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Waa

2025-05-09T10:32:27Z

Warakemau: /* Family */

Waa

2025-04-28T11:56:07Z

Warakemau:

Waa

2025-04-28T11:45:35Z

Warakemau:

Waa

2025-04-28T11:34:14Z

Warakemau: Undo revision 169782 by Warakemau (talk)

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

Or a nominal predicate:

'''E nea katu kia.''' - He is a cat.

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Nea tebo i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko meku i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Ta kou teera i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

PSR go 3:PL DAT place:live

'''E sewa huno i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

NPST sleep dog LOC floor

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Ta ruko te i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Ta ruko teera i se''' - They looked at themselves.

PST look 3..PL DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Ta ruko mi i se.''' - I looked at myself.

PST look 1s DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Ta ruko teera i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T11:25:55Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.

NPST be LOC table cat

Or a nominal predicate:

'''E nea katu kia.''' - He is a cat.

NPST be cat 3s

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

'''Kia e nea katu.''' - He is a cat.

3s NPST be cat

This kind of sentence is often used to express nominal predicates.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Nea tebo i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko meku i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Ta kou teera i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

PSR go 3:PL DAT place:live

'''E sewa huno i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

NPST sleep dog LOC floor

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Ta ruko te i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Ta ruko teera i se''' - They looked at themselves.

PST look 3..PL DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Ta ruko mi i se.''' - I looked at myself.

PST look 1s DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Ta ruko teera i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T11:23:23Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

Waa

2025-04-28T02:15:36Z

Warakemau: /* The dative/locative */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Nea tebo i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko meku i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Ta kou teera i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

PSR go 3:PL DAT place:live

'''E sewa huno i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

NPST sleep dog LOC floor

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Ta ruko te i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Ta ruko teera i se''' - They looked at themselves.

PST look 3..PL DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Ta ruko mi i se.''' - I looked at myself.

PST look 1s DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Ta ruko teera i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T02:13:43Z

Warakemau: /* The dative/locative */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko meku i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Ta ruko te i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Ta ruko teera i se''' - They looked at themselves.

PST look 3..PL DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Ta ruko mi i se.''' - I looked at myself.

PST look 1s DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Ta ruko teera i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T02:12:41Z

Warakemau: /* Reflexive clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Ta ruko te i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Ta ruko teera i se''' - They looked at themselves.

PST look 3..PL DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Ta ruko mi i se.''' - I looked at myself.

PST look 1s DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Ta ruko teera i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T02:10:01Z

Warakemau: /* Adverbs of frequemcy */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''menitima''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''E kopa a mi memitima katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''E sewa katu orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T01:56:06Z

Warakemau: /* The prefix ke- */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki e nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki e nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

== The prefix kei-==

'''Kei-''' can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''kei''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''keibiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

'''kei''' + '''bono''' -> '''keibono''' - goodness

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T01:52:06Z

Warakemau: /* Relative clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia.''' - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T01:50:14Z

Warakemau: /* Predicative possession */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''E nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''E nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T01:49:37Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E ku sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Ti nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''Ti nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-28T01:47:55Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''E nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''E nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''Ti ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ti lu sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Ti nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''Ti nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-26T02:10:57Z

Warakemau: /* Predicative possession */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''Ti sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''Ti kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''Ti nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Ti nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee ti kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu ti kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi ti kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''Ti ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ti lu sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Ti nea a mi katu naa.''' That cat is mine

NPST be GEN 1s cat DIST

'''Ti nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

NPST be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-26T02:09:12Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''Ti sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''Ti kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''Ti nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Ti nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee ti kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu ti kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi ti kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''Ti ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NPST NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ai''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuai''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree NPST sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ti lu sewa katu?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Ai. Ti ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Kuai. Ti sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ta siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PST see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ta kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ta kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PST buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-26T02:01:51Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''Ti sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''Ti kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates together with the copula '''nea''':

'''Ti nea rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

NPST be grey cat

'''Ta nea runo huno.''' - The dog was brown.

