View source for User:Waahlis/Messinese

{{User:Waahlis/Template:Classing
|language = Messinese
|native = a giòssa messinèsa <br> α γιωσσα μεσσινησα
|word-or = SOV
|mor-type = Fusional
|morphalign = Accusative
|Tonal = no
|gender = 3
|declensions = yes
|conjugations= yes

|Declined = yes
|NCase = yes
|NNumber = yes
|NDefiniteness = no 
|NGender = yes

|Conjugated = yes
|VSubject = yes
|VObject = no
|VGender = no
|VNumber = yes
|VVoice = yes
|VMood = yes
|VTense = yes
|VAspect = yes

|author = Waahlis
}}

==General information==
The '''Messinese''' language (Messinese: Greek: ''α γιωσσα μεσσινησα'', Latin: ''a giòssa messinèsa'', pronounced [[IPA for Messinese|[aʝ ˈʝɔːsam mɛsıˈneːsa]]] or '''[[w:Zancle|Zaincua]]''' [ˈt͡sɛŋkwa], is an artificial and a posteriori language supposedly descended from [[wikipedia:Latin|Latin]] and [[wikipedia:Ancient Greek|Ancient Greek]]. In 2010 it was spoken by some 1.5 million people around the Strait of Messina in [[wikipedia:Italy|Italy]]. The language arose simultaneously with the other [[wikipedia:Romance languages|Romance languages]], but was always heavily influenced by the Greek presence on the islands. The language holds no official status in neither Italy nor [[wikipedia:Sicily|Sicily]], where the Sicilian language is the most dominant language of the region.
The main usage of the language is as the ceremonial language of the ''Greek Orthodox Church of Messina'' (Messinese: ''Ευηνoρθοδοζα Εκκυισία δα Mεσσινou'', ''Eyènorthodoza Eccuisía da Messinou''), the EEM , in the city of [[wikipedia:Messina|Messina]] on Sicily.

The EEM and its agencies is also the head regulating organ, (Messinese: ''Μινιστρία'', ''Ministrìa'') of the language, and the religious origins and control has therefore had a substantial impact on the vocabulary and conservatism of the language.

==History==
{{language
|name       = Messinese
|nativename = a giòssa messinèsa <br> α γιωσσα μεσσινησα
|states     = [[wikipedia:Italy|Italy]]
|region     = [[wikipedia:Europe|Europe]]
|speakers   = 1,586,120 ([[wikipedia:First language|native]])
|rank       = < 500
|family     = [[wikipedia:Romance languages|Romance languages]]
|nation     = [[wikipedia:Italy|Italy]]
|agency     = Ministry of the Messinese Language
|iso1       = ms
|iso2       = mes
|sil        = mes}}
:''This section describes the history of the Messinese native speakers and the language in a sociological and historical perspective, for the phonetic history, see [[Messinese#Sound Changes|sound changes]]''
The Messinese language is as previously stated, descended from [[w:Latin|Latin]] and [[w:Ancient Greek|Ancient Greek]], though more precisely, the [[w:Classical Latin|Classical Latin]] and the [[w:Koine Greek|Koine Greek]] language, around the 400-500 centuries AD. The substantial difference of the languages and their older forms was not the vocabulary, but the [[w:Koine Greek phonology|pronunciation]], which is the source of a phonology dissimilar to the contemporary Romance and Hellenic languages.
[[File:Messinese Ecclesiastical Standard.png|thumb|left|The current Ecclesiastical flag of the ''Greek Orthodox Church of Messina''. Note the double-headed eagle similar to that of the [[w:Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox Church]].|200px]]The language first arose on the nowadays Italian island of [[w:Sicily|Sicily]] as a creole between the Roman and Greek settlers, but was steadily suppressed by the Roman language policies and advocation of Latin. The language was therefore kept alive only in smaller villages and as the people's discreet vernacular, and the status was close to that of barbaric languages.

The road from a minority language to the [[w:Ceremonial language|ceremonial language]] of the ''Greek Orthodox Church of Messina'' commenced 400 years later, with the decree of the third [[w:Council of Tours|Council of Tours]] in 813. The Christian priests were then ordered to preach in the vernacular language – either in the ''rustica lingua romanica'' ([[w:Vulgar Latin|Vulgar Latin]]), the regional languages (such as Messinese) or in the Germanic vernaculars – since the common people could no longer understand formal Latin. This proved to be the end of the [[w:Vulgar Latin|Vulgar Latin]] language, and the start of the diversification of the Romance languages, and the survival of the Messinese language.

During the [[w:Middle Ages|Middle ages]], the Messinese language was established as the official language of the Christian ecclesiastical branch residing only on Sicily, and its prestige was elevated even higher by the advent and status of the current [[w:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]] and [[w:Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox Church]] with Byzantine Greek as the vernacular. In 1832, the autocephalous bishop of Messine, ''Ιουστινιανου III Ανθροπου'' , Justinian III Anthropou founded the '''Ministry''' - (''α Μινιστρία, a Ministría''), the governing body and [[w:Language regulation|supervising organ]] of the Messinese language.

In modern times with the fall of the Byzantines and the steady secularisation of the Western world, the amount Messinese native speakers is falling. The language is constantly under pressure from the great and most advantageous languages in the region, being [[w:Sicilian language|Sicilian]], [[w:Italian language|Italian]] and the [[w:English language|English language]], all of which are having an impact on the language's grammar and vocabulary.

