GRAMMAR
I. VERBAL MORPHOLOGY
The Cheians consider verbs to be the most important kind of words. They are never omitted in and they can carry clitic pronouns.
They are inflected in person and number (Singular, Paucal [referring to a small countable group of less than 12 things], Plural), and there are three Voices (Active, Mediopassive and Reflexive, though the latter one is defective).
There are three tenses (present, perfect and future), and one subjunctive mood.
There are two classes of regular verbs (consonant conjugation and ‘a’-conjugation), and a plenty of irregular ones.
The basic form of each verb is the active infinitive, that ends in ‘ie’ at the consonant stems, and ‘aye’ at the ‘a’-stems.
Most irregular verbs belong to the consonant conjugation, too.
1.1. Present tense
The present tense refers to actions in the present, as well as universal statements. These are the endings of the present tense of regular verbs.
|
|
consonant conjugation |
a – conjugation | ||||
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
Infinitive |
férie |
féreta |
|
ondaye |
ondata |
|
|
|
to give |
to be given |
(to give oneself) |
to collect/ gather sth. |
to gather, to assemble |
(to gather onself) |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
féra |
ferande/ ferenyada |
ferenye |
onda |
ondanyada |
feranye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
féris |
feriste |
|
ondas |
ondaste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
fére |
fereta |
feréze |
onda |
ondata |
feráze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
férumen |
ferúmeda |
|
ondumen |
ondúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
fereíon |
fereyunde |
|
ondaíon |
ondayunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
féron |
ferunde |
|
ondadon |
ondunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
férimen |
ferémeda |
|
ondamen |
ondameda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
férasse |
feréseda |
|
ondasse |
ondaseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
féren |
ferende |
|
ondana |
ondande |
|
The reflexive voice has only retained distinct forms for the 1 & 3. Person Sg., the other forms are supplied by the mediopassive.
1.1.2. Verbs with irregular present paradigmas
The following verbs have got some differing forms in the present paradigm, mostly due to alternating stems:
1. ‚aisie’ (to release, to solve, to deliver) alternates between the regular ‘a’-stem ‘asya-’ and the consonant stem ‘ais-‘
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
aisa |
asyanyada |
asyanye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
ayes |
asyaste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
ayes |
asyata, aista |
asyáze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
aisumen |
asyúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
asyaíon |
asyayunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
asyadon |
asyunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
asyamen |
asyameda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
asyasse |
asyaseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
aisen |
asyande |
|
The following composita are inflected in the same way:
apaisie – to dissolve, to release
eξaisie – to remove, to take away
panaisie - to redeem, to save, to deliver
2. ‚cúye’ (to say). The stem ‘cu’ turns into ‘qu-‘ in front of a vowel. mediopassive reflexive 1. P. Sg. – I qua quande quenyada quenye 2. P. Sg. – You quis quiste 3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It cú cúda cúze 1. P. Pc. – We cúmen cúmeda 2. P. Pc. – You queíon queyunde 3. P. Pc. – They cúon cunde 1. P. Pl. – We cúmen cúmeda 2. P. Pl. – You quasse cúseda 3. P. Pl. – They quen, cúna quende
active
The following composita are inflected in the same way:
lincúye – to convince, to persuade
vacúye – to defend/ to support (with words)
mecúye – to correspond, to agree
secúye – to utter, to pronounce
úzacúye – to lie
3. ‘sãye’ (to be (situated), to stand [like the Spanish ‘estar’])
The stem is ‘SAKH’, but it’s contracted in most forms.
The Singular and the paucal has got active forms, while the plural has got medial forms.
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
sã |
- |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
saxxis |
- |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
sã |
- |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
saxxumen |
- |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
saxxeíon |
- |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
saxxon |
- |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
- |
sãmeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
- |
sãseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
- |
sãnde |
4. ‘seiye’ (to leave, to go away) alternates between the stems ‘SEI’ and ‘SEΔ’
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
séδa |
seδande seδenyada |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
seyes |
seδiste |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
seye |
seida |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
séδumen |
seδúmeda |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
seδeíon |
seδeyunde |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
seyon |
seyunde |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
seimen |
seímeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
seδasse |
seíseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
seyen, seina |
seyende |
The following compositum are inflected in the same way:
auseiye - to disappear (completely)
5. ‚gωye’ ((act.) to cause, to make; (med.) to must, to have to, to urge).
There are two alternating stems ‘GÔ’ and ‘ANGW-’ (<@GHUA)
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
angwa |
angwande angwenyada |
angwenye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
gωyes |
angwiste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
gω |
gωda |
gωze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
angúmen |
angúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
angweíon |
angweyunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
gωyon |
angunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
gωmen |
gωmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
angwasse |
gωseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
gωna, angωna |
angwende |
|
The following composita are inflected in the same way:
sungωye – to carry through, to accomplish
megωye – to interfere, to meddle in sth.
