Pı̇ħ morphology: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 04:48, 25 September 2025

Main article: Pı̇ħ

This page gives an extensive description of Pı̇ħ morphological features.

As already mentioned, Pı̇ħ is a morphologically isolating language. Each lexeme does not undergo any morphological mutation. Syntactical roles are thus entirely expressed by syntax and word order. Lexemes can, however, combine in many derivative processes.

Nouns

Nouns in Pı̇ħ usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived.

On the morphological level nouns display no number, case or definiteness, exhibiting always the same unaltered form:

hu̇ħ
wolf - a wolf - the wolf - wolves - the wolves

A process similar to pluralization, conveying the meaning of an undefined amount bigger than one, can be achieved by placing the pluralizing particle ʔẹ after the noun:

hu̇ħ ʔẹ
a lot of wolves

This particle has, however, a very marked use and highlight the meaning of a large quantity of the said entities or items.

Adjectives and pronouns

Adjectives closely resemble the noun form, not displaying any morphological change for either number, case or definiteness. Pronouns, while also morphologically unchanging, may exhibit different forms in the root form.

Adjectives

Attributive adjectives are always placed before the nouns they specify, while predicative adjectives are always placed after them.

qat nɔɴqɛ̣h
the young man

nɔɴqɛ̣h qat ʔjɛ̇ħ
the man is young

Personal pronouns

Personal pronouns feature a distinction between three persons:

1^st person	ŋọ
2^st person	sȧ
3^st person	ɬė

Unlike any other elements of the sentence, the personal pronouns compulsorily distinguish the number singular from the plural, by placing the plural particle ʔẹ after them:

	singular	plural
1^st person	ŋọ	ŋọ ʔẹ
2^st person	sȧ	sȧ ʔẹ
3^st person	ɬė	ɬė ʔẹ

The 3^st person pronoun usually refers to semantically animate or human entities, although it may technically refer to every entity. For inanimate or unreal entities, demonostrative adjectives or pronouns are rather used.

All forms, if adjoined by the postposition sėj, play the role of an indeclinable possessive adjective, being placed before a noun, or the role of indeclinable possessive pronoun, being placed before a demonstrative pronominal form.

ŋọ sėj ta sȧ ʔẹ sėj ma su̇h xȯ
my father saw your mother

ŋọ sėj ta sȧ ʔẹ sėj tjı̣n su̇h xȯ
my father saw yours

Interrogative adjectives and pronouns

The basic interrogative adjective is:

which: xọh

It can play the role of a basic interrogative pronoun, if used alone. Other interrogative forms, however, can be built by using the interrogative adjective with other generic or specific nouns or also with postpositions:

xọh ɬjı̇k: which thing? = what?
xọh qɛ̣h: which person? = who?
xọh ŋɛ (rɔ/cew): which time? = when?
xọh ŋɛ: which amount? = how much, how many? (requires the partitive postposition)

Within an interrogative clause, pronouns usually are usually placed in their syntactical position according to their role.

Numerals

The numeral system relies on a decimal base.

Cardinal numerals

The first ten cardinal numbers are forms on their own:

digit	full form
1:	xȯħ
2:	mɛ̣s
3:	caw
4:	ŋuɸ
5:	pın
6:	tɛjħ
7:	qȧt
8:	mạn
9:	sju̇n
10:	ɬajn

Numerals from 11 to 19 are built with the construction ɬajn + NUM:

digit	full form
1:	ɬajn xȯħ
2:	ɬajn mɛ̣s
3:	ɬajn caw
4:	ɬajn ŋuɸ
5:	ɬajn pın
6:	ɬajn tɛjħ
7:	ɬajn qȧt
8:	ɬajn mạn
9:	ɬajn sju̇n

The numeral for (one) hundred is a form on its own:

digit	full form
100:	kjıp

The numerals for the multiples of tens and hundreds and thousands are built with the construction NUM + ŋɛ (time(s)) + ɬajn / kjıp:

	tens	hundreds
2x:	mɛ̣s ŋɛ ɬajn	mɛ̣s ŋɛ kjıp
3x:	caw ŋɛ ɬajn	caw ŋɛ kjıp
4x:	ŋuɸ ŋɛ ɬajn	ŋuɸ ŋɛ kjıp
5x:	pın ŋɛ ɬajn	pın ŋɛ kjıp
6x:	tɛjħ ŋɛ ɬajn	tɛjħ ŋɛ kjıp
7x:	qȧt ŋɛ ɬajn	qȧt ŋɛ kjıp
8x:	mạn ŋɛ ɬajn	mạn ŋɛ kjıp
9x:	sju̇n ŋɛ ɬajn	sju̇n ŋɛ kjıp

Numbers above the multiples of hundreds have no name and are specified by the lesser numerals.

Composite numbers are built by just putting them beside, without any conjunction, in descending order:

985: sju̇n ŋɛ kjıp mạn ŋɛ ɬajn pın

Cardinal numerals usually precede their adjoining noun cluster, as an adjectival form. However, every numeral can be optionally preceded with a noun cluster followed by the partitive postposition ɬjȯ .

tɛjħ qon or qon ɬjȯ tɛjħ
six dogs

With semantically uncountable nouns and with pronouns, the partitive postposition is mandatorily used, with the meaning of “X units of Y”:

kɛ̇wm ɬjȯ tɛjħ
six pieces/parts/balls/etc. of wool

ŋọ ʔẹ ɬjȯ sju̇n 
nine of us

Ordinal numerals

Ordinal numerals are formed by putting the particle sė after the cardinal numeral form:

digit	full form
1^st:	xȯħ sė
2^nd:	mɛ̣s sė
3^rd:	caw sė
4^th:	ŋuɸ sė
5^th:	pın sė
6^th:	tɛjħ sė
7^th:	qȧt sė
8^th:	mạn sė
9^th:	sju̇n sė
10^th:	ɬajn sė

If the numeral form is composite, the ending is added only to the last numeral form:

25^th: mạn ŋɛ ɬajn pın sė

Verbs

Verbs in Pı̇ħ language usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived. Each verbal form carries only the semantical information, while other features are conveyed by other grammatic particles.

On the morphological level the verb display no person, or number, exhibiting always the same unaltered form:

rjos
(I, you, he, she, it, we, they) hear

The verbal person is conveyed by nouns and personal pronouns, which can convey also the number, unlike nouns:

ŋọ rjos
I hear

sȧ ʔẹ rjos
you (pl.) hear

The verb, however, can be adjoined by particles, which convey either the aspectual or the temporal value of an action or a state. The set of the verb form, carrying the meaning, together with the temporal and the aspectual particles is called verb cluster.

hı̣wŋ rjos xȯ
past - hear - perfective

Personal pronouns are not considered to be part of the verb cluster, as they can be freely placed in other parts of the clause. Verbal particles, conversely, are strictly tied to the same verbal form.

The aspectual particles are:

aspect	particle
progressive	ɴjạ
perfective	xȯ
resultative	cjɛ̣
repetitive	ɬjuj
experiential	ɸɔ̇
prospective	pwọ

The absence of an aspectual particle is understood as an habitual aspect, namely pointing to a usual or customary in time action or state. The aspectual particle are always place after the verb, and are not usually left out. Examples:

ŋọ rjos
I hear (always)

ŋọ rjos ɴjạ
I am hearing

ŋọ rjos xȯ
I heard

The temporal particles are:

time	particle
now	rɔj
past	hı̣wŋ
future	ku̇x
distant past	rjɛ̇w

Temporal particles are similar to temporal adverbs, and sometimes they are regarded as such. However, unlike real adverbs, they are tied to the verb, as part of the verb cluster. They are not always expressed, only if deemed necessary for the temporal identification of the clause. In a common clause, only the aspect is expressed:

ŋọ hı̣wŋ rjos
I used to hear (always)

ŋọ ku̇x rjos ɴjạ
I will be hearing

ŋọ rɔj rjos xȯ
I heard (right a bit ago)

Two additional particles can be placed after the verb, sjı̇, which conveys a meaning of command, being thus an imperative particle, and sjȧ, which conveys a meaning of negative command or prohibition, being thus a prohibitive particle.

	particle
imperative	sjı̇
prohibitive	sjȧ

These particles are mandatorily used when orders and prohibitions are to be conveyed. When used, personal pronouns, aspectual particles, and temporal particles are usually not required, but they can be optionally used. Both particles are placed at the end of the verbal cluster.

tı̇h sjı̇
go!

tı̇h xȯ sjı̇
go! (up to destination)

sȧ tı̇h sjı̇ ɬa ɬė ʔjɛ̇n sjı̇
you go, but he stay!

Negation

The verbal negation is conveyed by the negative adverb nɔ̇ʔ. This adverb is placed before the verb cluster (thus, before any temporal particles).

qon ɸụn ɴjạ → qon nɔ̇ʔ ɸụn ɴjạ
the dog is sleeping → the dog isn't sleeping

qon nɔɴqɛ̣h hı̣wŋ mjah xȯ → qon nɔɴqɛ̣h nɔ̇ʔ hı̣wŋ mjah xȯ
the dog had bitten the man → the dog hadn't bitten the man

A negative imperative, conveyed by the prohibitive particle sjȧ, does not need any additional negative particles.

ɸụn sjȧ
don't sleep!

Double negatives are generally not allowed; the presence of another negative element in the sentence inhibits the negative adverb.

Pı̇ħ morphology: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 04:48, 25 September 2025