PST be brown dog

The copula can also introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Ti nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee ti kopa a mi katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu ti kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi ti kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

An alternative way of negating sentences is to use '''kuye''', which may be place either before or after the noun.

'''E kuye sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping.

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E sewa kuye katu.''' - The cat is not sleeling.

NPST sleep NEG cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuye''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ko siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PRF see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ku kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ko kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T10:33:27Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

An alternative way of negating sentences is to use '''kuye''', which may be place either before or after the noun.

'''E kuye sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping.

NPST NEG sleep cat

'''E sewa kuye katu.''' - The cat is not sleeling.

NPST sleep NEG cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuye''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ko siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PRF see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ku kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ko kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T10:32:45Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''', which is placed right before the verb:

'''E ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

An alternative way of negating sentences is to use '''kuye''', which may be place either before or after the noun.

'''E kuye sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping.

'''E sewa kuye katu.''' - The cat is not sleeling.

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''ku''' or '''kuye''' for disagreement.

'''E sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

'''Ta siu a ku mene mi.''' - Nobody saw me.

PST see ERG NEG person 1s

'''Ko siu a mi ku mene.''' - I haven't seen anybody.

PRF see ERG 1s NEG person

'''Ku+ene''' or '''kuene''' is 'never':

'''Ko ku kopa ene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF NEG buy ever ERG 1s cat

'''Ko kopa kuene a mi katu.''' - I've never bought a cat.

PRF buy NEG:ever ERG 1s cat

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T06:08:08Z

Warakemau: /* The dative/locative */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the man in the house

man LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T05:39:12Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, OVS, SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T05:37:52Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

===Family===

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T05:37:04Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:56:52Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:56:07Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. Sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. E lu sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NPST NEG sleep cat

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:54:05Z

Warakemau: /* Negations and questions */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Ku sewa katu.''' - The cat is not sleeping

NEG sleep cat

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Sewa katu?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

sleep cat

'''Ye. Sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree sleep cat

'''Kuye. Ku sewa katu.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG:agree NEG sleep cat

'''Kuye. E Ku katu sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. E sewa katu.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree NPST sleep cat

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:46:12Z

Warakemau: /* The copula */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:44:53Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic 'neutral' word-order is usually VS or VSO.

'''E sewa katu.''' The cat is sleeping

NPST sleep cat

'''Ta sewa katu.''' - The cat slept

PST sleep cat

'''E kopa a mi kat''' I'm buying the cat

NPST buy ERG 1 cat

'''Ta kopa a mi katu.''' - I bought a cat.

PST buy ERG 1 cat

'''ko''' indicates the perfect:

'''Ko kopa a mi katu''' - I have bought a cat.

PRF buy ERG 1s cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates:

'''Rei katu.''' - The cat is grey.

grey cat

'''Runo huno.''' - The dog is brown.

brown dog

'''Ta rei katu.''' - The cat was grey.

PST grey cat

The (locational) copula can introduce a prepositional predicate:

'''Nea i tebo katu.''' - The cat is on the table.
be LOC table cat

===Non verb-initial sentences===

Something other than a verb or predicate may begin the sentence:

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu.''' - Tonorrow I'll buy a cat.

tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat

'''Katu e kopa a mi. ''' - I'll buy the cat.

cat NPST buy ERG 1s

'''Mi e kopa katu.''' - I'll buy a cat.

1s NPST buy cat

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:15:26Z

Warakemau: /* Non-subject initial clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

===Non-subject initial clauses===

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:14:26Z

Warakemau: /* Complement clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

===Non-subject initial clauses===

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Ta siu mi ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

PST see 1s CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Ta ku wita mi ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

PST NEG know 1s CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

Note that you don't need the ergatve marker when the subject is followed by a complement clause.

