Verse:Tdūrzů/Knench: Difference between revisions

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*''kori'' = to die (lit. be called [by God])
*''kori'' = to die (lit. be called [by God])
*''simern'' = week
*''simern'' = week
*''mødbar'' = conference
*''mədbar'' = conference
*Philippi should be weaker: i > e, instead of the TibH i > a (*bint > ''peþ'' 'daughter'; TibH ''baṫ'')
*Philippi should be weaker: i > e, instead of the TibH i > a (*bint > ''peþ'' 'daughter'; TibH ''baṫ'')
*''Mén fows ta xett kori?'' = Why did you have to die?
*''Mén fows ta xett kori?'' = Why did you have to die?


===Some sound changes===
===Some sound changes===
*-ø (mainly from ACub ''-ō'') becomes silent and lengthens the vowel before it
*-ə (mainly from ACub ''-ō'') becomes silent and lengthens the vowel before it
*non-rhoticity (nonrhoticity has to happen after fem sg ending loss)
*non-rhoticity (nonrhoticity has to happen after fem sg ending loss)
*ħ > x; *gt, kt, ᴋt, ħt > ht
*ħ > x; *gt, kt, ᴋt, ħt > ht
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{{PAGENAME}} has one of the largest vowel inventories of any Semitic language in Lõis (Maltese also has 18 vowels):
{{PAGENAME}} has one of the largest vowel inventories of any Semitic language in Lõis (Maltese also has 18 vowels):


/a e ɪ ɔ ʊ äe iː äo ɨː ɑ̃ː ɛ̃ː ɪɤ̃ ɔ̃ː ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ = {{angbr|a e i o u é í ó ú ą ę į ų ar er ir ur ø/r}}
/a e ɪ ɔ ʊ äe iː äo ɨː ɑ̃ː ɛ̃ː ɪɤ̃ ɔ̃ː ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ = {{angbr|a e i o u é í ó ú ą ę į ų ar er ir ur ə/r}}


/ə ɪ ʊ ɑ̃ː/ are the most common vowels in unstressed syllables.
/ə ɪ ʊ ɑ̃ː/ are the most common vowels in unstressed syllables.


Word-final /ə/ is transcribed as a syllabic ''r'' (''ør'' after ''r''), unless it's in a short clitic such as ''/p''' where it can be dropped. R-intrusion similar to that in Southern British English occurs after /ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ and before a vowel.
Word-final /ə/ is transcribed as a syllabic ''r'' (''ər'' after ''r''), unless it's in a short clitic such as ''/p''' where it can be dropped. R-intrusion similar to that in Southern British English occurs after /ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ and before a vowel.


The following is Hrafn Leifsson's classification of Cubrite vowels:
The following is Hrafn Leifsson's classification of Cubrite vowels:
*Schwa: ø/r
*Schwa: ə/r
*Short vowels: a e i o u
*Short vowels: a e i o u
*Lengthened vowels: é í ó ú
*Lengthened vowels: é í ó ú
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** ''ablr, ablil'' 'apples, the apples'
** ''ablr, ablil'' 'apples, the apples'


Words ending in a nasal or R-colored vowel add an intrusive R between the final vowel and the plural suffix. Words ending in a long vowel add ''-ør''.
Words ending in a nasal or R-colored vowel add an intrusive R between the final vowel and the plural suffix. Words ending in a long vowel add ''-ər''.
* ''pdą'' 'a tree', ''pdąrør'' 'trees'
* ''pdą'' 'a tree', ''pdąrər'' 'trees'
* ''lú'' 'a god', ''lúwør'' 'gods'
* ''lú'' 'a god', ''lúwər'' 'gods'


Some irregular plurals: ''penš, plenš'' = human
Some irregular plurals: ''penš, plenš'' = human
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*''xadr'' /ɹ̝̊adə/ = a room/space/flat
*''xadr'' /ɹ̝̊adə/ = a room/space/flat
*''xadras'' /ɹ̝̊adrəs/ = the room
*''xadras'' /ɹ̝̊adrəs/ = the room
*''xadrør'' /ɹ̝̊adrə/ = rooms
*''xadrər'' /ɹ̝̊adrə/ = rooms
*''xadril'' /ɹ̝̊adrɪl/ = the rooms
*''xadril'' /ɹ̝̊adrɪl/ = the rooms
*''xadr kruw'' = a big room
*''xadr kruw'' = a big room
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==== Predicative adjectives ====
==== Predicative adjectives ====
The predicative/adverbial marker '''' + bare form is used for predicative adjectives: ''Re xadras kruw'' 'The room is big'.
The predicative/adverbial marker '''' + bare form is used for predicative adjectives: ''Re xadras kruw'' 'The room is big'.


==== Degree ====
==== Degree ====
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* ''ajšr'' = which?
* ''ajšr'' = which?
* ''énr'' = where?
* ''énr'' = where?
* ''møðé'' = when?
* ''məðé'' = when?
* ''łømar'' = why? (*3lē ma 'on what')
* ''łəmar'' = why? (*3lē ma 'on what')
** archaic/poetic ''malah'' (*ma lak 'what's the matter')
** archaic/poetic ''malah'' (*ma lak 'what's the matter')
* ''ham'' = how many?
* ''ham'' = how many?
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The finite forms have become more similar to each other due to analogy.
The finite forms have become more similar to each other due to analogy.


Even verbs with finite forms are defective verbs, since finite forms are always perfective (except forms of ''juð''). To express the imperfective with these verbs, you still have to use the copula + + VN construction. The negator ''lu'' only negates finite verbs.
Even verbs with finite forms are defective verbs, since finite forms are always perfective (except forms of ''juð''). To express the imperfective with these verbs, you still have to use the copula + + VN construction. The negator ''lu'' only negates finite verbs.
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; text-align:center;"
{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; text-align:center;"
|+ Inflected verbs in {{PAGENAME}}
|+ Inflected verbs in {{PAGENAME}}
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====Regular pi3el====
====Regular pi3el====
The regular pattern is *løCaCiC or *løCiCuC where the middle C is not voiced.
The regular pattern is *ləCaCiC or *ləCiCuC where the middle C is not voiced.


====Regular hif3il====
====Regular hif3il====
The regular pattern is *laCCiC, *leCCeC, or *laCCoCø.
The regular pattern is *laCCiC, *leCCeC, or *laCCoCə.


====Regular hithpa3el====
====Regular hithpa3el====
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The auxiliary ''ri'' comes from ''ruhi'', the imperative of ''rahō'' 'to see'. ''Ri'' is not used in subordinate clauses:
The auxiliary ''ri'' comes from ''ruhi'', the imperative of ''rahō'' 'to see'. ''Ri'' is not used in subordinate clauses:
*''Ri Đavíð þax žin.'' = David is about to sleep.
*''Ri Đavíð þax žin.'' = David is about to sleep.
*''Pið Đavíð þax žin, u dal hapuð uras.'' = When David goes to sleep, he doesn't turn off the lights.
*''Pið Đavíð þax žin, u dal hapuð uras.'' = When David goes to sleep, he doesn't turn off the lights.


