The Esseintial Nınuıntı Thread

[DesEsseintes]

Modality in Nınuıntı - Part 2

Expressing Deontic Possibility and Ability

The simplest way to express deontic possibility in Nınuıntı is to use the impersonal verb paultua - to be free in the middle voice 3rd person neuter sentence-initially, becoming paultuımı. Literally, it means that nothing is stopping the action from happening, and so It expresses that an action is possible, whether it be thanks to permission, ability or other circumstantial factors. It never takes pronominal enclitics.

Paultuımı patatanı.
it.is.free-REFL-3sn go-2p
You can go.

Paultuımı ıgı campaıltıancı hatu tırıc.
it.is.free-REFL-3sn N kiss-RECP-3pm before king
Kissing is not allowed before the King.

Sentence-initial anca is used to express know how to, i.e. for skills.

Naa ancaına rucaıtı guu mılımuıl Nınuıntı?
Q skill=2s speak-2s with language Nınuıntı
Can/Do you speak Nınuıntı?

Ancaua mıtaıga uluulu ca gaıgual.
Q skill=1s make-1s sweets with spice
I know how to make spiced cakes.

Expressing Obligation and Necessity

Obligation can be expressed with the preposition naul - on used sentence-initially.

Naulıgın canagın naınıtını.
on=1p speak-1p with=2p
We need to talk to you (pl.).

Nauluıt paıltıupuıt.
on=3sf get.out<TR>-3sf=3sf
She has to set her free.

The impersonal verb aunua can be used to express necessity. The logical subject is introduced with the preposition ıa.

Aunua ıaua uruınııga pıpaııutaua.
need-3sn to=1s continue-1s study-NMLZ-DIM-pl=1s
I need to continue my lessons.

Just as a side note, the verbs aınıa - to want and aunua - be needed are the ı-grade and u-grade respectively of the verb ana - to be absent/away, to be lacking. The ı-grade here has the function of transitivising the verb, but with the meaning of considering X missing and therefore, by extension, wanting it. The u-grade on the other hand, makes the meaning of the original root more 'abstract', so to speak.


Negating Expressions of Modality

Expressions of modality are negated in various ways, depending on their nature.

The verbs aınıa, aunua and paultuımı are negated with ıgı, like all verbs.

nantau, hamıanııtaı, hamacaı and anca are negated with gıım, as they are somewhat noun-like in nature.

As for the naul of obligation, the form gıımut naul is used to express lack of obligation, i.e. needn't/don't have to, while the necessity of not doing something mustn't is expressed by negating the following verb with ıgı.

Aunua ıgı ıaancı uıgaıan.
need=3sn N to=3pm leave-3pm
They don't need to leave.

Gıım nantauuıt manaıtı.
NEG.COP desire=3sf come-2s
She does not want you to come.

Naulına rucaıtıt ıgı ıauıt.
on=2s say-2s.SUBJ-3sn.OBJ N to=3sf
You mustn't tell it to her.

Gıımut naurat* aca nıın taıl.
NEG.COP-3sn on=3sm eat DEM meat
He doesn't have to eat this meat.
*naul+at -> naurat as /la/ is not a permitted sequence in Nınuıntı

[Click]

Going to give this a more thorough read tomorrow once I finish studying.

*naul+at -> naurat as /la/ is not a permitted sequence in Nınuıntı

This is because of that l/r stuff for which you asked for help, right?

[DesEsseintes]

This is because of that l/r stuff for which you asked for help, right?

Well, at that time I was thinking of having an r/l distinction only before /ı/, and wondered whether it was naturalistic. Later I changed my mind and decided on the current system, as outlined in the phonology.

[Chagen]

I remember reading this thread on the way to school. I like this language--the lack of tittles makes it quite unique-looking and I like the person/number marking on nouns and verbs.

[Dormouse559]

The English is the enclitic 's with an implied word like 'place' coming after, e.g. I bought it from the butcher's, she's at her friend's etc. I don't think it's quite as versatile as French chez but gets the job done

Indeed, it's not quite so versatile. "Chez" can also mean "among/with" in a conceptual sense. "Il est très populaire chez les jeunes" = "He is very popular with young people".

