Re: Senyecan nouns

--- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, Philip Newton <philip.newton@g...>
wrote:
On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 21:51:11 -0000, caeruleancentaur
<caeruleancentaur@y...> wrote:
> There are six classes of nouns, one for each of the vowels.
>>Which is the thematic vowel? Is it always the last vowel of the
>>stem?  Or the one following the accent? Or which?
The thematic vowel is the one of the ending.  I analyze the noun as a
root + a class ending, e.g., vóc- + -on (flame).  The class ending
does not play a part in forming compounds; only the root does. e.g.,
vóc- + dzéén-on = voxdzéénon (beacon, lit., flame signal)
with the
requisite lenition before the affricate "dz."

>>(I assume that á é í ó ú mark the stress accent in
words rather
>>than, say, quantity or quality of the vowel.)
The accents mark pitch, acute for primary pitch, grave for secondary
pitch, e.g., naaúson (boat) + -aagun (person involved) =
nààusáágun
(sailor).  There is one primary pitch in each word of two or more
syllables.  There are as many secondary pitches as necessary, the
primary pitches of prefixed words becoming secondary in the compound
word, e.g., bàdïëpèstenmúúsen (yellow-breasted field
mouse).

The primary pitch is, with a few regular exceptions, on the
penultimate.  The pitch is relative with each speaker.  As he learns
to speak, each speaker discovers his own pitches, which will change
with maturity.  The listener quickly discovers the levels of the
three pitches of the speaker.

>>The plural is indicated by adding -i to the singular forms. Before
>>or after the case markers?
After, e.g., bàdïëpèstenmuuséni (yellow-breasted field mice).  Notice
the change in the placing of the accent to keep it on the penultimate.

¡tùwam dïeyam tudzúse!
 your   day    enjoy.

Charlie

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