Yes-no questions are marked by a rising intonation, using the focus particle ''=nr'' (cognate to Hebrew נא) after the word/phrase whose truth value is asked about, and dropping ''ri'' in sentences with a nominal subject. In sentences without a specific focused constituent, ''nr'' appears sentence-finally in sentences with no finite verb, and after the finite verb if there is one.
Yes-no questions are marked by a rising intonation, using the focus particle ''=nr'' (cognate to Hebrew נא) after the word/phrase whose truth value is asked about, and dropping ''ri'' in sentences with a nominal subject. In sentences without a specific focused constituent, ''nr'' appears sentence-finally in sentences with no finite verb, and after the finite verb if there is one.
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Finite forms of ''kaht'' 'to take' can be used as an auxiliary meaning 'to go ahead and VERB/to take the liberty to VERB/take the initiative to VERB'. Cubrite-influenced English dialects use ''take'' in a similar way: ''I took to buy spare parts myself, because my department wouldn't give me any.''
Finite forms of ''kaht'' 'to take' can be used as an auxiliary meaning 'to go ahead and VERB/to take the liberty to VERB/take the initiative to VERB'. Cubrite-influenced English dialects use ''take'' in a similar way: ''I took to buy spare parts myself, because my department wouldn't give me any.''


To express the passive in the non-perfective tenses, the VN form ''()bur'' of the passive auxiliary is used: ''Ri tawðas bø løbur vðųx'' 'The door is opened (by someone)'.
To express the passive in the non-perfective tenses, the VN form ''()bur'' of the passive auxiliary is used: ''Ri tawðas bə ləbur vðųx'' 'The door is opened (by someone)'.


The auxiliary ''zum'' for the cautionary future comes from the Ancient Cubrite verb ''*zāmam'' 'to scheme'. It's used to:
The auxiliary ''zum'' for the cautionary future comes from the Ancient Cubrite verb ''*zāmam'' 'to scheme'. It's used to:
* warn the listener of a future event or contingency:  
* warn the listener of a future event or contingency:  
** '''''Zum''' sąras ðø luð fu hol łeð.'' = 'The storm might come here any moment.'
** '''''Zum''' sąras ðə luð fu hol łeð.'' = 'The storm might come here any moment.'
** '''''Zum''' þafkestas dal juð kabų hetteb!'' = 'The map might not be well-defined! [in a hypothetical math lecture, cautioning against a tacit assumption the audience might make]'
** '''''Zum''' þafkestas dal juð kabų hetteb!'' = 'The map might not be well-defined! [in a hypothetical math lecture, cautioning against a tacit assumption the audience might make]'
* often used in a threatening manner, for example: ''Lah tr dal jedą dar '''zum''' i fluð lah tr!'' = 'You have no idea what I'm gonna do to you!'
* often used in a threatening manner, for example: ''Lah tr dal jedą dar '''zum''' i fluð lah tr!'' = 'You have no idea what I'm gonna do to you!'
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Prepositions inflect like in Welsh: for pronominal prepositional objects, usually the preposition is inflected and is followed by the independent pronoun. The inflected preposition is stressed unless the emphatic pronoun is used: ''lah tr'' /'lax tə/ 'to you' vs. ''lah tanr'' /lax 'tanə/ 'to you, specifically'.
Prepositions inflect like in Welsh: for pronominal prepositional objects, usually the preposition is inflected and is followed by the independent pronoun. The inflected preposition is stressed unless the emphatic pronoun is used: ''lah tr'' /'lax tə/ 'to you' vs. ''lah tanr'' /lax 'tanə/ 'to you, specifically'.


example of a {{PAGENAME}} inflected preposition: el "for"; /p' 'in, at' is inflected similarly
example of a {{PAGENAME}} inflected preposition: el "for"; /p' 'in, at' is inflected similarly
*1sg: li, li ni
*1sg: li, li ni
*2sg.m: lah tr
*2sg.m: lah tr
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*3sg.m: lom u
*3sg.m: lom u
*3sg.f: ló oj
*3sg.f: ló oj
*3sg.n: løze
*3sg.n: ləze
*1pl. lon nu
*1pl. lon nu
*2pl. lam tim
*2pl. lam tim
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*''jern'' = because of (also "reason")
*''jern'' = because of (also "reason")
*''łaj'' = on, above
*''łaj'' = on, above
*''jax, jaxøm'' = with (both inst. and com.)
*''jax, jaxəm'' = with (both inst. and com.)
*''pøłé'' = inside, within
*''pəłé'' = inside, within
**sim. ''løłé, møłé'' 'into, out of'
**sim. ''ləłé, məłé'' 'into, out of'
*''pølip'' = amidst
*''pəlip'' = amidst
*''wen'' = without
*''wen'' = without
*''møné'' = before, in front of
*''məné'' = before, in front of
*''kodm'' = before (temporally)
*''kodm'' = before (temporally)
*''xni'' = after (Hitsi šeni 'second half')
*''xni'' = after (Hitsi šeni 'second half')
*''møłęl'' = above
*''məłęl'' = above
*''møþęl'' = below
*''məþęl'' = below
*''þaht'' = instead of
*''þaht'' = instead of
*''til'' = like, as
*''til'' = like, as
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The order is tense-subject-verb-object.
The order is tense-subject-verb-object.


:'''''R'ižas hél ablas.'''''
:'''''R'ižas hél ablas.'''''
:''The man is eating the apple.''
:''The man is eating the apple.''


:'''''Re béð u de kruw til stadi.'''''
:'''''Re béð u de kruw til stadi.'''''
:''His house is as big as a stadium.''
:''His house is as big as a stadium.''


:'''''Fól oj ðø fluð xawkkpéð oj ro-múxr.'''''
:'''''Fól oj ðə fluð xawkkpéð oj ro-múxr.'''''
:''She did her homework too late.''
:''She did her homework too late.''


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===Faulty accusative===
===Faulty accusative===
{{PAGENAME}} has the faulty accusative (glossed as FA) particle ''ðø'' or ''ð' '', from Ancient Cubrite ''jūδ ha-''. It is  actually not used for direct objects, but only for constituents that are separated from their heads. It also replaces a (TAM-marking) "preposition" in front of a lexical verb, when no preposition is used.
{{PAGENAME}} has the faulty accusative (glossed as FA) particle ''ðə'' or ''ð' '', from Ancient Cubrite ''jūδ ha-''. It is  actually not used for direct objects, but only for constituents that are separated from their heads. It also replaces a (TAM-marking) "preposition" in front of a lexical verb, when no preposition is used.


=== Noun phrase ===
=== Noun phrase ===
Y's X = X Y-DEF: ''šem vazilas'' = the king's name
Y's X = X Y-DEF: ''šem vazilas'' = the king's name


To say "this X" or "that X", ''X-as fu'' and ''X-as feni'' (lit. "the X here" and "the X there") are used. To say "this" and "that", you say ''se fu'' and ''se feni'' (where the ''se'' becomes ''ilø'' in the plural).
To say "this X" or "that X", ''X-as fu'' and ''X-as feni'' (lit. "the X here" and "the X there") are used. To say "this" and "that", you say ''se fu'' and ''se feni'' (where the ''se'' becomes ''ilə'' in the plural).


''hafu, hafeni'' = like this, like that
''hafu, hafeni'' = like this, like that
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===Verb phrase===
===Verb phrase===
Cubrite allows arbitrarily long chains of pseudo-auxiliaries:
Cubrite allows arbitrarily long chains of pseudo-auxiliaries:
: '''''Hi bø dafkrøl gątt latsękk.'''''
: '''''Hi bə dafkrəl gątt latsękk.'''''
: 3SG.F IPFV never_fail to_do_correctly to_joke
: 3SG.F IPFV never_fail to_do_correctly to_joke
: ''Her jokes never fail to land.''
: ''Her jokes never fail to land.''
====VN constructions====
====VN constructions====
Cubrite has a rich tense-aspect system which expresses imperfective/perfective as well as progressive and perfect.
Cubrite has a rich tense-aspect system which expresses imperfective/perfective as well as progressive and perfect.
*'''''ri''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm goes
*'''''ri''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm goes
*'''''ri''' Parm '''ław''' laht'' = Parm is going
*'''''ri''' Parm '''ław''' laht'' = Parm is going
*'''''ri''' Parm '''þax''' laht'' = Parm is about to go
*'''''ri''' Parm '''þax''' laht'' = Parm is about to go
*'''''ri''' Parm '''xni''' laht'' = Parm has gone
*'''''ri''' Parm '''xni''' laht'' = Parm has gone
*'''''ri''' Parm '''xni juð ''' laht'' = Parm has been going
*'''''ri''' Parm '''xni juð ''' laht'' = Parm has been going
*'''''ri''' Parm '''døž''' laht'' = Parm just went
*'''''ri''' Parm '''dəž''' laht'' = Parm just went
*'''''ri''' Parm '''wen''' laht'' = Parm hasn't went
*'''''ri''' Parm '''wen''' laht'' = Parm hasn't went
*'''''fól''' Parm '''ðø''' laht'' = Parm went (perfective; cf. AAVE ''She done went'')
*'''''fól''' Parm '''ðə''' laht'' = Parm went (perfective; cf. AAVE ''She done went'')
*'''''þąf''' Parm '''ðø''' laht'' = Parm will go (perfective)
*'''''þąf''' Parm '''ðə''' laht'' = Parm will go (perfective)
*'''''han''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm went (imperfective)
*'''''han''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm went (imperfective)
*'''''þé''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm will go (imperfective)
*'''''þé''' Parm '''''' laht'' = Parm will go (imperfective)
*''Laht!'' = Go! (number neutral)
*''Laht!'' = Go! (number neutral)
*'''''Kubnu''' laht!'' = Let's go!
*'''''Kubnu''' laht!'' = Let's go!
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Subject of a copula auxiliary:
Subject of a copula auxiliary:
: '''''pahnas haž han __ gri "pnar"'''''
: '''''pahnas haž han __ gri "pnar"'''''
: the boy who cried (would cry) wolf
: the boy who cried (would cry) wolf


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Direct object:
Direct object:
: '''''levras haž fown nu ðø gru (se (nr))'''''
: '''''levras haž fown nu ðə gru (se (nr))'''''
: the book that we read
: the book that we read


Oblique object:
Oblique object:
: '''''péðas haž han oj xun pøze (nr)'''''
: '''''péðas haž han oj xun pəze (nr)'''''
: the house she used to live in
: the house she used to live in


To relativise the subject of a ''present'' copula, ''łom'' (from hā-3ūmid 'that is standing') is used:  
To relativise the subject of a ''present'' copula, ''łom'' (from hā-3ūmid 'that is standing') is used:  


: '''''abwas łom xadr i'''''
: '''''abwas łom xadr i'''''
: the apple in my flat
: the apple in my flat


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Serial verbs are also very common in Cubrite:
Serial verbs are also very common in Cubrite:


: '''''Pow Móšé ðø kaht vðųx maþøn u. / Fow Móšé ðø buð kaht vðųx maþøn u. '''''
: '''''Pow Móšé ðə kaht vðųx maþən u. / Fow Móšé ðə buð kaht vðųx maþən u. '''''
: come.PST.3SG.M Moshe FA take.INF open.INF gift / PST.3SG.M Moshe FA come.INF take.INF open.INF gift 3SG.M
: come.PST.3SG.M Moshe FA take.INF open.INF gift / PST.3SG.M Moshe FA come.INF take.INF open.INF gift 3SG.M
:Moshe came, took, and opened his gift.
:Moshe came, took, and opened his gift.
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No special treatment is observed unless the wh-word is the subject, in which case ''łom'' is used after the wh-word. However, ''łom'' is not used in a question in the form of a nominal sentence. (As always, ''ri'' is dropped in questions.)
No special treatment is observed unless the wh-word is the subject, in which case ''łom'' is used after the wh-word. However, ''łom'' is not used in a question in the form of a nominal sentence. (As always, ''ri'' is dropped in questions.)


:'''''Dar Petr fluð?'''''
:'''''Dar Petr fluð?'''''
:''What's Peter doing?''
:''What's Peter doing?''


:'''''Dar łom gruð?'''''
:'''''Dar łom gruð?'''''
:''What's happening?''
:''What's happening?''


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:''Where are you?''
:''Where are you?''


:'''''Énr fows tr ðø laht?''''' / '''''Énr laws tr?'''''
:'''''Énr fows tr ðə laht?''''' / '''''Énr laws tr?'''''
:''Where have you been?''
:''Where have you been?''


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Many words are formed from earlier construct state or verb + object combinations, and are sometimes unrecognizable as such:  
Many words are formed from earlier construct state or verb + object combinations, and are sometimes unrecognizable as such:  
*''ambín'' 'brick' from ''*habanē binjan'' 'building stones'
*''ambín'' 'brick' from ''*habanē binjan'' 'building stones'
*''søvgom'' 'massacre; (slang) debacle, fiasco; a mess' from ''*šafx dam'' 'spilling of blood'
*''səvgom'' 'massacre; (slang) debacle, fiasco; a mess' from ''*šafx dam'' 'spilling of blood'
*''łénøm'' 'source' from ''ʕēn mayim'' 'spring of water'
*''łénəm'' 'source' from ''ʕēn mayim'' 'spring of water'
*''xefin'' 'to like' from ''*śe'θ fin'' lit. 'lift the face of' meaning 'to favor'
*''xefin'' 'to like' from ''*śe'θ fin'' lit. 'lift the face of' meaning 'to favor'
*''xehném (el)'' 'to look at' from ''*śe'θ 3ēnajim'' 'lift eyes'
*''xehném (el)'' 'to look at' from ''*śe'θ 3ēnajim'' 'lift eyes'
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** ''pnar'' 'wolf' comes from pre-Cubrite *pen harr 'son-of mountain'; a euphemism replacing Ancient Cubrite ''zēb''
** ''pnar'' 'wolf' comes from pre-Cubrite *pen harr 'son-of mountain'; a euphemism replacing Ancient Cubrite ''zēb''
*peδ- = place noun
*peδ- = place noun
*pød-/pl- = associated inanimate, esp. singulative of a collective noun (from peθθ 'daughter')
*pəd-/pl- = associated inanimate, esp. singulative of a collective noun (from peθθ 'daughter')
** ''pdą'' = tree (*pett ja3r)
** ''pdą'' = tree (*pett ja3r)
** ''pdam'' = wave (*pett jamm)
** ''pdam'' = wave (*pett jamm)
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** ''pdeš'' = flame
** ''pdeš'' = flame
** ''pled'' = echo
** ''pled'' = echo
** ''pødner'' = stream
** ''pədner'' = stream
** ''pødmattr'' = raindrop
** ''pədmattr'' = raindrop
** ''pødgašøm'' = (''poetic'') petrichor (''mattr'' is the normal word for 'rain')
** ''pədgašəm'' = (''poetic'') petrichor (''mattr'' is the normal word for 'rain')
*''-l'' = transitivizer or causative of verbs (from a -w ~ -l alternation in some intransitive-transitive verb pairs)
*''-l'' = transitivizer or causative of verbs (from a -w ~ -l alternation in some intransitive-transitive verb pairs)
* -is: -ess (from Celtic)
* -is: -ess (from Celtic)
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** ''męšivis'' 'witch' < ''męšiv'' 'mage, wizard'
** ''męšivis'' 'witch' < ''męšiv'' 'mage, wizard'
* ''lið-'' = mediopassive
* ''lið-'' = mediopassive
* ''-'' = intensive of verbs
* ''-'' = intensive of verbs


==Example texts==
==Example texts==
===UDHR, Article 1===
===UDHR, Article 1===
:'''''Bar hol plenšil ðø lost xurar ej šaw łaj hobdas ej šertil. Bru'm ðø fkud jax rižún ej kraleb, ej rim xeht liðalih jaxøm šúv pø nøžóm axr.'''''
:'''''Bar hol plenšil ðə lost xurar ej šaw łaj hobdas ej šertil. Bru'm ðə fkud jax rižún ej kraleb, ej rim xeht liðalih jaxəm šúv pə nəžóm axr.'''''
:[bɑː hɔl ˈplɛnʃɪl ðə ˌlɔzd bə fʷˁʊˈɹɑːɹ ej bə ˈʃaw ʁ̃ʷˁaj hɔbdəs ə ʃɛ:tɪl ‖ bɹʊm ðə ˌfkʊd jafʷˁ ɹɪˈʒɨːn ej kɹaˈlɛb, ej ɹɪm bə fʷˁɛxt lɪˈðalɪx ˌjafʷˁəm ˈʃɨːf pə nəˈʒaom ˈafʷˁə]
:[bɑː hɔl ˈplɛnʃɪl ðə ˌlɔzd bə fʷˁʊˈɹɑːɹ ej bə ˈʃaw ʁ̃ʷˁaj hɔbdəs ə ʃɛ:tɪl ‖ bɹʊm ðə ˌfkʊd jafʷˁ ɹɪˈʒɨːn ej kɹaˈlɛb, ej ɹɪm bə fʷˁɛxt lɪˈðalɪx ˌjafʷˁəm ˈʃɨːf pə nəˈʒaom ˈafʷˁə]
:PASS.PST.3SG.NF all human/PL-DEF.PL be_born PRED free and PRED equal on dignity-DEF.SG and right-DEF.PL. PASS.PRES-3PL endow with reason and conscience, and PRES.3PL PRES carry behave with one_another LOC spirit brotherhood.
:PASS.PST.3SG.NF all human/PL-DEF.PL be_born PRED free and PRED equal on dignity-DEF.SG and right-DEF.PL. PASS.PRES-3PL endow with reason and conscience, and PRES.3PL PRES carry behave with one_another LOC spirit brotherhood.
Line 708: Line 708:


===Tower of Babel===
===Tower of Babel===
# ''Han þó law þebwas ðø súðu løžunas ej númas lųl.''
# ''Han þó law þebwas ðə súðu ləžunas ej númas lųl.''
# ''Wini pið im laht men óstr, flu'm ð'ęvent meštøxas Šinłar ej ližešib feni.''
# ''Wini pið im laht men óstr, flu'm ð'ęvent meštəxas Šinłar ej ližešib feni.''
# ''Flu'm el šúv mur: "Púlé, kubnu fluð ambínr ej ladeb vuð im." Ej han ambínil lųl low'm til abonr, ej ørgílas til mawd.''
# ''Flu'm el šúv mur: "Púlé, kubnu fluð ambínr ej ladeb vuð im." Ej han ambínil lųl low'm til abonr, ej ərgílas til mawd.''
# ''Flu'm mur: "Púlé, kubnu benin krir lon nu ej tur pøze, jąf ruž se ðø ląluð laht šmémas, ej nąf nu ðø nawž nu dųžim! Oz nąf nu dal ðø liðvasir łaj þó law þebwas."''
# ''Flu'm mur: "Púlé, kubnu benin krir lon nu ej tur pəze, jąf ruž se ðə ląluð laht šmémas, ej nąf nu ðə nawž nu dųžim! Oz nąf nu dal ðə liðvasir łaj þó law þebwas."''
# ''Wini fow Mønęlas ðø rost bu, hę jąf u ðø xehném el kriras ej turas haž han plenšil ław benin.''
# ''Wini fow Mənęlas ðə rost bu, hę jąf u ðə xehném el kriras ej turas haž han plenšil ław benin.''
# ''Fow Mønęlas mur: "Łeþr kalu'm ðø laxew fluð suð til xóð pobu łom dapr xóð núm, jé dal rustr el mędøbr haž jú'm zúm fluð!''
# ''Fow Mənęlas mur: "Łeþr kalu'm ðə laxew fluð suð til xóð pobu łom dapr xóð núm, jé dal rustr el mędəbr haž jú'm zúm fluð!''
# ''"Púlé, kubnu rost laht ej bawbil núm im, oz jú'm dal lębin núm šúv."''
# ''"Púlé, kubnu rost laht ej bawbil núm im, oz jú'm dal lębin núm šúv."''
# ''Ej men feni fow Mønęlas ðø vasir im łaj þó law þebwas, ej flu'm ðø lętul benin kriras.''
# ''Ej men feni fow Mənęlas ðə vasir im łaj þó law þebwas, ej flu'm ðə lętul benin kriras.''
# ''Me jernas fu kaw kriras ðø šemas Babel -- fow Mønęlas ðø bawbil feni núm þó law þebwas. Me feni fow Mønęlas ðø vasir im łaj þó law þebwas.''
# ''Me jernas fu kaw kriras ðə šemas Babel -- fow Mənęlas ðə bawbil feni núm þó law þebwas. Me feni fow Mənęlas ðə vasir im łaj þó law þebwas.''