==Sound Changes==
:C = Consonant
:C<sub>S</sub> = Clusive consonant; stop
:V = Vowel
:V<sub>F</sub> = Front vowel
:V<sub>B</sub> = Back vowel

The Messinese language is as previously stated descended from the Ancient Greek colonisers of the Messina Strait, and the old Classical Latin vernacular. Because of the Greek influences, many of the sound changes occurring on [[w:Romance languages|neighbouring languages]] did not take place in Messinese.

Sound changes are called ''phonomutations'' in the Messinese language, and are extensively studied and categorised by scholars. There are a few different classes of sound changes that have had a considerable impact on the language, in contrast to the languages from which it is derived.

{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed"
! colspan="4"|Sound changes
|-
! Change
! Description
! Example
! Note
|-
! colspan="4"| Consonantal
|-
| ''[[Messinese#Egei - annihilation|l &gt; ∅]]''
|Elision
| style="text-align: center;"|''legō > egou''
|Complex sound change, see link.
|-
| ''l > y''
|Palatalisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''fabulare > habyá''
|
|-
| ''l > u''
|Labialisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''εκκλησία > eccuisía''
|
|-
| ''[[Messinese#Uomo - annihilation|h &gt; ∅]]''
|Elision
| style="text-align: center;"|''habilis > abyei''
|Complex sound change, see link.
|-
|''#ho- > #uo-''
|Voicing, Labialisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''homō > uomou''
|
|-
|''#fV- > #hV-''
|Debuccalisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''factum > hattou''
|
|-
| ''VC<sub>p</sub>tV > VttV''
| colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Assimilation
| style="text-align: center;"| ''lacte > latte''
|
|-
| ''VC<sub>p</sub>sV > VssV''
| style="text-align: center;"| ''obscūro >'' ''osscuro''
|
|-
|''VtV<sub>F</sub>V > VzV<sub>F</sub>V''
| colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Assibilation
| style="text-align: center;"|''cantiō > canzio''
|
|-
| ''VdV<sub>F</sub>V > VzV<sub>F</sub>V''
| style="text-align: center;"| ''καρδιά > carziá''
|
|-
| ''VvV > VV/V''
|Elision
| style="text-align: center;"| ''cīvitatem > citaze''
|
|-
| ''x > z''
|Assimilation
| style="text-align: center;"| ''οξύς > ozou''
|
|-
| <span style="font-style: italic;">s# > h > </span>''∅''
|Debuccalisation, Apocope
| style="text-align: center;"| ''anguis > angui''
|
|-
| ''m# > ∅''
|Apocope
| style="text-align: center;"| ''fīliam > hiya''
|
|-
! colspan="4"| Vocalic
|-
| ''-um > -ou''
|Nasalisation, Denasalisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''mecum > mecou''
| Written ⟨o⟩ if an adjective.
|-
| ''-us > ou''
| colspan="1" rowspan="4"|Debuccalisation, Elision
| style="text-align: center;"|''πάγος > pagou''
| Written ⟨o⟩ if an adjective.
|-
| ''<span style="font-style: italic;">-is</span> > è''
| style="text-align: center;"|''brēvis > brevè (> brei)''
|
|-
| <span style="font-style: italic;">-īs > ei</span>
| style="text-align: center;"|''vīs > vei''
|
|-
| <span style="font-style: italic;">-ēs, es > ei</span>
| style="text-align: center;"|''dies > diei > dei''
|
|-
| ''-āre, are > āe > á''
| colspan="1" rowspan="3"|Syncope, Synaeresis
| style="text-align: center;"|cantāre > cantá
|
|-
| ''-ēre, ere > ē > ei''
| style="text-align: center;"|''legere > egere > egei''
|
|-
| ''-īre, ire > īe > ei''
| style="text-align: center;"|''audīre > audei''
|
|-
! colspan="4"| Specific
|-
| ''-itās > -itá''
|Elision
| style="text-align: center;"|''trinitās > trinitá''
|
|-
|''-culus > clou > cyou > cou''
|Syncope, Palatalisation
| style="text-align: center;"|''auricula > aurica''
|
|-
! colspan="4"| Orthographical
|-
| ''q > c''
| colspan="1" rowspan="4"| Orthographical
| style="text-align: center;"| <span style="font-style: italic;">quandō > cuando</span>
| Pronunciation unaffected.
|-
| ''ny > nh''
| style="text-align: center;"| ''guadanyāre > guadanhá''
| Pronunciation unaffected.
|-
| ''gn > nh''
| style="text-align: center;"| ''ignīs > inhei''
| Pronunciation shift from [ŋn] to [ɲ].
|-
| ''f > ph''
| style="text-align: center;"| ''flos > phiou''
| Only pre-consonantally.
|}



The most pushing changes are the so called ''annihilations''. Annihilations are phonomutations where the phoneme to a great extent disappears or annihilates adjacent sounds. The three most important ones are:
====Egei - annihilation====
This sound change displays the loss of of the phoneme '''/l/''' in the Messinese language. The sound change draws its name from the Latin verb "<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:legere|legere]]</span>", to read. The principles of the phonomutation are the following:

:''l > ∅'' when ''_V<sub>F</sub>''.
:''l > v'' when ''_V<sub>B</sub>''.
:''l > y'' when ''_V''.
:''i + l > y'' when ''_V''.
::''yi > iy'' through sonorant metathesis.
:::''iy > i'' when ''iyC'' through dissimilation.
::''uyV > yuV > yV'' through sonorant metathesis and syncope.
:''l > ∅'' and ''V > Vː'' when ''V_#''.
:''l > u'' when ''V_C''.
:''l > i'' when ''C_'', but ''l > u'' when ''c_'' and ''V_C''.

