Siye Nominal Morphology
Cases
Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | 1, 1a | -0 | |
Absolutive | 1, 1b | -0 | |
Accusative | 2 | -a, -ha, -0 | from Tide -ŋa |
Ergative | 3 | -ya, -na | from Tide -ɲa, Thide -sa |
Vocative | 20 | -hi, -0 | alleged from restored Tide -ŋi (the lost Case 4.); actually an adoption of Rural Ye -i from Early Siye Equative -pu |
Genitive | 4 | -ne, (etym.) -e | from Tide -ŋë, Thide -kë |
Possessive | 5 | -me | possibly from Tide definite pronoun /me/, Thide /me/ |
Ablative | 6 | -sum | from Tide -suŋ |
Locative | 7 | -kem | from Tide -këŋ |
Allative-Dative | 8 | -su | from Tide -su |
Dative-Benefactive | 9 | -tu | from Tide -tu |
Instrumental | 10 | -ki | from Thide -gi |
Comitative | 13 | -ni | from Tide -ŋë, Thide -kë |
Adverbial | 11 | -ku | from Tide -ku, Thide -ku |
Equative | 12 | -pu | from Tide -bu |
Animate Instrumental | 14 | -neki | from Siye -ne + eki, instrumental postposition from instrumental case of inanimate pronoun 'e' |
Elative | 15 | -nemsum | from Siye -ne + emsum, analogical ablative of emtu 'inner' from emtu 'innards' |
Inessive | 16 | -nemkim | from Siye -ne + emkim, analogical locative of emtu 'inner' from emtu 'innards' |
Illative | 17 | -nemtu | from Siye -ne + emtu, locative postposition 'inner' from emtu "innards" |
Abessive | 18 | -neto | from Siye -ne + to "without", from Thide tʰo "absence" |
Causal | 19 | -neya | from -ne + eya, analogical causal of clause-final causal -ya |
Core Cases
Core Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | 1, 1a | -0 | subject of intransitive verb |
subject of transitive verb | |||
subject of ditransitive verb | |||
direct address (pre-2229) | |||
Absolutive | 1, 1b | -0 | subject of intransitive verb |
direct object of transitive verb | |||
direct object of ditransitive verb | |||
direct address (pre-2229) | |||
direct object of causee in ditransitive causative perfective verb | |||
indirect object of recipient in ditransitive causative imperfective verb | |||
Accusative | 2 | -a, -ha, -0 | direct object of transitive verb |
direct object of causee in ditransitive causative perfective verb | |||
indirect object of recipient in ditransitive causative imperfective verb | |||
Ergative | 3 | -ya, -na | subject of transitive verb |
subject of ditransitive verb | |||
Vocative | 20 | -hi, -0 | direct address (post-2229) |
1a. NOMINATIVE (NOM): -0 NOM: Pronouns, Personal Names
The Nominative Case in Standard Siye is used for the subject of an intransitive clause and the subject of a transitive clause, provided that the noun is either a pronoun or a personal name. Where a particular Siye dialect draws the line between Nominative/Accusative and Absolutive/Ergative, in other words, where the split of the split-ergative occurs, is the primary isogloss between Siye dialects.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
mu | Mu | someone, something |
1b. ABSOLUTIVE (ABS): -0 ABS: Everything Except Pronouns and Personal Names
The Absolutive Case is used for the subject of an intransitive clause and the object of a transitive clause, provided that the noun is neither a pronoun nor a personal name. Many Scholars believe that the existence of zero-marked surface forms for both Absolutive and Accusative Cases is the cause of the 'slippery slope' of confusion over which core cases to use.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
oya | O.ya | eagle |
2. ACCUSATIVE (ACC): -a, -0, -ha ACC: Pronouns, Personal Names
The Accusative Case is used for the object of a transitive clause, provided that the noun is either a pronoun or personal name. -ha occurs after syllables containing a nasal vowel. The Accusative Case is vulnerable to vowel dominance, and therefore has a -0 surface form identical to the Nominative and Absolutive.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
Kumayamha | Ku.ma.yam.a | Chief(ACC) |
Kutu | Ku.tu(a) | Chief (NOM/ACC) (archaic) |
3. ERGATIVE (ERG): -ya, -na
The Ergative Case is used for the subject of a transitive clause, provided that the noun is neither a pronoun nor a personal name. -na follows a syllable containing a nasal consonant or a nasal vowel; -ya follows otherwise. This is a remnant of the period in which the Siye-speakers were a conquered people under the rule of a tribe that spoke a different but related dialect.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
