Azkali language: Difference between revisions

== Grammar ==

Due to the relatively large amount of marking that words can take in Azkali, particularly in verbs and nouns in the Turruist register of Azkali, the word order of Azkali has gradually become relatively free. Most sentences tend to roughly follow a SVO word order pattern, however the tendency to follow a strict word order has eroded. This is a fairly novel construct, only being attested around the mid 1800s; speech following a strict SVO pattern is thus often considered traditional, or old fashioned. Relatively strict word orders are also seen in certain dialects, particularly those of which are influenced by [[Oikan]].

!3rd

|-

|juli

|luikui

|-

|julen

|luikien

!Epicene

|-

|go

|tu

|keilek

|-

|goen

|tuen

==== Theory ====

{| class="wikitable"

|+Azkali noun template

! rowspan="2" |

!1b

!3

!1c

!4

|-

|[Number]

|}

As the table indicates, nouns in Azkali are only required to take case, with other features being optional.

==== Noun Case ====

In Azkali, nouns are marked for any of 6 noun cases. Generally, they follow these forms (using the word ''Eche'' - house as an example). In the past, Azkali used ''many'' more cases, but nowadays (except in the Turruist Azkali register) only these main 6 are used. The following chart is a table showing the "nuclear forms" of Azkali cases. These can occasionally change their forms, though most often via the addition of a vowel to eliminate consonant clusters.   

!Meaning

|-

|eche

|house

|-

|eche

|house

|-

|with the house

|}

Adjectives also are marked based on the case that the noun they modify belongs to. This is described more in detail in the '''Adjectives''' section.

Between 5 and 8 Azkali verbs fall into the first declension group. These constitute some of the most regularly used Azkali verbs. The exact number of verbs that fall into the first declension group is disputed, however five extremely common verbs are in this declension group, being ''isan, esan, hian, eikan,'' and ''rei -'' being ''to be, to eat, to speak, to drink,'' and ''to sleep'' respectively. Unlike most verbs, which fall into the second and third declension groups, verbs that fall under the first declension group face full marking regarding tense and mood.  The patterns in the first declension group have been long debated. In the past (i.e between the 1800s and 1980s), first declension group verbs were somewhat more regular. However, due to [[1980 Azkali Plague|the plague]], these forms have became extremely irregular, with few if any patterns between individual forms.  

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Isan

==== Third declension group ====

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Heudhun

|}

As the table plainly shows, in third declension group verbs, two unique evolutions have occured: the far past and past tenses have merged, and the future tense of which is present in the other two declension groups only as a dialectal feature is fully present in all third declension group verbs. Not present in conditional verbs of the other two declension groups is the lack of the ''nak'' particle. The soft imperative marker -pua, atleast in this declension group appears to be from the Oikan future imperative marker -bua. Generally, third declension group verbs are somewhat difficult to master, due to moderate amounts of irregularity between those verbs, and the incongruity between forming conditional verbs in the third declension group compared to the other two.

Other notable features of the third declension group involves how verbs are conjugated. Generally, the final sound of a verb, e.g. the ''n'' in ''heudhun'' will be dropped, and then affixes will be applied. E.g. ''heudhun'' 'mature! (with an imperative meaning)' ⟶ ''heudhu'''mi''''' 'I mature. In addition, the baseform of the verb, in this case ''heudhun'', is interpreted as the hard imperative form of the verb. To conjugate an infinitive form of the verb, one must add the ''te'' particle which exists in the other declension groups to the non past indicative form, of which is expressed by the addition of the same particle to the stem.   

The table that describes all affixes in verbs belonging to the third declension group is shown below.   

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="3" |Singular

! rowspan="2" |Plural

!Hard

! rowspan="2" |Ø

|-

!Soft

|}

==== Lack of aspect ====

=== Irregular verbs ===

== Syntax ==

== Dialects ==

== Vocabulary ==

Azkali's vocabulary is extremely open class; new nouns, verbs, and pronouns are constantly being derived and used by speakers of Azkali. Other types of words, even including grammatical affixes, prepositions, and so on, are also open class, though not as much as nouns.  

''Main article: [[Azkali registers]]''

=== Colloquial Azkali ===