Fudasi: Syntax

Table of Phonemes

MOA	nasals			stops						sibilants			fricatives		tap	affricates			approximants		vowels
IPA	/m/	/n/	/ŋ/	/p/	/b/	/t/	/d/	/k/	/g/	/s/ (/θ/)	/z/ (/ð/)	/ʃ/	/ɸ/	/h/	/ɾ/ (/ʁ/)	/ʦ/	/ʧ/	/ʤ/	/j/	/w/	/i/	/e/	/ä/	/o/	/u/ (/ɯ/)
Latin	m	n	ŋ	p	b	t	d	k	g	s	z	x	f	h	r	ṡ	ċ	j	y	w	i	e	a	o	u

Note:

Phonemes in parentheses indicate the pronunciation of the southern Nemuti.

Grammar

Word Order - Ċoċu mu Tupu

001. Nemuti word order is SVO, subject-verb-object.
002. The accent is normally on the penultimate syllable. A written acute accent indicates a different accent.
003. The indirect object precedes the direct object.
004. The possessive noun follows the head noun.
005. Determiners precede the nouns they qualify. Adjectives follow the nouns they qualify.
006. The adjective precedes the standard of comparison.
007. The adjective follows the dependent verb.
008. Adverbs follow the verbs they modify.
009. The order of adverbials is time, space, manner.

Verbs - Tup̨u mu Ċeti

010. Verbs are a class of words that convey an action (bring, read, walk, run, learn), an occurrence (happen, become), or a state of being (be, exist, stand).
011. Tense is a grammatical category which expresses the time at which a state or action described by a verb occurs. Tense is indicated by modifying the word's initial phoneme.
012. The present tense is the base form of the verb without modification: nefo, see.

Yidi hi nefo te ton̨u yu, I see the clouds.

013. The past tense is formed by labializing the first consonant: nefo, see.

Yidi hi ňefo te ton̨u yu, I see the clouds.

014. The future tense is formed by palatalizing the first phoneme: nefo, see.

Yidi hi n̨efo te ton̨u yu, I see the clouds.

015. A verbal noun is formed by suffixing the definite article, te, to the appropriate tense form. This verbal noun functions as an infinitive or gerund.

Te nefo se te ṡeso, Seeing is believing.

016. Mood is a grammatical category by which the speaker expresses his attitude toward what he is saying.
017. The subjunctive mood is formed with the suffix -ne:

Tifa hi ŋísane yidi yu, She may love me.

018. The imperative mood is formed with the suffix -te.

Ŋísate yidi yu, Love me.

019. The hortative and jussive moods are formed with the verb wofo, let, permit.

Wófote tifa yu te ŋopi, Let him sing.

020. The conditional mood is formed with the particle fi:

Fi yidi hi ŋisa mepe yu, If I love you....

Fi yidi hi ŋ̌isa mepe yu, If I loved you....

021. The passive form of the verb is formed with the particle fa:

Te kiki yu ŋísa fa, The mother is loved.

Te feŋu yu x̌oto fa, The apple was cooked.

022. Sentence negation uses mi.

Te ṡuma yúbumi, The boy does not dance.

Te ṡuma ŋ̒ísami, The boy will not love.

Te ṡuċu yúbupene mi, The girl may not want to dance.

023. A question is indicated by the use of the interrogative particle me at the end of the sentence:

Yidi hi ŋisa mepe yu, I love you.

Yidi hi ŋisa mepe yu me, Do I love you?

024. Dependent verbs, such as infinitives and gerunds, follow the verb or adjective upon which they are dependent:

Yidi hi ŋ̌uzu t' eto, I was afraid to go.

- A direct object is placed before the infinitive:

Yidi hi ŋ̌uzu te ziyi dini yu, I was afraid to touch a toad.

025. Transitive verbs may be formed from adjectives and nouns with the suffix -ri: rehu, wide.

Tih̨a hi rehuri te neje yu, They are widening the road.

Yidi hi ňaċeri tifa yu t' eto, I ordered him to go.

026. The copulative verb to be is se.

Tifa hi se te wako hi, He is the chief.

Tifa hi še te pepe hi, He was the father.

027. The existential copula is yi, there is/are.

Butofe yi a te tetu, There is an eagle in the tree.

Nouns - Tup̨u mu Eye

028. Nouns are a class of words that function as the names of some specific thing or set of things, such as living creatures, objects, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.
029. There are no noun classes in Nemuti.
030. Plurality is formed by palatalizing the last consonant:

xote, moon; xot̨e, moons.

