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McGuffey in Curnalis [Re: O tempora! Naming the case.]

From:Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>
Date:Friday, December 24, 2004, 21:37
I have decided for now to name my new language Curnalis, which
in its orthography represents ['tSu4.na.lis], and I have started down
the McGuffey path.  Here's what I have so far; comments welcome!


1. The dog.
   Fazu.

   The dog ran.
   Fazu foras.

Notes:
  -u = definite nominative
  -as = past indicative declarative

2. The cat.
   Kasu.

   The mat.
   Odu.

   Is the cat on the mat?
   Odee kasu war?

Notes:
   -ee (/e:/) = definite locative
   -ar = present indicative interrogative

3.The man.
  Baju.

  A pen.
  Tel.

  The man has a pen.
  Bayu telat anis.

  Is the pen in his hand?
  Telu pamee tuse war?

  It is in his hand.
  Pamee tuse ewis.

Notes:
    indefinite nominative indicated by zero.
    sentences seem to be SOV
    -at = indefinite accusative.
    -is = present indicative declarative.
    tu  = 3sg pronoun (epicene)
    -se = genitive marker (may be suffixed to any case ending)
    e-  = 3sg verbal prefix (only required when no explicit subject)

4. A fat hen.
   Gem hej.

   A big rat.
   Temple ton.

   The fat hen is on the box.
   Gemu hej kacee wis.

   The rat ran from the box.
   Templu kacee wa foras.

   Can the hen run?
   Gemu forin jesar?

Notes:
   Yes, I like _Charlotte's_Web_.  Why do you ask?
   When the indefinite noun ends in a vowel, it is replaced by the
       definite -u.
   Adjectives don't appear to agree with the modified nouns, at least
       not in definiteness.
   Wa is a postposition meaning "(away) from"; its object is placed in
        the locative case.
   -in is the infinitive ending, invariant.
   jesin "to be able to" is used with an infinitive complement.


5. See Rab!
   Rabic judise!

   See Ann!
   Annic judise!

   See!  Rab has the hat!
   Judise!  Rab fedic anis.

   Can Ann catch Rab?
   Annu Rabic ensin jesar?

Notes:
    Proper names are used in the definite.
    -ic is the singular definite accusative
    ju- is 2pl prefix
    -e is the imperative/subjunctive ending


6. Ann can catch Rab.
   Annu Rabic ensin jesis.

   See!  She has the hat.
   Judise!  Fedic eanis.

   Now Ann can pat Rab.
   Aken Annu Rabic naisin jesis.

   Let me pat Rab too.
   Sue Rabic inaisin usayil.

Notes:
    aken means "now".  -en is the temporal ending, so presumably
    akee means "here".

    The adverb "sue" = "too, also" precedes the rest of the
    sentence.

Reply

Mark Reed <markjreed@...>