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:09:09Z

Warakemau: /* Adverbial clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

===Non-subject initial clauses===

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Ta kee te beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

PST come 3s before 1s go

'''Ta kee te ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

PST come 3s after 1s leave

'''Ta kee te sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

PST come 3s while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T04:06:50Z

Warakemau: /* Auxiliary verbs */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

===Non-subject initial clauses===

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Wae mi kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

want 1s buy cat

'''Kae mi kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

can 1s buy cat

'''Nae mi kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

must 1s buy cat

'''Mae mi kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

may 1s buy cat

'''Sae mi kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

must 1s buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T03:36:48Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

===Non-subject initial clauses===

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T03:08:27Z

Warakemau: /* Consonants */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Trills
|
| r
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

===Non-subject initial clauses===

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T03:07:53Z

Warakemau: /* Consonants */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Liquids
|
| r, l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

===Non-subject initial clauses===

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T03:01:00Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one). When placed after the verb, the subject is preceded buy the particle '''a'''.

===Non-subject initial clauses===

'''Deikee e kopa a mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy ERG 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed a mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead ERG cat mouse

'''Muso ta padedu a katu muso.''' - The cat killed the mouse.

mouse NPST kill ERH cat mouse

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:55:15Z

Warakemau: /* Non-subject initial sentences */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:53:38Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=ergative (neutral on SVO clauses)
|wo=VSO, SVO, OVS
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==Non-subject initial sentences==

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one).

'''Deikee e kopa mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed the mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead cat mouse

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:47:51Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO, VSO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==Adverbs of frequemcy==

'''oha''' often

'''orutima''' always

Adverbs of frequency are usually placed after the verb:

'''Mi e kopa oha katu niu.'''

1s NPST buy often cat new

'''Katu e sewa orutima i roo.''' The cat always sleeps on the floor.

cat NPST sleep alwas LOC floor

==Non-subject initial sentences==

A part of the sentence other than the subject, may be placed first. In such cases, the subject is placed after the verb (but before the object, if there is one).

'''Deikee e kopa mi katu niu.''' Tomorrow I'll buy a new cat.
tomorrow NPST buy 1s cat new

'''Deikou ta padedu katu muso.''' - Yesterday the cat killed the mouse.

yesterday PST cause:dead cat mouse

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:27:16Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

'''koa''' indicates the perfect:

'''Mi koa kopa katu''' - I have bought a cat.

1s PRF buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:20:31Z

Warakemau:

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Conjunctions==

'''e''' - and

'''eo''' - or

'''teya''' - but

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:14:25Z

Warakemau: /* The dative/locative */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno e sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-23T02:13:57Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by ''e''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu e sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi e kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-22T12:22:40Z

Warakemau: /* Simple clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by '''me''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu me sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi me kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Katu witu.''' Or: '''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-22T12:21:45Z

Warakemau: /* Basic Phrases */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''katu''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''huno''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''katu witu''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''huno maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by '''me''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu me sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Kat ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi me kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa kat.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Kat wit.''' Or: '''Kat nea wit''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Kat nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa-English dictionary

2025-04-22T12:11:58Z

Warakemau:

A dictionary of the [[Waa]] language.

===A===

'''a''' - by, from

'''ae''' - that (introduces relative clauses)

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ai''' - island

'''aku''' to ask

'''apa''' - four

'''apo''' - top, head, cap, area on/above something

'''aro''' - arrow

'''ata''' - after, later than

===B===

'''bake''' - back, the far side of something

'''basu''' - bus

'''bau''' - to bow

'''bei''' - bay

'''bea''' - bear

'''beo''' - before

'''bii''' - bee

'''bin''' - bin, container

'''bita''' - to bite, to sting

'''bono''' - good, right

'''bonoera''' - good-sounding

'''boneya''' - good-looking, beautiful

'''bonrohi''' - bad, wrong, incorrect

'''boro''' - ball, sphere

'''borokora''' - planet

'''bou''' - bow (toll)

'''buko''' - book

'''bukowedo''' - dictionary

'''buro''' - blue

'''burowitu''' - light blue

'''buo''' - cage

'''buso''' - bush, vetegation

===D===

'''danu''' - to dance

'''dei''' - day

'''Deiapa''' - Wednesday

'''Deiei''' - Sunday

'''Deikore''' - Tuesday

'''Deilima''' - Thursday

'''Deiroa''' - Monday

'''Deisesu''' - Friday

'''Deisewe''' - Saturday

'''deu''' - god, deity

'''dou''' - dough

===E===

'''e''' - and

'''ea''' - air

'''ei''' - one

'''ena''' - to exist

'''eo''' - or

'''era''' - ear

'''eya''' - eye

===G===

'''goko''' - dark, black

'''guro''' - night

===H===

'''hako''' - falcon

'''hea''' - hair

'''heatinu''' - beard

'''heayoru''' - grass

'''hega''' - to hang (intr.)