====Uomo - annihilation====
This sound change displays the loss of of the phoneme '''/h/''' in the Messinese language. The sound change draws its name from the Latin word for "man" - "<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:homo|homo]]</span>". The principles of the phonomutation are the following:

:''h > ∅'' in all instances but ''h > u'' when ''_o''

These two sound changes are the greatest powers behind the Messinese language, and sometimes grouped and called the ''"ni" - phonomoutaziò'', the ""ni" - sound change" from the Latin word "<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:nihil|nihil]]</span>" which means nothing.

Interestingly, the word "annihilation" in Messinese, ''annyaziò'' is a typical "ni" - word from the Latin "<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:annihilatio|annihilatio]]</span>".

===Swadesh list on Romance languages' vocabulary===

{{Romance swadesh}}

==Phonology==

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 600px;"
|+ 
! colspan="8" scope="row"|Vocabulary
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''προνουνταζιω''
| style="text-align: center;"|''pronountaziò''
| style="text-align: center;"|pronunciation
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''κονσονάνς'', ''συνφωνια''
| style="text-align: center;"|''consonáns'', ''synphònia''
| style="text-align: center;"| consonant
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''φωνια''
| style="text-align: center;"|''phònia''
| style="text-align: center;"| vowel, sound
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''αφρικατα''
| style="text-align: center;"|''aphricata''
| style="text-align: center;"| affricate
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''φωνομυταζιω''
| style="text-align: center;"|''phònomutaziò''
| style="text-align: center;"| sound change
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''ασσιμυαζιω''
| style="text-align: center;"|''assimyaziò''
| style="text-align: center;"| assimilation
|}
:''See also: [[IPA for Messinese]]''
The Messinese language has a phonology quite similar to other [[wikipedia:Romance languages|Romance languages]], but also to the [[wikipedia:Modern Greek|Modern Greek]] language.

===Consonants===
The inventory of phonemic consonants and allophones is slightly larger than that of for example [[wikipedia:Spanish language|Spanish]], or the geographically close [[wikipedia:Sicilian language|Sicilian language]]. Consonants are repeatedly palatalised in proximity of a [j], but the rather common fricatisation common to many Romance languages from [[wikipedia:Vulgar latin|Vulgar Latin]] is not present.
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 700px;"
|+Phonology and Orthography
! colspan="2"|
! colspan="2"|Bilabial
! colspan="2"|Labiodental
! colspan="2"|Dental
! colspan="2"|Alveolar
! colspan="2"|Palatal
! colspan="2"|Velar
! colspan="2"|Glottal
|- align="center"
! colspan="2"|Nasals
| colspan="2"|'''m''' [m]
| colspan="2"|[ɱ]<sup>1</sup>
| colspan="2"|'''n''' [n̪]
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|[ɲ]<sup>1</sup>
| colspan="2"|[ŋ]<sup>1</sup>
| colspan="2"|
|- align="center"
! rowspan="2"|Plosives
!<small>voiceless</small>
| colspan="2"|'''p''' [p]
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|'''t''' [t̪]
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2" colspan="2" rowspan="2"|[c]<sup>2</sup>
| colspan="2"|'''c''' [k]
| colspan="2"|
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''b''' [b]
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''d''' [d̪]
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''g''' [g]
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
|-
! rowspan="2"|Affricates
!<small>voiceless</small>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''z''' [t͡s - d͡z]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|[t͡ɕ - d͡ʑ]<sup>3</sup>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
|-
! rowspan="2"|Fricatives
!<small>voiceless</small>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''ph''' [f]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''th''' [θ - ð]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''s''' [s - z]<sup>6</sup>
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|[ɕ - ʑ - ʝ]<sup>2, 4</sup>
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''ch''' [x - ɣ]
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''h''' [h]
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''v''' [v]
|- align="center"
! colspan="2" style="background: ;"|Trills
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|'''r'''<sup>7</sup>[r̪]
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: ;"|Approximant
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|[w]<sup>5</sup>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|'''y''' [j]<sup>5</sup>
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|
|}
'''Nota Bene''':
#The nasals are always affected by the following sound, leading to a change in pronunciation, but not in orthography, that is, ''nasal sandhi''. There are no graphemes for [ɱ], [ɲ] or [ŋ]. For example, the word ''ινπορταντα, inportanta'' (important) is pronounced [ɪmporˈtanta].
#The dental and velar plosives - [t̪ - d̪], [k - g] - are always pronounced like palatal plosives [c - ʝ] when preceeding [j], [ı], [e] or [ɛ].
#The dental-alveolar affricates [t͡s - d͡z] are also pronounced palatally, [t͡ɕ - d͡ʑ], when preceeding [j], [ı], [e] or [ɛ].
#The alveolar fricatives [s - z] palatalise into [ɕ - ʑ - ʝ]when preceeding [j], [ı], [e] or [ɛ].
#The palatal approximant [j] is a loosely defined phoneme, and is represented by the letters ⟨υ/y⟩ and ⟨ι/i⟩. It is allophonous with [ʝ] and [ɪ̯].
#The alveolar fricative [s] is pronounced [θ] when in the cluster ⟨νς, ns⟩.
#⟨r⟩ is always written ⟨rh⟩ when initial in lexemes.

===Vowels===
There are 7 vowels in the Messinese language, all of which are geminated when stressed.