Contents

Nouns

Adjectives and pronouns

Adjectives

Personal pronouns

Interrogative adjectives and pronouns

Numerals

Cardinal numerals

Ordinal numerals

Verbs

Negation

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{main|Pı̇ħ}}
 This page gives an extensive description of '''Pı̇ħ morphological''' features.
+As already mentioned, Pı̇ħ is a morphologically ''isolating'' language. Each lexeme does not undergo any morphological mutation. Syntactical roles are thus entirely expressed by syntax and word order. Lexemes can, however, combine in many derivative processes.
+==Nouns==
+Nouns in Pı̇ħ usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived.
+On the morphological level nouns display ''no number'', ''case'' or ''definiteness'', exhibiting always the same unaltered form:
+ '''hu̇ħ'''
+ <small>wolf - a wolf - the wolf - wolves - the wolves</small>
+A process similar to pluralization, conveying the meaning of an undefined amount bigger than one, can be achieved by placing the pluralizing particle '''ʔẹ''' after the noun:
+ '''hu̇ħ ʔẹ'''
+ <small>a lot of wolves</small>
+This particle has, however, a very marked use and highlight the meaning of a large quantity of the said entities or items.
+==Adjectives and pronouns==
+Adjectives closely resemble the noun form, not displaying any morphological change for either number, case or definiteness. Pronouns, while also morphologically unchanging, may exhibit different forms in the root form.
+===Adjectives===
+Attributive adjectives are always placed '''before''' the nouns they specify, while predicative adjectives are always placed ''after'' them.
+ '''qat nɔɴqɛ̣h'''
+ <small>the young man</small>
+ '''nɔɴqɛ̣h qat ʔjɛ̇ħ'''
+ <small>the man is young</small>
+===Personal pronouns===
+Personal pronouns feature a distinction between three persons:
+{|-
+|-
+| style="width: 100px;"| <center><small>''1<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || style="width: 70px;"| '''ŋọ'''
+|-
+| <center><small>''2<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || '''sȧ'''
+|-
+| <center><small>''3<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || '''ɬė'''
+|}
+Unlike any other elements of the sentence, the personal pronouns compulsorily distinguish the number singular from the plural, by placing the plural particle '''ʔẹ''' after them:
+{|-
+|-
+| style="width: 100px;"| || style="width: 70px;"|<center><small>''singular''</small></center> || style="width: 70px;"|<center><small>''plural''</small></center>
+|-
+| <center><small>''1<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || '''ŋọ''' || '''ŋọ ʔẹ'''
+|-
+| <center><small>''2<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || '''sȧ''' || '''sȧ ʔẹ'''
+|-
+| <center><small>''3<sup><small>st</small></sup> person''</small></center> || '''ɬė''' || '''ɬė ʔẹ'''
+|}
+The 3<sup><small>st</small></sup> person pronoun usually refers to semantically animate or human entities, although it may technically refer to every entity. For inanimate or unreal entities, demonostrative adjectives or pronouns are rather used.
+All forms, if adjoined by the postposition '''sėj''', play the role of an indeclinable possessive adjective, being placed before a noun, or the role of indeclinable possessive pronoun, being placed before a demonstrative pronominal form.
+ '''ŋọ sėj ta sȧ ʔẹ sėj ma su̇h xȯ'''
+ <small>my father saw your mother</small>
+ '''ŋọ sėj ta sȧ ʔẹ sėj tjı̣n su̇h xȯ'''
+ <small>my father saw yours</small>
+===Interrogative adjectives and pronouns===
+The basic interrogative adjective is:
+*''which'': '''xọh'''
+It can play the role of a basic interrogative pronoun, if used alone. Other interrogative forms, however, can be built by using the interrogative adjective with other generic or specific nouns or also with postpositions:
+* '''xọh ɬjı̇k''': which thing? = what?
+* '''xọh qɛ̣h''': which person? = who?
+* '''xọh ŋɛ (rɔ/cew)''': which time? = when?
+* '''xọh ŋɛ''': which amount? = how much, how many? (<small>requires the partitive postposition</small>)
+Within an interrogative clause, pronouns usually are usually placed in their syntactical position according to their role.
 ==Numerals==
 The numeral system relies on a decimal base.
+===Cardinal numerals===
 The first ten cardinal numbers are forms on their own:
@@ Line 103: / Line 182: @@
   <small>nine of us</small>
+===Ordinal numerals===
 Ordinal numerals are formed by putting the particle sė after the cardinal numeral form:
 {|-
@@ Line 131: / Line 211: @@
 If the numeral form is composite, the ending is added only to the last numeral form:
 *''25<sup>th</sup>'': '''mạn ŋɛ ɬajn pın sė'''
+==Verbs==
