Waa: Difference between revisions

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


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   | ŋ
   | ŋ
   |-
   |-
   ! Taps/flaps/trills
   ! Trills
   |
   |
   | r~ɾ
   | r
   |
   |
   |
   |
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/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.  
/j/ is written ''y'', and /ŋ/ ''g''. Otherwise, the phonemes follow their 'expected' spelling according to the IPA.


===Vowels===
===Vowels===
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   | colspan="2" | a~ɑ
   | colspan="2" | a~ɑ
   |}
   |}
 
Waa has essentially a five-vowel system. On a phonological level, all vowels could be analysed as short monophthongs. In connected speech, however, adjacent vowels may be realized as diphthongs on a phonetic level, and two identical vowels next to each other as a single, long vowel. Stress falls on the second-to-last mora, or second to last phonological vowel.
A word-final, unstressed '''u''' after a consonant may be devoiced or dropped after a consonant:
'''katu''' /ka.tu/ [kat] 'cat'
This especially happens when the '''u''' appears at the end of an utterance. It may also happen when the next word begins with certain consonants:
'''katu kou''' /ka.tu ko.u/ [kat kou]
The consonants may even assimilate in point of articulation: [kak:ou]
When pronounced, /u/  might be slightly fronted and/or derounded.
The middle vowels /e/ and /o/ may be 'true mids' or even mid-open vowels.


==Basic Phrases==
==Basic Phrases==
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'''yu''' you (singular)
'''yu''' you (singular)


'''kia''' he, she, it  
'''te''' he, she, it
 
'''tenaa''' that one
 
'''tenei''' thisone


'''miera''' we
'''miera''' we
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'''yuera''' you (plural)
'''yuera''' you (plural)


'''kiaera''' or '''kiakia''' they
'''teera''' they


'''teeranaa''' those ones


'''teeranei''' these ones


Demonstrative pronouns are forms with the third person pronouns, together with the deictic adverbs '''nei''' 'here' and '''naa''' 'there'_
'''kia nei''' - this one
3s PROX
'''kia naa''' - that one
3s DIST
'''kiaera nei''' - these ones
3:PL PROX
'''kiaera naa''' - those ones
3:PL DIST




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


==Simple clauses==
==Simple clauses==




The basic word-order is SVO, or just SV in intransitive clauses:
One basic - though not the only - word-order is S.V.O. - Subject - Verb - Object.
 
 
'''Katu sewa.''' The cat is sleeping
 
cat sleep
 
 
'''Mi kopa katu''' I'm buying the cat
 
1 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.
'''Katu e sewa.''' - The cat is sleeping. The cat will sleep.


cat white        cat be white
cat NPST sleep


'''Katu ta sewa.''' - The cat was sleeping.


'''Nea''' can also introduce prepositional phrases as predicates:
cat PST sleep


'''Katu ta itu muso.''' - The cat ate the mouse.


'''Katu nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table
cat PST eat mouse


cat be LOC table


==Embedded clauses==


'''Nea''' is optional when it comes to nominal predicates:


'''Kia tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.
Relative clauses are introduced by '''ae''':


3s person:teach


'''Kia nea tiatisu.''' - He is a teacher.
'''Katu ae mi kopa.''' - The cat that I bought.


3s be person:teach
cat that 1s buy


'''Katu ae bita kia.''' - The cat that bit her.


==The copula==


Complement clauses are introduced by '''ge''':


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.


'''Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.


'''Katu witu''' - the cat is white, or: the white cat.
1s PST see that 3s buy cat


'''Katu nea witu''' - The cat is white.
'''Mi wae ge kia kopa katu.''' - I want him to buy the cat.


'''Huno i huso''' - The dog in the house, or: the dog is on the house.
1s want that 3s buy cat


'''Huna nea i huso''' - The dog is in the house.


==Prepositions==
==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.
There are two basic, simple prepositions: '''a''' 'of', 'by', 'from', and '''i''' 'in', 'on', 'at', 'to'.




===The dative/locative===
'''katu a kia''' - his cat


cat GEN 3s


'''Katu ta kee a huso.''' - The cat came from the house.


cat PST come ABL hous


'''I''' can be used to indicate various form of (spatial) location, as well as goal, destination or recipient.  
'''Kia ta padedu katu a hama.''' - He killed the cat with the hammer.