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 540px; text-align:center;"
! style="width: 90px; "|
! style="width: 90px; " |Front
! style="width: 90px; " |Near-front
! style="width: 90px; " |Central
! style="width: 90px; " |Near-back
! style="width: 90px; " |Back
|-
! style="" |Close
|
|
|
|
|'''u'''; '''ou '''; '''y''' [u]
|-
! style="" |Near-close
|
|'''i''' [ɪ]
|
|
|
|-
! style="" |Close-mid
|'''è''' [e]
|
|
|
|'''o''' [o]
|-
! style="" |Mid
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="" |Open-mid
|'''e''' [ɛ]
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="" |Near-open
|
|
|
|
|'''ò''' [ɔ]
|-
! style="" |Open
|
|
|'''a''' [ä]
|
|
|}
====Alphabet====

===Phonotactics===

==Grammar==
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsed" style="width: 600px;"
|+ 
! colspan="8" scope="row"|Vocabulary
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''γραμματικά''
| style="text-align: center;"|''grammaticá''
| style="text-align: center;"|grammar
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''αζεντα'', ''πρεσσα''
| style="text-align: center;"|''azenta'', ''pressa''
| style="text-align: center;"| stress
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''συνταττικά''
| style="text-align: center;"|''syntatticá''
| style="text-align: center;"| syntactics
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''νομνα''
| style="text-align: center;"|''nomna''
| style="text-align: center;"| noun, name
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''γενου''
| style="text-align: center;"|''genou''
| style="text-align: center;"|gender
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''κασου''
| style="text-align: center;"|''casou''
| style="text-align: center;"| case
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''αριθμικά''
| style="text-align: center;"|''arithmicá''
| style="text-align: center;"|number, numeral, counting 
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''αντονομνα''
| style="text-align: center;"|''antonomna''
| style="text-align: center;"| pronoun 
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|''δεκυιναζιω''
| style="text-align: center;"|''decuinaziò''
| style="text-align: center;"| declension
|}
====Stress====
The stress in the Messinese language differs a lot from it's parent languages, being almost completely penultimate caused by the parent languages' inherited and  moraic systems clashed and resulted in the Messinese stress system (''αν αζεντα'', an azenta'').

There are two different major patterns of stress, on the '''oxytones''' (''οζυτονοι'', ''ozytonoi'') - the final syllable, or the '''barytones''' (''βαρυτονοι'', ''barytonoi'') - not the final syllable. The barytones make up for the majority of all lexemes, since the stress is by standard always on the penultimate syllable, on the '''paroxytone'''. Penultimate stress is never marked - except for words ending in "ια, ia", so any deviation from this rule must be marked with an [[User:Acute Accent|accute accent]] (´).

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 725px; text-align:center"
!Major→
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Barytone
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" scope="col"|Oxytone
|-
!Minor→
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Proparoxytone
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Paroxytone
|-
! rowspan="2"|Examples
|''άνιμα'', ''ánima''
|''γιωσσα'', ''giòssa''
|''ανιμά'', ''animá''
|-
|''σύνστημα'', ''sýnstema''
|''μευανχουία'', ''meyanchovìa''
|''κατά'', ''catá''
|}

====Syntactics====
===Nouns===
The nouns of Messinese decline according to case, gender, and number. There is no inflection for definiteness, which is demonstrated by means of articles instead.
====Gender====
There are three genders (''γενρα'', ''genra'') inherited from Latin and Ancient Greek, namely the '''masculine''', '''feminine''', and the '''neuter''' genders. Messinese genders are not simple natural genders, thus, determining a lexemes gender is very difficult and irregular. The genders play a substantial role in which declension the word is classed.

====Case====
The remnant of the similar case systems of [[wikipedia:Latin declension|Latin]] and [[wikipedia:Ancient Greek nouns|Ancient Greek]] have both coalesced into a simplifed inventory comprising four cases. The collapse into a smaller amount of cases has indeed led to somewhat unpredictable and irregular declensions. The remaining four cases are the following:
*Nominative
*Objective
*Genitive
*Vocative
=====Nominative=====
The '''nominative''' case, (''ο κασου νομινατιυο'', ''o casou nominativo'') is the lemma form of all nouns and adjectives, and first and foremost marks the subject of a verb, as well as predicative nouns and adjectives.
=====Objective=====
The '''objective''' or '''oblique''' case, (''ο κασου οβιεττιυο/οβυικό'', ''o casou obiettivo/obuicó'') is the resulting form of the coalescence of the Latin and Greek accusative and dative cases, and marks the direct object of a verb, or the indirect object of a preposition.

=====Genitive=====
The '''genitive''' case, (''ο κασου γενιτιυο'', ''o casou genitivo'') is the common form of the old Latin and Greek genitive cases and the Latin ablative. It marks mainly possession, but also relations and origin of objects.
=====Vocative=====
The '''vocative''' case, (''ο κασου υοκατιυο'', ''o casou vocativo'') is a very limited case and does only mark addressed or explicitly expressed nouns and foremost names.

====Number====
There are only two numbers in the Messinese languages a system identical to that of English, these being the '''singular''', which denotes subjects totalling one and is not marked, and the '''plural''', which markes all subjects from two and up.

===Pronouns===

=====Personal Pronouns=====
The Messinese personal pronouns are directly descended from both Latin and Ancient Greek, but have not undergone the same sound changes because of common usage. There are three persons, the '''first''', '''second''' and '''third''' person which decline according to case and number. The first person differs form the rest and does not inflect according to gender, whilst the second has both a masculine and feminie gender, and the third person adds the neuter gender. The gender distinction only applies to the singular.

