Tova language: Difference between revisions

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The accusative affixes are appended onto the ends of verbs, so Tova can be described as being polypersonal, as verbs are inflected for subjects and direct objects. The accusative affixes are required to be on a verb if a verb has a direct object. The genitives are essentially possessives.

An example of the accusative affix: ''~~Tallavi~~'''vi''' ~~ússúlessit~~.'' 'I like the keyboard.' Since ''ússúlessit'' 'the keyboard' is inanimate and singular, the ''-Vvi'' affix is appended to the end of the verb.

An example of the accusative affix: ''Talinavi'''vi''' ussúlessit.'' 'I like the keyboard.' Since ''ússúlessit'' 'the keyboard' is inanimate and singular, the ''-Vvi'' affix is appended to the end of the verb.

=== Roots ===

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===== ''A'': Beginning consonant =====

If a word begins in a consonant, like ''laskan'' 'ruler', the rule is to take the vowel closest to the start of the word, which is /a/ in this example, and prefix it to the word, then, the first consonant is geminated. So, by these rules, the definite of ''laskan'' 'ruler' is ''allaskan'' 'the ruler'. The length of vowels is preserved.

If a word begins in a consonant, like ''laskan'' 'ruler', the rule is to take the vowel closest to the start of the word, which is /a/ in this example, and prefix it to the word, then, the first consonant is geminated. So, by these rules, the definite of ''laskan'' 'ruler' is ''allaskan'' 'the ruler'. The length of vowels is not preserved in the definite affix, it will always be short.

===== ''B'': Beginning vowel =====

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|''uttulvinina''

|}

''Plural forms are colloquially pronounced with no vowel between the /v/ and /n/. '''Uttulvini''' would be pronounced like '''uttulvni'''.''

=== Verbs ===

Tovan verbs are arguably the most complicated part of Tovan grammar. Tova is highly synthetic, and verbs conjugate for a multitude of tenses, aspects, moods, persons, numbers, genders, and voices. Tova is also polypersonal as verbs have their subjects and direct objects marked on them.

As is typical for verbs in nearly every language, Tovan verbs express actions and states of being. They undergo inflection for the following categories:

* '''Tense''': non-past and past

* '''Aspect''': non-habitual and habitual

* '''Mood''': indicative, subjunctive, and imperative

* '''Person''': first, second, and third

* '''Number''': singular and plural

* '''Gender''': (only in the third person singular) animate and inanimate

* '''Voice''': active and passive

* '''Arguments''': subject and direct object

These categories apply specifically to the first verb form of roots, like ''lasana'' 'to speak' from the root ''l-s-n'' 'relating to speaking'. Other forms have different meanings, the second form of the root ''l-s-n'' is ''lassana'' which means 'to cause to speak'. Some forms are used specifically for other aspects like the perfect or progressive.

Verbs are formed from roots, and each root has, at most, 9 different forms. The different forms are: ''basic, causative, progressive, reciprocal, intensive, reflexive, perfect, inchoative,'' and ''cessative''. Some forms may be combined with others, like a ''causative-progressive'' and a ''causative-reflexive''.

==== Verbal inflection ====

This section will cover each part that a verb conjugates for.

===== Person, number, and gender =====

Every verb in Tova conjugates for three different persons, two different numbers, and in the third-person singular, two genders. Tova is pro-drop for both the subject and direct object.

{| class="wikitable"

|+Sample conjugation of ''lasana'' 'to speak'

! colspan="2" |

!Singular

!Plural

|-

! colspan="2" |First person

|''lasani''

|''lusun''

|-

! colspan="2" |Second person

|''lasalni''

|''lasuntu''

|-

! rowspan="2" |Third person

!Animate

|''lasana''

| rowspan="2" |''lusanad''

|-

!Inanimate

|''lasanu''

|}

<sup>''These conjugations are in the active voice, indicative mood, non-habitual aspect, and non-past tense. They are also subject-conjugated.''</sup>

====== The first person ======

The first person, ''ja'' and ''uvas'' (singular and plural, respectively) are used to refer to the speaker, or in the plural, the speaker plus at least one more person. In religious contexts, especially in the holy text of [[Tutlavás]], it is common to see a ''majestic plural'' be employed when it is God who is speaking. Verb conjugations are altered to match this shift in number.

====== The second person ======

The second person, ''elek'' and ''as'' (sg, pl), are used to refer to the person that the speaker is talking to. Tova has two levels of formality, depending on the number. ''Elek'' is used for familiar or informal situations, ''As'' is used for formal or respectful situations.

===== The third person =====

The third person, ''en'', ''id, őv, an'' (sg. human, sg. nonhuman, sg. inan, pl) are used to refer to neither the speaker or the person being talked to, but for other parties.

* ''En'': Used to talk about a single human. May be translated like ''he'' or ''she''.

* ''Id'': Used to talk about a single non-human, like a [[Kalikind|Kali]] or [[Kaneedkind|Kaneed]], or anything that is grammatically animate. Usage of this pronoun for non-humans has been criticized, claiming it is 'disrespectful' to non-humans. May be translated like ''he'', ''she'', ''they'', or ''it''.

* ''Őv'': Used to talk about any grammatically inanimate object. May be translated like ''it''.

* ''An'': Used to talk about more than one object of any animacy. May be translated like ''they''.

Even though there are three third-person singular pronouns, there are only ''two'' third-person singular conjugations, inanimate and animate. The animate conjugation is used for both ''en'' and ''id''.