3s PST kill cat INSTR hammer


'''katu i tebo''' - the cat on the table
'''Katu ta kou i rumohaya.''' - The cat went to the kitchen.


cat LOC table
cat PST go DAT kitchen


'''rumo i huso''' - the room(s) in the house
'''Kia ta ruko i yu.''' - She looked at you.


room LOC house
3s PST look DAT 2s


'''tebo i rumoitu''' - the table in the dining room
'''Katu e nea i tebo.''' - The cat is on the table.


table LOC room:eat
cat NPST be LOC table


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


table be LOC room:eat


'''Tuku meku i kapikuru.''' - Put the milk in the fridge.


put milk DAT box:cool


'''Kiwe buku i mi.''' - Give me the book.
These can be combined with locational and other nouns to indicate more precise relations.


give book DAT 1s


'''Kiaera kou i paiboa.''' - They went to the village


1:PL go DAT place:live




===The instrumental/ablative===
==Lexicon==


'''A''' can be used to indicate source, means, etc.
'''Kia kee a paiboa.''' - He came from the village.
3s come ABL place:live
'''Kia padedu katu a korokutu.''' - He killed the cat with a knife.
3 cause:dead cat INSTR tool:cut
'''A''' can be used to mark the standard in a comparison:
'''Huno nea maka a katu.''' - The dog is bigger than the cat.'
dog be big ABL cat
==Negations and questions==
A clause is negated by '''ku''':
'''Katu 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. Katu 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:
'''Katu miti''' - a/the small cat
cat small
'''Huno maka''' - a/the large dog
dog large
Adjectives as predicates are optionally introduced by the copula ''nea'':
'''Katu (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.
Another way to introduce adjective predicates is to us a demonstrative or a possessive pronoun:
'''Katu miti mi''' - my small cat  vs. '''Katu mi miti''' - My cat is small.
cat small 1s
'''Katu miti naa''' - that small cat vs. '''Katu naa miti''' - That cat is small.
cat small DEM.DIST
Comparisons are formed with the preposition ''a'':
'''Katu nea miti a huno.''' - The cat is smaller than the dog. (Lit. 'The cat is small from the dog.')
cat be small ABL dog
To express that something is ''as (adj.) as ...'':
'''Katu nea maka huno.''' - The cat is as big as the dog.
cat be large dog
==Possession==
The possessor is placed after the possessum:
'''katu mi''' - my cat
cat 1s
'''huno ota''' - (the) father's dog
dog father
'''katu ota mi''' my father's cat
cat father 1s
===Predicative possession===
'''Katu naa nea katu mi.''' That cat is mine (Lit. 'That cat is my cat.')
cat that be cat 1s
'''Nea katu mi.''' I have a cat. ('There is a cat of mine')
be cat 1s
==Tense==
Tense is not obligatory. A simple clause might interpreted as past, present, or future, depending on the context.
'''Katu itu musu.''' - The cat ate the mouse, the cat is eating the mouse, the cat will eat the mouse etc.
cat eat mouse
'''Katu sewa.''' - The cat is sleeping, the cat has slept, etc.
cat sleep
Ways to indicate tense include explicit temporal adverbs:
'''Ina katu sewa.''' - Now the cat is sleeping.
now cat sleep
'''Katu sewa ina.''' - The cat is sleeping now.
cat sleep now
'''Deinei mi kopa katu.''' - Today I bought/will buy a cat.
day:this 1s buy cat
'''Deipasu mi kopa katu.''' - Yesterday I bought the cat.
day:past 1s buy cat
'''Deinesu mi kopa katu.''' - Tomorrow I'll buy the cat.
day:next 1s buy cat
'''Timakee mi kopa katu''' - In the future I'll buy the cat.
time:come 1s buy cat
'''Mi kopa katu i timakee.''' - I'll buy a cat in the future.
1s buy cat LOC time:come
'''Pasu''' may be used to indicate past tense:
'''Katu pasu sewa.''' - The cat slept. the cat was sleeping, the cat has slept. ('the cat is past sleeping'
cat past sleep
'''Mi pasu kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.
1s past buy cat
The verb/particle '''redi''' ('already, to be finished doing', 'to have done') may serve to indicate something like the perfect tense/aspect:
'''Mi redi kopa katu.''' - I have (already) bought a cat.'
1s already buy cat
'''Katu redi sewa.''' - The cat hasn't (yet) slept.
cat already sleep
'''Katu ku redi sewa.''' - The cat hasn't slept.
cat NEG already sleep
The adverb '''taa''' 'then' may be placed before the predicate, in order to render a past tense meaning:
'''Mi taa kopa katu.''' - I bought a cat.
1s PST buy cat
'''Mi ku taa kopa katu''' - I didn't buy the cat.
1s NEG PST buy cat
==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 kia kopa.''' - The cat that he bought.
cat REL 3s buy
If the relativized noun is introduced by a preposition - '''i''' or '''a''' - it must be represented by a pronoun in the relative clause:
'''Korokutu 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 kia.''' - 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 siu ge kia kopa katu.''' - I saw that he bought the cat.
1s see CONJ 3s buy cat
'''Mi ku wita ge kia redi selu katu.''' - I didn't know he had (already) sold the cat.
1s 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':
'''Kia kee beo mi kou.''' - 'He arrived before I left.
3s come before 1 go
'''Kia kee ata mi kou.''' - 'He arrived after I had left.'
3s come after 1s leave
'''Kia kee sima mi itu.''' - 'He arrived when I was eating'
3s 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') -> 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''' + '''tigu''' ('to think') -> '''ketigu''' '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 and reciprocal clauses==
The pronouns '''sese''' can render a reflexive or reciprocal meaning:
'''Kia ruku i sese''' - He looked at himself.
3s look DAT REFL
'''Kiaera ruku i sese''' - They looked at themselves. Or: They looked at each other.
3:PL look DAT REFL
3:PL look DAT RECP
'''Sese''' 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 ruku i sese.''' - I looked at myself.
1s look DAT REFL
'''Miera iru sese.''' - We love each other-
1:PL be RECP
==Lexicon==


