Conlang Relay 18/Cəssın
From FrathWiki
by Jan Strasser
Contents
Cəssın text
Nol epeheppen loyollogaŋ, lorånassa ornogom loyoko şötepelneş. Lunogo dirin eri, löricöyäm geşin occuk mölö, å cılcın å cyoc ugu urvı. Örän pirgä, gåto pospıntışən öröllö, vogga lunyolom lökäglönä hölküŋŋä lilmeheppen. Lunogo melve ogluryasa gıc olcın ova eŋ suşın lormozo örvöbrörötä tånuttışəŋŋas. Dara kellärişşeneş zyoryuŋ zosıŋŋa lököyosommo.
Zyunıŋŋa lorånassa lonogosa tücüneppen, lunyolom rivlä rum örkiretä tömmöllürün. A porat å sossın erren; nevin rörninyöŋ örnyömmi nin, am löbrinne setin urvı. Lara lunogo kelläreneş akarga, å lut, zärye üşö ayana mereneş. Vogga rolga, lorånassa åksun olınəş ova pupsun lotohunam lopovı seşpeheppişşeneş, ŋötommaş kilin öllyomota.
Translation
- I changed the text quite a bit and added some details (especially in the first paragraph) in order to turn it into a believable excerpt from a folk tale of my conculture. Notably, I felt that a smoke-breathing dragon did not fit in, so I replaced him with the spirit of a bear, an animal highly reverenced in the Şişin mountains.
English
When the evening came, the shamaness summoned the spirit of a bear. It was a mighty bear, obviously a true lord of the forests, and he was fierce and furious as well. He roared loudly, causing a window to break, and positioned himself menacingly at the edge of the marketplace. The bear rose to his full height and scared away all the people around him. The spell-weaver, however, was watching him intently.
Slowly, the shamaness approached the bear, crossing the snow-covered marketplace. She looked proud and beautiful; her face was golden like tea made from red leaves. The woman was still watching the bear, and yes, now he returned her gaze. And then, suddenly, the shamaness raised her hand and began to caress the nose of the fearsome beast, pacifying him with a disarming smile.
English translation of previous text
- (Prevli, by Roger Mills)
The day was beginning to end. A female shaman summoned a dragon. The dragon was exhaling clouds of steam and smoke. He broke a window, and sat down on a railing above the marketplace. The spell-weaver saw the dragon, but he did not look back at her.
The marketplace was covered with snow. Nearby, the shaman was standing. She was certainly beautiful and proud. Her cheeks resembled gold, having the color of tea made from red leaves. The shaman looked at the dragon, and the dragon looked at the shaman. And then, suddenly, she caressed the snout of the dragon and put on a radiant smile.
Interlinear gloss
- Nol
- nol
- as
- epeheppen
- epe-hepp-en
- sit-INCH-PAST.3SG
- loyollogaŋ,
- lo+yollogaŋ
- DEF.SG.NOM-dusk
- lorånassa
- lo+rånah-sa
- DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE
- ornogom
- or-nogo-am
- INDEF.SG-bear-GEN
- loyoko
- lo-yoko
- DEF.SG.ACC-spirit
- şötepelneş.
- şöte-pela-eneş
- invite-RETR-PAST.3SG>3SG
When the evening came, the shamaness summoned the spirit of a bear.
- Lunogo
- lo+nogo
- DEF.SG.NOM-bear
- dirin
- dirin
- awesome
- eri,
- eri
- COP.PAST.SG
- löricöyäm
- los-icöŋ-am
- DEF.PL.ACC-forest-GEN
- geşin
- geşin
- dominant
- occuk
- or-cuk
- INDEF.SG.NOM-king
- mölö,
- mölö
- obviously
- å
- å
- and
- cılcın
- cılcın
- fierce
- å
- å
- and
- cyoc
- cyoc
- furious
- ugu
- ugu
- also
- urvı.
- urvı
- PRED.PAST.SG
It was a mighty bear, obviously a true lord of the forests, and he was fierce and furious as well.
