pronouns (tentandila ljaklansa) are used to introduce a question and enquire about persons, animals, objects, etc. The corresponding English pronouns are who and what.

Case Interrogative
Animate Inanimate
Nominative sel sei
Genitive sai sak
Dative san sat
Accusative seu set
Locative sen sem
Instrumental sin sim

Examples:

  • Sel hjonnas?
    Who is coming?
  • San vettain nareu?
    Who did you give the book to?
  • Sak hkillanne?
    What are you afraid of? (or What do you fear?)
  • Set marranos?
    What are they looking for?
  • Simot geittaun?
    What will you pay with?

Relative pronouns

The relative pronouns are used to introduce a relative clause, which then gives more information about someone or something mentioned in the main clause. These are substantival relative pronouns, however, which means they stand in for nouns or refer to whole clauses. The best English equivalents are (the person) who, (he) who, or (someone) who, and (the thing) which, (that) which, or (something) which.

Case Relative
Animate Inanimate
Nominative sol sos
Genitive soi sok
Dative son sot
Accusative sou sut
Locative son som
Instrumental sun sum

Examples:

  • Sol nevvanas, nevant ás.
    A person who teaches is a teacher.
  • Tannar, sut ullan.
    Do what you want.
  • Pol sanlás, sumot tajataker.
    This is the only thing which I disagree with.
  • Pol, sut lonnais, nalj áksi.
    What he said isn't true. (or more literally, That which he said isn't true.)

Unspecified pronouns

The unspecified pronouns are similar to interrogative pronouns but refer to an unspecified person, animal, object, etc. They are never used to introduce a question. There are no direct English counterparts, the closest are who, anyone, someone, and what, anything, something.

Case Unspecified
Animate Inanimate
Nominative sēl siu
Genitive sau sâk
Dative sân sât
Accusative søn søt
Locative sēn sēm
Instrumental syn sym

Examples:

  • Sannar vi, søt lallavan.
    Tell me if you see anything.
  • Sannar vi, siu ehtiavausse.
    Tell me if anything changes.
  • Ynnake, sân vettaha pei.
    I don't know who I should give this to.
  • Njainnahas sēl fjøljade.
    Someone should call the doctor. (or May someone call the doctor.)
  • Yssynnanasse, suj ti sēl søt vettas.
    It always makes him happy when someone gives him something.
  • Ynnaike, synot lottai.
    I didn't know who I was talking to.

Relative unspecified pronouns

The relative unspecified pronouns are similar to the relative pronouns but with a suffix added to indicate an optional or arbitrary, random choice. They are similar to English whoever or anyone, and whatever or anything.

Case Relative unspecified
Animate Inanimate
Nominative soles soxes
Genitive soies soges
Dative sones soðes
Accusative soues suðes
Locative soŋes sōŋes
Instrumental suŋes sûŋes

Examples:

  • Sientóleu niounnallés soles.
    Anyone can read this letter.
  • Soŋesot annan, ljecyissár.
    Whoever you go with, be careful.
  • Suðeseru ǯiuissás.
    I'm ready for anything. (alternatively also I'm ready for whatever [may happen].)

Indefinite pronouns

The indefinite pronouns are used to refer to unknown people, animals, objects, etc. They are equivalent to English someone or somebody, and something.

Case Indefinite
Animate Inanimate
Nominative tel tei
Genitive tai tak
Dative tan tas
Accusative teu tes
Locative ten tem
Instrumental tin tim

Examples:

  • Tel se naittais.
    Someone called you.
  • Tes ennas øxlu.
    She has something in his pocket.
  • Eillais ve timot.
    He hit me with something.
  • Tan gyttai nareu, či ʒaillai, sân.
    I lent the book to someone, but I've forgotten who.

Negative pronouns

The negative pronouns indicate the non-existence of persons, animals, objects, etc. Their English equivalents are nobody, no-one, and nothing. They also require the predicate to be negated (double negation).

Case Negative
Animate Inanimate
Nominative tol toh
Genitive toi tok
Dative tor tos
Accusative tou tus
Locative ton tom
Instrumental tun tum

Examples:

  • Tol hjannaiksi.
    Nobody came.
  • Toi lallaike.
    I saw no-one.
  • Tok tinnaike.
    I found nothing.
  • Mønnølu møttaiksi tok.
    He bought nothing in the shop.

Total pronouns

The total pronouns (sometimes also known as the universal pronouns) are used to indicate the total number of persons, animals, objects, etc. involved. The animate pronoun is often referred to as the distributive pronoun because it refers to each individual, and the inanimate pronoun as the summative pronoun because it refers to the class collectively. Their English equivalents are everyone, everybody, and everything, all.

Case Total
Animate Inanimate
Nominative fel fei
Genitive fai făk
Dative fân fâs
Accusative feu fet
Locative fen fem
Instrumental fin fim

Examples:

  • Feu donnanas.
    He greets everyone. (in the sense of greeting each person separately)
  • Yvynekja tajatakses fînot.
    The professor doesn't agree with everyone.
  • Pol fei lás, sut sella.
    This is everything that I know.
  • Fâk i ynnake.
    I don't know how to do everything.

Manifold pronouns

The manifold pronouns are a set of unspecified pronouns with prefixes (and as such, they are declined identically to the unspecified pronouns).

There are four prefixes:

  • lae- "many"
  • xae- "many" (rarely used)
  • tue- "hardly"
  • jae- "rarely"

The first two types, lae- and xae-, are identical in meaning but the lae- forms are prevalent and the xae- forms have largely fallen out of use. They refer to multiple people or things and can be translated similarly to English "many a person" and "many a thing".

The other two types, tue- and jae-, are also similar in meaning, both referring to the scarcity or low number of people or things. Of these two, tue- is somewhat more common, but both prefixes are used. They can be translated as "hardly anyone" and "hardly anything".

Case Manifold
lae-series xae-series tue-series jae-series
Animate Inanimate Animate Inanimate Animate Inanimate Animate Inanimate
Nomiantive laessēl laessiu xaessēl xaessiu tuessēl tuessiu jaessēl jaessiu
Genitive laessau laessâk xaessau xaessâk tuessau tuessâk jaessau jaessâk
Datitve laessân laessât xaessân xaessât tuessân tuessât jaessân jaessât
Accusative laessøn laessøt xaessøn xaessøt tuessøn tuessøt jaessøn jaessøt
Locative laessēn laessēm xaessēn xaessēm tuessēn tuessēm jaessēn jaessēm
Instrumental laessyn laessym xaessyn xaessym tuessyn tuessym jaessyn jaessym

Examples:

  • Laessēl stoido tajatakses.
    Many a person will not agree with you.
  • Vēalu laessiu ehtiaisse.
    Many a thing has changed in the city.
  • Laessâk ynnake.
    I don't know many a thing. (or There are many things I don't know.)
  • Tuessēl ksynnas aisóleu.
    Hardly anyone knows this song. (or Very few people know this song.)
  • Vēalu tuessiu ehtiaisse.
    Hardly anything has changed in the city.

Combinations [OBSOLETE?]

Indefinite-relative

The combined indefinite-relative pronouns are pronouns made from an indefinite and a relative pronoun. Pronouns are inflected by case and therefore cannot be the object and the subject of two different verbs at the same time. The usual construction is to use two pronouns separated by a comma, thus forming two clauses. With combined indefinite-relative pronouns, it becomes possible to use a single pronoun which is both the object and the subject of two different verbs at the same time.

