|
   
  
Contents of this page:
Introduction
Aninese words are divided in two classes: the dependent and the independent
words. All dependent words are constructed from verbs and prepositions. The
independent words are not derived from other words nor are they used in
constructing other ones. Verbs and prepositions themselves are classified as
dependent words.
 Top
Building nouns
As stated above nouns are always considered to be derived from a
corresponding verb. Complex nouns can be constructed by combining a noun with
other nouns (and thus also with verbs), adjectives and prepositions.
Derivation from verbs
Basically a noun expresses one of the functions of the verb, for instance the
giver (subject), the gift (direct object). Which function is expressed is
indicated with a suffix after the root of the verb.
| function |
suffix |
example |
| subject |
(none) |
vàfe; |
vàfe;: the giver |
| direct object |
ob, o' |
ob, o' |
vàfo' |
vàfo': the gift |
| indirect object |
av, a; |
av, a; |
vàfave; |
vàfave;: the beneficiary |
| causative or means |
èd |
èd |
fièdov |
fièdov: murderweapon |
| further explanation |
èt |
èt |
|
|
| all other functions |
the relevant preposition |
idijuod |
idijuod: destination |
| idude; |
idude;: the companion |
vàfo to give
ido to go
juo(d) to
u(d) with
fiov to be dead
Top Gender
endings
After the noun has been derived from the verb the gender endings are applied.
See for an explanation of the genders the
general syntax section. When the ending is the part of the noun that will be
declined they are as follows:
| gender |
suffix |
example |
| masculine |
o' or in |
o' or in |
mènin, mèno' |
mènin, mèno': man |
| feminine |
az |
az |
mènaz |
mènaz: woman |
| live |
e; |
e; |
mène; |
mène;: man/ woman |
| neuter |
o; or none (ê) |
o; or none (ê) |
eseo;
sad |
eseo;: the good thing
sad: garden |
| epelê,epelo; |
epelê, epelo;: the epelê tree |
| ucnoj, ucnojo; |
ucnoj, ucnojo;: the alphabet |
| unknown |
ez |
ez |
elez |
elez: someone/ something |
The o' of masculine is always interchangeable
with in. The o;
of the neuter must be used after vowels and may be used after consonants other
than n, z, or d. If the o; is omitted then
an ê is inserted except after the letters j
and g.
When the noun is combined with another noun or verb and the last word is the one to
be declined the endings are different and usually combined with endings for
the number as follows:
| gender/number |
singular |
double |
triple |
plural |
unknown |
| masculine |
u |
u |
uo |
uo |
ua |
ua |
ui |
ui |
ue |
ue |
| feminine |
a |
a |
ao |
ao |
aa |
aa |
ai |
ai |
ae |
ae |
| live |
e,- |
e,- |
eo |
eo |
ea |
ea |
i |
i |
ee,- |
ee,- |
| neuter |
o,- |
o,- |
oo |
oo |
oa |
oa |
oi,i |
oi,i |
oe,- |
oe.- |
| unknown |
- |
- |
o |
o |
a |
a |
i |
i |
e,- |
e,- |
In the live and neuter genders in the singular and unknown numbers the ending
is often omitted or only used to prevent the clashing of two consonants. See for
examples the next section.
Top
Combination with other nouns
Two nouns can be combined to make a new noun with another meaning. The second
noun gets a suffix according to the function it fulfills compared to the first
noun. The suffix follows the suffix of gender.
| function |
suffix |
example |
| subject |
(none) |
mènalobin |
mènalobin: loved one by a woman: heterosexual man |
| direct object |
(none) |
mènulin |
mènulin: man lover: gay man |
| indirect object |
ìs |
ìs |
zevi\ìsigoe; |
zevi|ìsigoe: giver to the poor: charitable person |
| causative or means |
èz |
èz |
uzoèzogosce; |
uzoèzogosce;: one that perceives with ears: the
listener |
| further explanation |
ès |
ès |
|
|
| all other functions |
the appropriate preposition |
Rinabojuodide; |
Rinabojuodide; one that goes to Rina: Rina pilgrim |
Dissection of the examples:
| root |
gender ending |
suffix |
root |
suffix |
gender ending |
mèn
man/woman |
a
fem. sing. |
(none)
subject |
l
to love |
ob
direct object |
in
masculine |
mèn
man/woman |
u
masc. sing. |
(none)
direct object |
l
to love |
(none)
subject |
in
masculine |
zev
poor one |
i
live plural |
ìs
indirect object |
go
to donate |
(none)
subject |
e;
live |
uz
ear |
o
neuter double |
èz
means |
gsc
to perceive |
(none)
subject |
e;
live |
Rinab
The city of Rina' |
o
neuter sing. |
ju-od
toward |
id
to go |
(none)
subject |
e;
live |
The unexplained i in zevi|ìsigoe; and o's in uzoèzogosce;
are inserted vowels. See for an explanation the
alphabet page
Top
Combination with adjectives
A noun can have a fixed association with an adjective to give it a new
meaning. This can be accomplished in three ways:
- By placing the adjective before the noun in stead of behind it, which is
the usual order.
- By adding the adjective before the noun. The adjective ending is then cut
off after the r.