6. ‚ónie’ (to want)
Some forms are formed by the extended stem ‘ONU-’ instead of ‘ON’. There are no mediopassive forms.
|
|
active |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
onwa |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
ónis |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
óno, ón |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
onúmen |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
oneíon |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
ónon |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
ónumen |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
onwasse |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
onwen |
7. ‘séta’ ((med.) to be used to, to be accustomed) contracts in some form
The corresponding active form is the regular ‘a’-stem ‘sénaye’ (to make so. accustomed with, to acquaint)
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
séna |
sende, senyeda |
senye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
sénas |
seste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
séna |
senda |
senáze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
sénumen |
senúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
senaíon |
senayunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
sénadon |
senunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
sénamen |
sémeda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
senasse |
séseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
sénana |
sende |
|
8. ‘embíe’ (to drink)
Some formes are extended by a prefix.
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
byá |
byande |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
byas |
embiste |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
embí |
embída |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
byúmen |
byúmeda |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
embíon |
embeyunde |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
byón |
byunde |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
embimen |
embímeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
byasse |
embíseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
byen |
byende |
The following composita are inflected in the same way:
embíe – to drink (this compositum never looses the prefix)
aubíe – to drink up, to drain
9. ‚ménie’ (to charge)
There are two alternating stems ‘MEN-’ and ‘MI-‘ (< M@NI)
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
myá, ména |
myande |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
ménis |
meniste |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
mén |
menda |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
myúmen |
myúmeda |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
myeíon |
embeyunde |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
ménon |
myunde |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
mímen |
mímeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
myasse |
míseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
ména |
myende |
The following composita are inflected in the same way:
anaménie/ aménie – to challenge
apaménie – to attack, to assail, to charge
auménie – to structure, to align
eξaménie – to discharge, to solve
yerménie – to charge another time, to recharge
10. ‘voidie’ – (to know)
[is gonna revised]
1.3. Negative forms
All finite verb forms can be negated, by attaching an ‘(u)m’
|
|
consonant conjugation |
a – conjugation | ||||
|
|
active |
active |
active |
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
féram |
ferandem ferenyadam |
ferenyam |
ondam |
ondanyadam |
ondanyem |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
feríum |
feristem |
|
ondáum |
ondastem |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
férem |
feretam |
ferézum |
ondam |
ondatam |
ondázum |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
feruménum |
ferúmedam |
|
onduménum |
ondúmedam |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
fereyónum |
fereyundem |
|
ondayónum |
ondayundem |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
ferónum |
ferundem |
|
ondadónum |
ondundem |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
feriménum |
ferémedam |
|
ondaménum |
ondamedam |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
férassem |
ferésedam |
|
ondassem |
ondasedam |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
ferénum |
ferendem |
|
ondanam |
ondandem |
|
1.3. Past tense
All finite verb forms can be negated, by attaching an ‘(u)m’
1.3.1. Weak Past
Nearly all verbs of the ‘a’-conjugation, and a few consonant verbs containing other consonant clusters than ‘st’ form weak past forms.
The stem remains unchanged, and a new set of personal endings is attached (‘an’ + regular endings).
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
ondana |
ondanyada |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
ondanis |
ondaniste |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
ondan |
ondanta |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
ondánumen |
ondanúmeda |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
ondaneíon |
ondanyunde |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
ondanon |
ondanunde |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
ondánimen |
ondanémeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
ondanasse |
ondanéseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
ωganen |
ωgande |
The 1. P. Sg. med. and the 3. P. Sg. pc. are the same in all tenses.
There are no reflexive weak past forms. Use the mediopassive instead.
1.3.2. Strong Past
Most consonants form strong past forms, consisting of a changed stem (by an ‘n’ – infigation) and the regular set of personal endings.
Thus we can get the following scheme.
