Pı̀ morphology
- Main article: Pı̀
This page gives an extensive description of Pı̀ morphological features.
As already mentioned, Pı̀ is a morphologically isolating language. Each lexeme does not undergo any morphological mutation. Syntactical roles are thus entirely expressed by syntax and word order. Lexemes can, however, combine in many derivative processes.
Nouns
Nouns in Pı̀ usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived or being loanwords.
On the morphological level nouns display no number, case or definiteness, exhibiting always the same unaltered form:
ū̃ wolf - a wolf - the wolf - wolves - the wolves
A process similar to pluralization, conveying the meaning of an undefined amount bigger than one, can be achieved by placing the pluralizing particle e̱ after the noun:
ū̃ e̱ a lot of wolves
This particle has, however, a very marked use and highlight the meaning of a large quantity of the said entities or items.
Adjectives and pronouns
Adjectives closely resemble the noun form, not displaying any morphological change for either number, case or definiteness. Pronouns, while also morphologically unchanging, may exhibit different forms in the root form.
Adjectives
Attributive adjectives are always placed before the nouns they specify, while predicative adjectives are always placed after them.
χat nɔ̀χɛ̱́ a young man
nɔ̀χɛ̱́ ɟē χat the man is young
However, if the specified noun is sintactically definite in the sentence (i.e., it has been already mentioned or it is an already known information to the speaker), it adjective can be placed after it, while being introduced by the demonstrative pronoun tı̱̋, that one, (or rarely by pı̱̋, this one):
ɔ̄̀nhɛ̱ tı̱̋ hat the young man (lit. the man, the young one)
As these pronominal forms mandatorily convey a number distinction, by having a specific plural, also the specified noun can distinguish a plural form by using these plurals:
ɔ̄̀nhɛ̱ tɪ̂ hat the young men (lit. the men, the young ones)
This construction, called definite construction, is completely optional and can be expressed only by qualifying adjectives. Every other adjective is sistematically placed before the noun.
Personal pronouns
Personal pronouns feature a distinction between three persons, and, unlike any other elements of the sentence, compulsorily distinguish the number singular from the plural:
| go̱ | gø̱ | |
| sā | sæ̱̏ | |
| bē | bȅ̱ |
The 3rd person pronouns usually refer to semantically animate or human entities, although they may technically refer to every entity. For inanimate or unreal entities, demonostrative adjectives or pronouns are rather used.
All forms, if adjoined by the preposition sɪ̄̀ (used as a postposition), play the role of an indeclinable possessive adjective, being placed before a noun, or the role of indeclinable possessive pronoun, being placed before a demonstrative pronominal form.
go̱ sɪ̄̀ ta sū̀ xō sæ̱̏ sɪ̄̀ ma my father saw your mother
go̱ sɪ̄̀ ta sū̀ xō sæ̱̏ sɪ̄̀ tı̱̋ my father saw yours
Interrogative adjectives and pronouns
The basic interrogative adjective is:
- which: xo̱
There are also other more specific interrogative adjectives and pronouns (and adverbs):
- xø̄̃: what (it refers to inanimate entities)
- xø̱: who (it refers to animate entities)
- xø̂: where (static location)
- xo̱t: how much, how many? (requires the partitive postposition)
- xø̂tò: where? (motion towards)
- xø̂cɛ̄̀: where... from (motion form)
- xø̄̃gɛ: when (time)
- xø̄̃mù: why (cause)
- xø̄̃çû: why (aim)
Within an interrogative clause, pronouns usually are usually placed in their syntactical position according to their role.
Numerals
The numeral system relies on a decimal base.
Cardinal numerals
The first ten cardinal numbers are forms on their own:
| xṑ | |
| mɛ̱s | |
| có | |
| guf | |
| pı́ | |
| tə̀ | |
| hāt | |
| má̱ | |
| šű̱ | |
| bæ̱̃ |
Numerals from 11 to 19 are built with the construction bæ̱̃ + NUM:
| bæ̱̃ xṑ | |
| bæ̱̃ mɛ̱s | |
| bæ̱̃ có | |
| bæ̱̃ guf | |
| bæ̱̃ pı́ | |
| bæ̱̃ tə̀ | |
| bæ̱̃ hāt | |
| bæ̱̃ má̱ | |
| bæ̱̃ šű̱ |
The numeral for (one) hundred is a form on its own, while the numeral for (one) thousand is a loanword from Iðâɣ language:
| çı̱́p | |
| ěn (from I. ěn) |
The numerals for the multiples of tens, hundreds and thousands are built with the construction NUM + gɛ (time(s)) + bæ̱̃ / çı̱́p / ěn:
| mɛ̱s gɛ bæ̱̃ | mɛ̱s gɛ çı̱́p | mɛ̱s gɛ ěn | |
| có gɛ bæ̱̃ | có gɛ çı̱́p | có gɛ ěn | |
| guf gɛ bæ̱̃ | guf gɛ çı̱́p | guf gɛ ěn | |
| pı́ gɛ bæ̱̃ | pı́ gɛ çı̱́p | pı́ gɛ ěn | |
| tə̀ gɛ bæ̱̃ | tə̀ gɛ çı̱́p | tə̀ gɛ ěn | |
| hāt gɛ bæ̱̃ | hāt gɛ çı̱́p | hāt gɛ ěn | |
| má̱ gɛ bæ̱̃ | má̱ gɛ çı̱́p | má̱ gɛ ěn | |
| šű̱ gɛ bæ̱̃ | šű̱ gɛ çı̱́p | šű̱ gɛ ěn |
Composite numbers are built by just putting them beside, without any conjunction, in descending order:
- 1985: ěn šű̱ gɛ çı̱́p má̱ gɛ bæ̱̃ pı́
Numerals for “million” and “billion” are loanwords from Iðâɣ language:
| šúrěn (from I. šúrěntu) | |
| mêšúr (from I. mêšúrěntu) |
These forms are treated as regular nouns:
| có šúrěn | |
| tə̀ mêšúr |
Cardinal numerals usually precede their adjoining noun cluster, as an adjectival form. However, every numeral can be optionally used with a noun cluster introduced by the partitive preposition jó.