- By adding the adjective after the noun. The gender ending of the noun
changes then accordingly and a noun gender ending is placed behind the r of
the adjective.
Examples:
| rule 1 |
rule 2 |
rule 3 |
translation |
| biru mènin |
birimènin |
mènubirin |
the Big Man: the giant |
| biru mènin |
birimènin |
mènubirin |
| biraiv mènazi |
birovomènazi |
mènaibiraziv |
the Small Women: the dwarves |
| biraiv mènazi |
birovomènazi |
mènaibiraziv |
Top Combination
with prepositions
Three combinations of nouns and prepositions are used in Aninese:
- The method described in the paragraph derivation
from verbs. The resulting nouns describes a function of the verb:
| ucno |
ucno |
to buy |
| ucnod |
ucnod |
wherein one buys: shop |
| ucnujuod |
ucnujuod |
where one buys: market |
The method described in the paragraph combination
with other nouns. In this way another nouns is incorporated to form a
new meaning:
| ido |
ido |
to go |
| Rinabojuodide; |
Rinabojuodide; |
one that goes to Rina': pilgrim |
| donovide; |
donovide; |
one that leaves the house: child that leaves the
parental home |
The noun before the preposition is sometimes omitted:
| ado |
ado |
to help |
| àtade; |
àtade; |
one who helps willingly: volunteer |
| àtovade; |
àtovade; |
one who helps unwillingly: recruit |
The so-called ozabu' ozabu' (without a
verb) construction. With some prepositions a verb is so closely related that
even when it is omitted it is felt to be there. This is true for most
prepositions indicating location. or movement and some others. In this case
the verb actually is often omitted. The term ozabu' meaning "without a
verb" is itself such a construction, the verb being omitted being
"aro": to be. The full noun should be ozabuvarê: that what is
without a verb. Ambiguity can arise with nouns constructed following rule 1.
Would that be the case than the verb is not omitted.
| Rinabojuode; |
Rinabojuode; |
One (who goes) to Rina': pilgrim |
| adàtove; |
adàtove; |
One (who is) against helping |
Top
Building adjectives
The adjective is considered to be the participle of the verb. It is
constructed by replacing the ending of person by R as explained in the
relevant morphology section. Usually it occurs in the unknown tense, but all
tenses and aspects apply.
Building verbs
As stated above, verbs are considered to be the heart of the Aninese
language. All nouns are derived from verbs. It follows then that the
corresponding verb is found by removing the gender ending from the noun. An o is
placed after the root to indicate the infinitive. The Aninese infinitive has no
actual use in the language.
| uìscemaz |
uìscemaz |
sheep |
| uìscemo |
uìscemo |
to make the sound of a sheep |
| varin |
varin |
the writer |
| varo |
varo |
to write |
| don |
don |
house |
| dono |
dono |
to shelter |
Embellishment and degradation of the
root
The root of a verb can be embellished by adding l, l
to it. The meaning can be made pejorative by adding r, r.
| do |
do |
to make |
| dilo |
dilo |
to create |
| garadòno |
garadòno |
to be "unfat" |
| garadònolo |
garadònolo |
to be slim |
| garadònoro |
garadònoro |
to be skinny |
A word which expresses the successful performance of the action of the verb
van be constructed by adding RI, RI to the
root. Likewise, failure can be expressed by adding RIV,
RIV.
| lido |
lido |
to fight |
| lidirio |
lidirio |
to win |
| lidirivo |
lidirivo |
to lose |
| vino |
vino |
to investigate |
| vinirio |
vinirio |
to know by experimenting |
Transformations
Many verbs that express transformations are constructed in English with the
suffix -ify, or -en: to humidify=to moisten=to make moist, to clarify= to make
clear, to redden= to become/make red. This construction is made in Aninese with
noun + the verb do (to make). The noun is considered to be an incorporated
direct object and has the usual gender endings.
| maro |
maro |
to be married to |
| marin, maraz |
marin, maraz |
husband, wife |
| Mènin mènas damaradodu. |
Mènin mènas damaradodu. |
The man marries the woman. |
| Mènaz mènim dumarudoda |
Mènaz mènim dumarudoda. |
The woman marries the man. |
| luto |
luto |
to be red |
| Lazìm arajuari dolutododo. |
Lazìm arajuari dolutododo. |
The Sun reddens the sky. |
dissection of the examples:
| Mènin |
Mènas |
da- |
-mar- |
-a- |
-do- |
-du |
| subject |
dir. object |
dir. obj. 3rd person fem. sing. |
root of noun |
fem. sing. |
verb, present tense |
subject, 3rd person masc. sing. |
| Mènaz |
Mènim |
du- |
-mar- |
-u- |
-do- |
-da |
| subject |
dir. object |
dir. obj. 3rd person masc. sing. |
root of noun |
masc. sing. |
verb, present tense |
subject, 3rd person fem. sing. |
| Lazìm |
arajuari |
do- |
-lut- |
-o- |
-do- |
-do |
| subject |
object |
dir. obj. 3rd person neuter sing. |
root of noun |
neuter sing. |
verb, present tense |
subject, 3rd person neuter sing. |
Top
|