kumayamna | Ku.ma.yam.na | the chief |
kutuya | Ku.tu.ya | the chief (archaic) |
Cases authorized 2229
20. VOCATIVE (VOC): -hi, -0
The Vocative Case is used for direct address. -hi follows a nasal syllable, while -0 follows an oral syllable. In Early Siye, Vocative was the fourth case. In the transition from Early Siye to Modern Siye, the Vocative Case was lost via vowel dominance after oral syllables and by analogy after nasal syllables. From then to 2229, the vocative usage was covered by Nominative and Absolutive Cases. The post-2229 use is allegedly a restoration of the case, but in truth is an adoption of the Rural Ye Vocative Case -i derived from the Siye Equative Case -pu, via [i] < [y] < [hy] < [ɸy] < [ɸu]
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
kutumhi | Ku.tum.i | o priest! |
leyake | Le.ya.ke(i) | o boy! |
Peripheral Cases
Genitive Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Genitive | 4 | -ne, (etym.) -e | alienable possession |
accidental characteristic | |||
origin | |||
postpositional case | |||
postpositional animate direct object (with 'eki') of ditransitive causative imperfective verb | |||
postpositional animate instrument (with 'eki') | |||
Possessive | 5 | -me | inalienable possession |
essential characteristic | |||
origin | |||
postpositional case | |||
postpositional animate instrument (with 'eki') |
4. GENITIVE (GEN): -ne
The Genitive Case is used to describe alienable possession or an accidental characteristic of a object. There is an archaic form -e, which is found in place names such as Luse and is the origin of the adjectival ending -(h)e and the "daughter" (e).
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
siline | si.li.ne | of the house |
silisone | si.li.so.ne | of the two houses |
pene summe | Pe.ne sum.me | because of you |
5. POSSESSIVE (POSS): -me
The Possessive Case is used to describe inalienable possession or an essential characteristic of an object. until recently the Possessive Case, unlike the other Cases, preceded rather than followed the grammatical number suffix. The reason for this anomaly is not clear, and many a scholar of the Guild has written his first professional linguistic essay on this topic. With the development and authorization of the post-2192 cases, however, the inverse possessive has developed a derivational rather than syntactic role, and the order has normalized to match the other cases.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
silime | si.li.me | of the house |
silisome | si.li.me | of the two houses (post-2192) |
silimeso | si.li.me.so | of the two houses (pre-2192) |
Locative Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ablative | 6 | -sum | motion away from |
motion out of (pre-2192) | |||
origin of a person | |||
reason (pre-2217) | |||
Locative | 7 | -kem | location |
inside (pre-2192) | |||
transferred object | |||
price of transferred object | |||
postpositional case | |||
Allative-Dative | 8 | -su | towards |
into (pre-2192) | |||
inanimate indirect object of transitive clause | |||
inanimate indirect object of ditransitive causative perfective verb | |||
Dative-Benefactive | 9 | -tu | benefactive |
animate or intimate possession | |||
animate indirect object of transitive clause | |||
animate indirect object of ditransitive causative perfective verb |
6. ABLATIVE (ABL): -sum
The Ablative Case is used to describe motion away from a point or (pre-2192) origin from a particular location. It is also used to describe the origin of a person (although the Genitive and Possessive are also used for this) or (pre-2217) reason of a condition. It is not used for origin from a person. The authorization in 2192 of the Elative Case 15. -nesum has narrowed the domain of the Ablative, as has the authorization in 2217 of the Causative Case -neya.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
sakikemhusum | sa.ki.kem.sum | away from the river |
7. LOCATIVE (LOC): -kem
The Locative Case is used to describe a location, or, in ditransitive clauses, the object being transferred or the price of the object in the Absolutive Case (more rarely, Accusative Case). The authorization in 2192 of the Inessive Case 16. -nemkim has narrowed the domain of the Locative. Some postpositions take the Locative rather than the Genitive.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