Example:

  • How can you miss something (that) you never had?
  • Váj fíllallén tés, sók énnanaiŋe?
  • Váj fíllallén téssok énnanaiŋe?
Cases Indefinite Relative Indefinite-relative
Nom + Nom téi sós teós
Nom + Gen téi sók teók
Nom + Acc téi sút teút
Acc + Nom tés sós téssos
Acc + Gen tés sók téssok
Acc + Acc tés sút téssut

Personal-summative

This kind of pronouns correspond to English we all, you all, they all pronouns. In contrary to other personal pronouns, personal-summative pronouns do not have a verbal form.

Case Personal-summative (plural)
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 4th person (obviative)
Inclusive Exclusive Inclusive Exclusive
Long Short Prep. Long Short Prep. Long Short Prep. Long Short Prep. Long Short Prep. Long Short Prep.
Nominative skjûn skû skjôr skjô stjál stjâ stál stâ kvôn kvî
Genitive skjái skja skjá- skái ska ská- stjái stja stjá- stái sta stá- kvái kva kvá-
Dative skjéu skjø skjǿ- skéu skø skǿ- stjéu stjø stjǿ- stíu sti stí- kvéu kvø kvǿ-
Accusative skjéi skje skjé- skéi ske ské- stjéi stje stjé- stéi ste sté- kvéi kve kvé-
Locative skjúi skju skjú- skúi sku skú- stjúi stju stjú- stúi stu stú- kvúi kvu kvú-
Instrumental skjói skjo skjó- skói sko skó- stjói stjo stjó- stói sto stó- kvói kvo kvó-

Adjectival pronouns

Adjectival pronouns are pronouns that replace adjectives and follow the adjectival inflexion pattern. As with substantival pronouns, there two main groups: personal pronouns and non-personal pronouns.

There are two types of personal pronouns: the possessive personal pronouns and the reflexive personal pronoun. All the other types of non-personal substantival pronouns have their corresponding adjectival pronouns, with a few additional pronouns.

Personal adjectival pronouns

Possessive personal pronouns

The personal possessive pronouns inflect like adjectives. There are separate forms for each number, person, and clusivity, but they don't distinguish between animacy, or alienable and inalienable possession. The pronouns do inflect, however, for case and class.

Each possessive pronoun also has several variants: the full form, the oblique form, and two prefixed forms. The full form is typically used with the basic cases, and the oblique form is used with subcases and additional cases. These two forms are generally used predicatively.

The prefixed forms attach to the noun they modify. There are two variants: one is added to nouns that begin in a vowel, and the other is added to nouns beginning in a consonant. If the noun begins in a single consonant, it is usually geminated. The prefixed form is otherwise invariable. The full forms can be used instead of the prefixed form, and often are in more formal texts, but the prefixed forms are preferred. When contrast is emphasised, then the full forms can be used.

The obviative possessive pronoun is somewhat defective as it has only one prefixed form, and the oblique stems are slightly irregular.

Person Singular Dual Plural
Full Oblique Clitic Full Oblique Clitic Full Oblique Clitic
voc. non-v. voc. non-v. voc. non-v.
1st person Inclusive suiri sou(r)- soj- sjo- hairi hau(r)- haj- hja- njuiri njuu(r)- njyj- njy-
Exclusive xairi xau(r)- xaj- xja- njoiri njou(r)- njoj- njo-
2nd person Inclusive seiri seu(e)- sej- sje- tairi tau(r)- taj- tja- pairi pau(r)- paj- pja-
Exclusive dairi dau(r)- daj- dja- bairi bau(r)- baj- bja-
3rd person jairi jau(r)- naj- nja- koiri kou(r)- koj- kjo- jøiri jøy(r)- njøj- njø-
4th person lîsiri lîsu-/lîsr- lis-

Examples of usage:

  • Lallai njammiveu.
    I saw his cat.
  • Pol njørrik ás.
    That's their house.
  • Tjannarau tinnoiksi.
    They didn't find your books.
  • Tajatasse sjohlelostost.
    She agrees with my suggestions.
  • Tajatasse njahlelostost, ēkki lîsrost.
    She agrees with her suggestions but not with his.
  • Tajatasse jaurost hlelostost, ēkki lîsrost. (the possessive pronoun is further emphasised)
    She agrees with her suggestions but not with his.
  • Luiri naról ás? - Soiri.
    Whose books is this? - Mine.
  • Luiri nareu ksinnain? - Kourve.
    Whose book did you steal? - Theirs.

