Old Anhic language: Difference between revisions

==== Kappatic and sigmatic forms ====

A system of ''kappatic'' and ''sigmatic'' forms is commonly used with nouns and adjectives. Kappatic and sigmatic both refer to the addition of a consonant at the start of a nominal, ''k-'' and ''s-'', respectively. These forms are used as a way to indicate both spatial deixis and/or definiteness. The more common of the two is the ''kappatic''. Adjectives can also be nominalized using these forms to have the meaning of 'the [adjective] one'. They are derived from the demonstratives '''''ka''''' 'this' and '''''sa''''' 'that'.

There are some phonological conditions that must be met in order for a word to have kappatic and sigmatic forms. Some rules only apply to the kappatic, and some to the sigmatic.

* The word must start with a plosive. (only applies to ''kappatic'')

* The word must start with /s/ or /z/. (only applies to ''sigmatic)''

Another rule is that if a word starts with ''h-'' or ''ħ-'', then they will be deleted and the ''k-'' or ''s-'' will replace them. For example, the word ''hirta'' 'way', has kappatic and sigmatic forms ''kirta'' 'this, the way' and ''sirta'' 'that, the way'. But the word ''varman'' 'ash' has the forms ''gvarman'' and ''zvarman''. Note that if a word begins in a voiced consonant, the ''k-'' and ''s-'' are voiced to ''g-'' and ''z-''. Due to the rules, some words may only have one special form. Like ''gāza'' 'hand', which only has a valid sigmatic form ''zgāza.''