'''hera''' - to hear

'''hesi''' - face, surface

'''hewe''' - sky, heaven

'''hika''' - fish

'''hoko''' - hawk

'''horo''' - to fall

'''huka''' - to catch

'''huso''' - house

'''husobuko''' - library

'''husoitu''' - restaurant

'''huskopa''' - shop, store

'''husominu''' - bar, drinking establishment

'''husosawa''' - museum

===I===

'''i''' - in, at, on, to

'''i apo''' - over, above

'''i puri''' - under, beneath, below

'''i roka''' - inside, into

'''ina''' - now, at this moment

'''iro''' - iron

'''iru''' - to love

'''isu''' - ice

'''itu''' - to eat

===K===

'''kaa''' - car

'''kae''' - can, to be able to

'''kamo''' - camel

'''kapo''' - cupboard, box

'''kapoisu''' - freezer

'''kapokuro''' - refrigerator

'''kapu''' - cup, mug

'''kebono''' - goodness

'''kedanu''' - dance (noun)

'''kee''' - to come, to arrive

'''keena''' - existence

'''kehera''' - rumour

'''keitu''' - food

'''keki''' - cake

'''kekipana''' - pancake

'''kekiiti''' - cookie

'''kekuto''' - piece, slice

'''keminu''' - drink (noun)

'''kemuo''' - movement

'''kesoga''' - song

'''kesoi''' - sound

'''ketisu''' - teaching, doctring

'''ketoko''' - language, speech

'''kire''' - fire

'''komu''' - comb, to comb

'''kou''' - to go

'''koroete''' - computer

'''korokuto''' - knife

'''koroope''' - key

'''kororita''' - pen, pencil

'''korotima''' - clock, watch, timepiece

'''ku''' - no, not

'''kuro''' - cold, cool

'''kuto''' - to cut, to chop

===M===

'''mae''' - can, may, to be able to

'''mako''' - shark

'''mane''' - man, male

'''manu''' - mountain

'''meko''' - dress

'''mene''' - man, human

'''mine''' - minute

'''minu''' - to drink

'''mua''' - first

'''muka''' - face, appearance, look

===N===

'''naa''' - there, that (adnominal)

'''nahi''' - knife

'''nea''' - to be

'''nei''' - this, there (adnominal)

'''nos''' - nose

'''nota''' - night

'''nuto''' - nut

===O===

'''oa''' - two

'''odu''' - old, parent

'''oka''' - people, crowd, tribe

'''oma''' - mother, aunt

'''osa''' - part, piece

'''ota''' - father

'''oya''' - eye

===P===

'''paena''' - to create

'''pahoro''' - to drop, to bring down

'''paiboa''' - village, settlement, town

'''pakena''' - to introduce, to present, to make known

'''pairera''' - school

'''paitu''' - to feed

'''paiwea''' - where

'''pamuo''' - to lead

'''pana''' - pan

'''parera''' - to teach

'''pasu''' - to pass, past

'''pasiu''' - to show

'''pasoi''' - to make something sound

'''patuo''' - to place, to put

'''payara''' - to chase

===R===

'''rai''' - to fry, to heat

'''rane''' - land, soil, area, country

'''raneai''' - island

'''redi''' - already, finished, to have done

'''rene''' - to rent

'''rei''' - grey

'''reu''' - fox

'''reye''' - to govern, to lead

'''rita''' - to write, to draw

'''roa''' - two

'''roka''' - interior, enclosure, to enclose

'''rota''' - rat

'''roti''' - bread

'''roto''' - blood

'''ruko''' - to look, to watch, to study, to read

===S===

'''sau''' - shark

'''sawa''' - collection, museum

'''sawaai''' - archipelago

'''sawabuk''' - library

'''sawamanu''' - mountain range

'''selu''' - to sell

'''sewa''' - sleep

'''sima''' - while, when, at the same time as

'''siu''' - to see

'''soabuko''' - library

'''soga''' - to sing

'''soi''' - to sound

'''suko''' - to suck

===T===

'''ta''' - (past tense marker)