Reflexive possessive pronoun

The reflexive possessive pronoun is used in much the same fashion as its substantival counterpart.

The forms of the reflexive possessive pronoun are:

  • long: nîjiri
  • short: nîu-
  • vocalic: nîj-
  • non-vocalic: njî-


Examples of usage:

  • Mollai njînnifeu.
    I stroked my dog.
  • Nîjesiewallu pai gaittaksi.
    You don't claim this in your articles.
  • Luurte nareu šillain? - Nîjurte.
    Whose book did you take? - Mine.


The possessive reflexive pronouns becomes very useful with third person subjects. Compare the following two examples:

  • Teil trâttais najîxde li lwōttais.
    The boy grabbed his (=someone else's) bag and ran away.
  • Teil trâttais nîjîxde li lwōttais.
    The boy grabbed his (own) bag and ran away.


In dual and plural, even more distinctions can be made. Compare the following three examples:

  • Aisont u Ʒerend vi sanneis nîjestvozurs.
    Aisont and Ʒerend were telling me about their (own) travels.
  • Aisont u Ʒerend vi sanneis pajestvozurs.
    Aisont and Ʒerend were telling me about their (=two other people's) travels.
  • Aisont u Ʒerend vi sanneis nøjestvozurs.
    Aisont and Ʒerend were telling me about their (=other people's) travels.


In singular, a similar distinction can be made with the obviative pronoun as well:

  • Aeklavi lallais nîjurte li jaurte miveu, ēkki lîsurta.
    Aeklavi saw his (own) and his (=someone else's) cat, but not his (=a non-present person's) cat.


When it comes to body parts or other cases of obvious ownership, or if the context provides enough information to unambiguously determine the ownership, the pronoun can be omitted:

  • Nif iipleonnais viēnot.
    The dog wagged its tail.
  • Jarralais vates.
    She opened her eyes.


The possessive reflexive pronoun can also be used to denote approximation:

  • Haǯi nîjurva liala urava ašissás.
    The cave is about thirty metres deep.
  • Enna nîjurva luela (erova).
    He's about fifty (years old).

Non-personal adjectival pronouns

Laefêvëši has a wide array of adjectival pronouns. All of the substantival pronouns have corresponding adjectival pronouns, and a few extra pronoun types. The non-personal adjectival pronouns come in three main classes that correspond to the three adjectival classes: qualitative, relational, and possessive pronouns. So each type (eg. interrogative, indefinite, etc.) comes in three classes. There is a fourth class, quantitative, but these are generally considered adverbs as they are non-declinable. Some types, however, do have quantitative adjectival pronouns.

Similar to the personal possessive pronouns, the non-personal pronouns have more than one variant used. Aside from the full form, they also have an oblique form, but unlike the personal pronouns, many non-personal pronouns have a suffixed variant.