tə̀ hó or tə̀ jó hó six dogs
With semantically uncountable nouns and with pronouns, the partitive preposition is mandatorily used, with the meaning of “X units of Y”:
tə̀ jó kø̄m six pieces/parts/balls/etc. of wool
šű̱ jó gø̱ nine of us
With the numerals for “million” and “billion” the partitive preposition jó is always mandatorily used.
mɛ̱s šúrěn jó hɛ̱ two millions people
In the modern period the idea of “zero” is introduced from Iðâɣ language. This numeral is however usually limited to mathematics:
| xesú (from I. xesú) |
Ordinal numerals
Ordinal numerals are formed by putting the particle sē after the cardinal numeral form:
| xṑ sē | |
| mɛ̱s sē | |
| có sē | |
| guf sē | |
| pı́ sē | |
| tə̀ sē | |
| hāt sē | |
| má̱ sē | |
| šű̱ sē | |
| bæ̱̃ sē |
If the numeral form is composite, the ending is added only to the last numeral form:
- 25th: mɛ̱s gɛ bæ̱̃ pı́ sē
Verbs
Verbs in Pı̀ language usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived. Each verbal form carries only the semantical information, while other features are conveyed by other grammatic particles.
On the morphological level the verb display no person, or number, exhibiting always the same unaltered form:
ró̱s (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) hear
The verbal person is conveyed by nouns and personal pronouns, which can convey also the number, unlike nouns:
go̱ ró̱s I hear
sæ̱̏ ró̱s you (pl.) hear
The verb, however, can be adjoined by particles, which convey either the aspectual or the temporal value of an action or a state. The set of the verb form, carrying the meaning, together with the temporal and the aspectual particles is called verb cluster.
ɪ̱́g ró̱s xō past - hear - perfective
Personal pronouns are not considered to be part of the verb cluster, as they can be freely placed in other parts of the clause. Verbal particles, conversely, are strictly tied to the same verbal form.
The aspectual particles are:
| progressive | |
| perfective | |
| resultative | |
| repetitive | |
| experiential | |
| prospective |
The absence of an aspectual particle is understood as an habitual aspect, namely pointing to a usual or customary in time action or state. The aspectual particle are always place after the verb, and are not usually left out. Examples:
go̱ ró̱s I hear (always)
go̱ ró̱s ña̱ I am hearing
go̱ ró̱s xō I heard
The temporal particles are:
| now | |
| past | |
| future | |
| distant past |
Temporal particles are similar to temporal adverbs, and sometimes they are regarded as such. However, unlike real adverbs, they are tied to the verb, as part of the verb cluster. They are not always expressed, only if deemed necessary for the temporal identification of the clause. In a common clause, only the aspect is expressed:
go̱ ɪ̱́g ró̱s I used to hear (always)
go̱ kūx ró̱s ña̱ I will be hearing
go̱ rɑ̄̀ ró̱s xō I heard (right a bit ago)
Two additional particles can be placed after the verb, šı́, which conveys a meaning of command, being thus an imperative particle, and šá, which conveys a meaning of negative command or prohibition, being thus a prohibitive particle.
| imperative | |
| prohibitive |
These particles are mandatorily used when orders and prohibitions are to be conveyed. When used, personal pronouns, aspectual particles, and temporal particles are usually not required, but they can be optionally used. Both particles are placed at the end of the verbal cluster.
tı̀ šı́ go!
tı̀ xō šı́ go! (up to destination)
sā tı̀ šı́ ba bē ɛ́ šı́ you go, but he stay!
Negation
The verbal negation is conveyed by the negative adverb ɔ̄̀. This adverb is placed before the verb cluster (thus, before any temporal particles).
hó fú̱ ña̱ → hó ɔ̄̀ fú̱ ña̱ the dog is sleeping → the dog isn't sleeping
hó ɪ̱́g mâ xō ɔ̄̀nhɛ̱ → hó ɔ̄̀ ɪ̱́g mâ xō ɔ̄̀nhɛ̱ the dog had bitten the man → the dog hadn't bitten the man
A negative imperative, conveyed by the prohibitive particle šá, does not need any additional negative particles.
fú̱ šá don't sleep!
Double negatives are generally not allowed; the presence of another negative element in the sentence inhibits the negative adverb.