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
ferna |
fernande fernenyada |
fernenye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
fernis |
ferniste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
ferne |
ferneta |
fernéze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
fernumen |
fernúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
ferneíon |
ferneyunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
fernon |
fernunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
fernimen |
fernémeda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
fernasse |
fernéseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
fernen |
fernende |
|
In the past tense the stem consonant is changed in the following way.
|
stem consonant |
‘n’ - stem |
Example |
Past |
|
b d g |
mb nd ng |
dηbie (to stay) θádie (to breathe) lógie (to knock) |
dembe θande longe |
|
p t c |
mp nt nc |
cappie (to crack) fatie (to mime) accie (to cut) |
campe fante ance |
|
all verbs ending on a ‘v’ have got irregular past stems | |||
|
δ |
nδ |
quóδie (to rot) |
quunδe |
|
f θ x |
nv nθ ng |
deffie (to protect) noθθie (to bind) rixxie (to smell) |
denve nunθe ringe |
|
m n |
mn nn |
δammie (to shape) θénie (to find) |
δamne θenne |
|
r l |
rn ll |
sarrie (to damage) cálie (to shout) |
sarne calle |
|
st |
nt |
lestie (to hit) |
lente |
|
s |
nz |
pessie (to eat) |
penze |
|
y (< G) |
ng |
váye (to change) |
vange |
This change is accompanied by a shorting of the stem vowels, because there can’t be any long vowels in front of a consonant cluster.
The long, closed vowels ‘η’ [e:] and ‘ω’ [o:] turn to the short open counterparts ‘e’ [E] and ‘o’ [O].
|
stem vowel |
shortened |
Example |
Past |
|
η |
e |
dηbie (to stay) |
dembe |
|
ω |
o |
σωnie (to rule) |
σonne* |
*This form is identical to the present and to the past form of ‘σonnie’ (to deceive).
The few verbs with a diphtong as stem vowel monophtongize that:
|
ai > e |
accairie (to prefer) |
accerne |
|
au > o |
caubie (to bite) |
combe |
The stems without a consonant simply attach an ‘n’, e.g. caiye (to see) > caine.
1.4. Future tense
The past tense refers to an action in the past.
1.4.1. Weak Future
Nearly all verbs of the ‘a’-conjugation, and many consonant verbs form weak future forms.
The stem remains unchanged, and a new set of personal endings is attached (< AS + regular endings).
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
ondã |
ondanyada |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
ondãs |
ondayeste |
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
ondã |
ondasta |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
ondaumen |
ondaúmeda |
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
ondãyon |
ondayunde |
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
ondaston |
ondastunde |
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
ondãmen |
ondãmeda |
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
ondãse |
ondãseda |
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
ondãna |
ondande |
The 1. P. Sg. med. and the 3. P. Sg. pc. are the same in all tenses. The 1. P. Sg. act. is identic with the 3. P. Sg. act.
There are no weak reflexive future forms. Use the mediopassive instead.
The consonant verbs ending on the following consonants form weak future forms: n, r, l, m, θ and s (which are the most frequent stem consonants), and those ending on othe consonant clusters than ‘rg’
1.4.2. Strong Future
Most consonants form strong future forms, consisting of a changed stem (by an ‘s’ – infigation) and the regular set of personal endings.
Thus we can get the following scheme. The example is ‘accie’ (to cut).
|
|
active |
mediopassive |
reflexive |
|
1. P. Sg. – I |
aξa |
aξande aξenyada |
aξenye |
|
2. P. Sg. – You |
aξis |
aξiste |
|
|
3. P. Sg. – He/ She/ It |
aξe |
aξeta |
aξéze |
|
1. P. Pc. – We |
aξumen |
aξúmeda |
|
|
2. P. Pc. – You |
aξeíon |
aξeyunde |
|
|
3. P. Pc. – They |
aξon |
aξunde |
|
|
1. P. Pl. – We |
aξimen |
aξémeda |
|
|
2. P. Pl. – You |
aξasse |
aξéseda |
|
|
3. P. Pl. – They |
aξen |
aξende |
|
In the future tense the stem consonant is changed in the following way.
|
stem consonant |
‘n’ - stem |
Example |
Past |
|
b d g |
ψ z ξ |
dηbie (to stay) θádie (to breathe) lógie (to knock) |
deψe θáze loξe |
|
p t c |
ψ z ξ |
cappie (to crack) fatie (to mime) accie (to cut) |
caψe fáze aξe |
|
all verbs ending on a ‘v’ have got irregular past stems | |||
|
δ |
z |
quóδie (to rot) |
quóze |
|
f x |
sv sx |
deffie (to protect) rixxie (to smell) |
desve risxe |
|
y (< G) |
ξ |
váye (to change) |
vaξe |
|
rg |
rξ |
nergie (to allow) |
nerξe |
Before any ψ, ξ, sv or sx the stem vowel is shortened, because there can’t be any long vowels in front of a consonant cluster.
The few verbs with a diphtong as stem vowel, don’t monophtongize that. (caubie > cauψe!)
The stems without a consonant simply attach an ‘s’, e.g. caiye (to see) > caise.
1.5. The subjunctive
There is also a strong subjunctive and a weak one.