Qualitative Relational Possessive Quantitative
Full Oblique Clitic Full Oblique Clitic Full Oblique Full Oblique
Interrogative vreisi vrei(s)- -ér vraili vrae(l)- -ár luiri luu(r)- þammisi þammi(s)-
þammili þamme(l)-
Relative reisi rei(s)- raili rae(l)- løiri løy(r)- þëttisi þëtti(s)-
á
Unspecified vreisi vrei(s)- -ér vraili vrae(l)- -ár luiri luu(r)- þammisi þammi(s)-
Relative unspecified preisi prei(s)- -ép praili prae(l)- -áp pluiri pluu(r)- ƕëttisi ƕëtti(s)-
Indefinite treisi trei(s)- - noili noe(l)- -ón noiri nou(r)- tømmisi tømmi(s)-
vroila vroe(l)- -
Negative skeisi skei(s)- - saili sae(l)- - sairi sau(r)- tohhisi tohhi(s)-
Total freisi frei(s)- -ǿr faili fae(l)- -ǿf fairi fau(r)- xōl (-óh)
ēffili ēffe(l)-
mjeili mjee(l)- miiri miu(r)- mi
Manifold laevreisi laevrei(s)- laevraili laevrae(l)- laeluiri laeluu(r)- laeþammisi laeþammi(s)-
Differential ljaisi ljai(s)- -íl laili lae(l)- -ál ljairi ljau(r)-
Equal faisi fai(s)- -áf taili tae(l)- -át tairi tau(r)
Demon-
strative
Proximal šaisi šai(s)- -áš pol(i) -ól poljiri polju(r)- tymmisi tymmi(s)-
Medial čeisi čei(s)- - mol(i) -óm moljiri molju(r)- møttisi møtti(s)-
Distal kjaisi kjai(s)- - kjal -ák kjaljiri kjalju(r)- kømmisi kømmi(s)-

Interrogative pronouns

The interrogative adjectival pronouns are used in questions and they enquire about characteristics, qualities, etc. of the head they modify.

The pronouns are:

  • qualitative: vreisi, vrei(s)-; -ér "what, what sort of"
  • relational: vraili, vrae(l)-; -ár "which, what", and þammili, þamme(l)- "how many (different)"
  • possessive: luiri, luu(r)- "whose"
  • quantitative: þammisi, þammi(s)- "how large"


Examples:

  • Reisi arkalj ás alën?
    What's the weather like today?
  • Hamnajérau fēról ás?
    What colour is the coat?
  • Vraelte siehnareu ullan?
    Which dictionary do you want?
  • Ftîstárau sjemmiw ás?
    What breed is your cat?
  • Luiri naról ás?
    Whose book is this?
  • Þammelve iarises ennas?
    How many different (kinds of) pets do you have?
  • Þammisi hanjast dymøhtau lás?
    What is the value of the purchase? (lit. How large is the value of the purchase?)

Relative pronouns

The relative adjectival pronouns are used to introduce relative clauses with animate and inanimate antecedents.

The pronouns are:

  • qualitative: reisi, rei(s)- "such (as), the like(s) of which, the kind that"
  • relational: raili, vrae(l)-; á "who, which, that"
  • possessive: løiri, løy(r)- "whose"
  • quantitative: þëttisi, þëtti(s)- "(of) such a size"


Examples of the qualitative pronoun:

  • Poli lâl ás, reista xej lallanaike.
    This is a flower the like of which I have never seen before.
  • Bannais ʒylogeu, reiste øllanais.
    He got the answer he wanted. (lit. He got the answer such as he wished.)


The relative qualitative pronoun often collocates with the relative demonstrative pronoun šaisi "such" in the main clause:

  • Hjattaiksi šaista ʒylogau, reiste bannais.
    She didn't expect such an answer as she got.


There are two relative relational pronouns; the declinable raili and the indeclinable á. The declinable pronoun can replace the indeclinable one at any time but the latter is very common and is usually replaced by the declinable pronoun to avoid ambiguity only.

The declinable pronoun is used with all subcases and additional cases, whereas the indeclinable pronoun is used with the basic cases:

  • Miettai sienteu riksedna, raemu tilvallai neontahu.
    I received a letter from the lady with whom I stayed during my studies.
  • Nar, á lânur ás, šijen ás.
    The book which is on the table is a gift.


When a non-nominative basic case is required, the indeclinable á must be used with the short form of a personal pronoun, and the two are linked by a hyphen:

  • Gitto rikeu, á-te jøčitittoi.
    We sold the house which we built.
  • Pol nara ós, á-je skiennalais Iskârin.
    These are the book which Iskârin wrote.
  • Pol vajy ás, á-ti vettais nareu.
    This is the woman to whom she gave the book.

