Af Mexee: Difference between revisions

-->

==Introduction==

'''Af Mexee dhehti''' (or '''Af Mexee''' for short) is a Somali condialect. The term ''Mexee dhehti'' means "What did you say?" and is used to differentiate ''Af Mexee'' from dialects such as ''Af Maxaa (tiri)'' (regular Somali) and ''Af Maay''. However, since it is a Somali dialect, Af Mexee speakers refer to their language simply as ''Af Soomaali''.

Af Mexee is probably mutually intelligible with Af Maxaa (I haven't tested it out though). It's mostly a fun way to improve my Somali, both in terms of my ability to use it and understanding its historical development and dialectal variation.

==Phonology==

===Prosody===

====Stress====

====Intonation====

e.g. ''wâa'' + ''taghi'' → ''wáa taghi''

:''wâa'' + ''tághi'' → ''waa tághi''

===Phonotactics===

<!-- Explain the consonant clusters and vowel clusters that are permissible for use in the language. For example, "st" is an allowed consonant cluster in English while onset "ng" isn't. -->

The consonants that can be geminated at syllable boundaries are: ''m, n, l,'' and ''r''.

The consonants '' ', b, x, kh, d, r, s, sh, c, g, f, q, l, n,'' and ''h'' occur syllable-finally. The consonants ''p, ch, t, th, gh, k, m'' and ''ny'' cannot occur syllable-finally (although there are exceptions for ''t'', ''k'', and ''m''). They undergo the following neutralizations:

===Morphophonology===

====Sandhi====

At morpheme boundaries, the following changes occur (for endings beginning in a consonant, these changes apply ''after'' syllable-final neutralizations):

'''t (2nd person/feminine endings, middle voice, definite article/modifiers):'''

* dropped after -<i>', x, kh, c, g, q, h</i>

* ''k → h'' after final ''-a, e, o'' (which then assimilate to the following vowel)

'''s (middle causative)'''

'''Vowels'''

*Unstressed vowels are often dropped before vowel-initial endings if it will not violate phonotactics.

:Sometimes metathesis is involved.

==Morphology==

! Stressed !! Unstressed !! Subject¹ !! Object² !! + ún !! + ká !! + kú !! + lá   

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|}

<small>⁴</small> Used for impersonal passive. Although it is technically a subject pronoun, it behaves as an object pronoun (but always comes before any true object pronouns).

====K/T Pronouns====

====Interrogatives====

*''goórma'' "when"

*''áyo'' "who"

===Nouns===

e.g. <i>'''Gacánti''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hand (i.e. each person raised a hand; hand is in singular).

:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hands (i.e. each person raised both hands; hand is in short plural).

:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' la taaghi.</i> = The hands (of a single person; hand is in short plural) were raised.

===Particles===

*Possessives (see [[Af Mexee#Personal Pronouns|Personal Pronouns]])

*Demonstratives:

*Interrogative:

***Causes any high tones in the word to be dropped.

**''-ma'': which (not a k/t determiner, but might as well include it here)

====Negation Particles====

The negation particles are ''mâ, an, hâ,'' and ''yâa''. Each of these serves a different function.

**''mâ'' + ''an(an)'' → ''mâan(an)'' (for ''(an)'', see the next point)

**''mâ'' + ''ad/athan'' → ''mâad/máathan''

**''an'' is also used as the sole negation particle in subordinate clauses. Since negation is shown on the verb, it is also optional here. e.g. ''ninkii (an) af soomaali aqiin'' "the man who does not know Somali". Note that in this usage, ''an'' prefers clause-initial position (although something like ''ninkii af soomaali <b>an</b> aqiin'' would not be incorrect).

*''hâ'' is used in the negative imperative. e.g. ''ha bíxin'' "don't leave".

====Focus Particles====

*''wâa'' optionally precedes a main affirmative verb. It puts emphasis on the verb.

:e.g. ''ninki bixi'' "the man left"; ''ninki <b>wáa</b> bixi'' "the man ''left''"

:::''ín us taghó <b>ahaayti</b>'' "he should have gone" (literally: "it was that he go").

*''wixi'' is used before a main verb when the object follows the verb, allowing for a SVO word order. It literally means ''the thing''. It places emphasis on the object.

:*The interrogative equivalent of ''wixi'' is ''mixi''.

:*''wixi'' and ''mixi'' can combine to clitic subjects as follows:

::*''wixi'' + ''an'' → ''waxan''

::*''wixi'' + ''isin'' → ''wixisin''

::*''wixi'' + ''isho'' → ''wixisho''

*''wixi'' can be combined with ''âa'' to form ''waxâa'', which is used when the subject follows the verb (allowing for OVS word order). It places emphasis on the subject.

:*The interrogative equivalent of ''waxâa'' is ''maxâa''.

*To make a sentence without a focus particle interrogative, the particle ''mâ'' (not to be confused with the homonymous negative particle) is placed before the verb in the indicative. ''mâ'' can combine to clitic subjects as the homonymous negative particle does (but without the ''-an'').

:e.g. ''ninki <b>má</b> taghi?'' "did the man go?"

:*For a negative interrogative, the regular negative form of the verb is preceded by the particle ''soẃ''.

::e.g. ''ninki <b>soẃ</b> ma taghín?'' "didn't the man go?"

===Adjectives===

Adjectives in Af Mexee are technically verbs. Unlike other verbs, they do not vary according to gender. However, they are conjugated for time and person (following the adjectival conjugation). When used with a noun, they always have a final high tone due to being in the subjunctive (see [[#Dependent clauses|Dependent clauses]] for more information).

Adjectives can be reduplicated and/or take [[Af Mexee/Verbs#Class III: Adjectival Conjugation|adjectival conjugation]] endings to show plurality, or the singular forms may be used.

For more information, see [[Af Mexee/Verbs#Class III: Adjectival Conjugation|Af Mexee/Verbs § Class III: Adjectival Conjugation]]

===Verbs===

''Main article: [[Af Mexee/Verbs]]''

==Syntax==

===Noun phrase===

* Adjectives and determiners other than cardinal numbers come after the noun.

* The definite article and other suffixed determiners attach to the noun unless it is preceded by a cardinal number, in which case they attach to the number.

* Possessive phrases can be formed in two ways:

::a)  Genitive construction

::b)  Possessive determiner

===Verb phrase===

*Bini aathanki dhammaantisho wixi ish dhachaan isho oo xor eh kana siman xagi sharafti ii xuquuqi. Ilaahi wixi us sho siishi wacyi ii damiir, waana in qof walba qofki kale si walaalnimo eh suula dhaqmo.

A not-so-accurate attempt at indicating vowel frontedness and tone (acute = high tone, umlaut = front, no accent = back + low tone):

Gloss:

*Mankind.<small>NOM</small>-the entirety-their <small>OBJFOC</small> they are_born.<small>3P</small> they <small>REL</small> free.<small>ABS</small> being.<small>3</small> in-and equal.<small>3</small> side-the dignity.<small>GEN</small>-the and rights.<small>GEN</small>-the. God.<small>NOM</small> <small>OBJFOC</small> he them gave.<small>3S</small> reason.<small>ABS</small> and conscience.<small>ABS</small>, <small>VBFOCUS</small>-and that person.<small>NOM</small> every person.<small>ABS</small>-the other way.<small>ABS</small> brotherhood.<small>GEN</small> being him-for-with act.<small>SBJV</small>.

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

[[Category:Languages]]

[[Category:Cushitic languages]]