- Örän
- örä-en
- roar-PAST.3SG
- pirgä,
- pire-ga
- loud-ADV
- gåto
- gåto
- so_that
- pospıntışən
- pospə-im-tiş-en
- smash-TPASS-ICAUS-PAST.3SG
- öröllö,
- or-öllö
- INDEF.SG.NOM-window
- vogga
- vogga
- and_then
- lunyolom
- lo-nyolo-am
- DEF.SG-marketplace-GEN
- lökäglönä
- lo-käglö-na
- DEF.SG-boundary-LOC
- hölküŋŋä
- hölkün-ga
- threaten-ADV
- lilmeheppen.
- lilme-hepp-en
- stand-INCH-PAST.3SG
He roared loudly, causing a window to break, and positioned himself menacingly at the edge of the marketplace.
- Lunogo
- lo+nogo
- DEF.SG.NOM-bear
- melve
- melve
- whole
- ogluryasa
- ag-lurya-sa
- 3POSS.SG-size-LAT
- gıc
- gıc
- up_to
- olcın
- olcı-en
- rise-PAST.3SG
- ova
- ova
- and
- eŋ
- eŋ
- all
- suşın
- suşın
- nearby
- lormozo
- los-mozo
- DEF.PL.ACC-person
- örvöbrörötä
- orv-ebrörö-ta
- INDEF.SG-fear-INSTR
- tånuttışəŋŋas.
- tåno-uro-tiş-eŋŋas
- flee-PROG-ICAUS-PAST.3SG>3PL
The bear rose to his full height and scared away all the people around him.
- Dara
- dara
- but
- kellärişşeneş
- kelle-are-şş-eneş
- watch-DUR-EMPH-PAST.3SG>3SG
- zyoryuŋ
- zyoryuŋ
- that_one.ACC
- zosıŋŋa
- zosın-ga
- focused-ADV
- lököyosommo.
- lo+ökö-osommo
- DEF.SG.NOM-blessing-weaver
The spell-weaver, however, was watching him intently.
- Zyunıŋŋa
- zyunın-ga
- slow-ADV
- lorånassa
- lo+rånah-sa
- DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE
- lonogosa
- lo-nogo-sa
- DEF.SG-bear-LAT
- tücüneppen,
- tücün-hepp-en
- approach-INCH-PAST.3SG
- lunyolom
- lo-nyolo-am
- DEF.SG-marketplace-GEN
- rivlä
- rivlä
- across
- rum
- rum
- REL
- örkiretä
- or-kire-ta
- INDEF.SG-snow-INSTR
- tömmöllürün.
- tömmi-oll-uro-en
- conceal-APASS-PROG-PAST.3SG
Slowly, the shamaness approached the bear, crossing the snow-covered marketplace.
- A
- a
- 3SG.NOM
- porat
- porat
- determined
- å
- å
- and
- sossın
- sossın
- beautiful
- erren;
- erre-en
- seem-PAST.3SG
- nevin
- nevin
- red
- rörninyöŋ
- ros-niŋi-oŋ
- INDEF.PL-leaf-ABL
- örnyömmi
- or+nyömmi
- INDEF.SG.NOM-tea
- nin,
- nin
- like,
- am
- am
- 3SG.GEN
- löbrinne
- lo+brinne
- DEF.PL.NOM-face
- setin
- setin
- golden
- urvı.
- urvı
- PRED.PAST.SG
She looked proud and beautiful; her face was golden like tea made from red leaves.
- Lara
- lo+ara
- DEF.SG.NOM-woman
- lunogo
- lo-nogo
- DEF.SG.ACC-bear
- kelläreneş
- kelle-äre-eneş
- watch-DUR-PAST.3SG>3SG
- akarga,
- akarga
- still
- å
- å
- and
- lut,
- lut
- yes
- zärye
- zärye
- that_one
- üşö
- üşö
- now
- ayana
- ag-yana
- 3POSS.ACC-gaze
- mereneş.
- mere-eneş
- meet-PAST.3SG>3SG
The woman was still watching the bear, and yes, now he returned her gaze.
- Vogga
- vogga
- and_then
- rolga,
- rolga
- suddenly,
- lorånassa
- lo+rånah-sa
- DEF.SG.NOM-shaman-FEMALE
- åksun
- ag-tun
- 3POSS.SG.ACC-hand
- olınəş
- olı-eneş
- raise-PAST.3SG>3SG
- ova
- ova
- and
- pupsun
- pupsun
- fearsome
- lotohunam
- lo-tohun-am
- DEF.SG-wild_animal-GEN
- lopovı
- lo-povı
- DEF.SG.ACC-nose
- seşpeheppişşeneş,
- seşpe-hepp-işş-eneş
- caress-INCH-EMPH-PAST.3SG>3SG
- ŋötommaş
- ŋa-ötommə-aş
- PTCP-pacify-NPST.3SG>3SG
- kilin
- kilin
- affectionate
- öllyomota.