'''taa''' - then

'''taa''' - star

'''te''' - he, she, it

'''tea''' - when

'''teera''' - they

'''tei''' - now

'''tenaa''' - that one, he, she, it

'''tenei''' - this one, he, she, it

'''tesi''' - station

'''tesibas''' - bus station

'''tesiweiiro''' - railway station

'''tiadanu''' - dancer

'''tiaoka''' - human, person

'''tiaparera''' - teacher

'''tiarera''' - student, pupil

'''tiaruko''' - reader, student

'''tiasiu''' - audience, onlooker, viewer, witness

'''tima''' - hour, time

'''tima naa''' - then

'''tima nei''' - now

'''tima wea''' - when

'''tisu''' - to teach

'''toko''' - to talk, to speak

'''tuo''' - to stand, to be located, to be placed

===U===

'''ui''' - to swim

'''uro''' - wool

===W===

'''waa''' - language, speech, culture (archaic)

'''wae''' - to want (to)

'''waka''' - boat, canoe, shop, vessel

'''wakaaka''' - ship

'''wakaakaea''' - airship

'''wakaea''' - airplane, airship

'''wakakora''' - spaceship

'''wakarane''' - car, wagon

'''wea''' - who, what, which, where

'''wedo''' - word

'''wei''' - way, path, road

'''weiiro''' - railway

'''weko''' - to work

'''wene''' - go go, to walk, to move, to travel

'''were''' - animal, being, creature

'''wero''' - world

'''weru''' - bird

'''werukire''' - airplane

'''wige''' - wing

'''wira''' - science, study, academy, theory

'''wirakora''' astronomy

'''wirarane''' - geography

'''wirawere''' - zoology

'''wirayoru''' - geology, earth science

'''woho''' - wolf

'''woma''' - woman

'''woo''' - world

'''woorane''' - civil war

'''woowero''' - world war

'''wota''' - water

'''wotahewe''' - rain

'''wotaoya''' - tear

'''wotariwa''' - river

'''wotawero''' - ocean

===Y===

'''yagu''' - young, child

'''yagumane''' - son, boy

'''yaguuma''' - daughter, girl

'''yara''' - to run

'''ye''' yes (in response to a positive question), no (in response to a negative question)

'''yoru''' - earth, soil, Earth (planet)

'''yu''' - you (singular)

'''yuera''' - you (plural)

'''yuyu''' - last, final

[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-22T12:03:44Z

Warakemau: /* Colours */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''kat''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''hun''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''kat wit''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''hun maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by '''me''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu me sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Kat ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi me kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa kat.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Kat wit.''' Or: '''Kat nea wit''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Kat nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''redu''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-22T12:03:26Z

Warakemau: /* Lexicon */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''kat''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''hun''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''kat wit''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''hun maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by '''me''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu me sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Kat ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi me kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa kat.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Kat wit.''' Or: '''Kat nea wit''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Kat nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''raku''' - black

'''witu''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rinu''' - green

'''red''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''runo''' - brown

'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwitu''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''sesu''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirione''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birione''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirione''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''sesu katu''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''katu kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]

Waa

2025-04-22T12:02:08Z

Warakemau: /* Reflexive clauses */

{{infobox
|image=leopardcivilflag.png
|size=350px
|name=Waa
|pronounce=waː, wɑ:

|morph=analytic
|ms=neutral
|wo=SVO
|creator=[[User:Warakemau|Xing]]}}

'''Waa''' is a constructed language. A large part of its vocabulary is derived from English, or a selection of other languages.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Labial
! Alveolar
! Palatal
! Velar or glottal
|-
! Voiceless stops
| p
| t
|
| k
|-
! Voiced stops
| b
| d
|
|
|-
! Voiceless fricatives
|
| s
|
| h
|-
! Nasals
| m
| n
|
| ŋ
|-
! Taps/flaps/trills
|
| r~l
|
|
|-
! Glides
| w
|
| j
|
|}

/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.