===Schleicher's Fable===
===Schleicher's Fable===
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==Phrasebook==
==Phrasebook==
When three forms are given, the forms are respectively for addressing one man (informally), one woman (informally), and politely/gender-neutrally respectively.
When three forms are given, the forms are respectively for addressing one man (informally), one woman (informally), and politely/gender-neutrally respectively.
*''Šaløm!'' = Hello! / Goodbye!
*''Šaləm!'' = Hello! / Goodbye!
* ''Maþin tub!'' = Good morning!
* ''Maþin tub!'' = Good morning!
* ''Xnitsur tub!'' = Good afternoon!
* ''Xnitsur tub!'' = Good afternoon!
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*''Bu dr/di/dim!'' = Welcome!
*''Bu dr/di/dim!'' = Welcome!
*''Praw lah tr/ti [lam tim]!'' = Thank you!  
*''Praw lah tr/ti [lam tim]!'' = Thank you!  
*''Imtsøxém tr/ti/tim'' = Please (etym. ''himm jimtsā Hinn ba3ēnēxa'' 'if it finds favor in your eyes')
*''Imtsəxém tr/ti/tim'' = Please (etym. ''himm jimtsā Hinn ba3ēnēxa'' 'if it finds favor in your eyes')
**also ''plíz'' (from English)
**also ''plíz'' (from English)
*''łeþ tub'' = have fun
*''łeþ tub'' = have fun
* ''Ajšr šemas kaws tr/ti [kawðu tim]?'' = What's your name?
* ''Ajšr šemas kaws tr/ti [kawðu tim]?'' = What's your name?
*''Kawð i ðø šemas [NAME].'' = My name is [NAME].
*''Kawð i ðə šemas [NAME].'' = My name is [NAME].
*''Powð i men...'' = I'm from...
*''Powð i men...'' = I'm from...
*''Barð i lost ...'' = I was born in...
*''Barð i lost ...'' = I was born in...
*''I fu.'' = I'm here.
*''I fu.'' = I'm here.


<!-- Example: Word order, qualifiers, determinatives, branching, etc. -->
<!-- Example: Word order, qualifiers, determinatives, branching, etc. -->

Revision as of 03:38, 14 October 2021

Tdūrzů/Knench/Lexicon

Tdūrzů/Knench/Swadesh list

Cubrite
Kibri
Created byIlL
Afro-Asiatic

Cubrite (Kibri /kɪbɹɪ/ or núm Kibr /nɨːm kɪbɐ/) is a Semitic language spoken in the Lõis timeline, spoken by the Cubrites, a minority in the British Isles and France and more common in Canada and the United States. Genetic studies have shown that the Cubrites are descendants of Celtic speakers who adopted a Canaanite language. The language descends from a close relative of Biblical Hebrew which was spoken in North Africa and preserves quite a few quasi-Biblical Hebrew words and phrases, but its grammar is far more analytic than its ancestor: it was completely restructured to use auxiliaries instead of the older prefix and suffix conjugations, and it is the only Lõisian Semitic language that has lost grammatical gender outside of Far East Semitic. Most modern Cubrites are Catholic; some (particularly in North America) are Muslim, Jewish or neopagan.

Cubrite has many Greek, Brythonic, Arabic, Romance and English loanwords.

It's inspired grammatically by Welsh, and aesthetically by Cockney English, Icelandic and Khmer.

Names

Native Cubrite names

  • Parm (f.) is from baśam

History

The first attested text in Modern Cubrite is a fragment of a gloss, translation and explanation of the Jewish Haggadah, dated to the 14th century. Non-rhoticity, gender loss, and the shift to auxiliaries were complete by this time, and Cubrite has had little change since except in vocabulary, accent, and the loss of grammatical mutation.

An in-universe theory holds that Cubrite played a key role in the evolution of nonrhoticity in Southern British English. However, this is not widely accepted, as the loss of rhoticity occurred earlier in Cubrite.

TODO

  • Swadesh list
  • bel-, ble- is a common prefix (conflation of ben- and ba3al-)
  • Many adverbs from infinitive absolute
  • kori = to die (lit. be called [by God])
  • simern = week
  • mədbar = conference
  • Philippi should be weaker: i > e, instead of the TibH i > a (*bint > peþ 'daughter'; TibH baṫ)
  • Mén fows ta xett kori? = Why did you have to die?

Some sound changes

  • -ə (mainly from ACub ) becomes silent and lengthens the vowel before it
  • non-rhoticity (nonrhoticity has to happen after fem sg ending loss)
  • ħ > x; *gt, kt, ᴋt, ħt > ht
  • ś > usually x, sometimes f or fl
  • d-t, t-t (morpheme boundary) > st
  • xr > x

Phonology

Consonants

  • /m n ʁ̃ʷ l w j ɹʷˁ~ʋʷˁ/ m n ł h l w j r
  • /p b f v t d θ ð k g/ p b f v t d þ ð k g
  • /s z ts ʃ ʒ tʃ fʷˁ~ɹ̝̊ʷˁ h~x/ s z ts š ž č x h

Ancient Cubrite /l/ became /w/ in some places, especially before C or pausa.

Stops are unaspirated.

Vowels

Tdūrzů/Knench has one of the largest vowel inventories of any Semitic language in Lõis (Maltese also has 18 vowels):

/a e ɪ ɔ ʊ äe iː äo ɨː ɑ̃ː ɛ̃ː ɪɤ̃ ɔ̃ː ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ = a e i o u é í ó ú ą ę į ų ar er ir ur ə/r

/ə ɪ ʊ ɑ̃ː/ are the most common vowels in unstressed syllables.

Word-final /ə/ is transcribed as a syllabic r (ər after r), unless it's in a short clitic such as pə/p' where it can be dropped. R-intrusion similar to that in Southern British English occurs after /ɑː(ɹ) ɛː(ɹ) eː(ɹ) oː(ɹ) ə(ɹ)/ and before a vowel.

The following is Hrafn Leifsson's classification of Cubrite vowels:

  • Schwa: ə/r
  • Short vowels: a e i o u
  • Lengthened vowels: é í ó ú
  • Nasal vowels: ą ę į ų
  • R-colored vowels: ar er ir ur

Prosody

Stress

Stress tends penultimate or final.

Intonation

Phonotactics

Morphophonology

Orthography

Modern Cubrite has two orthographies: an English-like orthography and a French-like orthography. The orthography used on this page is an academic one devised by Icelandic linguist Hrafn Leifsson, detailed in his PhD thesis A comparative grammar of the British Isles languages.

Morphology

Tdūrzů/Knench has lost the verbal inflections and triconsonantal morphology of Ancient Cubrite.

Nouns and adjectives

Nouns inflect for number and definiteness. Like in English, proper nouns don't take the definite article. Attributive adjectives agree with nouns in number. Cubrite has lost grammatical gender and the construct state, although animates still have natural gender.

Number and definiteness

Tdūrzů/Knench has regularized all plurals to -r (from a merger of Ancient Cubrite -īm > *-ī and -ūδ). -u nouns become -lr in the plural: þebu, þeblr 'a world, worlds'.

Nouns inflect for definiteness, as follows:

  • Singular: -as (after C) or -sr (after V), (from haz-ze and haz-zūdh)
    • -u nouns become -was: abu, abwas 'an apple, the apple'
  • Plural: -il, replacing the plural suffix -r if any (from ha-hili)
    • ablr, ablil 'apples, the apples'

Words ending in a nasal or R-colored vowel add an intrusive R between the final vowel and the plural suffix. Words ending in a long vowel add -ər.

  • pdą 'a tree', pdąrər 'trees'
  •  'a god', lúwər 'gods'

Some irregular plurals: penš, plenš = human

Examples:

  • xadr /ɹ̝̊adə/ = a room/space/flat
  • xadras /ɹ̝̊adrəs/ = the room
  • xadrər /ɹ̝̊adrə/ = rooms
  • xadril /ɹ̝̊adrɪl/ = the rooms
  • xadr kruw = a big room
  • xadras kruw = the big room
  • botr krulr = big houses
  • botil krulr = the big houses

-ma nouns from Greek become -mat nouns: þemat, þematas, þematr, þematil 'topic, theme'.

