Kala

The Kala conlang...

• calendar
• lexicon
  • thematic lexicon
• phrases
• syllables
• word formation
• writing

Introduction

Word Order

Comparisons

When things being compared have equal characteristics, the comparison of equality is used.

• mita kue tahi taha - dog like boy big - The dog is as big as the boy.
• mpa'a kue mosa niha - movie like book nice - The movie is as good as the book.

If two things are not equal, they are unequal.

• nanku ke manyo itlok - 1pl.RECP O height same-NEG - We are not the same height.
• ta kue na manyoha - 2sg like 1sg height-AUG - You are taller than I.

• ke no ta'o poku itlok - O thing two cost same-NEG - The two items do not cost the same.
• potonyo kue ninka mpahaka - photo-tool as television expensive-AUG - The camera is more expensive than the television.

Parts of Speech

Kala has three parts of speech, each with several subgroups. Nouns and verbs are substantive, while particles tend to be only functional.

1. noma - nouns
   1. nkalo - personal pronouns
   2. uatse - demonstratives
2. uati - verbs
   1. pusa - adverbials
   2. tatse - locative verbs (prepositions)
   3. keyo - descriptive verbs (adjectives)
3. peya - particles
   1. nita - interjections
   2. eka - affixes

Morphology

Nouns

Number

general plural

Kala does not require the plural be marked if it is understood through context, and only animate pronouns are marked, whereas inanimate nouns need not be marked. General plurals are formed with –m (or –lo if the final syllable contains m).

• mita / mitam - dog / dogs
• kuma / kumalo - bear / bears

mass nouns

Mass nouns include liquids, powders, and substances, such as maya (water), hyeka (sand), and tleno (wood). They do not normally require determiners or the plural. However, one may add these to indicate specific examples or different types:

• tlenom – woods (e.g. various kinds)
• mayam - waters (e.g. various locations)

collective

The collective plural is marked by tli-, derived from tatli, meaning group; collection; gathering. It is mainly used to indicate collectives of animals, but can also indicate groups of flora, geographic features, and various other groupings. This is called the collective plural (COL).

• mita – dog / tlimita – pack of dogs
• yama – mountain / tliyamalo – mountain range
• tsaka – house / tlitsaka – neighborhood
• puku – clothing / tlipuku – wardrobe

Particles

Conjunctions

• ma - and; also; too; as well
• ehe (me) - but; yet; however
• ua - or; either
• ue - either X or Y
• uenke (uek) - neither X nor Y
• yatli - therefore; if X then Y
• yema - both X and Y