===Vowels===

{| class="wikitable"
!
! Front
! Back
|-
! Close
| i
| u
|-
! Mid
| e
| o
|-
! Open
| colspan="2" | a~ɑ
|}

==Basic Phrases==

There is no distinction between singular and plural, or between definite and indefinite forms, nor are there any other inflections of the noun.

'''kat''' - a cat, the cat, (some) cats, the cat,s etc.

'''hun''' - a dog, the dog, (some) dogs, the dogs, etc.

Adjectives and other modifying expressions follow the noun:

'''kat wit''' - a/the white cat(s)

cat white

'''hun maka''' - a/the large dog(s)

dog large

==Pronouns==

'''mi''' I

'''yu''' you (singular)

'''te''' he, she, it

'''tenaa''' that one

'''tenei''' thisone

'''miera''' we

'''yuera''' you (plural)

'''teera''' they

'''teeranaa''' those ones

'''teeranei''' these ones

'''ei tiaoka''' - somebody (lit. 'one person')

'''ei mea''' - something (lit. 'one thing')

'''ei osa''' - some amount (lit. 'one part')

==Simple clauses==

The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses. Present and future (non-past) tense is marked by '''me''', past tense by '''ta''':

'''Katu me sewa.''' The cat is sleeping

cat NPST sleep

'''Kat ta sewa.''' - The cat slept

cat PST sleep

'''Mi me kopa kat''' I'm buying the cat

1 NPST buy cat

'''Mi ta kopa kat.''' - I bought a cat.

1s PST buy cat

Adjectives can serve as predicates. There are optionally introduced by the copula '''nea'' 'to be':

'''Kat wit.''' Or: '''Kat nea wit''' - The cat is white.

cat white cat be white

'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:

'''Kat nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table

cat be LOC table

'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:

'''Kia tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s person:teach

'''Kia nea tiatis.''' - He is a teacher.

3s be person:teach

==The copula==

The copula '''nea''' can typically be left out. An adjective, verb, noun, or prepositional phrase following the verb may be interpreted as either a predicate or a modifier, depending on the context. The copula is used when one needs to make unambiguous that the following phrase is a predicate.

'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.

'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.

'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.

'''Huno nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.

The past tense particle '''ta''' can be used with the copula:

'''Katu ta nea witu.''' - The cat was white.

'''Huno ta nea i huso.''' - The dog was in the house.

==Prepositions==

There are two main prepositions in Waa: the dative/locative '''i''', and the ablative/instrumental '''a'''. They can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context.

===The dative/locative===

'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.

'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table

cat LOC table

'''mane i huso''' - the room(s) in the house

mane LOC house

'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room

table LOC room:eat

'''Tebo nea i rumoitu.''' - The table is in the dining room.

table be LOC room:eat

'''Tuko mele i kapikuro.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.

put milk DAT box:cool

'''Kiwe buko i mi.''' - Give me the book.

give book DAT 1s

'''Teera ta kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village

1:PL go DAT place:live

'''Huno me sewa i roo.''' - The dog is sleeping on the floor.

===The genitive/instrumental/ablative===

'''A''' indicates the genitive, indicating ownership, part-whole relationships, etc.

'''katu a teera''' - their cat

cat GEN 3:PL

'''kemaka a huno''' - the size of the dog

size GEN dog

'''muro a huso''' - the walls of the house

wall GEN house

'''osa a dei''' - a part of the day

part GEN day

'''A''' can also be used to indicate source, means, etc.

'''Te ta kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.

3s PST come ABL place:live

'''Te ta padedu katu a korokuto.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.

3 PST cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut

===Compound prepositions===

The simple prepositions '''i''' and '''a''' can be combined with other words to indicate more precise relationships, with '''i''' usually indicating location or destination, and '''a''' departing point or path.