Predicative adjectives

The predicative/adverbial marker + bare form is used for predicative adjectives: Re xadras bə kruw 'The room is big'.

Degree

  • Equative: de = as X as; equally X (~ BH day 'enough')
  • Emphatic: ro = so X, very X indeed (inherited from Ancient Cubrite, which borrowed it from Celtic)
  • Comparative/Superlative: -br/-pr = more X or most X (from *3abūr, infinitive absolute of 'to exceed'); comparandum takes prí 'than' (from Ancient Cubrite pirūðī 'when I see')

Example: kruw 'big', de kruw 'as big as'; ro kruw 'so big; very big indeed', kruwðr 'bigger/biggest'

Pronouns

Cubrite has a pronoun system similar to European languages, except that there is no grammatical gender and se "that" is used as an inanimate or gender-neutral pronoun. There is a T-V distinction: the 2nd person plural tim is also used as a polite pronoun.

I (/i:/ or /ɪ/) is the default form for the 1sg subject pronoun; ni is used after a vowel or for disambiguation.

Tu has been proposed as a 2nd person singular neopronoun (inspired by Romance languages). This isn't as common as using the 2nd person plural tim as singular, however.

For the pronoun "she", hi is most often used sentence-initially (for present tense). Otherwise oj is used.

Pronouns in Tdūrzů/Knench, basic forms
→ Person I thou (m) thou (f) he she we ye they
Basic forms i, ni tr ti u oj, hi nu tim im
Emphatic forms (n)inr tanr tenr unr ojnr, hinr nunr temnr emnr

Interrogative pronouns

  • dar = what? (nominal)
    • archaic idar (*hajj dabar 'what thing')
  • ew = who?
  • ajšr = which?
  • énr = where?
  • məðé = when?
  • łəmar = why? (*3lē ma 'on what')
    • archaic/poetic malah (*ma lak 'what's the matter')
  • ham = how many?
  • hélt = how?

Verbs

Almost all verbs use only one form, the infinitive (usually etymologically the infinitive construct with a prefixed l-, which may sometimes be conflated with the etymological imperative). The infinitive form may or may not have a prefixed l-, depending on the verb; however, even verbs without l- display a voicing mutation (e.g. žbuð 'to be idle, to lie fallow'). Some verbs instead are derived from other nouns derived from the relevant triconsonantal root rather than the infinitive of a particular verb (e.g. benin 'to build', cognate to the Hebrew noun binyan; from the root b-n-y)

The infinitive is also used as an imperative: ðeht ló oj! = 'Give it to her!' Imperatives are negated by placing bal or bawði before the verb.

Inflected lexical verbs

There are only six inflected lexical verbs (i.e. verbs with inflected past and future forms):

  • juð 'to be' (the past form han is cognate to Arabic kāna)
  • fluð 'to do' (from *ʕaśō, with contamination from *faȝal)
  • buð 'to come' (with suppletion of *haðō and *pô); bu is still used as a directional
  • laht 'to go' (from *halax)
  • kaht 'to take' (from *laqaH)
  • ðeht 'to give' (from *naðan, with contamination from *hinīH 'to leave' and naHHil 'to bequeath')

The finite forms have become more similar to each other due to analogy.

Even verbs with finite forms are defective verbs, since finite forms are always perfective (except forms of juð). To express the imperfective with these verbs, you still have to use the copula + bə + VN construction. The negator lu only negates finite verbs.

Inflected verbs in Tdūrzů/Knench
→ Person I thou (m) thou (f) he she we you (plural) they
juð future é ni þé tr þí ti jé u þé oj né nu þú tim jú'm
past han i han tr han ti han u han oj han nu han tim hanu'm, han im
fluð future pfv. ąf i þąf tr þąf ti jąf u þąf oj nąf nu þąflu tim jąflu'm
past pfv. fowð i fows tr fows ti fow u fól oj fown nu fowðu tim flu'm
buð future pfv. eð i þes tr þes ti jeð u þeð oj neð nu þeðu tim jeðu'm
past pfv. powð i pows tr pows ti pow u pól oj pown nu powðu tim pu'm
laht future pfv. lej i tlej tr tlej ti len u tlen oj lej nu tlew tim lew'm
past pfv. lawð i laws tr laws ti law u lęl oj lawn nu lawðu tim lalu'm
kaht future pfv. kej i tkej tr tkej ti ken u tken oj kej nu tkew tim kew'm
past pfv. kawð i kaws tr kaws ti kaw u kęl oj kawn nu kawðu tim kalu'm
ðeht future pfv. nej i tnej tr tnej ti nen u tnen oj nej nu tnew tim new'm
past pfv. nawð i naws tr naws ti naw u nęl oj nawn nu nawðu tim nalu'm

Most non-pronominal forms come in non-feminine and feminine, and agree in gender only with a singular subject; the feminine is only used with women and female animals. With plural nominal subjects the non-feminine form is used.

Regular pa3al verbs

The regular pattern is *(li)CCuC.

When C1 is a guttural, the l- usually resurfaces:

  • C1 = ayin: ląbur 'to go past'
  • C1 = aleph/he: lévuð 'to bake, to fire', lézuð 'to be on drugs' (or vuð, zuð)
  • C1 = heth: lętul 'to cease/stop'

-t verbs

Many of these verbs got the glottally reinforced -tt from -ʔt. The -tt then analogically spread to other verbs.

  • laht = to go by foot
  • kaht = to take
  • žaht = to go back
  • žoft = to sit
  • lost = to be born
  • rost = to go down
  • rašt = to acquire; to get
  • ðeht = to give
  • xeht = to carry, to owe, should
  • tseht = to go out
  • žąt = to go by vehicle
  • gąt = to hit; also a (pseudo-)auxiliary for "to do X correctly"
  • dąt = to know
  • tąt = to farm, to grow (plants)

Regular nif3al

The regular pattern is *(li)CoCiC where the first C is not voiced. The l- appears when the first consonant is a guttural or a semivowel.

Regular pi3el

The regular pattern is *ləCaCiC or *ləCiCuC where the middle C is not voiced.

Regular hif3il

The regular pattern is *laCCiC, *leCCeC, or *laCCoCə.

Regular hithpa3el

The regular pattern is *liδCaCiC where the middle C is not lenited.

Other verbs

Other verbs come from noun derivation patterns, or from earlier verb + noun collocations.

Auxiliaries

Various auxiliaries in Tdūrzů/Knench
→ Person I thou (m) thou (f) he she we ye they Non-pronominal
Present i, ni tr ti u hi nu tim rim ri, r' before V
Passive future perf. ur i þur tr þri ti jur u þur oj nur nu þru tim juru'm jur/þur
Passive past perf. barð i bart tr bart ti bar u bro oj barn nu bart tim bru'm bar/bro
Cautionary (from imperfect of זָמַם 'to scheme') zum i zum tr zmi ti zum u zum oj zum nu zmu tim zmu'm zum

The auxiliary ri comes from ruhi, the imperative of rahō 'to see'. Ri is not used in subordinate clauses:

  • Ri Đavíð þax žin. = David is about to sleep.
  • Pið Đavíð þax žin, u dal bə hapuð uras. = When David goes to sleep, he doesn't turn off the lights.

Yes-no questions are marked by a rising intonation, using the focus particle =nr (cognate to Hebrew נא) after the word/phrase whose truth value is asked about, and dropping ri in sentences with a nominal subject. In sentences without a specific focused constituent, nr appears sentence-finally in sentences with no finite verb, and after the finite verb if there is one.

  • Đavíð þax žin nr? = Is David going to bed? (neutral)
  • Đavíð nr þax žin? = Is it David who's going to bed?
  • Fows nr tr [nexú] jax Marijr amž? = Did you marry Maria yesterday?
  • Fows tanr [nexú] jax Marijr amž? = Is it you who married Maria yesterday?

Finite forms of kaht 'to take' can be used as an auxiliary meaning 'to go ahead and VERB/to take the liberty to VERB/take the initiative to VERB'. Cubrite-influenced English dialects use take in a similar way: I took to buy spare parts myself, because my department wouldn't give me any.

To express the passive in the non-perfective tenses, the VN form (lə)bur of the passive auxiliary is used: Ri tawðas bə ləbur vðųx 'The door is opened (by someone)'.

The auxiliary zum for the cautionary future comes from the Ancient Cubrite verb *zāmam 'to scheme'. It's used to:

  • warn the listener of a future event or contingency:
    • Zum sąras ðə luð fu hol łeð. = 'The storm might come here any moment.'
    • Zum þafkestas dal juð kabų hetteb! = 'The map might not be well-defined! [in a hypothetical math lecture, cautioning against a tacit assumption the audience might make]'
  • often used in a threatening manner, for example: Lah tr dal jedą dar zum i fluð lah tr! = 'You have no idea what I'm gonna do to you!'

Prepositions

Prepositions inflect like in Welsh: for pronominal prepositional objects, usually the preposition is inflected and is followed by the independent pronoun. The inflected preposition is stressed unless the emphatic pronoun is used: lah tr /'lax tə/ 'to you' vs. lah tanr /lax 'tanə/ 'to you, specifically'.

example of a Tdūrzů/Knench inflected preposition: el "for"; pə/p' 'in, at' is inflected similarly

  • 1sg: li, li ni
  • 2sg.m: lah tr
  • 2sg.f: lah ti
  • 3sg.m: lom u
  • 3sg.f: ló oj
  • 3sg.n: ləze
  • 1pl. lon nu
  • 2pl. lam tim
  • 3pl. low'm

Other prepositions:

  • men = from
  • túb el = for
  • jern = because of (also "reason")
  • łaj = on, above
  • jax, jaxəm = with (both inst. and com.)
  • pəłé = inside, within
    • sim. ləłé, məłé 'into, out of'
  • pəlip = amidst
  • wen = without
  • məné = before, in front of
  • kodm = before (temporally)
  • xni = after (Hitsi šeni 'second half')
  • məłęl = above
  • məþęl = below
  • þaht = instead of
  • til = like, as
  • xakr = until
  • gu = up to

Numbers

Danish system?

0-10: zero, xóð (inanimate)/xęð (animate), šném/šné (attributive), šluž, arvą, xomi, šeš, šebą, šmún, þeš, łax

11-20: štąx, šnająx, šlužąx, arvąx, xomižąx, šežąx, šebąx, šmúnąx, þežąx, łexi

21-30: łexi xóð, łexi šném, ... łexi łax

31-40: łexi łax štąx, ..., šné łexi

41, 42, ...: šné łexi xóð/xęð, šné łexi šném, ...

60: šluž łexi

...

100: mír

1000: awv

Syntax

Constituent order

The order is tense-subject-verb-object.

R'ižas bə hél ablas.
The man is eating the apple.
Re béð u bə de kruw til stadi.
His house is as big as a stadium.
Fól oj ðə fluð xawkkpéð oj bə ro-múxr.
She did her homework too late.

The negative particle dal (from tabar lū 'not anything') comes after the subject pronoun and before the verb.

Faulty accusative

Tdūrzů/Knench has the faulty accusative (glossed as FA) particle ðə or ð' , from Ancient Cubrite jūδ ha-. It is actually not used for direct objects, but only for constituents that are separated from their heads. It also replaces a (TAM-marking) "preposition" in front of a lexical verb, when no preposition is used.

Noun phrase

Y's X = X Y-DEF: šem vazilas = the king's name

To say "this X" or "that X", X-as fu and X-as feni (lit. "the X here" and "the X there") are used. To say "this" and "that", you say se fu and se feni (where the se becomes ilə in the plural).

hafu, hafeni = like this, like that

The abstract demonstrative (referring to sentences or facts) is suð.

Words for yes and no

  • ens (from *amitt ze "this is truth") = 'yes' in reply to a present-copula sentence
  • haj (from hajjē "where?") = 'no' in reply to a present-copula sentence
  • ríð (from rahīδī "I saw") = past 'yes'
  • lu fow (from lū 3aśō inflected) = past 'no'
  • jąf (from ja3śē, inflected) = future 'yes'
  • lu jąf (inflected) = future 'no'
  • bal = imperative 'no'

Verb phrase

Cubrite allows arbitrarily long chains of pseudo-auxiliaries:

Hi bə dafkrəl gątt latsękk.
3SG.F IPFV never_fail to_do_correctly to_joke
Her jokes never fail to land.

VN constructions

Cubrite has a rich tense-aspect system which expresses imperfective/perfective as well as progressive and perfect.

  • ri Parm laht = Parm goes
  • ri Parm ław laht = Parm is going
  • ri Parm þax laht = Parm is about to go
  • ri Parm xni laht = Parm has gone
  • ri Parm xni juð bə laht = Parm has been going
  • ri Parm dəž laht = Parm just went
  • ri Parm wen laht = Parm hasn't went
  • fól Parm ðə laht = Parm went (perfective; cf. AAVE She done went)
  • þąf Parm ðə laht = Parm will go (perfective)
  • han Parm laht = Parm went (imperfective)
  • þé Parm laht = Parm will go (imperfective)
  • Laht! = Go! (number neutral)
  • Kubnu laht! = Let's go!

Balancing vs deranking conjunctions

Balancing conjunctions take full finite clauses (clauses with a finite verb or an auxiliary):

  • ej "and"
  • ow "or"
  • mur (complementizer)
  • łeþr "when"
  • "if" (< *wa-kī)

Deranking conjunctions replace finite forms of the copula juð and thus are also called copula-replacing conjunctions (e.g. by Hrafn). Some CRCs are:

  • prí "than"
  • jið (complementizer)
  • pið "when"

Time clauses

pið-clauses

A pið-clause is in the same tense as the clause it's embedded in. Pið-clauses denote states, things that can be marked with re + tense markers in the present tense), rather than completed actions.

łeðr-clauses

łeðr can be used for clauses with auxiliaries other than juð.

Complementizer

There is a complementizer mur (from lēmūr) or jið (from conflation of hajūδ 'to be' and jūδ accusative marker) depending on dialect.

Relativizer

In most cases, relative clauses use the relativizer haž (from *χa-ʔašir 'like that which'). nr may appear after the resumptive pronoun if one is used.