- If the plurality is evident, then the singular form is used: ho xote, two rivers.
031. Possession is indicated by the possessive particle mu, of.

Te feŋu mu te tunu, the child's apple.

Te iṡe mu te bime, the man's foot.

032. Abstract nouns are derived from adjectives with the suffix -zi:

neċe, short; neċezi, shortness.

033. Abstract nouns are derived from verbs with the prefix -zi:

ṡemo, to die, ṡemozi, death.

034. Nouns naming a person characterized by an adjective are formed with the suffix -ṡi:

yiti, young; yitiṡi, youth; yit̨iṡi, youths.

hofo, old; hof̨oṡi, elder; hof̨oṡi, elders.

035. The agent of a verb is formed with the suffix -ṡi.

ŋopi, sing; ŋópiṡi , singer; ŋóp͑iṡi , singers

036. The instrument for performing the action of a verb is formed with the suffix -te.

te, cut; tete, knife; t̨ete, knives.

037. Nouns denoting perceptible things are formed from verbs by using the word numu, thing.

yifi, laugh; yifinumu, laugh, laughter.

038. A noun may be specified as masculine or feminine by using the prefixes wo and ċu, respectively: puhe, bird; wopuhe, cock; ċupuhe, hen.
039. Collective nouns are formed from nouns or adjectives by using the word tone, group.

te tone puh̨e, the flock of birds; te tone zim̨i, the school of fish; te tone ṡen̨i, archipelago.

040. Diminutives of nouns are formed with the prefix ta-.

te pisa, the wind; te tapisa, the creek; te tapis̨a, the creeks.

041. Nouns with mu may be used to modify other nouns.

te wini m' udiwi, the mountain stream.

Modifiers - Tup̨u mu Piŋezi

042. In Nemuti grammar adjectives, adverbs and determiners are classed together as modifiers.

Adjectives - Tup̨u mu Guṡizi

043. Adjectives are a class of words which qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified.
044. Adjectives are placed before the noun: te wuṡe ṡuma, the good boy.
045. The one degree of comparison, known as the comparative (COMP), is formed with adverb bo, more.

yiti, young; bo yiti, younger, youngest.

046. Negative comparison is formed with the word mebo, less: rifoti, distant; mebo rifoti, less/least distant.
047. The comparison of equality is formed with the conjunctions umi...tofi, as...as; ŋiti, red:

Tumu kimi se umi ŋiti tofi jeṡu, This flower is as red as blood.

048. Participles are a form of a verb that is used to modify a noun, noun phrase, verb, or verb phrase, playing a role similar to an adjective or adverb.
049. There are two participles in Nemuti.
- a. The present participle is created by using the nonpast form of the verb + mu:

te ŋuwo mu zimi, the swimming fish.

- b. The past participle is created by using the past form of the verb + mu:

te ṡ̬eso mu homa, the sunken boat.

050. Word negation is indicated by the use of the prefix m(e)-.

pefi, even; mepefi, uneven.

051. The suffix -se combines with a noun to form an adjective denoting similarity, likeness or resemblance to what is named in the noun root, -ish, -like.

puhe, bird; puheṡe, like a bird.

052. Adjectives with the meaning without are expressed with the prefix -miṡe, -less.

tegu, hope; tegumiṡe, hopeless.

053. Adjectives may be used as stative verbs by adding the suffix -ze: te gute tunu, the sick child; te tunu ǧuteze, the child was sick.

Determiners - Tup̨u mu Tapazi

054. Determiners are a class of words that serve to express the reference of that noun or noun phrase in the context. They may indicate whether the noun is referring to a definite or indefinite element of a class, to a closer or more distant element, to an element belonging to a specified person or thing, to a particular number or quantity, etc. They are placed before the noun.
055. The definite article is te.
056. There is no indefinite article.
057. The proximal demonstrative, this/these, is tumu.

tumu riki, this leaf; tumu rik̨i, these leaves.

058. The distal demonstrative, that/those, is zumu.

zumu tonu, that cloud; zumu ton̨u, those clouds.

059. Numerals precede the noun in the absence of a determiner.

ne puz̨e xoto, Three women are cooking.

- They follow the noun if the noun is preceded by a determiner.

Tumu puz̨e ne xoto, These three women are cooking.

060. The elective indefinite determiner is eye, any.
061. The assertive indefinite determiner is eṡa, some.
062. The negative determiner is mi, no.

