Re: adj.

En réponse à Mario Bonassin <zebuleon@...>:

> I have a question about adjectives that one among you may have the
> answer to.  I was planing on having all adj. be form the verb class.  I
> know that they should conjugate like verbs but should I have an extra
> affix to show its an adj. and what about adverbs should they work the
> same way.  This is one area that is causing me the most trouble is a
> concept that is hard for me to grasp. But I like it. So any advice would
> be appreciated
>
> Thanks
> Mario
>
As for my conlang O, it has no seperate class of adjectives. What is used as
adjectives can be nouns or verbs. I call them nominal or verbal adjectives
because they have a behaviour slightly different from normal nouns and verbs.

Nominal adjectives are plain nouns that, when used attributively, agree both in
number and case with the noun they complete (nouns put in apposition only agree
in case). When used predicatively, they are just like plain nouns and form
nominal sentences (no copula is needed as the tense information always appears
with the case mark of the word in absolutive case).

Verbal adjectives are plain verbs that can be translated as "be + adj.". So
their predicative use is quite straightforward. To be used attributively, you
just form a relative subclause completing the noun (sorry not to be able to give
examples, but I don't have my notes at hand). The only difference between verbal
adjectives and plain verbs is that verbal adjectives can have a derivation
prefix unavailable for other verbs. This prefix is maj- and transforms a verbal
adjective into a verb meaning "become + adjective" (for nominal adjectives as
well as for nouns, there is a "to become" verb available).

Finally, to translate adverbs, you can simply use a declined form of a nominal
adjective (in the instrumental case for instance) as it's simply a noun, or a
subordinate clause for verbal adjectives, as it's simply a verb.

Just my two centimes :) .

Christophe.