[is gonna follow]
1.6. Special classes of verbs
1.6.1. ‘a’-stems with strong tenses
|
|
infinitive |
|
present |
subjunctive |
future |
past |
|
1. |
ãnaye |
(act.) to lead (med.) to follow |
ãna |
náca |
anã |
anne |
|
2. |
linyágaye |
to begin |
linyága |
linyágaca |
linyagã |
linyange |
|
3. |
inzaye |
to want (polite) |
inza |
- |
inã |
ínan |
|
4. |
maxtaye |
to fight |
maxta |
máco |
maξe |
mance |
|
5. |
pωaye |
to speak, to talk |
pωa |
váro |
pωse |
pωne |
|
6. |
senaye |
to acquaint, to familiarize |
séna |
sηno |
senã |
senne |
|
7. |
umaye |
to can, to be able to |
úma |
- |
umã |
umme |
|
8. |
σηdaye |
to wash, splash |
σηda |
σηdaca |
σηze |
σende |
1. ‘ãnaye’ once was janus-head stem, being inflected like ‘táye’
3. ‘inzaye’ is now rare, the Archeians preferently use ‘ónie’ or ‘accairie’
5. The suppletive ‘váro’ is related with ‘varda’ (language)
1.6.2. Mit 'd' erweiterter Präsensstamm
Der Präsensstamm ist mit einem ‚d’ erweitert, dass in den anderen Formen nicht auftaucht.
|
|
Infinitiv |
|
Präsens |
Subjunctive |
Futur |
past |
|
1. |
goldie |
to press |
golde |
gωlo |
golã |
golle |
|
2. |
paldie |
to throw |
palde |
pálo |
pyáze |
palle |
|
3. |
veldie |
to love |
velde |
vηlo |
velã |
velle |
1.6.3. Verben die einen starken Konjunktiv durch Dehnung bilden
|
|
Infinitiv |
Deutsch |
Präsens |
Konj. |
Futur |
past |
|
1. |
accie |
to cut, to separate |
acce |
ágo |
aξe |
ance |
|
2. |
ballie |
to block |
balle |
bálo |
ballã |
balle |
|
3. |
burrie |
to kill |
burre |
búro |
burrã |
burne |
|
4. |
byattie |
to burst, to break |
byatte |
byádo |
byáze |
beante |
|
5. |
candie |
to veil, to cover |
cande |
cáδo |
canze |
canδe |
|
6. |
cappie |
to crack |
cappe |
cábo |
caψe |
campe |
|
7. |
cattie |
to tear |
catte |
cádo |
cáze |
cante |
|
8. |
deffie |
to protect |
deffe |
dηvo |
desve |
denve |
|
9. |
effie |
to walk, to go |
effe |
ηvo |
esve |
enve |
|
10. |
fangie |
to sway |
fange |
fágo |
fanξe |
fange |
|
11. |
férie |
to give |
fére |
fηro |
ferã |
ferne |
|
12. |
gattie |
to run, to hurry |
gatte |
gádo |
gáze |
gante |
|
13. |
lyennie |
to shine, to light |
lyenne |
lyηno |
lyennã |
lyenne |
|
14. |
noθθie |
to bind |
noθθe |
nωθo |
noθθã |
nunθe |
|
15. |
mingie |
to meld, to forge |
minge |
míyo |
minξe |
minge |
|
16. |
pattie |
to touch |
patte |
pádo |
páze |
pante |
|
17. |
peccáye |
to wake up, to raise |
pecca |
pηgo |
peccã |
peccan |
|
18. |
pendie |
to ask, to question |
pende |
pηδo |
penze |
penδe |
|
19. |
pessie |
to eat |
pesse |
pηo[1] |
pessã |
penze |
|
20. |
sarrie |
to damage, to harm |
sarre |
sáro |
sarrã |
sarne |
|
21. |
succie |
to pull |
succe |
súgo |
suξe |
sunce |
|
22. |
ticcie |
to stab, to sting |
ticce |
tígo |
tiξe |
tinge |
|
23. |
végie |
to move |
vége |
vηgo |
veξe |
venge |
|
24. |
xórie |
to finish, to end, to cease |
xóre |
xωro |
xorã |
xorne |
|
25. |
θénie |
to find |
θén |
θηno |
θenã |
θenne |
|
26. |
ξónie |
to wound, to injure, to hurt |
ξóne |
ξωno |
ξonã |
ξonne |
[2][1][1] ‚pessie’ < PES·IE, ‚pηo’ < PÊSO; ‚pηo’ wird unregelmäßig genau wie ‚dηo’ konjugiert.
[5 other special classes will be uploaded soon]