Cärähə syntax

Main article: Cärähə

This page gives an extensive description of Cärähə syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

Cärähə is an almost strictly SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) language.

äs wīrə rīruśäh äs subä 
the man sees the dog

The total lack of any case system (except, to a very limited extent, in personal pronouns), and of any distinction between the subject and the direct object, makes the word order firmly fixed.

The other elements in the sentence are usually placed in the order “time-cause-manner-place”, although they are basically freer than the main elements, as they are conveyed by the case system or by the prepositions. These elements can be emphasized by placing them at the beginning of the sentence.

The indirect object tends to be placed after the direct object of the sentence. However, if both direct and indirect objects are used in pronominal form, they are placed right before the conjugated verbal form in reverse order.

Nouns

The noun cluster is formed by a noun, carrying the main meaning, and by other noun-type forms, namely adjectives, which specify this meanings or add other meaning to the main noun. Inside of a noun cluster, the noun can be replaced by a pronoun.

The noun usually introduces the noun cluster, being followed by every other specifying form. Thus, other elements conveying possession and belonging are always placed after the noun, as well as every attributive adjective.

äs sohə cäs wīrə
the man’s house

xah honä çoba 
a young woman

The number of the noun cluster is marked by the number ending. This ending marks also other adjectival elements inside the noun cluster, resulting this in the process called nominal agreement.

Both attributive and predicative adjectives agree in number with the noun they specify. Other elements, which convey possession or belonging do not agree with the main nominal form.

äs wīrə çoba cän hümehīdə sohuɕär
the young man is going home

äsən honänə çobanə 
the young women

äsən honänə cänun çobanə 
the women are young

As a notable exception for a specifying form, the article is always placed before the entire noun cluster.

äsən sohənə rehənə cäs wīrə huhe
the new houses of the old man

Non-qualifying adjectives display, similarly, an irregular behavior about their positioning inside the noun cluster and about the usage of the article.

The indefinite, interrogative, and demonstrative adjectives are, indeed, almost always placed before the noun without any article. They do agree with their noun in number.

hīsdə wīrə
no man

sähə sohə?
which house?

nüdə subä
this dog

The usage of possessive forms is quite more complex. When used as possessive adjectives, these forms are always placed before the noun, but, unlike the other non-qualifying adjectives, they sistematically require the article, both in its definite and in its indefinite form. They do agree with their noun in number.

äs üd́usə rüra
my hand

xah üd́usə maɟudü
a friend of mine

It is also possible, however, to convey a possessive meaning by using the personal pronouns in their indirect object forms. In this case they are always placed after their adjoining noun without an agreement in number. They thus are regarded as indeclinable possessive forms.

äs rüra çərä
my hand

xah maɟudü çərä
a friend of mine

The grammar role of noun clusters can be further specified by prepositions, which are placed before the cluster. Thus, it can be stated that the noun cluster can be introduced by a preposition.

cänü sähiŕuhīdə güs sohə
I am talking about the house