[DesEsseintes]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Any suggestions on what I should cover next?

[Click]

Adverbial and complement clauses.

[DesEsseintes]

Yes, I sort of knew it was time for that, but I've been avoiding the subject due to its relative complexity. What's more, I've got some painful decisions to make. But I'll start work on it soon.

First, however, I'm gonna post a bit more on verbs, because I've just decided to adopt a Japanesey system of giving/receiving actions. I will also be discussing diminutive verbs, which I think are a fun feature. Hopefully, I'll have it up by tonight or tomorrow.

I find that when I don't write updates on here, I quickly run out of ideas. The minute I start writing a new post, new ideas pop into my head. Does anyone else have that experience?

Edit: I forgot I was going to ask: What exactly is the difference between an adverbial clause and a complement clause? Is it the difference between complement and adjunct?

[DesEsseintes]

Some More Complex Verb Morphology

This post will be about some more complex verb derivations from both basic verbs and nouns.

Verbs in -ıuua/-uııa

A small number of basıc verbs have stems in -ıuua. Some can form their ı-grade by changing or rather shifting this to -uııa.

hıuua - come together, meet
huııa - put together, make X meet Y

There are also some verbs that don't have a basic grade:

tuııa - please s.o.

The most important pair of verbs in this group is:

nıuua - to get
nuııa - to give

The conjugation of verbs in -ıuua is slightly irregular as the final a is elided before endings in -ı, e.g.

nıuuıga - I get
nıuuıtı - you get

These two verbs are very important because they are frequently used to express actions undertaken for others' benefit. I hope to make an outline of their usage soon.

Naa nıuuıga pataıtı naınua aıma?
Q get-1s go-2s with=1s tomorrow
Will you come with me tomorrow?

Naa nuııaıtı pataıga naınına aıma?
Q give-2s go-1s with=2s tomorrow
Will you allow me to go with you tomorrow?

Denominal Verbs

Verbs can be formed from nouns using the suffixes -ıuua and -uııa, and these conjugate in the same ways as the basic verbs listed above.

aımı - eye
→ aımıuua - to wink
→ aımuııa - to make goo-goo eyes at s.o.

Some verbs insert an epenthetic consonant.

huıcu - bird
→ huıcucıuua - to hunt birds

Naa nantauına huıcucıuuıtı?
Q desire=2s bird-VERB-2s
Do you want to go bird-hunting?

Verbs can also be derived from words that are not really nouns.

tıatı tıatı - (onomatopoeia for the sound of sneezing)
→ tıatıuua - sneeze
→ tıatuııa - make s.o. sneeze

Tıatuııataua nıın gaıguara.
sneeze<CAUS>-3pn=1s DEM spice-PL
These spices make me sneeze.

Diminutive Verbs

I have chosen to name these forms diminutive verbs, as the infixes used to form them are reminiscent of those used for the diminutives of nouns and adjectives.

The ıuıu-Grade

To form the ıuıu-grade, add the suffix -ıuıuC- to the last consonant of the root, where C is that consonant reduplicated.

haca - to try
→ hacıuıuca - to have a go, take a stab at sth.
autıupua - to be charmed, enchanted, bewitched
→ autıupıuıupua - to be dazzled for a moment

The ıuıu-grade expresses a single, momentary or short-lived instance of an action. It often implies that the action was not carried out in full.

Catıuıutaıga, lıı tanaıgaat ıgı.
look<DIM>-1s but see-1s=3sm N
I had a look, but I couldn't see him.

The uıuı-Grade

The uıuı-grade is formed in the same way as the ıuıu-grade. It conveys an action performed randomly without purpose.

tıra - to turn, to walk round
→ tıruıuıra - to wander

Ok, that's it for now. It's past my bedtime...

[DesEsseintes]

The Coordinating Conjunctions 'Ra' and 'Lıı'

The basic function of the conjunction ra is to link two or more nouns, adjectives, adverbs or verbs as having the same role within the sentence. That is to say, it means and.