However, that last example can be ambiguous in the spoken language where it would sound identical to:

  • Pol vajy ás, á ti vettais nareu.
    This is the woman who gave the book to her.

To resolve the ambiguity, the declinable form can be used:

  • Pol vajy ás, á-ti vettais nareu. → Pol vajy ás, raelti vettais nareu.
    This is the woman to whom she gave the book.
  • Pol vajy ás, á ti vettais nareu. → Pol vajy ás, raili ti vettais nareu.
    This is the woman who gave the book to her.

If the obviative pronoun is used, however, there is no ambiguity because the obviative pronoun is incompatible with the hyphenated use:

  • Pol vajy ás, á leu vettais nareu.
    This is the woman who gave the book to her.


Examples of the possessive pronoun:

  • Hant, løiri rik jøtiuttais, sjoglîah ás.
    The man whose house burnt down is by uncle.
  • Lallai littive, løiri vaiv ve jynnais.
    I saw mountains whose beauty dazzled me.
  • Aisont, løyrot nyþot follai nentelu, rannais.
    Aisont, with whose sister I went to school, has died.


Examples of the quantitative pronoun:

  • Vettau si geizde, þëttiste jøðettatanno.
    I will give you the salary that you deserve. (lit. I will give you the salary of such as a size as you deserve.)

Like the qualitative pronoun, the quantitative pronoun also tends to coöccur with a demonstrative pronoun:

  • Þëttisi šatelt seirráus, tymmisi âta soirráus.
    Whatever size your share will be, mine will be just as much.

Unspecified pronouns

The unspecified pronouns are identical in form to the interrogative pronouns but they are used in declarative sentences rather than being used to introduce a question )although they can appear in questions but they are not part of what is being asked for).

The qualitative pronoun vreisi "any sort of" is used to refer to someone or something arbitrarily indefinite:

  • Šettej viettaisse vreisi doia.
    Probably some sort of an accident has happened.
  • Ennanas vreisve sades.
    He always has some difficulties or other.


The relational pronoun vraili "which" is used to refer to an unspecified or unknown person or thing in a group:

  • Sellake, vraelte htineu lallais.
    I don't know which car he saw.


The possessive pronouns luiri "whose" refers to someone or something owned by someone unspecified:

  • Sella, luurte nareu nionnan!
    I know whose book you're reading!

Relative unspecified pronouns

Indefinite pronouns

Negative pronouns

Total pronouns

Summative pronouns

Manifold pronouns

Differential pronouns

Equative pronouns

Demonstrative and summative pronouns

Number Case Demonstratives Summative
THIS THAT YONDER
Singular
Nom. pól(i) sól(i) kjál(i) xôl
Gen. pái sái kjáde xái
Dat. píu síu kjádo xíu
Acc. péi séi kjáda xéi
Loc. púi súi kjádi xúi
Inst. pói sói kjádu xói
Dual
Nom. pél(i) sél(i) kján(i) xêl(i)
Gen. piái siái kjánde xiái
Dat. pýe sýe kjándo xýe
Acc. piéi siéi kjánda xiéi
Loc. piúi siúi kjándi xiúi
Inst. piói siói kjándu xiói
Plural
Nom. pál(i) sâl(i) kjân(i) xál(i)
Gen. pâs(i) sât(i) kjâfe xâs(i)
Dat. pît(i) sît(i) kjâfo xît(i)
Acc. pés(i) sét(i) kjâfa xét(i)
Loc. pût(i) sût(i) kjâfi xût(i)
Inst. pós(i) sót(i) kjâfu xós(i)
Clitic forms -(n)ool
-(n)ól
-(n)oos
-(n)ós
-(n)aak
-(n)ák
-(n)ooh
-(n)óh
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