===Colours===
===Colours===
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'''kara''' - colour
'''kara''' - colour


'''goko''' or '''raku''' - black
'''raku''' - black


'''witu''' - white
'''witu''' - white
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'''rei''' - grey
'''rei''' - grey


'''buro''' - blue
'''beu''' - blue


'''rinu''' - green
'''rinu''' - green
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'''burogoko''' - dark blue, black-blue
'''beuraku''' - dark blue, black-blue
 
'''burowitu''' - light blue
 
'''reduburo''', '''buroredu''' - purple/violet
 
'''reduyero''', '''yeroredu''' - orange
 
'''reduwitu''' - light red, pink


'''beuwitu''' - light blue


===Numerals===
===Numerals===
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'''ei''' - one
'''ei''' - one


'''roa''' - two
'''oa''' - two


'''kore''' - three
'''kore''' - three
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'''sewe''' - seven
'''sewe''' - seven


'''kaha''' - eight
'''eto''' - eight


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


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


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


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


etc.
etc.
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'''katu kore''' - the third cat
'''katu kore''' - the third cat


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




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




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


'''katu mula''' - the first cat
'''kat mua''' - the first cat




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'''ei osakore''' - one third
'''ei osakore''' - one third


'''roa osakore''' - two thirds
'''oa osakore''' - two thirds


'''ei osatega''' - one tenth
'''ei osatega''' - one tenth


 
===Family===
==Family==




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


'''ota''' - father, uncle
'''aba''' - father, uncle


'''oma''' - mother, aunt
'''ama''' - mother, aunt


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


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


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 02:32, 9 May 2025





Leopardcivilflag.png
Waa
Pronounced: waː, wɑ:
Typology
Morphological type: analytic
Morphosyntactic alignment: ergative
Basic word order: VSO, OVS, SVO
Credits
Creator: Xing

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

Phonology

Consonants

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

Front Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open 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

One basic - though not the only - word-order is S.V.O. - Subject - Verb - Object.


Katu e sewa. - The cat is sleeping. The cat will sleep.

cat NPST sleep

Katu ta sewa. - The cat was sleeping.

cat PST sleep

Katu ta itu muso. - The cat ate the mouse.

cat PST eat mouse


Embedded clauses

Relative clauses are introduced by ae:


Katu ae mi kopa. - The cat that I bought.

cat that 1s buy

Katu ae bita kia. - The cat that bit her.


Complement clauses are introduced by ge:


Mi ta siu ge kia kopa katu. - I saw that he bought the cat.

1s PST see that 3s buy cat

Mi wae ge kia kopa katu. - I want him to buy the cat.

1s want that 3s buy cat


Prepositions

There are two basic, simple prepositions: a 'of', 'by', 'from', and i 'in', 'on', 'at', 'to'.


katu a kia - his cat

cat GEN 3s

Katu ta kee a huso. - The cat came from the house.

cat PST come ABL hous

Kia ta padedu katu a hama. - He killed the cat with the hammer.

3s PST kill cat INSTR hammer

Katu ta kou i rumohaya. - The cat went to the kitchen.

cat PST go DAT kitchen

Kia ta ruko i yu. - She looked at you.

3s PST look DAT 2s

Katu e nea i tebo. - The cat is on the table.

cat NPST be LOC table



These can be combined with locational and other nouns to indicate more precise relations.



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 tegaoa - 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

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