Iðâɣ syntax

Main article: Iðâɣ

This page gives an extensive description of Iðâɣ syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

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

îrə lîp soβe 
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. 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 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.

sóɣə ô îrəre
the man’s house

lě ô ònəre
my hand

ône šô jóβé 
a young woman

As it can be notices, specifying elements are preceded, in most cases, by a pronoun-type particle, called prepositive article.

The role of the noun cluster in the sentence and its number are marked by case and number endings. The endings, however, do not mark and they do not realize any nominal agreement on these form, neither on attributive or on predicative adjectives. The agreement with the noun is realized, conversely, by the prepositive article.

lîβò sóɣə ô îrəre ôr óɣé
I see the old man's house

îrə ô jóβé ímè kô sóɣəre
the young man is going home

sóɣə ô ònəre
our house

ônenə ôn jóβé
the young women

ônenə ánon (ôn) jóβé
the women are young

As it can be noticed, predicative adjectives display an optional usage of the prepositive article. This feature varies prominently among dialects, being thus regarded as optional in the standard grammar.

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

The indefinite, interrogative, and demonstrative adjectives are, indeed, almost always placed before the noun without any prepositive article. They also display no form of agreement, either in case or in number, with the noun of their cluster.

êsu îrə
no man

šaɣə sóɣə?
which house?

nìtuɣə soβe
this dog

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.

sôwɣò gú sóɣəre
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 Iðâɣ language are 4:

• Direct
• Genitive-Dative
• Instrumental
• Locative

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