+Verbs in Pı̇ħ language usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived. Each verbal form carries only the semantical information, while other features are conveyed by other grammatic particles.
+On the morphological level the verb display ''no person'', or ''number'', exhibiting always the same unaltered form:
+ '''rjos'''
+ <small>(I, you, he, she, it, we, they) hear</small>
+The verbal person is conveyed by nouns and personal pronouns, which can convey also the number, unlike nouns:
+ '''ŋọ rjos'''
+ <small>I hear</small>
+ '''sȧ ʔẹ rjos'''
+ <small>you (pl.) hear</small>
+The verb, however, can be adjoined by particles, which convey either the aspectual or the temporal value of an action or a state. The set of the verb form, carrying the meaning, together with the temporal and the aspectual particles is called ''verb cluster''.
+ '''hı̣wŋ rjos xȯ'''
+ <small>past - hear - perfective</small>
+Personal pronouns are not considered to be part of the verb cluster, as they can be freely placed in other parts of the clause. Verbal particles, conversely, are strictly tied to the same verbal form.
+The aspectual particles are:
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+| style="width: 80px;"| <center><small>''aspect''</small></center> || style="width: 80px;"| <center><small>''particle''</small></center>
+|-
+| ''progressive'' || <center>'''ɴjạ'''</center>
+|-
+| ''perfective'' || <center>'''xȯ'''</center>
+|-
+| ''resultative'' || <center>'''cjɛ̣'''</center>
+|-
+| ''repetitive'' || <center>'''ɬjuj'''</center>
+|-
+| ''experiential'' || <center>'''ɸɔ̇'''</center>
+|-
+| ''prospective'' || <center>'''pwọ'''</center>
+|}
+The absence of an aspectual particle is understood as an ''habitual aspect'', namely pointing to a usual or customary in time action or state. The aspectual particle are always place after the verb, and are not usually left out. Examples:
+ '''ŋọ rjos'''
+ <small>I hear (always)</small>
+ '''ŋọ rjos ɴjạ'''
+ <small>I am hearing</small>
+ '''ŋọ rjos xȯ'''
+ <small>I heard</small>
+The temporal particles are:
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+| style="width: 80px;"| <center><small>''time''</small></center> || style="width: 80px;"| <center><small>''particle''</small></center>
+|-
+| ''now'' || <center>'''rɔj'''</center>
+|-
+| ''past'' || <center>'''hı̣wŋ'''</center>
+|-
+| ''future'' || <center>'''ku̇x'''</center>
+|-
+| ''distant past'' || <center>'''rjɛ̇w'''</center>
+|}
+Temporal particles are similar to temporal adverbs, and sometimes they are regarded as such. However, unlike real adverbs, they are tied to the verb, as part of the verb cluster. They are not always expressed, only if deemed necessary for the temporal identification of the clause. In a common clause, only the aspect is expressed:
+ '''ŋọ hı̣wŋ rjos'''
+ <small>I used to hear (always)</small>
+ '''ŋọ ku̇x rjos ɴjạ'''
+ <small>I will be hearing</small>
+ '''ŋọ rɔj rjos xȯ'''
+ <small>I heard (right a bit ago)</small>
+Two additional particles can be placed after the verb, '''sjı̇''', which conveys a meaning of command, being thus an imperative particle, and '''sjȧ''', which conveys a meaning of negative command or prohibition, being thus a prohibitive particle.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+| style="width: 80px;"| || style="width: 80px;"| <center><small>''particle''</small></center>
+|-
+| ''imperative'' || <center>'''sjı̇'''</center>
+|-
+| ''prohibitive'' || <center>'''sjȧ'''</center>
+|}
+These particles are mandatorily used when orders and prohibitions are to be conveyed. When used, personal pronouns, aspectual particles, and temporal particles are usually not required, but they can be optionally used. Both particles are placed at the end of the verbal cluster.
+ '''tı̇h sjı̇'''
+ <small>go!</small>
+ '''tı̇h xȯ sjı̇'''
+ <small>go! (up to destination)</small>
+ '''sȧ tı̇h sjı̇ ɬa ɬė ʔjɛ̇n sjı̇'''
+ <small>you go, but he stay!</small>
+===Negation===
+The verbal negation is conveyed by the negative adverb '''nɔ̇ʔ'''. This adverb is placed ''before'' the verb cluster (<small>thus, before any temporal particles</small>).
+ '''qon ɸụn ɴjạ → qon nɔ̇ʔ ɸụn ɴjạ'''
+ <small>the dog is sleeping → the dog isn't sleeping</small>
+ '''qon nɔɴqɛ̣h hı̣wŋ mjah xȯ → qon nɔɴqɛ̣h nɔ̇ʔ hı̣wŋ mjah xȯ'''
+ <small>the dog had bitten the man → the dog hadn't bitten the man</small>
+A ''negative imperative'', conveyed by the prohibitive particle '''sjȧ''', does not need any additional negative particles.
+ '''ɸụn sjȧ'''
+ <small>don't sleep!</small>
+''Double negatives'' are generally '''''not''' allowed''; the presence of another negative element in the sentence inhibits the negative adverb.