Tıı punaman mıunua ra nıcara.
in garden tree-PL CONJ flower-PL
There are trees and flowers in the garden.

Hıupımpaup ra hupaup.
dance-3sf CONJ sing-3sf
She is dancing and singing.

lıı - but on the other hand introduces a difference in at least one argument. Note that in Nınuıntı, it is impossible to use this ra if different subjects are doing different things (but see below for a different ra that can).

Hıupımpaup lıı hupaıga.
dance-3sf CONJ sing-1s
She's dancing and/but I'm singing.
NOT Hıupımpaup ra hupaıga

Acaıga taıl lıı acaıtı cıuhuılıa.
eat-1s meat CONJ eat-2s vegetable-PL
I'm eating meat and/but you're eating vegetables.

Note that the choice of 'and' or 'but' in translation here depends on context. No emphatic contrast is implied with this use of lıı.

Simple Adverbial Clauses

ra can be used to introduce an adverbial clause of circumstance. As such, an eventual subject is fronted and, if pronominal, attached to ra as an enclitic. Alternatively, ra can be followed by the negative copula gıım or the past copula cuu.

Hupaıga rauıt hıupımpaup.
sing-1s and=3sf dance-3sf
I sing while she dances.

Manaıga ra cuuancı maı uıgaıan.
come-1s CONJ PST.COP=3pm PRF leave-3pm
They had left when I arrived.

Note that this use of ra differs significantly from its use as a simple conjunction.

Also compare:

Hıuhımpa punuc lıı hupaup nılıt. Aıancı pıncııtın.
dance-3sm boy CONJ sing-3sf girl COP=3pm happy-PL
The boy is dancing and the girl is singing. They are happy.

Hıuhımpa punuc ra nılıt hupaup. Aıat pıncııt.
dance-3sm boy CONJ girl sing COP=3sm happy
The boy is dancing while the girl sings. He is happy.

In the first sentence, the two actions are coordinate, and connected with lıı, as the subjects are different. In the second sentence, the girl's singing is only circumstantial to the boy's dancing.

lıı can also be used with a fronted subject (pronominal enclitic or otherwise) to express a concession or contrast.

Hıuhımpa punuc lıı nılıt hupaup.
dance-3sm boy CONJ girl sing-3sf
The boy is dancing whereas the girl is singing./The boy is dancing though the girl is singing.

Mana lııuıt manaup ıgı.
come-3sm CONJ=3sf come-3sf N
He's coming even though she's not.

The Sequential Conjunction 'Hıı'

Although Nınuıntı does not overtly mark tense, it has many ways to express the sequence of actions. In addition to using prepositions such as hatu before, ganat after and hııcın since with verbal nouns of instance like we saw in an earlier post, the conjunction hıı and, then can be used.

Acagın hıı uıgagın.
eat-1p CONJ leave-1p
We ate and left.

Note that using the coordinating conjunction ra here would be odd, as it would suggest that we ate as we left.

Huııaıan aımıaancı ıanaul aımıaıgın hıı tuınııan haruıcancı.
come.together<CAUS>-3pm eye-PL=3pm to-on eye-PL=1p CONJ open<TR> NMLZ-speak<NMLZ>=3pm
They fixed their gaze on us and (then) started speaking.

So there you go.

[DesEsseintes]

This thread, I am aware, is becoming a bit messy, as I've already pretty much covered the areas of the language that were more-or-less decided on when I started the thread. So from now on, I'll just be adding stuff as I nail it down, and the order it is presented in will be quite random, I guess. I hope that doesn't scare away those few, if any, who might be following this.

Without further apologetic preamble, here are the imperative and hortative moods in Nınuıntı. This also means I lied earlier in this thread when I said Nınuıntı verbs weren't conjugated for mood. I'm going to fix that now.

Forming the Imperative

There exists a separate imperative form for the 2nd person singular only. It is obtained by removing the final ı of the 2s ending -ıtı, resulting in -ıt.

aca - eat
acaıtı - you eat
Acaıt! - Eat!

hııltıa - burn
hııltııtıt - you burn it
Hııltııtut! - Burn it!

Notice how the 3sn object enclitic -t becomes -ut after a consonant.

