Viwdiwgu syntax

Main article: Viwdiwgu

This page gives an extensive description of Viwdiwgu syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

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

vīru līlužɛc suvɛ 
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 only word order with a clear role and a frequent usage is VSO (Verb-Subject-Object), which marks interrogative clauses, namely simple questions.

līlužɛc vīru suvɛ?
does the man see the dog?

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 can be placed quite freely in both possible orders.

A peculiar feature is the verbal infinitival agreement: when infinitival forms, as nominal forms of the verbs, take a direct object, are regarded as an expression of belonging, and the direct object is declined in the genitive case.

hīzū līlužiwgɛ suvɛrɛ
I do not see the dog

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, as well as every attributive adjective.

sōgu vīrurɛ
the man’s house

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

ūdjužu liwlā
my hand

çōvā hő
the 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.

çōvā vīru hiwmix gōw sōguxjɛ
the young man is going home

çōvāw hőw
the young women

hőw çōvāw
the women are young

In colloquial speech, however, attributive adjectives do agree with the noun by a smaller set of endings, which are essentially different from those of the noun declension. This feature varies prominently among dialects, being thus regarded as optional in the standard grammar.

çōvāwx hőwxjɛ 
to the young women

The usage of possessive forms is quite more complex. When used as possessive adjectives, these forms are always placed before the noun and they do agree with their noun in case and number.

ūdjužu liwlā 
my hand

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

liwlā çurɛ
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.

cɛɣiʝuɣū gū sōguxjɛ
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 Viwdiwgu language are 3:

• Direct
• Genitive
• Dative

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