It is interesting to note what effect the EEM has had on the registers of the language, and this is quite obvious in the pronouns, which are separated by an '''informal''' and '''formal''' distinction, derived from Latin and Greek pronouns respectively.
=====Reflexive pronouns=====
The reflexive pronouns serve a role in all reflexive verbs, and verbs inherited from the Ancient Greek mediopassive voice, that is, verbs ending in "''-σαι, -sai''". They are used when a subject is acting upon itself, when the subject and object of a verb is the same.
=====Disjunctive pronouns=====
The disjunctive pronouns, similar to the [[wikipedia:French pronouns|French pronouns]] with the same name, serve many purposes:

*It is used in syntactically dislocated positions
:''The others are leaving, but '''me''', I'm staying.''

*In sentence fragments with no verb (e.g. short answers).
:''Who wants cake? '''Me'''.''
:''He is older than '''me'''.'' (Than ''I am'')

*In conjunction with a noun phrase or another pronoun
:'''''Me''' and my parents are arriving in an hour.''

*As a prepositional pronoun.
:''Count on '''me'''.''
:''It is for '''me'''.''

*As a intensive pronoun.
:''I did it '''myself'''.''
:'''''Me myself''' did it.''

====Pronominal Declension====
The pronominal declension (''α δεκυιναζιω αντονομινά'', ''a decuinaziò antonominá'') comprises the personal, reflexive and disjunctive pronouns.
Please note that the declension is almost completely irregular.
{{Me-pron}}

===Demonstratives===
The Messinese '''demonstratives''', which also serve as determiners, are of diverse origin, and of different proximity. There are three levels of proximity, all of which have their separate demonstrative pronoun. Per praxis, the feminine form is listed:
=====Proximal=====
This demonstrative, '''''sta''''', shows a distance or proximity adjacent to the addressed in a conversation, and is derived from the Latin demonstrative ''<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:iste#Latin|iste]]</span>''.
=====Medial=====
This demonstrative has the long and short forms '''''autei'''''/'''''tei''''', from Ancient Greek [[wiktionary:αὐτός|αὐτός]] and is mostly identical to the third person pronoun. The form also works as the definite determiner (''οριστικά άρτικα, oristicá ártica''), with a few shorter forms.
=====Distal=====
That very last demonstrative, '''''accuya''''', from Latin ''<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:eccum#Latin|eccum]]</span>'' + ''<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">[[wiktionary:illa#Latin|illa]]</span>'' , indicates a great distance from the speaker.
====Nominal Declension====
=====First Declension=====
The '''first declension''' is separated into to three subdeclensions, the '''alpha''', '''omicron''' and '''eta''' declensions. The reason behind the division is a relatively similar inflection, which differs because of the stem vowel. The declensions are mainly of [[wikipedia:Ancient Greek nouns#First declension|Ancient Greek origin]], but have almost nothing to do with the Ancient Greek declensions with similar names.

======Alpha Declension======
The '''alpha''' declension (''αυφα δεκυιναζιω'', ''aupha decuinaziò'') treats nouns with the stem vowel "a". The origin of these words most often had the Ancient Greek endings "-ας, as" or the ending mutual with Latin, simple "-a".

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 780px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|Translation →
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Masculine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Feminine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Neuter
|-
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''man''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''sound''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''sand, arena''
|-
!Case ↓
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
|-
!Nominative
|''andra''
|''andrai''
|''phòna''
|''phònai''
|''arena''
|''arenai''
|-
!Objective
|''andran''
|''andrai''
|''phònan''
|''phònai''
|''arena''
|''arenai''
|-
!Genitive
|''androu''
|''andron''
|''phòna''
|''phònon
|''arenou''
|''arenon''
|-
!Vocative
|''andre''
|''andrei''
|''phònei''
|''phònai''
|''arene''
|''arenai''
|}
======Omicron Declension======
The '''omicron''' declension (''ομικρονα δεκυιναζιω'', ''omicrona decuinaziò'') treats nouns with a stem ending in either "o" or "ou". Lexemes in this category had a multitude of endings in Latin and Greek, making it the largest category of nouns. The endings were:
*-υς/ys, -υ/y
*-ου/ou, -ος, os,-ως, òs
*-um, -us
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 780px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|Translation →
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Masculine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Feminine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Neuter
|-
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''river''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''ice''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''home''
|-
!Case ↓
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
|-
!Nominative
|''rhivou''
|''rhivoi''
|''pagou''
|''pagoi''
|''dòmou''
|''dòma''
|-
!Objective
|''rhivon''
|''rhivou''
|''pagon''
|''pagou''
|''dòmon''
|''dòma''
|-
!Genitive
|''rhivou''
|''rhivon''
|''pagoi''
|''pagon''
|''dòmou''
|''dòmon''
|-
!Vocative
|''rhive''
|''rhivoi''
|''page''
|''pagoi''
|''dòme''
|''dòma''
|}
======Eta Declension======
The '''eta''' declension (''ετα δεκυιναζιω'', ''eta decuinaziò'') treats nouns with the vowels "e", "è" or the diphthongs "ei" or "èi" in the stem. The origin of these words most often had the following endings in the original languages:
*-ες,/es, -ης/ès, -η/è
*-es, -is
Please note that the declension is heavily influenced by [[w:Latin Declension|Latin declensions]].
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 780px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|Translation →
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Masculine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Feminine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Neuter
|-
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''father''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''woman''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''back''
|-
!Case ↓
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
|-
!Nominative
|''patrei''
|''patrie''
|''murei''
|''murie''
|''piatè''
|''piatie''
|-
!Objective
|''patren''
|''patrie''
|''muren''
|''murie''
|''piaten''
|''piatie''
|-
!Genitive
|''patri''
|''patriun''
|''muri''
|''murun''
|''piatè''<sup>1</sup>
|''piaton''<sup>1</sup>
|-
!Vocative
|''patre''
|''patrie''
|''mure''
|''murie''
|''piatè''<sup>1</sup>
|''piatie''
|}
#The endings somewhat differ when the word is inherited from Ancient Greek.
=====Second Declension=====
The '''second declension''' inflects nouns from the [[w:Latin Declension#Third declension|Latin third declension]], and the [[w:Ancient Greek nouns#Velar- and labial-stems|Ancient Greek velar- and labial-stems]]. It is separated into three sub-declensions.
======Aziò Declension======
This declension is named after the Messinese inherited word for ''[[wiktionary:action|action]]'' from Latin. The old Latin ending was ''-tiō'' and was a noun derived from the verbs' supine, and was most often inherited into other languages in the oblique form: ''-tiōn-'', but Messinese retains the nominative form. These former third declension nouns now ending in '''''-ζιω, -ziò''''' have their own category. 

The Messinese affricatisation of the Latin pronunciation is a unique ocurrence in the language, and has in recent time also been exposed to palatalisation, rendering the pronunciation as /'-t͡ɕjɔ/, always stressed on the last syllable. The words are always of feminine gender.
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 780px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|Translation →
! colspan="6" scope="col"|Feminine
|-
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''relation''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''song, singing''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''mention, recalling''
|-
!Case ↓
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
|-
!Nominative
|''reyaziò''
|''reyaziòne''
|''canziò''
|''canziòne''
|''menziò''
|''menziòne''
|-
!Objective
|''reyaziòn''
|''reyaziòne''
|''canziòn''
|''canziòne''
|''menziòn''
|''menziòne''
|-
!Genitive
|''reyaziònei''
|''reyaziònou''
|''canziònei''
|''canziònou''
|''menziònei''
|''menziònou''
|-
!Vocative
|''reyaziò''
|''reyaziòne''
|''canziò''
|''canziòne''
|''menziò''
|''menziòne''
|}

======Nomei Declension======
This declension is named after the Messinese word for ''name'', inherited from the Latin [[w:Latin declension|third declension]] noun ''nomen''. The Latin nominative form is the source of words such as ''nome'', while the  oblique forms the rest of the declension, in this case ''nomin-''. The /i/ proved unstable in Messinese, and it collapsed into '''''nomn-''''', and so was the case with many similar nouns.

It also includes the somewhat malplaced neuter nouns, with the oblique stem ''-er-'', which has formed ''-r-'' in Messinese.

Please note that all nouns of this declension are either masculine or neuter.

{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="width: 780px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|Translation →
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Masculine
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Neuter
! colspan="2" scope="col"|Neuter
|-
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''man''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''name''
! colspan="2" scope="col"|''sex, gender''
|-
!Case ↓
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Singular
!scope="col" style="width: 150px; "|Plural
|-
!Nominative
|''uomo''
|''uomne''
|''nomei''
|''nomna''
|''genou''
|''genra''
|-
!Objective
|colspan="2"|''uomne''
|''nomne''
|''nomna''
|''genre''
|''genra''
|-
!Genitive
|''uomnei''
|''uomnou''
|''nomnei''
|''nomnou''
|''genrei''
|''genrou''
|-
!Vocative
|''uome''
|''uomne''
|''nome''
|''nomna''
|''genou''
|''genra''
|}

==Verbs==
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! colspan="1" | &nbsp;
! Perfective
! Imperfective 
! Retrospective
|-
! Future
| colspan="2" | [[Messinese#Future|Future]]|| [[Messinese#Future perfect|Future perfect]]
|-
! Present
| colspan="2" | [[Messinese#Present|Present]] || [[Messinese#Perfect|Perfect]]
|-
! Past
| [[Messinese#Preterite|Preterite]] || [[Messinese#Imperfect|Imperfect]]|| [[Messinese#Plusquamperfect|Plusquamperfect]]
|-
|}