There is no special form for the 2nd person plural imperative. Instead, the hortative form is used.

Forming the Hortative

One of my design goals when I got the idea for Nınuıntı was to use a relatively small number of affixes, but for each affix to have multiple uses. The best example we've seen so far of this "principle" is perhaps the diminutive infix ıu and its variants.

Therefore I hit upon this idea when thinking of the hortative mood.

The hortative is simply formed by attaching the dual ending -ual or the plural ending -ın to the first and second person plural forms of verbs.

This means the hortative distinguishes between the dual and plural, while the indicative does not.

acagın - we eat
acagınual - Let (the two of) us eat
acagının - Let (all of) us eat

acatanı - you (pl.) eat
acatanıual - (you two) eat
acatanıın - (you all) eat

Campagınual.
kiss-1p.HORT.DU
Let's kiss.

Patagının tupıul tal!
go-1p.HORT.PL fast
Let's go right away!
(several people)

Luınınıtanıualat.
receive.honour<CAUS>-2p.HORT.DU=3sm
Give him a present, you two.

Gııpıtanıınancı!
perish<CAUS>-2p.HORT.PL=3pm
Annihilate them!
(spoken to several people)

(Not sure about the glossing here.)

Usage

The imperative form, and to a lesser extent the hortative forms, can sound a bit abrupt as in most languages. A more polite option is to use the imperative or hortative of the verb nuııa - to give followed by a normally conjugated verb.

Nuııaıt manaıtı!
give-2s.IMP come-2s.IND
Please come!

Nuııatanıual paınıtanıua!
give-2p.HORT understand<CAUS>-2p.IND
Please (you two) explain (it) to me!

[DesEsseintes]

Nınuıntı Cardinal Numbers up to 999

In the OP, I listed numerals up to 10, as those were the only ones ready at the time.

Here are the numbers up to 999.

Units in Nınuıntı precede tens. However, hundreds precede lower numbers.

Note that units and tens are connected with the preposition naul, while hundreds are connected to units and tens with the conjunction ra or, more colloquially, with the preposition naın.

Words written together, such as naultuc and puntuca, are pronounced with voiced stops, as always happens with medial stops.

0 gımııl
1 aac
2 ual, uanu
3 pun
4 paı
5 hıcı
6 huı
7 ıuta
8 tuıca
9 cunun
10 tuc
11 aac naultuc [noldʊk̚]
12 uanu naultuc
13 pun naultuc
14 paı naultuc
15 hıcı naultuc
16 huı naultuc
17 ıuta naultuc
18 tuıca naultuc
19 cunun naultuc
20 tucual
21 aac naul tucual [nol tʊgwɐl]
22 uanu naul tucual
30 puntuca
31 aac naul puntuca [pʊndʊgɐ]
40 paıtuca
50 hıcıtuca
60 huıtuca
70 ıutatuca
80 tuıcatuca
90 cununtuca
100 nanaı
200 nanaıual
300 pun nanaıa
683 huı nanaıa ra pun naul tuıcatuca / huı nanaıa naın pun naul tuıcatuca

Numbers precede the nouns they qualify (or rather, quantify). They come after eventual demonstratives. Nouns after numerals over 2 always show plural marking.

tuc tuıncılııcın - ten snakes
nıın paı nılıltın - these four girls

The Different Forms of the Numeral 2

ual is used when counting (aac, ual, pun...). To say 'two (of sth.)', the dual number in -ual is normally used without the numeral. However, the form uanu can be used together with the dual form for emphasis.

Upıgın cılıcual.
by=1p son-DU
We have two sons.

Mana uanu tıluıcıual.
come two guard-DU
Two guards came.

uanu can also be used with pronominal enclitics to form the following:

uanuıgın - the two of us
uanuıtını - the two of you, you two
uanuancı - the two of them (m.)
uanuuncı - the two of them (f.)
uanuata - the two of them (n.), both things

Verbal Agreement with Numeral + Noun

Verbs do not agree with numeral+noun subjects for number, if the latter are indefinite.

Mana uanu tıluıcıual.
Two guards came.

