User:Masako/nkala
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Word order
- SOV
- Attributes follow the words that they modify.
Phonology
Syllable structure is (C)V
Consonants
- /p t k m n s l w j/
- p t k m n s l w y
Clusters
- Nasalized: /ᵐp ⁿt ᵑk/
- Labialized:/pʷ kʷ mʷ nʷ ʃʷ t͡ʃʷ/
- Palatalized: /pʲ kʲ mʲ ɲ/
Vowels
- /a i u a: i: u:/
- a i u á í ú
Nouns
Classifiers
- kwá- - person; human
- kwí- - food
- tlá- - male
- tsá- - tool
- wí- - abstract
- yá- - inanimate; material; stuff
- yí- - female
Determiners
- kí- - other; different
- ná- - this [by me]
- ní- - that [by you]
- nú- - that [over there]
- nyí- - same
- sá- - sort; kind of
- pwí- - so-called
- lá- - next
- tí- - last
Number
Nouns are marked for various quantities:
- ká- - plural; several
- má- - many; much; a lot
- mú- - group; collection; mass of
- mwá- - all; every
- nwá- - one; a
- pá- - pair of; both
- tsí- - few; little
- yú- - piece of
Qualifiers
- á- - venerated [honorific]
- mí- - good; pleasant; "regular"
- pí- - small; diminutive; dear
- sú- - bad; unpleasant
- tá- - big
- tsú- - lacking respect; damn
Pronouns
| singular | dual | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | wa- | pwa- | kwa- |
| 2 | ni- | (m)pi- | (n)ki- |
| 3 | u- | pu- | ku- |
Verb arguments (i.e. subject, direct object, indirect object) are indicated with pronominal affixes which are added to verb stems. The pronominal affixes are inflected according to number (singular, dual, and plural) and person (1st, 2nd, etc.).
| subject | object | verb | tense / aspect / mood |
|---|---|---|---|
| ku- | wa- | kup | -i |
| 3pl | 1sg | harm | PST |
| kuwakupi | |||
| They harmed me. | |||
Verbs
Tense
Verbs are either non-past or past.
- wa-kwit-a
- 1sg-eat-NPST
- I eat. / I am eating. / I will eat.
- wa-kwit-i
- 1sg-eat-PST
- I ate.
Lexicon
Lexical entries are listed in root form.
- kit - collect; gather; group
- kum - tooth; bite; plough; dig
- kup - harm; hurt; corrupt
- kwit - eat; nourish; bread
- matl - antelope; buck
- may - front; face; ahead
- mik - narrow; thin; squeeze
- muk - spend; waste; drain
- mus - reptile; sinuous; crawl
- mut - clean; bathe; polish
- n - see; seem; visual
- nam - habit; mode; custom
- nat - layer; shave; slice; film
- nay - loud; noise; roar
- nits - recoil; react; spring
- nul - limit; wall; city
- nup - absurd; trivial; vain; abstract
- nyak - fire; burn; light
- nyim - beauty; adorn; fair
- pal - document; book; read
- pit - seep; latent; numb
- sak - flesh; blood
- sal - form; shape; type
- sim - horn; shell; crust
- sun - grain; seed
- tan - bell; ring; jangle
- tim - hold; contain
- tlas - excess; flood; too
- tliy - order; arrange; series
- tsin - yes; assent
- tsup - profit; gain; reap
- tul - advise; prompt; urge
- tun - soft; pile; cushion
- wak - invite; host; guest
- wap - rhythm; pulse; meter
- wat - plan; object; intend
- wip - disgust; loathe; shame
- wis - oil; grease; flatter
- wiy - acid; bitter; sarcasm
- y - have; belong; get
- yam - delight; happy; toy; glad
- yat - change; turn; or
- yin - cone; horn; wedge
- yip - cord; tense; thin
- yis - pause; hover; hesitate
- yits - notch; dent; crack
