Læntixu syntax

Main article: Læntixu

This page gives an extensive description of Læntixu syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

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

æl‘ vjirul‘ ojh ʎiloɸjiθu æl‘ soɸal‘ 
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. 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.

æl‘ sowgul‘ hæk æha vjiruha 
the man’s house

ownal‘ jowɸæl‘
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.

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.

æl‘ ownal‘ jowɸæl‘ ojh jimjiθu kowf sowguha
the young man is going home

æn‘ ownanol‘ jowɸænol‘
the young women

æn‘ ownanol‘ onæh jowɸænol‘
the women are young

In colloquial speech, however, attributive adjectives do agree with the noun only in case, avoiding agreement in number:

æn‘ ownanol‘ jowɸæl‘
the young women

Non-qualifying adjectives display, conversely, 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 case and number.

hesul‘ vjirul‘
no man

šæxul‘ sowgul‘?
which house?

nistuxul‘ soɸal‘
this dog

The possessive adjectives are also always placed before the noun, but, unlike the other non-qualifying adjectives, they sistematically require the article, when adjoining a definite noun. They do agree with their noun in case and number.

æl‘ joral‘ lilæl‘
my hand

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.

owf cæžɛbugjiθu gu æha sowguha
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 Læntixu language are 3:

• Basic
• Direct
• Oblique

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