Manaıan uanu tıluıcıual.
The guards both came./Both guards came.

(This development was entirely unsuspected, as definiteness has never featured in Nınuıntı before...)


Hmm, just realised that I haven't given any thought to ordinals...

[DesEsseintes]

In this post I'm going to try and expand on my ideas about sentence-initials. I'm pretty unsure about the proper terminology to employ here, so any corrections, suggestions and advice will be welcome.

Topichood in Nınuıntı

We've seen that sentence-initials such as aı - verily, to be, aaıuna - if only and nantau - desire behave more or less like nouns (although many cannot be used as actual nouns in other positions in a sentence and therefore constitute a separate class of words).

One of the main functions of sentence-initials is their ability to move nouns before the verb, which often has a topicalising or focus function.

Nıpanaup lıuut.
bathe-3sf girl
The girl is taking a bath.

Aı lıuut nıpanaup.
COP girl bathe-3sf
Verily the girl is taking a bath./It's the girl who is taking a bath.

Note that the fronted noun needn't be the subject of the sentence.

Aaıunaat acaıamat naunuıcırın.
if.only=3sm eat-3pm=3sm wolf-PL
(if only he eat him wolves)
If only he would be devoured by wolves.

As the grammatically marked passive in -ucan is limited to completed actions, and the mediopassive in -ımı is limited to habitual actions, this is a common alternative construction.

Here I will introduce some other common sentence-initial sentence structures.

Tana

The 3rd person singular neutral form of the verb tana - to see is frequently used as a sentence-initial with a somewhat similar function to French voilà or Russian вот, although its use is probably far more frequent in Nınuıntı than in either of those languages.

Tanaua (maı) manaıga.
look-3sn=1s (PERF) come-1s
I'm coming!/I'm here!

Tana aıcıut taupumı maı mıtat uıtıcuıt.
see-3sn meal evening PERF make-3sm=3sn husband=3sf
Dinner has been cooked by her husband.

Note that this tana is not an imperative, and can be used in situations where there is no implication of the interlocutor's witnessing the event. Rather, the implication is one of visible outcome/result within the context of the discourse.

Urunaıga up hacutaıua, ra tanaua maı utaıga naınuıc ca tıalıaru.
continue-1s at NMLZ-work-NMLZ=1s and see-3n=1s PERF become man having money
I stick to my work, and (voilà) I have become a rich man.

Puntaupat lıı tanaat hata tupıul ra tanauıt ralcaup hıı uraup hııcupat.
hit-3sf=3sm but see-3sn=3sm stand.up-3sm quickly and see-3sn=3sf be.scared-3sf then run-3sf from-by=3sm
She hit him, but (voilà) he got up quickly, and (voilà) she got scared and ran away from him.

Adverbs Fronted to Sentence-Initial Position

This is a rather strange phenomenon in Nınuıntı. An adverb may be fronted to sentence-initial position and followed by a personal pronoun enclitic or noun.

Adverbs of time are frequently used in this manner at the beginning of a narrative, replacing the past copula cuu if referring to past events. The following enclitic or noun is the topic.

Taupaulua aıpıupua nıın nınıt.
yesterday=1s fall<CAUS>-3sf=1s DEM girl
Yesterday, (what happened to me was:) that girl tripped me.

If we changed the enclitic on taupaul to 3sf -uıt, we would be talking about what she did yesterday and not what happened to me yesterday.

Taupauluıt aıpıupua.
yesterday=3sf fall<CAUS>-3sf=1s
Yesterday, (what she did was:) she tripped me.

Another example:

Ipınauluıt nanııt pıamıurauıt.
long.time.ago=3sf great beauty=3sf
She was very beautiful back in her day.

Iraıulut mana uıcıpı.
in.a.while=3sn* come-3sn* rain
It will start raining in a bit.
*the first 3sn is impersonal, while the second refers to the rain

As Nınuıntı doesn't mark tense on verbs, and is predominantly VSO, this construction affords Nınuıntı speakers an economical way of introducing the timeframe and topic of their narrative.

Okay. That's it for now. Comments? Does this work?