- or-lyomo-ta
- INDEF.SG-smile-INSTR
And then, suddenly, the shamaness raised her hand and began to caress the nose of the fearsome beast, pacifying him with a disarming smile.
Vocabulary
| morpheme | class | meaning | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| -(a)m | suffix | (genitive-benefactive case) | |
| -(e)n | suffix | (3sg intransitive verbal suffix, past tense) | |
| -(e)neş | suffix | (3sg subject, 3sg object verbal suffix, past tense) | |
| -(h)epp- | suffix | (inchoative aspect) | |
| -(i)şş- | suffix | (emphatic mood) | used to mark an action as important, intensified and/or contrastive |
| -är- | suffix | (durative/habitual aspect) | |
| -aş | suffix | (3sg subject, 3sg object verbal suffix, non-past tense) | |
| -eŋŋas | suffix | (3sg subject, 3pl object verbal suffix, past tense) | |
| -ga | suffix | (adverbializer) | becomes -ŋa after nasals |
| -im- | suffix | (passive voice, telic/dynamic) | |
| -na | suffix | (locative case) | |
| -oll- | suffix | (passive voice, atelic/stative) | |
| -oŋ | suffix | (ablative case) | |
| -pel- | suffix | (retrospective aspect) | describes an action whose results are still relevant later |
| -sa | suffix | (lative case) | |
| -ta | suffix | (instrumental case) | |
| -tiş- | suffix | (causative) | |
| -ur(u)- | suffix | (progressive aspect) | allomorph: ut- |
| a | pron | (3rd person singular) | |
| ag- | prefix | (3rd person possessive) | allomorphs: a-, åk-, og- |
| akarga | adv | still | |
| ara | n | woman | |
| å | cj | and | mostly used within syntactic constituents |
| brinne | n | face | |
| cılcın | adj | fierce, dangerous | |
| cuk | n | king | |
| cyoc | adj | angry, furious | |
| dara | cj | but, however, in contrast | |
| dirin | adj | great, awesome, overwhelming | |
| ebrörö | n | fear, emotional shock | becomes öbrörö in the indefinite singular |
| eŋ | qu | all, every | |
| epe | v.it | sit | |
| eri | aux | (copula, singular past stative) | |
| erre | v.it | seem, appear | takes adjectival complement |
| gåto | cj | so that, in order to, therefore | |
| geşin | adj | dominant, superior | |
| gıc | pp | up to, towards, in the direction of | |
| hölkün | v.mt | threaten, menace | |
| icöŋ | n | forest, woodland, wilderness | becomes icöy- when suffixes are added |
| käglö | n | border, boundary, edge, side | |
| kelle | v.mt | watch, observe, supervise | |
| kilin | adj | tender, affectionate, loving | |
| kire | n | snow | |
| lilme | v.it | stand | |
| lo- | prefix | (definite article, singular) | allomorphs: l-, lu- |
| lor- | prefix | (definite article, plural | |
| lurya | n | size, height | |
| lut | adv | yes, indeed | |
| lyomo | n | smile | |
| melve | adj | whole, complete, comprehensive | |
| mere | v.mt | meet, encounter, reciprocate | |
| mozo | n | person, human being | |
| mölö | adv | clearly, obviously, can be taken for granted | |
| nevin | adj | red | |
| nin | pp | as, like, similar to | |
| niŋi | n | leaf (of a plant) | becomes ninye- when suffixes are added |
| nogo | n | bear | |
| nol | cj | as, when, with | |
| nyolo | n | market, marketplace | |
| nyömmi | n | tea, herbal infusion | |
| ŋ(a)- | prefix | (participle | |
| olcı | v.it | rise, get up, lift oneself | |
| olı | v.mt | raise, lift (something else) | |
| or- | prefix | (indefinite article, singular) | allomorphs: oc-, ol-, orv- |
| osommo | n | weaver | |
| ova | cj | and | mostly used to link clauses and phrases |
| ökö | n | blessing, charm | |
| öllö | n | window, opening | |
| örä | v.it | shout, scream, yell, roar | |
| ötommə | v.mt | tame, pacify, disarm | |
| pire | adj | loud | |
| porat | adj | solid, firm, determined, trustworthy | |
| pospə | v.mt | smash, break, destroy | |
| povı | n | nose | |
| pupsun | adj | terrible, fearsome | |
| rånassa | n | shamaness, witch | |
| rivlä | pp | along, through, by way of, across | |
| rolga | adv | unpredictably, surprisingly, suddenly | |
