Wasaqalu Nouns syntax
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6.1.1. Gender and number
6.1.1.1. Gender
Gender is effective only for animate beings, human, animal or supernatural, and expressed but in nouns, pronouns and verbs forms.
6.1.1.2. Number
Number is generally expressed only in the verb, unless it is necessary for understanding:
numalampu me nonunda
to-peasant cow it-to-him-is
The peasant have a cow
numalampu me yenundo
to-peasant cow them-to-him-are
The peasant have (some) cows
numalampu mela yenundo
to-peasant cows them-to-him-are
The peasant have several cows
When several nouns of different gender are coordinated, the collective plural is human male:
nayo meyu-la lasuqo
man woman-and they-speak
The man and the woman speak
meyu nâfali-la lasumpalo
woman her-dog-and they-walk
The woman and her dog are walking
me-me qula-la e-manasu
cow-of wheat-and their-price
The price of cow(s) and wheat
1.2. Use of cases
When two or several words coordinated with -la (and), only the first takes the appropriate case ending:
mundun nandu-la e-nurâ laquv(uy)o
mother father-and their children them-love(they)
The mother and father love their children
qasa amumundu nandu-la sorampa
letter his-to-mother father-and it-writes
He writes a letter to his mother and father
6.1.2.1. Absolutive and oblique
Absolutive is the case of the subject of intransitive verbs and of its complement:
nayo undu, u-nayo-ndu, u-nayo
man I-am, I-man-am, me-man
I'm a man.
nayo lasuqo
men they-speak
The men speak
u-nandu nalampu-nda
my-father farmer-is
My father is a farmer
Absolutive is the case of the object of a transitive verb, oblique the case of its subject:
nayon meyu aquva
man (obl.) woman (abs.) her-loves
The man loves the woman.
nayon meyu laquvo
man women them-love
The men love the women
6.1.2.2. Dative
Dative is the case of the beneficiary of the action :
nayon mumeyu sal nomala
man (erg.) to-woman (dat.) flower (abs.) it-gives
The man gives a flower to the woman.
nayon mumeyunâ sal yemalo
man to-women flower them-give
The men give flowers to the women.
6.1.2.3. Genitive
Genitive is the case of the possessor.
Note the specific construction with possessive:
nayon nalampume avuya sondala
man (erg.) of-peasant (gen.) his-house (abs.) it-sees
The man sees the peasant's house.
nayon nalampuyan evuya mondalo
man of-peasants their-house them-see
The men see the peasants' houses.
6.1.2.4. Instrumental
Instrumental is the case of the mean by with which the action is made:
nasongun nambaruñu nesare ancurusa
medic sick-man with-medicine him-treats-he
The medic treats the sick man with a medicine
nasongun yemba lesare moncurusa
medic disease with-medicines them-treat-he
The medic treats the diseases with medicines
Instrumental is the case of the complement of cause:
nesuqa angunuya
by-me he-fell
He fell because of me: I made him fall
fesero anandaya
by-plague he-died
He died (because) of plague
6.1.2.5. Locative
Locative is the case of position, the place where something or someone is :
nayo varuya nanaya
man (abs.) in-house (loc.) he-is
The man is in the house.
unandu avaruya unduxu
my-father (gen.) in-his-house (loc.) I-live
I live in my father's house
6.1.2.6. Ablative
Ablative is the case of origin, the place where something or someone goes from :
meyu vanuya nembâ
woman (abs.) from-house (abl.) she-goes
The woman comes/goes from the house
unandu avanuya numbu
my-father (gen.) from-his-house (abl.) I-go
I'm going from my father's house
6.1.2.7. Allative
Allative is the case of direction, the place where something or someone goes to :
meyu vavuya nembâ
woman (abs.) to-house (all.) she-goes
The woman goes in/towards the house.
unandu avavuya numbu
my-father (gen.) to-his-house (all.) I-go
I go to my father's house
6.1.2.8. Comitative
Comitative is the case of accompaniment:
nayo membuyu asuqa
man (abs.) with-woman (comit.) he-speaks
The man talks with the woman
unembasi unduxu
my-with-friend (comit.) I-live
I live with/by my friend
6.1.2.9. Abessive
Abessive is the case of lack, absence:
nayo mandeyu namba
man without-woman (abess.) he-comes
The man comes without the woman
qandâzu awemba
without hat (comit.) he-goes-out
He goes out without a hat
6.1.2.10. Others locative infixes
Others locative infixes can be combined with locative, ablative and allative to precise a situation or a movement from or towards a place.
vunduya nanaya
He is in the house
varunduya nancawa
He stands inside the house
vanunduya namba
He goes out (from the inside) of the house
vavunduya namba
He goes (towards the) inside (of) the house
vâhuya nanaya
He is out of the house
varâhuya nancawa
He stands outside of the house
vanâhuya namba
He goes in (from the outside of) the house
vavâhuya namba
He goes out (towards the outside) of house
sumpa vanjuya noha
The bird flies over the house
sumpa varanjuya noha
The bird flies (in the) above (of) the house
sumpa vananjuya noha
The bird flies down (from the above of) the house
sumpa vavanjuya noha
The bird flies up (towards the above of) the house
nara naqongâ nonaya
The cat is under the table
nara naraqongâ nonunja
The cat sits beneath (in the underside of) the table
nara nanaqongâ nomba
The cat goes from beneath the table
nara navaqongâ nomba
The cat goes under the table
vuruya nanaya
He is before the house
varuruya nancawa
He stands in front of the house
vanuruya namba
He goes from (the front of) the house
vavuruya namba
He goes towards (the front of) the house
vuxuya nanaya
He is behind the house
varuxuya nancawa
He stands behind, in the back of the house
vanuxuya namba
He goes out from behind the house
vavuxuya namba
He goes behind the house
nara naqunongâ nonunja
The cat sits in the middle of the table
naqunampu nancawa
He stands between the trees
naraqunampu nancawa
He stands amongst the trees
nara nanaqunongâ nomba
The cat moves from the middle of the table
nara navaqunongâ nomba
The cat moves towards the middle of the table
nanaqunampu namba
He goes amongst the trees
navaqunampu
He goes out from amongst the trees
sumpa husuyânjâ noha
The birds flies through the sky
nara narusuyongâ nondorosa
The cat lies across the table
navusuyalna axaya
He travels across the country
1. Script and phonetics
2. Nouns
3. Pronouns and adverbs
4. Numerals
5. Verbs
6. Syntax
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