neme lusilinekem | at the border (end) of the city | |
lupatekem pempesum | Lu.pa.te.kem pem.pe.sum | from beyond the mountain |
lupatekem pempetu | Lu.pa.te.kem pem.pe.tu | to beyond the mountain |
lupatekem pempekim | Lu.pa.te.kem pem.pe.kim | beyond the mountain |
8. (AL)LATIVE/DATIVE (ALL): -su
The Allative Case is used for the inanimate indirect object of a main clause, direction towards, direction into (pre-2192), and the inanimate direct object of a Causative Construction clause when the verb is perfective aspect. The authorization in 2192 of the Illative Case 17. -nemtu has narrowed the domain of the Allative-Dative.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
lusilikesu | Lu.si.li.ke.su | towards the village |
9. DATIVE-BENEFACTIVE (DAT): -tu
The Dative Case is used for the animate indirect object of a main clause, direction towards, direction into (pre-2192), and the animate direct object of a Causative Construction clause when the verb is perfective aspect. The authorization in 2192 of the Illative Case 17. -nemtu has narrowed the domain of the Dative-Benefactive.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
layeke lemetu | La.ye.ke le.me.tu | for my sister |
Comitative Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Instrumental | 10 | -ki | inanimate instrument |
inanimate direct object of ditransitive causative imperfective verb | |||
adverbial elaboration | |||
Comitative | 13 | -ni | accompaniment 'with' |
nominal 'and' |
10. INSTRUMENTAL (INS): -ki
The Instrumental Case is used to describe the means by which something is done. This case is only used with Inanimate nouns in Standard Siye; it is rude to use the Instrumental Case with an Animate nouns. The Instrumental Case is used for the inanimate direct object of a Causative Construction Clause when the verb is perfective aspect. Prior to 2192, the postposition /eki/ (e+INS) plus an animate noun in the Genitive Case was used for the animate equivalent. In 2192, the Animate Instrumental case (14. -neki) was authorized to replace this construction.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
koki | Ko.ki | by hand; manually |
13. COMITATIVE (COM): -ni
The Comitative Case is used to describe accompaniment. It also serves as the primary nominal form of 'and', thus contrasting with the primarily verbal form -(h)(a)m. When used as 'and', the grammatical number of the verb is governed by the noun in the Nominative or Absolutive.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
leyake layekeni isuputuma | Le.ya.ke.La.ye.ke.ni.I.su.pu.tu.me(a) | the boy walks with the girl |
Adverbial Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Adverbial | 11 | -ku | forms adverbs |
Equative | 12 | -pu | predicate |
direct address (very rare) |
11. ADVERBIAL (ADV): -ku
The Adverbial Case converts roots into adverbs. The Guild of Scholars treats this as a case rather than a derivational affix. This suffix is used to adverbialize secondary adverbial suffixes excluded from their usual placement by a primary adverbial suffix.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
um miku isuputuma | Um.Mi.ku.I.su.pu.tu.me(a) | the man hops/hobbles forward (on one foot) |
um misoku isuputuma | Um.Mi.so.ku.I.su.pu.tu.me(a) | the man walks forward (on two feet) |
kewim mikeku isuputuma | Ke.wim.Mi.ke.ku.I.su.pu.tu.me(a) | the Martian lion walks forward (on four feet) |
umo miloku isuputuma | U.mo.Mi.lo.ku.I.su.pu.tu.me(a) | the spider walks forward (on many feet) |
12. EQUATIVE (EQ): -pu
The Equative Case is used to describe the second noun or adjective in a predicate statement. In Early (pre-vowel dominance) Siye, it was sometimes used as a Vocative Case. In the earliest stage of vowel dominance, it served as a replacement for the elided 20. (Classic) Vocative following an oral vowel. Contemporary Standard Siye elected to eliminate the Vocative entirely, but contemporary Rural Ye, having collapsed the Adverbial, Equative, and Allative into [-hu] or [hy], chose to regularize the Vocative usage.
Example | Transliteration | Translation |
---|---|---|
um me kutumpu ikimpukima | Um.Me.Ku.tum.pu.I.Kim.pu.ki.me(a) | that man is a hudzu-priest |
Cases Authorized 2192
As of 2192,the following cases were declared legal for formal writing. All of them are the result of contractions between the Genitive Case and postpositions that began with e-.
New Locative Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Animate Instrumental | 14 | -neki | animate direct object of ditransitive causative imperfective verb (post-2192) |
Elative | 15 | -nemsum | out of a location (post-2192) |
Inessive | 16 | -nemkim | inside a location (post-2192) |
Illative | 17 | -nemtu | into a location (post-2192) |
14. ANIMATE INSTRUMENTAL (ANS): -neki
The Animate Instrumental Case is used for the demoted animate agent of the subordinate clause in imperfective aspect in a Causative Construction. See INSTRUMENTAL (INS) (10.) above and Causative Construction under Siye Sytax.
Le ineki liyo elelipunama. | |
Le.I.ne(e).ki.Li.yo.E.le.Li.pu.na.me(a) | |
le-0 i-neki liyo-0 e-le-li-pu-sum-na-ma | |
1-NOM 3-ANS food-ABS 4-1-eat.IMPFV-SG-CAUS-D1-P1 | |
I will feed him (=I will cause him to eat the food) |
15. ELATIVE (ELA): -nemsum
The Elative Case is used for motion out of a location, superceding this use of 6. ABL.
Laye silinemsum itupusuna. | |||
La.ye.si.li.ne(e)m.sum.I.Tu.pu.su.ne(a) | |||
laye-0 sili-nemsum i-tu-pu-tu-na | |||
woman-ABS house-ELA 3-go.PFV-SG-D5-P2 | The woman exited the house. |
16. INESSIVE (INE): -nemkim
The Inessive Case is used for position inside of a location, superceding this use of 7. LOC.
Laye silinemkim ikupununa. | |
La.ye.si.li.ne(e)m.kim.I.Ku.pu.nu.ne(a) | |
laye-0 sili-nemkim i-ku-pu-nu-ma | |
woman-ABS house-INE 3-sleep.IMPFV-SG-D3-P1 | |
The woman is sleeping in the house. |
17. ILLATIVE (ILL): -nemtu
The Illative Case is used for motion into a location, superceding this use of 8. ALL and 9. DAT.
Laye silinemtu itupusuna. | |
La.ye.si.li.ne(e)m.tu.I.Tu.pu.su.ne(a) | |
laye-0 sili-nemtu i-tu-pu-su-na | |
woman-ABS house-ILL 3-go.PFV-SG-D4-P2 | |
The woman entered the house. |
Cases Authorized 2200
As of 2200,the following case was authorized to replace -ne to.
New Comitative Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Abessive | 18 | -neto | without (post-2200) |
18. ABESSIVE (ABE): -neto
The Abessive Case is used to describe lack. A counterpart to the Comitative case, the authorization of the Abessive Case was proposed in 2192, but some members of the Guild of Scholars felt that the conflation of the Genitive Case with the postposition /to/ was not as strong as that of situations such as inessive /-nemtu/ from /-ne emtu/, since there was no natural contraction. A minority of Scholars lobbied for /-nito/ on the analogy of Comitative /-ni/.
Liyoneto lelilulunuma. | |
Li.yo.ne.to.Le.Li.lo.u(lu).nu.me(a) | |
liyo-neto le-li-lo-ulu-nu-ma | |
food-ABE 1-die.IMPFV-PL-TNS-D3-P1 | |
Without food, we will die. |
Cases Authorized 2217
As of 2217, the following case was declared legal for formal writing.
Comitative Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Causal | 19 | -neya | because of (post-2217) |
19. CAUSAL (CAUS): -neya
The Causal Case is used to describe the cause of something when the cause is expressed as a noun. Although the causative has long been expressed formally either by -sum, the Ablative Case or by -ne summe, that is, the noun 'cause' in the Possessive Case preceded by the causative object in the Genitive Case, the postposition 'eya' has long been used informally with the Genitive Case. The recent conflations of postposition using the dummy noun 'e' with preceding Genitive Case -ne have created many new informal case endings, all of which the Gulld of Scholars are examining in order to determine whether and when such neologisms should be accepted as part of Standard Siye.
Neponeya susumsuyamloya Simayamke yitukesumnuna. | |
Ne.po.ne.ya.su.sum.su.yam.lo.ya.si.m(e)a.yam.ke.I(i).Tu.ke.sum.nu.ne(a) | |
nepo-neya susumsuyam-lo-ya Simayam-ke-0 i-i-tu-ke-sum-nu-na | |
money-CAUS missionary-PL-ERG Siye-speaker-PAUC-ABS 3-3-move.PFV-PAUC-CAUS-D3-P2 | |
The missionaries drowned (baptized?) the few Siye-speakers because of (their) money. |
Complex cases
Complex cases occur when Suffixaufnahme places an Accusative -a after another case suffix which ends in a vowel. These are not official cases, and therefore illegitimate and immoral; furthermore, their illegitimacy means that the crude names herein given are descriptive rather than prescriptive. It is necessary, however, to recognize these forms when in the the western provinces or handling a document from that region. It is difficult to purify immoral grammar if you do not know what the author intended.
Complex Cases | Case Number | Case Suffix | Contraction of | Transliteration |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accusi-genitive (AGEN) | 1 | -na | -ne-a | ne(a) |
Accusi-possessive (APOSS) | 2 | -ma | -me-a | me(a) |
Accusi-ablative (AABL) | 3 | -sumha | -sum-ha | sum.a |
Accusi-locative (ALOC) | 4 | -kemha | -kem-a | kem.a |
Accusi-allative (AALL) | 5 | -su, -sa | -su-a | su(a), sa |
Accusi-dative (ADAT) | 6 | -tu, -sa, -ta | -tu-a | tu(a), sa, ta |
Accusi-instrumental (AINS) | 7 | -ki, -sa | -ki-a, sa | ki(a) |
Accusi-adverbial (AADV) | 8 | -ku | -ku-a | ku(a) |
Accusi-equative (AEQ) | 9 | -pu | -pu-a | pu(a) |
Accusi-comitative (ACOM) | 10 | -na | -ni-a | ni(a) |
Notes
AGEN & APOSS: When noun phrases which are used in the Western Provinces are authorized as composite nouns, there is often a choice between the AGEN ending -na < ne(a) > and the APOSS ending -ma < me(a) > as the correct syllable. In general, the Guild of Scholars follows Standard Siye guidelines and therefore chooses -na < na > to follow nasal syllables and act as a case ending, and -ma < ma > to follow oral syllables and act as the new final syllable of the word. If, however, there is a substantial semantic difference between the meaning of the noun phrase using the Genitive Case and that using the Possessive Case, the Guild of Scholars may authorize an otherwise illegal use of -na following an oral syllable as a new final syllable.
ACOM: If a noun phrase which is used in the Western Provinces uses the ACOM ending -na < ni(a) > and is authorized as a composite noun, the Guild of Scholars requires that the -na < na > become the case ending if the now ultimate syllable contains a nasal vowel; otherwise, -na < na > becomes the final syllable of the word.
AALL & ADAT: When the AALL OR ADAT 'cases' are used in a sentence with a transitive verb, it seems as though there is no grammatical direct object. If the Accusative suffix is absorbed, the verb remains transitive and is treated as though it had a covert applicative suffix.
-sa <sa >: The various 'cases' of -sa < sa > (AALL, ADAT, AINS) form a contentious issue for the Guild of Scholars. There is a proposal, originally brought forth at the same time as the proposals for the cases authorized in 2192, to replace the Animate Instrumental (ANS) case -neki with -sa. The "Saists" or "Eastern Saists" are part of the Animacist faction which strongly believes in maintaining the distinction between animate and inanimate nouns. These Saists support (unofficially, of course) the use of AALL and ADAT endings. This group should not be confused with the group who call themselves Saists or Western Saists. The latter group is comprised of Scholars from the Far Western Province who advocate the adotion of -sa as an animacy-neutral form of the Dative and Allative Cases in order to prevent the commercial exploitation of Far Westerners who have difficulty with animacy distinctions. As of the current date (2229 AD), the Eastern Saists have diminished in power, but the Western Saists have fared better, although they have not yet received official recognition.
