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Kunesian: Difference between revisions

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In addition, there are three stressed diphthongs: /aɨ̯/, /ei̯/ and /ɔɨ̯/.
In addition, there are four stressed diphthongs: /aɨ̯/, /ei̯/, /ɔɨ̯/ and /aʉ̯/. /aʉ̯/ only appears in the word /kʰáʉ̯/ "swamp", where it contrasts with /kʰáɨ̯/ "he, she".


In unstressed syllables, only /ɐ e ɨ ʊ/ and sometimes /əɨ̯/ occur. However, /əɨ̯/ merges with /ɨ/ for some speakers.
In unstressed syllables, only /ɐ e ɨ ʊ/ and sometimes /əɨ̯/ occur. However, /əɨ̯/ merges with /ɨ/ for some speakers.
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===Sandhi===
===Sandhi===
A few phonological processes take place at word boundaries:
* Unaccented final vowels are lost if the following word begins with a vowel: ''nitote ad'' /ɲýt͡ɕe à/ --> [ɲýt͡ɕà].
* /ɰ/ at the beginning of a word is dropped if the preceding word ends in a consonant, leaving creaky voice: ''eras hai'' /ǽɾɐs ɰáɨ̯/ --> [ǽɾɐ̄sá̰ɨ̯].
* Final /x/ contracts with a following dorsal consonant to /ɾχ/ or /ɾç/: ''gor kolu'' /gʌ̰̀x kólʊ/ --> [gʌ̰̀ɾχólʊ̄].


==Orthography==
==Orthography==
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In addition, some nouns exclusively, or almost exclusively, occur with one particular particle, such as ''gâlo kem'' "poison", with just ''gâlo'' being ungrammatical outside the phrase ''gâlo nênte'' "to poison".
In addition, some nouns exclusively, or almost exclusively, occur with one particular particle, such as ''gâlo kem'' "poison", with just ''gâlo'' being ungrammatical outside the phrase ''gâlo nênte'' "to poison".
Nominal classifiers and their meanings include:
* ''ap'': people
* ''itu'': food
* ''nô'': buildings and other human constructions
* ''at'': language, speech
* ''ils'': day, light
* ''oko'': night, darkness
* ''hêkai'': nature, weather conditions
* ''ira'': big things
* ''lid'': small things, small quantities
* ''tai'': large quantities
* ''ere'': old things
* ''e'': good things
* ''kem'': bad things
* ''sio'': despective
* ''pe'': beautiful things
* ''ad'': something similar, usually occurs in lexicalised combinations
* ''tod'': places and times, frequently forms adverbials
* ''nai'': abstract, can be used very freely to derive nouns from adjectives and verbs
* ''ô'': no clear meaning, only occurs in certain fixed combinations such as ''harid ô'' "knot" and ''sanap ô'' "family"


===Plural===
===Plural===
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| gloss = PL house CL(many)
| gloss = PL house CL(many)
| translation = houses, many houses, a village
| translation = houses, many houses, a village
}}
Plurals are also used when making general statements.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Ti nilaip nok nipu.
| IPA = /t͡ɕí ɲílɨp nʌ̀k ɲýpʊ/
| gloss = PL apple GNOM red
| translation = Apples are red.
}}
}}


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===Adjectives===
===Adjectives===
Adjectives are placed before the nouns they modify and are often combined with a classifier with a similar meaning. They can be intensified by reduplication.
{{Gloss
| phrase = sai mela ere
| IPA = /sáɨ̯ mʲélɐ ǽɾe/
| gloss = old man CL(old)
| translation = an old man
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = ara ara akko pe
| IPA = /áɾɐ áɾɐ àkɐ p͡çé/
| gloss = handsome handsome boy CL(beautiful)
| translation = a very handsome boy
}}
Comparisons are expressed using the relation particle ''anku''. One can distinguish three types of comparisons:
* Equality, expressed with a single adjective
* "More than", expressed with a reduplicated adjective
* "Less than", expressed with the negative particle ''ku''.
{{Gloss
| phrase = <font color="green">Paki</font> mela ira kigat <font color="green">anku</font>.
| IPA = /pʰǽc͡çɨ mʲélɐ íɾɐ c͡çìgɐt à̰ŋkɨ/
| gloss = big man CL(big) tiger as
| translation = The man is <font color="green">as big as</font> a tiger.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = <font color="green">Zata zata</font> tôla pattu <font color="green">anku</font>.
| IPA = /d͡záθɐ d͡záθɐ tòlɐ pʰàtʊ à̰ŋkɨ/
| gloss = strong strong sun wind as
| translation = The sun is <font color="green">stronger than</font> the wind.
}}
{{Gloss
| phrase = <font color="green">Ku laipi</font> no paik <font color="green">anku</font>.
| IPA = /kɯ́ láɨ̯p͡çɨ nʌ́ pʰɯ́k à̰ŋkɨ/
| gloss = NEG smart 1SG.SUBJ 2SG.OBJ as
| translation = I'm <font color="green">not as smart as</font> you.
}}


