/r/conlangs Chat Network Relay Game - 1st Babby Relay (Spring 2015)

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#2Ryqnu by salpfish
RyqnuEnglish

Nataććaccuśpyylun poznuuk takiznatammiluppukakśira!

Using this writing device, I cannot make writing!

writing-device-SG.ERG.G4-use.PSV.DEON-ADVZ this-NMZ-SG.G8-ABL REFL-1SG.ACC-writing-make.PSV.IRR-can.TRANS.IRR-3PL.ACC.G7-NEG

  • c(u) – pn. 3sg class IV accusative pronominal clitic
  • ććaz – n.IV. tool, device, appliance
  • ira – aff. negative suffix
  • kakl(a) – pn. 3pl class VII accusative pronominal clitic
  • kiz – pn. 1sg accusative pronominal clitic
  • mii – v.C. to make, to form, to build, to construct, to form
  • nata – n.VII. writing, text
  • n(u) – pn. 3sg class VIII accusative pronominal clitic
  • oz – aff. nominalizing suffix for abstract ideas (needs an accusative pronoun after)
  • pae – v.C. to be able to; auxiliary verb for conditional mood (takes reflexive plus accusative as subject)
  • pama – adj. this
  • ta – pn. reflexive ergative pronoun
  • śupoe – v.CC. to hold; to use as an instrument or tool
  • uk – aff. ablative suffix
  • un – aff. adverbalizing suffix
  • Polysynthetic
  • SOV word order.
  • Split tripartite alignment.
    • Transitive verbs take ergative subjects and accusative objects.
    • Active intransitive verbs take absolutive subjects.
    • Stative intransitive verbs take accusative subjects.
  • Noun classes:
    • cIV: tools, structures, buildings
    • cVII: small, precious things
    • cVIII: abstract concepts, especially ones relating to words, speech, language
  • Noun cases:
    • Main three cases:
      • Ergative
        • Unmarked on nouns
      • Accusative
        • Unmarked on nouns
        • Accusative pronouns can also function as nominalizers
      • Absolutive
        • Marked as -‹un› on nouns
    • Pronouns preserve all three cases
  • Verbs:
    • Dictionary form ends in -‹ae›, -‹ii›, -‹oe›, or -‹yy›.
    • Base stem: remove the ending of the dictionary form.
      • For CC verbs, also remove the vowel between the last two consonants.
    • Stems:
      • C verbs:
        RealisDeonticIrrealis
        Transitive(a)CaᴺCil(u)qCu, (u)CCu
        AntipassiveaᴸCataᴺCaeśaᴸCatu
        Passive(i)Ci(a)CiilisCu, izCu
        • Example: rae — stem r–
          • (a)r, arat, (i)ri, andril, andraeś, (a)riil, (u)qru, aratu, izru
        • CC verbs (R is the rest of the root, C is the final consonant)
          RealisDeonticIrrealis
          Transitive(a)RCRaᴺCilRuqCu, RuCCu
          AntipassiveRaᴸCatRaᴺCaeśRaᴸCatu
          PassiveRiCi(a)RCiilRisCu, RizCu
          • Example: lopyy — stem l–t-
            • (o)lp, lovot, lypy, lombyl, lomboeś, (o)lpyyl, luppu, lovotu, lyspu
    • Incorporation:
      • Nouns and adverbs can be part of the verb, placed before the stem.
  • Adjectives:
    • End in -ma by default, but various constructions do not use the suffix.
  • Phonology:
    • Vowel harmony:
      • Default group is ‹a aa ae i ii› /a aː æː i iː/; secondary group is ‹o oo oe y yy u uu› /ʌ ʌː ɤː ɨ ɨː/.
      • ‹u uu› /u uː/ are neutral.
      • Prefixes and suffixes shift to match the harmony of the root they’re attached to.
    • Final consonant mutation:
      • In certain inflections, final consonants may mutate to others.
      • Two types:
        • Lenis mutation (consonant undergoes lenition, usually to a liquid) — notated as ᴸC
        • Prenasal mutation (consonant gains a nasal before it) — ᴺC
    • Other:
      • Sandhi happens sometimes