'''i apo''' - 'on', 'above'

'''i roka''' - 'inside', 'into'

'''i puri''' - 'under', 'beneath'

'''a apo''' - 'from above', 'through above'

'''a roka''' - 'from inside', 'through the inside of'

'''a puri''' - 'from beneath', 'passing under'

==Negations and questions==

A clause is negated by '''ku''':

'''Kat ku sewa.''' - The cat is not sleeping

cat NEG sleep

A yes/no-question may be formed by rising intonation. To respond to a question, you use '''ye''' for agreement, and '''kuye''' or just '''ku''' for disagreement.

'''Katu sewa?''' - Is the cat sleeping?

cat sleep

'''Ye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

agree cat sleep

'''Ku. Katu ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

NEG cat NEG sleep

'''Kuye. Katu ku sewa.'''

NEG:agree cat NEG sleep

'''Katu ku sewa?''' - Isn't the cat sleeping?

cat NEG sleep

'''Ye. Kat ku sewa.''' - No. The cat isn't sleeping.

agree cat NEG sleep

'''Ku. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG cat sleep

'''Kuye. Katu sewa.''' - Yes. The cat is sleeping.

NEG.agree cat sleep

'''Ku''' can also be used with adjectives or nouns:

'''ku bono''' - no good, not good

NEG good

'''ku katu''' - no cat(s)

NEG cat

'''ku mene''' - no one, nobody (lit. 'no person')

NEG person

==Adjectives==

Adjectives go after the words they modify:

'''Kat miti''' - a/the small cat

cat small

'''Hun maka''' - a/the large dog

dog large

Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':

'''Kat (nea) miti''' - The cat is small.

cat (be) small

Note that katu miti may be ambiguous, it can mean either 'the small cat' or 'the cat is small'. Without the copula, one must often rely on context to determine the intended meaning.

Comparisons are formed with the preposition '''i meso a''':

'''Kat nea miti i meso a hun.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog.

cat be small DAT measure GEN dog

==Possession==

The possessor is placed after the possessum:

'''katu a mi''' - my cat

cat GEN 1s

'''huno a ota''' - (the) father's dog

dog GEN father

'''katu a ota a mi''' my father's cat

cat GEN father GEN 1s

===Predicative possession===

'''Katu naa nea a mi.''' That cat is mine

cat that be GEN 1s

'''Nea katu a mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')

be cat GEN 1s

==Relative clauses==

Relative clauses are introduced with the particle '''ae''':

'''Mane ae kopa katu.''' - The man that bought the cat.

man REL buy cat

'''Katu ae te kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.

cat REL 3s buy

The past tense particle '''ta''' need not be used in the relative clause.

If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:

'''Korokuto ae kia padedu katu a kia. - The knife that he killed the cat with.

tool:cut REL 3s cause:dead cat INSTR 3s

'''Mane ae mi kiwe katu i te.''' - The man that I gave the cat to.

man REL 1s give cat DAT 3s

Prepositional stranding is not allowed:

'''*Mane ae mi kiwe katu i.'''

man REL 1s give cat DAT

==Complement clauses==

Complement clauses are introduced by the conjunction '''ge''' 'that':

'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see CONJ 3s buy cat

'''Mi ta ku wita ge te redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.

1s PST NEG know CONJ 2s PRF sell cat

==Adverbial clauses==

Temporal adverbial clauses can bi introduced by '''beo''' 'before', '''ata''' 'after' and '''sima''' while', 'when', 'at the same time as':

'''Te ta kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.

3s PST come before 1 go

'''Te ta kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'

3s PST come after 1s leave

'''Te ta kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'

3s PST come while 1s eat

==Auxiliary verbs==

'''Mi wae kopa katu.''' - I want to by a cat.

1s want buy cat

'''Mi kae kopa katu.''' - I can buy a cat

1s can buy cat

'''Mi nae kopa katu.''' - I must/have to buy a cat

1s must buy cat

'''Mi mae kopa katu.''' - I may (am permitted to) buy a cat.

1s may buy cat

'''Mi sae kopa katu.''' - I must (am morally obligted to) buy a cat.