{| class="bluetable lightbluebg collapsible collapsible" style="background: none repeat scroll ; text-align: center; width: 66%; height: 100%;"
! colspan="8" |First Conjugation
|-
| colspan="3" |From Latin [[wiktionary:canto#Latin|''canto'']], cantare.
| colspan="2" |''cantá''
| colspan="3" |To sing.
|-
! colspan="2" |Gerund
! colspan="6" |Gerundive
|-
| colspan="2"|''cantá''
| colspan="2"|''cantandou''
|colspan="2"|''cantanda''
|colspan="2"|''cantando''
|-
! colspan="8" |Participles<sup>1</sup>
|-
! colspan="2" |Active
| colspan="3"|''cantans''
| colspan="3"|''cantante''
|-
! colspan="2" |Passive
| colspan="3"|''cantatou''
| colspan="3"|''cantata''
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Person
! colspan="3" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Singular
! colspan="3" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Plural
|-
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|3<sup>rd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|3<sup>rd</sup>
|-
! rowspan="10" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Indicative
! style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
| style="width: 12%;"|
|-
! colspan="7" style="height: 3px;" |Simple
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Present
|''cantou''
|''cantá''
|''canta''
|''cantamo''
|''cantate''
|''cantan''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Preterite
|''canzou''
|''canzá''
|''canza''
|''canzamo''
|''canzate''
|''canzan''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Imperfect
| colspan="3"|''cantaba''
|''cantábamo''
|''cantábate''
|''cantaban''
|-
! colspan="7" style="height: 3px;" |Complex
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Future
|''cantabou''
|''cantabei''
|''cantabè''
|''cantábimo''
|''cantábitè''
|''cantaboun''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Perfect
|''canté''
|''cantaustei''
|''cantá''
|''cantaumo''
|''cantaustè''
|''cantaroun''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Pluperfect
| colspan="3"|''cantaura''
|''cantáuramo''
|''cantáuratè''
|''cantauran''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Future Perfect
|''cantaurou''
|''cantaurei''
|''cantaurè''
|''cantáuremo''
|''cantáuretè''
|''cantaurin''
|-
! rowspan="9" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Subjunctive
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Person
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|3<sup>rd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
! style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|3<sup>rd</sup>
|-
! colspan="7" style="height: 3px;" |Simple
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Present
|''cante''
|''cantei''
|''cante''
|''cantemo''
|''cantetè''
|''canten''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Imperfect
| colspan="3"|''cantá''
|''cantáremo''
|''cantáretè''
|''cantaren''
|-
! colspan="7" style="height: 3px;"|Complex
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Future
| colspan="6"|Use the present subjunctive of '''vou''' followed by '''cantatou''' ''m/n'' or '''cantata''' ''f''.
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Perfect
| colspan="6"|Use the present subjunctive of '''abei''' followed by '''cantatou''' ''m/n'' or '''cantata''' ''f''.
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Pluperfect
| colspan="6"|Use the past subjunctive of '''abei''' followed by '''cantatou''' ''m/n'' or '''cantata''' ''f''.
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Future Perfect
| colspan="6"|Use the future perfect of '''vou''' followed by '''cantatou''' ''m/n'' or '''cantata''' ''f''.
|-
! rowspan="5" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Imperative
|-
! rowspan="1" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Number
! colspan="2" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Singular
! colspan="4" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Plural
|-
! rowspan="1" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Person
! colspan="1" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! colspan="1" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
! colspan="2" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|1<sup>st</sup>
! colspan="2" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|2<sup>nd</sup>
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Affirmative
|! colspan="1"|''cante''
|! colspan="1"|''canta''
|! colspan="2"|''cantemo''
|! colspan="2"|''cantatè''
|-
! style="height: 3px;"|Negative
|! colspan="1"|''men cante''
|! colspan="1"|''men cantá''
|! colspan="2"|''men cantáremo''
|! colspan="2"|''men cantáretè''
|-
! colspan="8" style="background: rgb(204, 204, 204);"|Notes
|-
| colspan="8"|<sup>1</sup>The participle genders are'' masculine/neuter'' and ''feminine''.
|}

{{Me-conj-á|fabulo|haby|To say, talk}}

==Vocabulary==

{{Kinship
|PaternalGrandMother=
|PaternalGrandFather=
|MaternalGrandMother=
|MaternalGrandFather=
|PaternalAuntsHusband=
|PaternalAunt=
|PaternalUnclesWife=
|PaternalUncle=
|Father=
|Mother=
|PaternalTwinUnclesWife=
|PaternalTwinUncle=
|PaternalYoungerUnclesWife=
|PaternalYoungerUncle=
|PaternalOlderUnclesWife=
|PaternalOlderUncle=
|PaternalTwinAuntsHusband=
|PaternalTwinAunt=
|PaternalYoungerAuntsHusband=
|PaternalYoungerAunt=
|PaternalOlderAuntsHusband=
|PaternalOlderAunt=
|MaternalTwinUnclesWife=
|MaternalTwinUncle=
|MaternalYoungerUnclesWife=
|MaternalYoungerUncle=
|MaternalOlderUnclesWife=
|MaternalOlderUncle=
|MaternalTwinAuntsHusband=
|MaternalTwinAunt=
|MaternalYoungerAuntsHusband=
|MaternalYoungerAunt=
|MaternalOlderAuntsHusband=
|MaternalOlderAunt=
|PaternalTwinUnclesSon=
|PaternalTwinUnclesDaughter=
|PaternalYoungerUnclesSon=
|PaternalYoungerUnclesDaughter=
|PaternalOlderUnclesSon=
|PaternalOlderUnclesDaughter=
|PaternalTwinAuntsSon=
|PaternalTwinAuntsDaughter=
|PaternalYoungerAuntsSon=
|PaternalYoungerAuntsDaughter=
|PaternalOlderAuntsSon=
|PaternalOlderAuntsDaughter=
|MaternalTwinUnclesSon=
|MaternalTwinUnclesDaughter=
|MaternalYoungerUnclesSon=
|MaternalYoungerUnclesDaughter=
|MaternalOlderUnclesSon=
|MaternalOlderUnclesDaughter=
|MaternalTwinAuntsSon=
|MaternalTwinAuntsDaughter=
|MaternalYoungerAuntsSon=
|MaternalYoungerAuntsDaughter=
|MaternalOlderAuntsSon=
|MaternalOlderAuntsDaughter=
|Sister=
|Self=
|Husband=
|Wife=
|LittleSister=
|TwinSister=
|BigSister=
|BigBrother=
|TwinBrother=
|LittleBrother=
|LittleSistersHusband=
|TwinSistersHusband=
|BigSistersHusband=
|BigBrothersWife=
|TwinBrothersWife=
|LittleBrothersWife=
|MaternalAuntsSon=
|MaternalAuntsDaughter=
|MaternalUnclesSon=
|MaternalUnclesDaughter=
|HusbandSon=
|HusbandDaughter=
|WifeSon=
|WifeDaughter=
|TwinSisterNiece=
|TwinSisterNephew=
|LittleSisterNiece=
|LittleSisterNephew=
|BigSisterNiece=
|BigSisterNephew=
|TwinBrotherNiece=
|TwinBrotherNephew=
|LittleBrotherNiece=
|LittleBrotherNephew=
|BigBrotherNiece=
|BigBrotherNephew=
}}