Grammatical Number
Grammatical Number | Abbreviation | Ending | Transliteration |
---|---|---|---|
Null | NL | -ku, -hu, -u | ku |
Singular | SG | -0 | N/A |
Dual | DU | -so | so |
Paucal | PAUC | -ke | ke |
Plural | PL | -lo | lo |
Pantic | PAN | -ka | ka |
The Null Number refers to the absence of a particular thing. As of the current date (2229 A.D.), the null number is primarily poetic. /hu/ appears after nasal syllables.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
tupiku sakike mekem imikukima. | No birds swim in this pond. | |
yetamku etamkukima. | No stones remain. | "Lament of the Fall of the Third Moon" |
The Singular Number is used with singular nouns, some abstract nouns, and mass nouns. It is also the citation form of a Standard Siye word.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
uku sakike mekem imipukima. | A fish swims in this pond. | |
kamna | piece of cloth |
The Dual Number is used to refer to exactly two things. Although pairs of items, such as eyes, are normally in the Dual Number, the Dual Number does not inherently indicate a pair.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
layekeso sakikem imisokima. | A pair of girls walk by this pond. | |
wapomso | the two merchants |
The Paucal Number refers to a group which is smaller than that of Plural Number but more than the Dual Number. This is a culturally determined distinction.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
kekeke tupime sakike mekem imikekima. | A few fledglings swim in this pond. | |
olake | the few eagles |
It is true that Paucal suffix -ke and the Diminutive suffix -ke are homophonous (but different etymologically). Context and greater familiarity with the language will allow the Sinammayam (learner of Siye) to distinguish between the two.
The Plural Number refers to a group, larger than that of Paucal Number. This is the generic plural in Siye.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
kekelo tupime sakike mekem imilokima. | Many fledglings swim in this pond. | |
kewimlo | the many lions |
The Pantic Number refers to all of a certain thing. It is also used as an ethnic or group designation.
Example | Translation | Literary Source |
---|---|---|
kekeka tupime ileyempuyamtumame sakike mekem imikakima. | All of the fledgings whom I espy are swimming in this pond. | |
Simayamka | (all) Siye-speakers |
Structure: ROOT-NUMBER-CASE, except (until 2192) for the Possessive Case, in which case the order is ROOT-CASE-NUMBER.
Definiteness and Numeral Placement
Definiteness and Numeral Placement | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Siye nouns are inherently definite. | tupiya | tupi-ya | bird-ERG | the bird |
An indefinite noun requires a following /tum/. | tupi tumna | tupi tum-na | bird INDEF-ERG | a bird |
Adjectives follow the noun. | tupi tukiya | tupi tuki-ya | bird white-ERG | the white bird |
Adjectives follow the noun. | tupi tuki tumna | tupi tuki tum-na | bird white INDEF-ERG | a white bird |
The demonstrative /me/ provides further definition | tupi tuki mena | tupi tuki me-na | bird white DEF-ERG | this/that white bird |
Numerals precede the verb. They are definite. | tum tupiya | tum tupi-ya | one bird-ERG | one bird |
so tupisoya | so tupi-so-ya | two bird-DU-ERG | two birds | |
ko tupiloya | ko tupi-lo-ya | five bird-PL-ERG | five birds | |
ko tupilo mena | ko tupi-lo me-na | five bird-PL DEF-ERG | those five birds |
Pronouns
Personal Pronouns | Nominative | Accusative | Transliteration | Transliteration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | le | la | Le, le | Le(a) | /le/ derives from Thide first person pronoun /de/ |
2nd | pe | sa | Pe, pe | Sa, sa | /pe/ and /sa/ derive from different Thide pronominal roots, /be/ and /ša/ respectively |
3rd animate | i | ya | I | Ya, ya | /i/ and /e/ both derive from Thide third person pronoun /ŋë/ |
3rd inanimate (aka 4th) | e | a | E, e | E(a), e(a) | /i/ and /e/ both derive from Thide third person pronoun /ŋë/. |
3rd person indefinite (INDEF) | mu | mu | mu | mu(a) | /mu/ is both Nominative and Accusative, animate and inanimate. |
In Standard Siye, all the pronouns have a nominative-accusative contrast rather than an ergative-absolutive one. The accusative form is used exclusively for the Accusative case; peripheral cases use the same form as the nominative. Most accusative forms end in /a/. In most cases this is derived from vowel dominance contraction with the Early Siye Accusative suffix /-a/ (Tide -ŋa, Thide -ŋa), but /a/ in /sa/ is original to Thide.
