Update on me: Elliott (LONG)

I've been gone for such a long time, and I forgot to go nomail. I got back and the
mail box was full with exactly 1000 posts. Anyways, I've been well, enjoying my
semester at Georgetown. I have begun studying Armenian in my spare time. (I'm
only on lesson 3, so it might take a while). Currently, I have been neglecting
my conlang duties, however I have fiddled around with 2 projects since starting
College.

I just wanted to write a bit about the verbal system as it stands for one
"language". This language is nothing special as regards to the amount of
tenses, but the various phonological changes between tenses are interesting.

List of verbs:
Krvolkhal  /krvoxO/ to read
Dvojpal /dvojpO/    to look
Shnalal /SnovO/     to know
Garstal /garstO/    to walk
Jsel  /isIv/        to be
Chusnal /tSusnO/    to do
Bjezchal /bIztSO/   to hear
Shgirnal /SgirnO/   to go

________
There are 2 inflected tenses (so far) and 2 moods (so far).

THE PRESENT
the present is formed with the help of an auxiliary verb. Jsel, Chusnal, and
Shgirnal are all auxiliaries.
The verb Jsel is used to indicate simple present. The verb Chusnal is used to
indicate progressive aspect. The verb Shgirnal is used to indicate inchoactive
aspect. However in some dialects Shgirnal is used for progressive aspect and
Chusnal is merely an emphatic aspect.

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Present tense of Auxiliaries:
 All auxiliaries are irregular.

Jsel:                         Chusnal:
em /im/  esench /IsEntS/ chum /tSum/ chusench /tSusEntS/
es /is/  esesch /IsEstS/ chus /tSus/ chusesch /tSusEstS/
e  /I/   esec /IsEts/    chu /tSu/   chusec /tSusEts/

Shgirnal:
shgirm /Sgirm/  shgirench /SgirEntS/
shgirs /Sgirs/  shgiresch /SgirEstS/
shgir /Sgir/    shgirec /SgirEts/

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These auxiliaries are added to the present participle of the main verb to produce
the present tense:

The pesent participle is formed with the suffix -ju
/ju/ which undergoes modification in certain contexts.
It also affects the root vowel and some consonants.


Krvolkhal  /krvoxO/ to read > krvalshu /krvaSu/
Dvojpal /dvojpO/    to look > dvajpju /dvepju/
Shnalal /SnovO/     to know > shnalju /Sn}ju/
Garstal /garstO/    to walk > garcu /g}rtsu/
Bjezchal /bIztSO/   to hear > bjazchu /bj}ztSu/

A simple sentence therefore would be:
Em krvalshu "I read"
or  Chum garcu "I am walking"
or  Shgirm bjazchu "I start to hear"

________
THE PAST
The past tense is formed using the past tense of the auxiliaries plus the past participle.

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The past tense of the auxiliaries:

Jsel:
jsm /iz@m/ jsinch /isintS/
js  /is/   jsisch /isistS/
je  /i/    jsic   /isits/

Chusnal:
chism /tSiz@m/ chisinch /tSisintS/
echis /itSis/  chisisch /tSisistS/
echi /itSi/    chisic /tSisits/

Shgirnal:
eshgirm /iSgirm/  shgirinch /SgirintS/
eshgirs /iSgirs/  shgirisch /SgiristS/
eshgir /iSgir/    shgiric /Sgirits/

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The formation of the past participle.
The past participle is formed with the suffix: -e /I/
This suffix causes the vowel of the root to change and some consonants to change.

Krvolkhal  /krvoxO/ to read > krvulshe /krvuSI/
Dvojpal /dvojpO/    to look > dujpe /dvipI/
Shnalal /SnovO/     to know > shnele /SnejI//
Garstal /garstO/    to walk > gerce /girtsI/
Bjezchal /bIztSO/   to hear > bjizche /biztSe/

Some simple sentences:
Jsm krvulshe "I read"
Chism dujpe "I was looking"
Eshgirm gerce "I began to walk"

__________________
The subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is the only mood that is inflected.
Present subjunctive takes the following endings: -am, -as, -et, -ench, -esch,
-ec.
Past subjunctive takes the following endings: -um, -us, -ut, -inch, -isch, -ic.

The same vowel changes that are exhibited when the suffix for the present
participle is added are exhibited when the past subjunctive is added:

Krvolkhal  /krvoxO/ to read
Pres: krvolkham etc.  /krvoxam/
Past: krvalkhum etc.  /krvaxum/

Dvojpal /dvojpO/    to look
Pres: dvojpam etc.  /dvojpam/
Past: dvajpum etc.  /dvepum/

Shnalal /SnovO/     to know
Pres: shnalam etc. /Snovam/
Past: shnalum etc. /Snawm/

Garstal /garstO/    to walk
Pres: garstam etc. /garstam/
Past: garstum etc. /garstum/

Bjezchal /bIztSO/   to hear
Pres: bjezcham etc. /biztSam/
Past: bjezchum etc. /biztSum/

____________________________
Finally. Irregular Auxiliar Subjunctives:
Jsel /isIv/
Present: jsham, jshas, jshet, jshench, jshesch, jshec.
Past: jsum, jsus, jsut, jsinch, jsisch, jsic.

Chusnal /tSusnO/
Present: chisham, chishas, chishet, chishench, chishesch, chisec.
Past: chusum, chusus, chusut, chusinch, chusisch, chusic.

Shgirnal /SgirnO/
.Not developed yet. :)



TO Those of you who have read thus far, I applaud you. Please send along comments. :)

Elliott

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