Į̄mχɛ̱́ morphology
- Main article: Į̄mχɛ̱́
This page gives an extensive description of Į̄mχɛ̱́ morphological features.
As already mentioned, Į̄mχɛ̱́ 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 Į̄mχɛ̱́ usually have a monosyllabic form, or a multisyllabic form, if morphologically derived or being loanwords.
On the morphological level nouns display no number, case or definiteness, exhibiting always the same unaltered form:
myhʐa 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 he̱ after the noun:
myhʐa he̱ 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.
χat nɔ̀χɛ̱́ a young man
nɔ̀χɛ̱́ ɟē χat the man is young
Numerals
The numeral system relies on a decimal base.
Cardinal numerals
The first ten cardinal numbers are forms on their own:
| xō | |
| mɛ̱θ | |
| sɑ̀ | |
| wuβ | |
| pın | |
| tį́ | |
| χāt | |
| ma̱n | |
| šȳn | |
| ðɛ́n |
Numerals from 11 to 19 are built with the construction ðɛ́n + NUM:
| ðɛ́n xō | |
| ðɛ́n mɛ̱θ | |
| ðɛ́n sɑ̀ | |
| ðɛ́n wuβ | |
| ðɛ́n pın | |
| ðɛ́n tį́ | |
| ðɛ́n χāt | |
| ðɛ́n ma̱n | |
| ðɛ́n šȳn |
The numeral for (one) hundred is a form on its own, while the numeral for (one) thousand is a loanword from Eβmiʔ language:
| cı̄̀p | |
| ńohçı́m (from E. ňɔhçijm) |
The numerals for the multiples of tens, hundreds and thousands are built with the construction NUM + wɛ (time(s)) + ðɛ́n / cı̄̀p / ńohçı́m:
| mɛ̱θ wɛ ðɛ́n | mɛ̱θ wɛ cı̄̀p | mɛ̱θ wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| sɑ̀ wɛ ðɛ́n | sɑ̀ wɛ cı̄̀p | sɑ̀ wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| wuβ wɛ ðɛ́n | wuβ wɛ cı̄̀p | wuβ wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| pın wɛ ðɛ́n | pın wɛ cı̄̀p | pın wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| tį́ wɛ ðɛ́n | tį́ wɛ cı̄̀p | tį́ wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| χāt wɛ ðɛ́n | χāt wɛ cı̄̀p | χāt wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| ma̱n wɛ ðɛ́n | ma̱n wɛ cı̄̀p | ma̱n wɛ ńohçı́m | |
| šȳn wɛ ðɛ́n | šȳn wɛ cı̄̀p | šȳn wɛ ńohçı́m |
Numbers above the multiples of thousands 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:
- 1985: ńohçı́m šȳn wɛ cı̄̀p ma̱n wɛ ðɛ́n pın
Cardinal numerals usually precede their adjoining noun cluster, as an adjectival form. However, every numeral can be optionally used with a noun cluster introduced by the partitive preposition žø̄.
tį́ χon or tį́ žø̄ χon six dogs
With semantically uncountable nouns and with pronouns, the partitive preposition is mandatorily used, with the meaning of “X units of Y”:
tį́ žø̄ kɔ̄̀m six pieces/parts/balls/etc. of wool
šȳn žø̄ wo̱ he̱ nine of us
Ordinal numerals
Ordinal numerals are formed by putting the particle θē after the cardinal numeral form:
| xō θē | |
| mɛ̱θ θē | |
| sɑ̀ θē | |
| wuβ θē | |
| pın θē | |
| tį́ θē | |
| χāt θē | |
| ma̱n θē | |
| šȳn θē | |
| ðɛ́n θē |
If the numeral form is composite, the ending is added only to the last numeral form:
- 25th: mɛ̱θ wɛ ðɛ́n pın θē