| ror- | prefix | (indefinite article, plural) | |
| rum | cj | (relativizer) | |
| seşpe | v.mt | caress, fondle, stroke gently | |
| setin | adj | richly decorated; golden | |
| sossın | adj | beautiful, attractive (said of women) | |
| şöte | v.mt | call, invite, summon | |
| suşın | adj | adjacent, nearby | |
| tåno | v.mt | avoid, evade, run away, flee | |
| tohun | n | wild animal, beast | |
| tömmi | v.mt | hide, conceal, cover | |
| tun | n | hand | becomes -sun with prefixes ending in a plosive |
| tücün | v.it | approach, go to | goal takes lative case |
| ugu | adv | also, as well | |
| urvı | aux | (copula, singular past temporary) | |
| üşö | adv | now, immediately | |
| vogga | adv | and then, next, subsequently | |
| yana | n | view, look, gaze, stare (instance of viewing/watching) | |
| yoko | n | spirit, soul, avatar, totem | |
| yollogaŋ | n | evening, dusk, sunset | |
| zärye | pron | that one, that person (nominative) | |
| zosın | adj | alert, concentrated, focused, vigilant | |
| zyoryuŋ | pron | that one, that person (accusative) | |
| zyunın | adj | slow, solemn, relaxed |
Grammar
- The basic word order of Cəssın is SOV, but other arrangements are also possible. Notably, subclauses are often built on a VSO model, and the subject may be extraposited to sentence-final position to receive contrastive emphasis. Adjectivial subject complements usually appear right before the verb; adverbial elements and adpositional phrases may appear in various positions in a sentence.
- Nouns inflect for eight cases, six of which are marked with recently grammaticalised suffixes. The nominative and accusative case are etymologically older, and are not morphologically distinct from each other for any of the noun instances in this text; word order and context will need to disambiguate. The distinction is more robust in pronouns.
- Almost every noun phrase takes a mandatory article inflecting for definiteness and number, which is prefixed to the head noun. The main exception is that articles are not used when the noun already has a possessive prefix. Possessive prefixes, on the other hand, are not used when the possessor overtly precedes the head noun.
- A peculiarity of Cəssın noun phrase syntax is that adjectives and quantifiers precede not only the head noun, but also its article. Relative clauses follow the head.
- Cəssın has both pre- and postpositions, but they are not used very frequently because many basic adpositional concepts can be expressed by case-marking. This text contains a few postpositional phrases, but no prepositional ones.
- Verbal morphology is almost exclusively suffixing and consists of two parts: an agglutinative layer of aspectual and modal suffixes that derive from earlier auxiliaries, and a fusional set of tense/person/number endings agreeing with both subject and object.
- Participles are marked with a prefix, do not take any aspect/mood suffixes, and do not inflect for the past tense in their person/number endings either.
- There are several copulae distinguished by the aspectual value of the predication, which have a much simpler inflection, being marked only for tense and number.
- A prominent feature of Cəssın is vowel harmony, whereby all vowels in suffixes agree in frontness with the last vowel in the root. Front vowels are /i e æ ø y/ i e ä ö ü, and back vowels are /ɯ ɤ ɑ o u/ ı ə a o u. The rounded open vowel /ɒ/ å also counts as a back vowel, but it does not take part in vowel harmony alternations itself. In the morpheme list, harmonizing vowels are given with the simple graphemes i e a o u.
- Prefixes also undergo vowel harmony, but the rules are much more complicated than for suffixes. For simplicity, I've simply listed irregular allomorphs (which also take into account some consonant sandhi).
- Some words feature mixed vowel harmony; this is holds true especially for compounds, which may be formed head-finally.