Numerals - Zoċe

063. Nemuti has an octal numeral system.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
re	ho	ne	wu	xo	no	mi	wi

064. The numerals 9-15 are formed by suffixing the proper cardinal to wi, eight.

9	10	11	12	13	14	15
wire	wiho	wine	wiwu	wixo	wino	wimi

065. The numerals 16-64 are formed by prefixing the proper cardinal to wi, eight.

16	24	32	40	48	56	64
howi	newi	wuwi	xowi	nawi	miwi	wiwi

066. The ordinals are made with the prefix be-.

te beho xomi, the second rope

067. The adverbial numbers are made with the suffix -te.

hote, twice; wite, eight times.

Adverbs - Tup̨u mu Pume

068. Adverbs are a class of words that modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a determiner, a noun phrase, a clause, or a sentence. They typically express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, level of certainty, etc.
069. Adverbs may be derived from adjectives with the suffix -to.

''te wota bima, the brave man; Tifa t̬upuri wótato, He acted bravely.

070. The comparative of these adverbs is formed in the same way as are adjectives; wótato, bravely; bo wótato, more bravely.

Pronouns - Tup̨u mu Tihizi

071. Pronouns are a class of words that substitute for a noun or noun phrase. There are seven types of pronouns in Nemuti.
072. The personal pronouns are yidi, I; yid̨i, we; mipi, you (sg.); mip̨i, you (pl.); tifa, he; tif̨a, they; timu, she; tim̨u, they; ifa, it; if̨a, they.

Yidi hi ŋisa timu yu, I love her.

Timu hi ŋisa yidi yu, She loves me.

Yidi hi ŋ̌ipa me timu te kimi yu, I gave her the flower.

- If the group consists of both male and female beings, the male pronoun is used.
073. The interrogative pronouns are biha, who; bime, what; and haba, which.
074. The reflexive pronouns are translated by using the noun ċego, self.

Yidi hi p̌ina ċego yu, I hurt myself.

075. The intensive pronouns are formed with the noun nusa, self.

Neǹnusa ųsu, I myself will go.

076. The demonstrative pronouns are the demonstrative determiners with the apprpriate particles.

This is a flower, Tumu hi se kimi hi.

Those are leaves, Zum̨u hi se rik̨i hi.

077. The indefinite pronouns are made from the indefinite determiners.

eyemema, anyone, anybody; eyenumu, anything.

eṡamema, someone, somebody; eṡanumu, something.

nimema, no one, nobody; ninumu, nothing.

078. There are no possessive pronouns. The possessor is expressed with a prepositional phrase using mu. When this phrase is used, the subject particle hi is omitted.

Tumu hi se kimi mu mipi, zumu hi se mu yidi. This is your flower, that is mine.

Prepositions - Tup̨u mu Niki

079. Nemuti uses prepositions, a class of words that express spatial or temporal relations (in, under, towards, before) or mark various semantic roles (of, for).

a te rini, at the beach.

Te juto hi se ṡi te xota, The cup is on the table.

Conjunctions - Tup̨u mu Taxuzi

080. A conjunction is a part of speech that connects words, phrases or clauses.
081. In Nemuti there are three types of conjunctions.
082. A coordinate conjunction joins two or more items of equal syntactic importance.

Te tobe mu yidi pu yidi hi ċuri wiṡ̨e pu tiṡ̨u yu, My brother and I like coconuts and bananas.

083. Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to join two or more items of equal syntactic importance.

Yidi n̨iye ju ti te rini ti te win̨i, I will go either to the beach or to the mountains.

084. Subordinating conjunctions join an independent clause and a dependent clause.

Ċeni timu guteze, p̌iga ṡepi mu toċe, Although she is sick, she ate her breakfast.

Octal Table

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
re wi	ho	ne	wu	xo	no	mi	wi
9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
wire	wiho	wine	wiwu	wixo	wino	wimi	howi
17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
howire	howiho	howine	howiwu	howixo	howino	howimi	newi
25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32
newire	newiho	newine	newiwu	newixo	newino	newimi	wuwi
33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
wuwire	wuwiho	wuwine	wuwiwu	wuwixo	wuwino	wuwimi	xowi
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48
xowire	xowiho	xowine	xowiwu	xowixo	xowino	xowimi	nowi
49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56
nowire	nowiho	nowine	nowiwu	nowixo	nowino	nowimi	miwi
57	58	59	60	61	62	63	64
miwire	miwiho	miwine	miwiwu	miwixo	miwino	miwimi	wiwi