==Pronouns==
==Pronouns==
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The powers of twelve are ''pinai'' (144), ''belu'' (1728) and ''ilarai'' (20736).
The powers of twelve are ''pinai'' (144), ''belu'' (1728) and ''ilarai'' (20736).
The first two ordinals are ''hiôla'' "first" and ''mahai'' "second". Other ordinals are expressed as numeral - mahai:
* tara mahai = third
* naike irek sinai mahai = fifty-fourth


==Verbs==
==Verbs==
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===Compound verbs===
===Compound verbs===
Instead of a single verb root a verbal phrase may also contain several roots after one another. In such cases the first root is the main root while the following one(s) modify it. Many verbs have slightly different meanings than normally when used in such compounds. For example, ''nuli'', which usually means "to see", means "to intend" in compounds.
{{Gloss
| phrase = No baistak nuli ôno lsi.
| IPA = /nʌ́ bàɨ̯stɐk núʎɨ ónɐ θì/
| gloss = 1SG.SUBJ leave intend morning rise
| translation = I intend to leave tomorrow.
}}
Somewhat relatedly, many combinations of verbs and nouns also have idiomatic meanings. An example is ''qotte nênte'' "to interrupt", which literally means "to carry a wall".
{{Gloss
| phrase = Es nerep lai, hêtai no qotte nênte.
| IPA = /èɕ ɲéɾep láɨ̯, jèθəɨ̯ nʌ́ qʰʌ̀t͡ɕe nḛ̀t͡ɕe/
| gloss = DYN speak PST.INC, but 1SG.SUBJ wall carry
| translation = He started to speak, but I interrupted him.
}}


==Word order==
==Word order==
The basic word order of Kunesian is SOV.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Kigat allai peste.
| IPA = /c͡çìgɐt àləɨ̯ p͡çèɕːe/
| gloss = tiger rat eat
| translation = The tiger eats a rat.
}}
Adverbs are usually placed at the end.
{{Gloss
| phrase = No nok naito nhaiki.
| IPA = /nʌ́ nʌ̀k náɨ̯θɐ ŋáɨ̯c͡çɨ/
| gloss = 1SG.SUBJ GNOM speak quick
| translation = I speak quickly.
}}
Deviations from the default word order are common. Often one part of the sentence is topicalised, which causes it to be moved to the very beginning of the sentence.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Allai te kigat peste.
| IPA = /àləɨ̯ t͡ɕé c͡çìgɐt p͡çèɕːe/
| gloss = rat 3SG.OBJ tiger eat
| translation = The rat is eaten by a tiger.
}}


==Complex sentences==
==Complex sentences==
Complex sentences are formed by means of various subordinating and coordinating particles.
===''Ed''===
The particle ''ed'' generally indicates that a subordinate clause follows the main clause.
{{Gloss
| phrase = No te <font color="green">ed</font> nerep ku, ku ama naira.
| IPA = /nʌ́ t͡ɕé è ɲǽɾep kɯ́, kɯ́ ámɐ náɨ̯ɾɐ/
| gloss = 1SG.SUBJ 3SG.OBJ SUB say PST, NEG that know
| translation = I've told him <font color="green">that</font> I don't know that.
}}
It can also be followed by a noun phrase rather than an entire sentence.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Nanak hêkai ama <font color="green">ed</font> setai, nezu nitote ad.
| IPA = /nánɐk jèkəɨ̯ ámɐ è ɕéθɨ, ɲǿd͡zʊ ɲýt͡ɕe à/
| gloss = snow CL(nature) that SUB be, cold rain CL(similar)
| translation = Snow is a kind of cold rain.
}}
===''Man''===
''Man'' indicates a conditional clause. It is placed at the very end of the clause.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Haiwi tede <font color="green">man</font> nok qiwise tire.
| IPA = /ɰɔ́ɨ̯jɨ t͡ɕḛ̀ màn nʌ̀k qʰýɕe t͡ɕíɾe/
| gloss = beer drink if GNOM drunk FUT
| translation = <font color="green">If</font> you drink beer, you get drunk.
}}
It is used more often than "if" in English, and may sometimes better be translated using a relative clause.
{{Gloss
| phrase = Nilaip lino minte, no ne peste ku <font color="green">man</font>.
| IPA = /ɲílɨp ʎínɐ mʲḭ̀t͡ɕe, nʌ́ ɲé p͡çèɕːe kɯ́ màn/
| gloss = apple tongue confuse, 1SG.SUBJ TEL eat PST if
| translation = The apple I just ate tasted weird.
}}
===''Heh''===
===Other particles===


==Sample==
==Sample==


[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Languages]]
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