Höśikə syntax

Main article: Höśikə

This page gives an extensive description of Höśikə syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

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

jyrəžə ljyloç sopažə 
the man sees the dog

Despite the limited case system, the word order is essentially fixed because of the lacking distinction between the subject and the direct object.

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.

Nouns

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

The noun is usually located in the center of the noun cluster, being preceded or followed by every other specifying form.

Non-adjectival elements conveying possession and belonging are always placed after the noun.

sovəžə h́äc jyrošyžə
the man’s house

Every attributive adjectives, conversely, is always placed before the noun.

hokə käzoti
a friend of mine (lit. my friend)

höpä śuqɛ̃
a young woman

The role of the noun cluster in the sentence and its number are marked by case and number endings. These endings mark also other adjectival elements inside the noun cluster, resulting this in the process called nominal agreement.

The noun cluster, moreover, can be marked by definiteness. A noun cluster regarded as definite is marked by the postposed definite article, which is added to the first adjective-type oder noun-type element in the same group. An element marked by such article is deemed as in its definite form.

rjeqõžõ sovõ h́äc qokješyžə jyrošy
the old man's new houses

The article cannot be added to a non-nominal or non-adjectival element.

śuty rjikɛž śuqɛ̃
the very beautiful woman

A noun cluster regarded as indefinite displays no definitess marker. Some kinds of adjective, noticeably the indefinite, the interrogative and the demonstrative adjectives, have no inherent definite form as adjectives.

hjeqə käzoti h́äc höpäšy jyrošy
every friend of a young man

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

höpäžə jyrə qimjeh́ kö sovəšy
the young man is going home

hõkəžə hɔgo
our house

höpä̃žõ śuqɛ̃
the young women

śuqɛ̃žõ qɛňõ höpä̃
the women are young

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.

tsɛvovə vü sovošyžə
I am talking about the house

The cases

The grammatical role of the noun cluster in a sentence is conveyed by some endings. These endings are bound to grammatical cases, with usually well-defined roles.

The cases in Höśikə language are 2:

• Direct
• Oblique

The grammatical roles and all possible differences in usage among similar cases are enlisted below: