Tricons Notes: General Syntax

[qiihoskeh]

I will continue to edit this post.

Clauses

Clause Component Order

This gives the position of each component, when it appears.

Topic or Conjunction
Focus or Interrogative Pronoun or Relative Pronoun
Verb
certain Adverbs
Argument Phrases:
* unfronted Object [= Objective Case Argument]
* unfronted Ditransitive Recipient
* unfronted Subject
* unfronted Prepositional Phrases or other Adverbs
Complement Clause

Afterthought phrases may be inserted somewhere after the verb. Vocative phrases may be inserted at just about any position. The relative positions given for the argument phrases are the least marked.

When a core argument phrase appears, EXP is used as the correponding marker on the verb, unless the phrase is the topic or an afterthought.

If an interrogative or relative pronoun isn't a component by itself (of this clause), the whole phrase is fronted, with the pronoun fronted within the phrase.

"Whose mother did you see?"
Interrogative-GEN mother-OBJ EXP-see.PRF-2X.S
vs.
"I saw John's mother."
-pithki-ma madaar-ii dj'haan-ee
EXP-see.PRF-1.Sing mother-OBJ John-GEN

"It was _John's_ mother I saw."
dj'haan-ee madaar-ii -pithki-ma
John-GEN mother-OBJ EXP-see.PRF-1X.S

"It was John's _mother_ I saw."
madaar-ii dj'haan-ee -pithki-ma
mother-OBJ John-GEN EXP-see.PRF-1X.S

"As for John's mother, I saw her."
madaar-ii dj'haan-ee, ya-pithki-ma
mother-OBJ John-GEN 3AD.S-see.PRF-1X.S

... more examples? ...

Clause Types

with introductory words, if any
Main
Sequential -- some conjunction
Parenthetical -- PAR conjunction (closing conjunction, too?)
Complement -- COM particle
Infinitive
Restrictive Relative -- Relative Pronoun
Non-restrictive Relative -- PAR conjunction + Relative Pronoun

A parenthesis can include multiple clauses; those after the first are like Sequential clauses.

Relative Clauses

These can be restrictive or non-restrictive, distinguished by the introductory word, which is simply a Determiner with the appropriate case is restrictive and the same with / / prefixed if non-restrictive. The position of the relative pronoun or its corresponding affix indicates its usage within the clause.

"whom John saw"
y-Case we-pithki dj'haan-uu
RelatC-Case REF-see.PRF-EXP John-ABS

"whose mother saw John"
y-Case we-madaar-uu pithki dj'haan-ii
RelatC-Case REF-mother-ABS EXP-see.PRF-EXP John-OBJ

"I heard who made the water hot."
hiski-ma cau-k-ii we-kirdi qe kaloor-ii guraak-uu
hear.PRF-1X.S so-RelatC-OBJ REF-make.PRF COP.INF hot-OBJ water-ABS

Complement Clauses

A complement clause is introduced by the COM particle /bene/ (that). A complement clause is used in place of an object-case phrase.

Infinitive Clauses

The A1 argument of an infinitive clause is implicit and coreferences the A1 argument of the auxiliary. An infinitive clause is used in place of an object-case phrase. The infinitive of a nominal is formed by placing the infinitive of the copula /qe/ in front of the nominal, which takes the objective case.

Phrases

Phrase Component Order

The normal order of phrase components is:

Determiner(s), if any
Quantifier, if any
Noun
any Adjectives
any Relative Clauses

Genitive phrases usually immediately follow the noun or adjective that they're objects of.

Determiners

The determiners include the anaphoric determiner and the proximal and distal determiners. When a new item, usually indefinite, is introduced, either a proximal or distal determiner is used. Later references omit the determiner, use the anaphoric determiner with the item, or use the corresponding affix to refer to the item. If a proximal item becomes distal or vice versa, the new determiner is placed before the anaphoric determiner, which is required here. In some instances, a new item is introduced without a determiner; the distance is either the same as another argument or unimportant.

"I saw a bear; it was eating honey."
-pithki-ma yaqq-ii b'ruun-ii; -pathki- huneey-uu (w-aa) b'ruun-aa
EXP-see.PRF-1X.S DistD.S-OBJ bear-OBJ; EXP-eat.IPF-EXP honey-ABS (AnapD-ERG) bear-ERG

The latter part could also be:
ya-pathki- huneey-uu
3AD.S-eat.IPF-EXP honey-ABS

Possessive pronouns can be used as determiners.

Quantifiers

Partitives

This syntax involves a quantifier applied to a definite phrase.

Conjoining Clauses

Clauses are conjoined by placing a conjunction between them:

Clause1 conj Clause2 (conj Clause3)*

Except where noted, more than two clauses can be conjoined.

Logical Conjunctions

and all clauses must be true
ior at least one clause must be true
sel exactly one clause must be true

Temporal Conjunctions

thena Clause2 and subsequent clauses are relative to Clause1
thenb Clause1 occurs before Clause2
after Clause1 occurs after Clause2
while Clause1 occurs during Clause2 or vice-versa, depending on the aspects

For the first one and the last two, only two clauses can be conjoined.

Miscellaneous