==Swadesh list==

{{Swadesh
|language= Messinese
|nativename= Messinèsa
|I= eu
|you (singular)= tou
|he= autou
|we= nou
|you (plural)= vou
|they= autoi
|this= stou
|that= accuyei
|here= accuí
|there= ibuí
|who= cui
|what= cuo
|where= pou
|when= cuando
|how= cuomo
|not= non
|all= tòtou
|many=mutou
|some= aicui
|few= pauco
|other= autrei
|one= ena
|two= dui
|three= trìa
|four= cuattrou
|five= cuince
|big= megá
|long= macrá
|wide= piato
|thick= dento
|heavy= bariá
|small= micró
|short= corto
|narrow= strata
|thin= tenuò
|woman= gyna
|man (adult male)= andra
|Man (human being)= uomo
|child= phiyou
|wife= murei
|husband= andra
|mother= matrei
|father= patrei
|animal= animá
|fish= chthui
|bird= ave
|dog= cane
|louse= pedica
|snake= angui
|worm= serpéns
|tree= arbó
|forest= dáso
|stick= ziò
|fruit= phrouta
|seed= semna
|leaf= phoyou
|root= riza
|bark= phioyo
|flower= phioro
|grass= antho
|rope= trichiá
|skin= derma
|meat= crea
|blood= sangui
|bone= ostó
|fat (n.)= yipo
|egg= ovou
|horn= corna
|tail= oura
|feather= piuma
|hair= peyou
|head= cephá
|ear=  aurica
|eye= oca
|nose= nasou
|mouth= stòma
|tooth= dens
|tongue= giòssa
|fingernail= nychè
|foot= pou
|leg= crou
|knee= gonou
|hand= cherè
|wing= penna
|belly= stomachè
|guts= entou
|neck= coyou
|back= piatè
|breast= mamya
|heart= karziá
|liver= zon
|drink= bibei
|eat= edei
|bite= dangena
|suck= sugei
|spit= spuei
|vomit= vomei
|blow= phiá
|breathe= spirá
|laugh= gevena
|see= vei
|hear= aui
|know= sapei
|think= rheò
|smell= odró
|fear= phobasai
|sleep= dormasai
|live= zòna
|die= muorió
|kill= phonena
|fight= machosai
|hunt= kynègena
|hit= battei
|cut= secá
|split= schizena
|stab= puná
|scratch= scaupei
|dig= scabena
|swim= natá
|fly (v.)= petona
|walk= spazió
|come= venèi
|lie= yacá
|sit= cathèsai
|stand= stásai
|turn= girá
|fall= caei
|give= dá
|hold= cratena
|squeeze= strenei
|rub= tribena
|wash= pienena
|wipe= tregei
|pull= trabena
|push= trudei
|throw= yacei
|tie= denena
|sew= suei
|count= metrena
|say= dicei
|sing= cantá
|play= yocá
|float= boyá
|flow= rhena
|freeze= giayá
|swell= tourgei
|sun= sóu
|moon= seinè
|star= astrou
|water= accua
|rain= brecha
|river= rhivou
|lake= yimnè
|sea= tháyassa
|salt= sá
|stone= petra
|sand= arena
|dust= sconè
|earth= gia
|cloud= nimphou
|fog= neba
|sky= ouranou
|wind= ventou
|snow= chion
|ice= pagou
|smoke= capnou
|fire= pyra
|ashes= ánthraca
|burn= cauma
|road= via
|mountain= mons
|red= rhythro
|green= virens
|yellow= phiavens
|white= asprou
|black= nigrans
|night= nychta
|day= die
|year= annou
|warm= zesto
|cold= cryo
|full= pieno
|new= neo
|old= payo
|good= cau
|bad= mau
|rotten= putro
|dirty= scuau
|straight= reito
|round= girou
|sharp= ozýo
|dull= brouto
|smooth= yenè
|wet= oumens
|dry= sicca
|correct= ortho
|near= prozime
|far= macriá
|right= ortho
|left= aristerá
|at= at
|in=in
|with=metá
|and=cai
|if=sei
|because=porcuo
|name=nomei
}}

==Example texts==
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="wikitable article-table" style="width: 500px; text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"|For a Girl
! colspan="1" scope="col"|Messinese
! colspan="1" scope="col"|English
|-
| colspan="1" scope="col"|
'''''Prou e'nina''' tanto hormosa''<br>
''ániman emóu vou na dá''<br>
''en cutiyou cun dio yamnou''<br>
''emóu carziá intraba.''<br>
''Men me mirá; sto yorans,''<br>
''e cantandon ce cuaisou,''<br>
''o gauzia 'mou e tanto gran''<br>
''non tá possou subportá.''<br>
''Men tá gauzia 'sou tenei tou, hica''<br>
''prou ei auba cuomo chia,''<br>
''mage abè en' osscurio hica''<br>
''cuai cremaroun a carziá 'mou.''
| colspan="1" scope="col"|
'''''For a girl''' so beautiful''<br>
''I will give my soul''<br>
''a double-edged knife''<br>
''pierced my heart. ''<br>
''Don't look at me; I am crying,''<br>
''it is singing that I want,''<br>
''my joy is but so great''<br>
''I cannot bear it. ''<br>
''Don't withhold your joy, young girl,''<br>
''for you are white like snow,''<br>
''but there's a darker girl''<br>
''who set fire to my heart.''

|-
|}

{{Waahlis}}