Isoglosses
The Valley in which Siye is spoken stretches halfway across the Martian equator, so there are variations in speech along its length. The primary isogloss is the boundary line between nouns that use the Nominative and Accusative and those that use the Ergative and Absolutive. In Standard Siye, the dialect of the City in the Central Province and the variety on which this article is based, only pronouns and personal names can use Nominative and Accusative forms. As one travels east the range of the Nominative decreases; as one travels west towards the Mountain, the opposite occurs. Thus, all varieties of Siye use /le, la/ for the first person pronouns. All but the Far Eastern Province and the Lake use /pe, sa/ for the second person pronoun. The Mid-Eastern Province and points west place all pronouns, regardless of number, in the Nominative category. Standard Siye, from the Central Province, adds personal names to the Nominative category. The Near Western Province requires that nouns denoting humans must be in the Nominative category, reducing the number of complex cases in the spoken version of the western dialects. The Mid-Western Province treats all animate nouns as Nominative, and the Far Western Province is full nominative under the "contamination" of Ulok.
Non-standard pronouns
The non-standard pronouns presented here (with one exception) are the ergative-absolutive forms used in the eastern provinces in lieu of the nominative-accusative ones. In documents other than contracts and academic works, non-standard pronouns may appear. The Valley is large, and the combination of vowel dominance and suffixation produce more forms than can be presented here.
Personal Pronouns | Subject | Object | Where Used | Other Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2nd person | peya | pe | Far Eastern Province, Lake | /pe/ (absolutive) is identical to standard /pe/ (nominative) |
3rd person animate | iya | i | Eastern Provinces, Lake | /i/ (absolutive) is identical to standard /i/ (nominative). /iya/ appears frequently in folk songs, even those composed by speakers of Standard Siye, as a strengthened form of /i/, which is monosyllabic, a lone vowel, and lowest on the vowel dominance hierarchy. |
3rd person inanimate | eya | e | Far Eastern Province, Mid-Eastern Province, Lake | Non-standard /e/ (absolutive) is identical to standard /e/ (nominative). /eya/ appears outside of the eastern dialects much less frequently than /iya/. |
3rd person inanimate | aya | a | Central Province innovation | Originally an extremely vulgar usage, most common in the seedier parts of the City starting in the late 22nd century A.D., but it spreadi rapidly and now (2250) is heard in lower middle class contexts. |
3rd person indefinite | muna | mu | Far Eastern Province, Mid-Eastern Province, Lake | Note that in those dialects the ergative and absolutive forms of the 3rd person indefinite are distinct. Since the emergence of vowel dominance, there has been a small but vocal faction in the Guild of Scholars (the "Munayamlo") which advocates the use of /muna/~/mu/ to resolve ambiguities in current Standard Siye. The syllabary distinguishes between the two using a modified form of the basic < mu > character. The advocated use of of 'muna' is only as an independent pronoun, not as a verb suffix. As of the current date (2229), the Munayamlo have been gaining ground. But they have also been complaining for a millennium. |
Portmanteau Pronouns
Portmanteau Pronouns | Accusative | Instrumental | Allative |
---|---|---|---|
Verb Valence | Transitive | Ditransitive (Causative) | Ditransitive (Causative) |
Verb Aspect | Imperfective | Imperfective | Perfective |
Not Expressed By Noun | Subject, Direct Object | Causee, Recipient | Causee, Recipient |
3rd Person Inanimate | Direct Object | Causee | Recipient |
Number Suffix on Pronoun Refers To | Direct Object | Causee | Recipient |
Number Suffix on Verb Refers To | Direct Object | Causor | Causee |
Portmanteau Pronouns | Accusative | Notes |
---|---|---|
1st & Inanimate | la | |
2nd & Inanimate | pa | |
3rd & Inanimate | ya | |
Definite & Inanimate | ma | Analogical |
Accusative Portmanteau Pronouns
The accusative portmanteau pronouns are /la/, /pa/, /ya/, and /ma/. The first three are the result of a contraction of single nominative pronouns /le/, /pe/, and /i/ with the fourth person accusative pronoun /a/. Note that /la/ and /ya/ are homophonous with the simple accusative pronouns /la/ and /ya/. The accusative portmanteau pronoun /ma/ is derived analogically from the definite pronominal prefix /ma-/. The nominative pronouns /e/ and /mu/ do not have accusative portmanteau pronominal forms. The interrogative pronoun /pala/ has nothing to do the portmanteau process.