Subject of a copula auxiliary:

pahnas haž han __ bə gri "pnar"
the boy who cried (would cry) wolf

Subject with a non-copula auxiliary:

pahnas haž fow __ gri "pnar"
the boy who cried wolf (once)

Direct object:

levras haž fown nu ðə gru (se (nr))
the book that we read

Oblique object:

péðas haž han oj bə xun pəze (nr)
the house she used to live in

To relativise the subject of a present copula, łom (from hā-3ūmid 'that is standing') is used:

abwas łom pə xadr i
the apple in my flat

Serial verb construction

Serial verbs are also very common in Cubrite:

Pow Móšé ðə kaht vðųx maþən u. / Fow Móšé ðə buð kaht vðųx maþən u.
come.PST.3SG.M Moshe FA take.INF open.INF gift / PST.3SG.M Moshe FA come.INF take.INF open.INF gift 3SG.M
Moshe came, took, and opened his gift.

Directionals derived from verbs, such as laht '(t)hence', bu '(t)hither' and kub 'movement together with another person' are also common and may replace pronouns.

Wh-questions

No special treatment is observed unless the wh-word is the subject, in which case łom is used after the wh-word. However, łom is not used in a question in the form of a nominal sentence. (As always, ri is dropped in questions.)

Dar Petr bə fluð?
What's Peter doing?
Dar łom bə gruð?
What's happening?
Dar se fu? (*Dar łom se fu?)
What's this?
Énr ti?
Where are you?
Énr fows tr ðə laht? / Énr laws tr?
Where have you been?

Vocabulary

Cubrite has the following vocabulary layers:

  1. Most of the common words are inherited from the Semitic common ancestor of Ancient Cubrite and Biblical Hebrew, however they often show drastic semantic drift or compounding. Example: šłúd 'a lot' comes from saȝudō 'feast'.
  2. Celtic substrates
  3. Ancient Greek, Aramaic
  4. Latin, Romance, Arabic, Turkic and Modern Greek

Although it is attested in Ancient Cubrite, the *CaCīCō verbal noun pattern is not as productive as the corresponding pattern in Mishnaic and Modern Hebrew.

Many words are formed from earlier construct state or verb + object combinations, and are sometimes unrecognizable as such:

  • ambín 'brick' from *habanē binjan 'building stones'
  • səvgom 'massacre; (slang) debacle, fiasco; a mess' from *šafx dam 'spilling of blood'
  • łénəm 'source' from ʕēn mayim 'spring of water'
  • xefin 'to like' from *śe'θ fin lit. 'lift the face of' meaning 'to favor'
  • xehném (el) 'to look at' from *śe'θ 3ēnajim 'lift eyes'
  • kraleb 'conscience' from *qūl hal-lēbb lit. 'voice of the heart'

Some productive affixes are:

  • pen-/ple- = agentive
    • pnar 'wolf' comes from pre-Cubrite *pen harr 'son-of mountain'; a euphemism replacing Ancient Cubrite zēb
  • peδ- = place noun
  • pəd-/pl- = associated inanimate, esp. singulative of a collective noun (from peθθ 'daughter')
    • pdą = tree (*pett ja3r)
    • pdam = wave (*pett jamm)
    • pderm = word (irreg. metathesis from *pett himrō)
    • pdeš = flame
    • pled = echo
    • pədner = stream
    • pədmattr = raindrop
    • pədgašəm = (poetic) petrichor (mattr is the normal word for 'rain')
  • -l = transitivizer or causative of verbs (from a -w ~ -l alternation in some intransitive-transitive verb pairs)
  • -is: -ess (from Celtic)
    • vazilis 'queen' < vazil 'king'
    • męšivis 'witch' < męšiv 'mage, wizard'
  • lið- = mediopassive
  • rə- = intensive of verbs

Example texts

UDHR, Article 1

Bar hol plenšil ðə lost bə xurar ej bə šaw łaj hobdas ej šertil. Bru'm ðə fkud jax rižún ej kraleb, ej rim bə xeht liðalih jaxəm šúv pə nəžóm axr.
[bɑː hɔl ˈplɛnʃɪl ðə ˌlɔzd bə fʷˁʊˈɹɑːɹ ej bə ˈʃaw ʁ̃ʷˁaj hɔbdəs ə ʃɛ:tɪl ‖ bɹʊm ðə ˌfkʊd jafʷˁ ɹɪˈʒɨːn ej kɹaˈlɛb, ej ɹɪm bə fʷˁɛxt lɪˈðalɪx ˌjafʷˁəm ˈʃɨːf pə nəˈʒaom ˈafʷˁə]
PASS.PST.3SG.NF all human/PL-DEF.PL be_born PRED free and PRED equal on dignity-DEF.SG and right-DEF.PL. PASS.PRES-3PL endow with reason and conscience, and PRES.3PL PRES carry behave with one_another LOC spirit brotherhood.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Tower of Babel

  1. Han pə þó law þebwas ðə súðu ləžunas ej númas bə lųl.
  2. Wini pið im bə laht men óstr, flu'm ð'ęvent meštəxas Šinłar ej ližešib feni.
  3. Flu'm el šúv mur: "Púlé, kubnu fluð ambínr ej ladeb vuð im." Ej han ambínil bə lųl low'm til abonr, ej ərgílas til mawd.
  4. Flu'm mur: "Púlé, kubnu benin krir lon nu ej tur pəze, jąf ruž se ðə ląluð laht šmémas, ej nąf nu ðə nawž nu bə dųžim! Oz nąf nu dal ðə liðvasir łaj þó law þebwas."
  5. Wini fow Mənęlas ðə rost bu, hę jąf u ðə xehném el kriras ej turas haž han plenšil ław benin.
  6. Fow Mənęlas mur: "Łeþr kalu'm ðə laxew fluð suð til xóð pobu łom bə dapr xóð núm, jé dal rustr el mędəbr haž jú'm bə zúm fluð!
  7. "Púlé, kubnu rost laht ej bawbil núm im, oz jú'm dal bə lębin núm šúv."
  8. Ej men feni fow Mənęlas ðə vasir im łaj þó law þebwas, ej flu'm ðə lętul benin kriras.
  9. Me jernas fu kaw kriras ðə šemas Babel -- fow Mənęlas ðə bawbil feni núm þó law þebwas. Me feni fow Mənęlas ðə vasir im łaj þó law þebwas.

Schleicher's Fable

Phrasebook

When three forms are given, the forms are respectively for addressing one man (informally), one woman (informally), and politely/gender-neutrally respectively.

  • Šaləm! = Hello! / Goodbye!
  • Maþin tub! = Good morning!
  • Xnitsur tub! = Good afternoon!
  • Łarb tub! = Good evening!
  • Lél tub! = Good night!
  • Xakr! = See you!
  • Bu dr/di/dim! = Welcome!
  • Praw lah tr/ti [lam tim]! = Thank you!
  • Imtsəxém tr/ti/tim = Please (etym. himm jimtsā Hinn ba3ēnēxa 'if it finds favor in your eyes')
    • also plíz (from English)
  • łeþ tub = have fun
  • Ajšr šemas kaws tr/ti [kawðu tim]? = What's your name?
  • Kawð i ðə šemas [NAME]. = My name is [NAME].
  • Powð i men... = I'm from...
  • Barð i lost pə... = I was born in...
  • I bə fu. = I'm here.