1s must buy cat

==The prefix pa-==

The prefix '''pa-''' can be attached to certain verbs to render a causative meaning. It can turn an intransitive verb into a transitive one:

'''pa''' + '''kou''' ('to go') -> '''pakou''' - to lead

'''pa''' + '''rera''' ('to learn') -> '''parera''' - to teach

It can be attached to adjectives:

'''pa''' + '''witu''' ('white') -> '''pawitu''' to make white, to bleach

==The prefix ke-==

The prefix '''ke-''' has a couple of functions. It can be added to verbs, to form nouns indicating what would typically be the result of the event described by the verb:

'''ke''' + '''rita''' ('to write') -> '''kerita''' - letter, (piece of) writing.

'''ke''' + '''rima''' ('to dream') -> '''kerima''' - dream

'''ke''' + '''tiga''' ('to think') -> '''ketiga''' 'thought'

It can form passive participles:

'''tiki kerai''' - fried chicken

chicken PASS.fry

'''tiki nea kerai''' - the chicken is/was fried

chicken be PASS.fry

'''Tiki nea kerai a mane''' - The chicken is being fried by the man.

chicken be PASS.fry man

It can be attached to adjectives to form abstract nouns:

'''ke''' + '''biu''' (beautiful, good-looking) -> '''kebiu''' - beauty (in the sense of an abstract quality, rather than 'a beautiful person', which would be '''tiabiu''' or '''tiaoka biu''')

==Reflexive clauses==

The reflexive pronoun is '''se''':

'''Te ta ruko i se''' - He looked at himself.

3s PST look DAT REFL

'''Teera ta ruko i se''' - They looked at themselves.

3:PL PST look DAT REFL

'''Se''' need not refer to a third person subject. It can just as well refer back to a first or second person subject, corresponding to 'myself', 'ourselves', 'yourself', or 'yourselves' in English:

'''Mi ta ruko i se.''' - I looked at myself.

1s PST look DAT REFL

The reciprocal pronoun is '''seoa''':

'''Teera ta ruko i seoa.''' - They looked at each other.

3.PL PST look DAT RECP

==Lexicon==

===Colours===

'''kara''' - colour

'''rak''' - black

'''wit''' - white

'''rei''' - grey

'''beu''' - blue

'''rin''' - green

'''red''' - red

'''yero''' - yellow

'''run''' - brown

'''beurak''' - dark blue, black-blue

'''beuwit''' - light blue

===Numerals===

'''ei''' - one

'''oa''' - two

'''kore''' - three

'''apa''' - four

'''lima''' - five

'''ses''' - six

'''sewe''' - seven

'''eto''' - eight

'''niu''' - nine

'''tega''' - ten

'''tegaei''' - eleven (ten one)

'''tegaoa''' - twelve (ten two)

etc.

'''oa tega''' - twenty (two ten)

'''kore tega''' - thirty (three ten)

etc.

'''apa tegaei''' - forty-one (four ten one)

'''apa tegarao''' - forty-two (four ten two)

etc.

'''(ei) huna''' - (one) hundred

'''(ei) tusa''' - (one) thousand

'''(ei) mirion''' - (one) million

'''(ei) birion''' (one) billion (short scale, like English)

'''(ei) tirion''' (one) trillion

Cardinal numerals are placed before the noun:

'''lima tiaoka''' - five people

'''ses kat''' - six cats

Ordinal numerals are placed after the noun:

'''kat kore''' - the third cat

'''tiaoka oa''' - the second person

For 'first', You can use either the numeral '''ei''', or the special word '''mua''':

'''kat ei''' - the first cat

'''kat mua''' - the first cat

Fractionals are formed with '''osa''' 'part' + numeral:

'''osakore''' - (a) third

'''ei osakore''' - one third

'''oa osakore''' - two thirds

'''ei osatega''' - one tenth

==Family==

'''hami''' - family

'''hamiaka''' - extended family, kin

'''aba''' - father, uncle

'''ama''' - mother, aunt

'''bote''' - brother, male cousin

'''siso''' - sister, female cousin

==See also==

[[Waa-English dictionary]]

[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Auxlangs]]
[[Category:Waa]]