NewLang/Verbs
From Allocosm
Finite Verbs
Verb Phrase
VERB PHRASE = (CONVERB PHRASE)* MAINVERB (ADVERBS)*
Verb Template
VERB+<ASPECT>+TRIGGER
Aspect Infixes
Verbs have lexical aspect, that is, they inherently have a sense of aspect. Can be:
- Telic - the event has a definite endpoint
- Atelic - the event has no definite endpoint (it may end, but an endpoint isn't inherent in the definition). Atelic includes states (no change over time) and activities (no change over time).
Grammatical aspect is indicated by an infix that is inserted before the stressed syllable (stress is unaffected).
| Infix | Telic | Atelic |
|---|---|---|
| -Ø- | Punctual | Continuous |
| -ema- | Continuitive (CT) | Frequentive (FREQ) |
| -lha- | Iterative (ITER) | Progressive (PROG) |
| -u- | Habitual (HAB) | |
| -toa | Gnomic (GNO) | |
Trigger Suffixes
| Target Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Ergative | -is | -izE |
| Accusative | -ts | -dzE |
| Instrumental | -lz | -lzE |
| Benefactive | -a | -aE |
| Locative | -z | -zE |
| Commitiative | -nu | -nuE |
Notes:
- In the table below E stands for stressed vowel of the verb.
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with one, then the verb stem vowel is dropped before the suffix is added.
Adverbs
Adverbs are a closed class of words that can appear after the verb. See NewLang/Adverbs.
Non-Finite Verbs
Converbs
Converbs are formed via reduplication of the stressed vowel to the front of the verb, e.g. gura -> ugura. Converbs can also take aspect infixes, but not trigger suffixes.