Accusative portmanteau pronouns can occur under the following conditions: the verb of the clause is transitive; the verbal aspect is imperfective; neither the subject nor the direct object is expressed by a noun; the direct object is fourth person; the number suffix on the portmanteau pronoun refers to the number of the direct object, not the number of the subject; the number suffix on the verb refers to the number of the subject, not the number of the direct object.
Palo epekosoyammumo? | |
palo-a epekosoyammumo | |
pa-lo-a e-pe-ko-so-yam-ma-umo | |
2>4-PL-ACC 4-2-see.IPFV-DU-INCPTV-P1-Q | |
Can you two see them? |
Yaka elipulunama. | |
palo-a epekosoyammumo | |
ya-ka-a e-i-li-pu-ulu-na-ma | |
3>4-PAN-ACC 4-3-eat.IMPFV-TNS-D2-P1 | |
He won't eat them all. |
Accusative portmanteau pronouns can occur with a perfective verb, but the permissible range is limited to subjects in the singular number and sentences where the number suffix on the verb refers to the number of the direct object rather than the subject.
Yaka eyokalunanu. | |
ya-ka-a e-i-yo-ka-ulu-na-nu | |
3>4-PAN-ACC 4-3-eat.PFV-PAN-TNS-D3-P6 | |
He did not eat them all. |
Yakaka eyokalunamu | |
ya-ke-a-ka-a e-i-yo-ka-ulu-na-mu | |
3>4-PAUC-4-PAN-ACC 4-3-eat.IMPFV-PAN-TNS-D3-P1 | |
The few of them won't eat all of them. |
Portmanteau Pronouns in Causative Construction (Instrumental and Allative)
Instrumental portmanteau pronouns can occur in Causative Constructions with an imperfective verb under the following conditions: the verb of the clause is ditransitive; the aspect of the verb is imperfective; neither the causee nor the recipient are expressed by nouns; the causee is fourth person; the number suffix on the portmanteau pronoun refers to the number of the causee, not the number of the recipient; the number suffix on the verb refers to the number of the causor, not the number of the recipient.
Allative portmanteau pronouns can occur in Causative Constructions with a perfective verb under the following conditions: the verb of the clause is ditransitive; the aspect of the verb is perfective; neither the causee nor the recipient are expressed by nouns; the recipient is fourth person; the number suffix on the portmanteau pronoun refers to the number of the recipent, not the number of the causee; the number suffix on the verb refers to the number of the causee, not the number of the causor.
The number of the causor is singular.
Post-2192 and post-2200 Derivational Suffixes
The authorization of the new cases derived from -ne and postpositions has yielded new derivational suffixes for nouns. Whereas previously there was contrast between Genitive -ne and Possessive -me in these postpositional phrases, where the Genitive indicated alienable possession and the Possessive inalienable possession, the new case suffixes with -n- are perceived as cases, while the suffixes with -m- are perceived as suffixes which create new nouns.
Derivative Suffixes | Animacy | Meaning | Example | Translation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
-memtu | Animate | Indicates someone who is striving towards a goal | kutummemtu | apprentice of a hutsung-priest | |
-memsum | Inanimate | Indicates a lineage | Kikamemsum | from the lineage of Chika, Mr. or Mrs. Chikamengsung (surnames in the Western tradition are a recent borrowing from Terrestrial missionaries) | |
-memkim | Inanimate | Indicates the interior of a place | silimemkim | room | |
-meki | Animate | Indicates an animate agent | a(tom)meki | merchant | |
-meto | Animate Adjective | Indicates a living being lacking something expected | isometo | blind | The older word for 'blind person' /ule/, which has an unfortunate homophone /ule/ 'idiot', is currently losing ground to the new formation /isometo/ 'blind, blind person', from /iso-/ 'a pair of eyes' and /-meto/ 'without', just as /ule/ has peviously replaced /wule/ and mostly displaced /nule/, both in turn derived from /ung-ure/. The dual number suffix in /iso-/, although still recognizable, has been reanalyzed as part of the root; thus 'many blind people' is /isometolo/, with the plural suffix /-lo/. |
imeto | one-eye |