@@ Line 215: / Line 215: @@
 The accusative affixes are appended onto the ends of verbs, so Tova can be described as being polypersonal, as verbs are inflected for subjects and direct objects. The accusative affixes are required to be on a verb if a verb has a direct object. The genitives are essentially possessives.
-An example of the accusative affix: ''Tallavi'''vi''' ússúlessit.'' 'I like the keyboard.' Since ''ússúlessit'' 'the keyboard' is inanimate and singular, the ''-Vvi'' affix is appended to the end of the verb.
+An example of the accusative affix: ''Talinavi'''vi''' ussúlessit.'' 'I like the keyboard.' Since ''ússúlessit'' 'the keyboard' is inanimate and singular, the ''-Vvi'' affix is appended to the end of the verb.
 === Roots ===
@@ Line 392: / Line 392: @@
 ===== ''A'': Beginning consonant =====
-If a word begins in a consonant, like ''laskan'' 'ruler', the rule is to take the vowel closest to the start of the word, which is /a/ in this example, and prefix it to the word, then, the first consonant is geminated. So, by these rules, the definite of ''laskan'' 'ruler' is ''allaskan'' 'the ruler'. The length of vowels is preserved.
+If a word begins in a consonant, like ''laskan'' 'ruler', the rule is to take the vowel closest to the start of the word, which is /a/ in this example, and prefix it to the word, then, the first consonant is geminated. So, by these rules, the definite of ''laskan'' 'ruler' is ''allaskan'' 'the ruler'. The length of vowels is not preserved in the definite affix, it will always be short.
 ===== ''B'': Beginning vowel =====
@@ Line 477: / Line 477: @@
 |''uttulvinina''
 |}
+''Plural forms are colloquially pronounced with no vowel between the /v/ and /n/. '''Uttulvini''' would be pronounced like '''uttulvni'''.''
+=== Verbs ===
+Tovan verbs are arguably the most complicated part of Tovan grammar. Tova is highly synthetic, and verbs conjugate for a multitude of tenses, aspects, moods, persons, numbers, genders, and voices. Tova is also polypersonal as verbs have their subjects and direct objects marked on them.
+As is typical for verbs in nearly every language, Tovan verbs express actions and states of being. They undergo inflection for the following categories:
+* '''Tense''': non-past and past
+* '''Aspect''': non-habitual and habitual
+* '''Mood''': indicative, subjunctive, and imperative
+* '''Person''': first, second, and third
+* '''Number''': singular and plural
+* '''Gender''': (only in the third person singular) animate and inanimate
+* '''Voice''': active and passive
+* '''Arguments''': subject and direct object
+These categories apply specifically to the first verb form of roots, like ''lasana'' 'to speak' from the root ''l-s-n'' 'relating to speaking'. Other forms have different meanings, the second form of the root ''l-s-n'' is ''lassana'' which means 'to cause to speak'. Some forms are used specifically for other aspects like the perfect or progressive.
+Verbs are formed from roots, and each root has, at most, 9 different forms. The different forms are: ''basic, causative, progressive, reciprocal, intensive, reflexive, perfect, inchoative,'' and ''cessative''. Some forms may be combined with others, like a ''causative-progressive'' and a ''causative-reflexive''.
+==== Verbal inflection ====
+This section will cover each part that a verb conjugates for.
+===== Person, number, and gender =====
+Every verb in Tova conjugates for three different persons, two different numbers, and in the third-person singular, two genders. Tova is pro-drop for both the subject and direct object.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|+Sample conjugation of ''lasana'' 'to speak'
+! colspan="2" |
+!Singular
+!Plural
+|-
+! colspan="2" |First person
+|''lasani''
+|''lusun''
+|-
+! colspan="2" |Second person
+|''lasalni''
+|''lasuntu''
+|-
+! rowspan="2" |Third person
+!Animate
+|''lasana''
+| rowspan="2" |''lusanad''
+|-
+!Inanimate
+|''lasanu''
+|}
+<sup>''These conjugations are in the active voice, indicative mood, non-habitual aspect, and non-past tense. They are also subject-conjugated.''</sup>
+====== The first person ======
+The first person, ''ja'' and ''uvas'' (singular and plural, respectively) are used to refer to the speaker, or in the plural, the speaker plus at least one more person. In religious contexts, especially in the holy text of [[Tutlavás]], it is common to see a ''majestic plural'' be employed when it is God who is speaking. Verb conjugations are altered to match this shift in number.
+====== The second person ======
+The second person, ''elek'' and ''as'' (sg, pl), are used to refer to the person that the speaker is talking to. Tova has two levels of formality, depending on the number. ''Elek'' is used for familiar or informal situations, ''As'' is used for formal or respectful situations.
+===== The third person =====
+The third person, ''en'', ''id, őv, an'' (sg. human, sg. nonhuman, sg. inan, pl) are used to refer to neither the speaker or the person being talked to, but for other parties.
+* ''En'': Used to talk about a single human. May be translated like ''he'' or ''she''.
+* ''Id'': Used to talk about a single non-human, like a [[Kalikind|Kali]] or [[Kaneedkind|Kaneed]], or anything that is grammatically animate. Usage of this pronoun for non-humans has been criticized, claiming it is 'disrespectful' to non-humans. May be translated like ''he'', ''she'', ''they'', or ''it''.
+* ''Őv'': Used to talk about any grammatically inanimate object. May be translated like ''it''.
+* ''An'': Used to talk about more than one object of any animacy. May be translated like ''they''.
+Even though there are three third-person singular pronouns, there are only ''two'' third-person singular conjugations, inanimate and animate. The animate conjugation is used for both ''en'' and ''id''.