Olimaci Language Sketch |
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This
page presents some remarks about the structure of
the language. For the meaning of words and phrases,
see the Olimaci
Lexicon
and Olimaci
Phrasebook. I.
Pronunciation Syllables
and Stress. Each
syllable contains one vowel or diphthong. The
vowels are a, e, i, o, and u, and the
diphthongs are ei and ou. The vowel
may be preceded by a glide (i or
u). Words
ending in a vowel or in -ol are stressed on
the penultimate syllable. Words ending in
consonants are stressed on the final syllable.
Exceptions to these rules are indicated in the
lexicon by marking the stressed syllable with an
accent mark. Pronunciation
of Vowels and Diphthongs a
is pronounced as in father or
sofa. e
at the end of a word is pronounced like ay
in day, elsewhere like e in
bed. ei
is pronounced like ay in
day. i
is pronounced as in machine; when it
precedes a vowel, it represents a glide, pronounced
like y in yet. o
at the end of a word is pronounced ow in
crow, elsewhere like rod (British
pronounciation). ou
is pronounced like ow in
crow. u
is pronounced like oo in boot;
when it precedes a vowel, it represents a
glide, pronounced like w in
wet. Pronunciation
of Consonants b,
d, f, l, m, n, p, r, and t are
pronounced as in English. c
before e or i is pronounced like
ch in church, elsewhere as in
cat. ć
is pronounced like ch in
church. g
is pronounced as in grand. j
is pronounced as in judge. s
is pronounced as in sun. At the
beginning of a word, it is sometimes pronounced
like ts in cats. ss
is pronounced like ts in
cats. ś
is pronounced like sh in
shoe. v
is pronounced as in Spanish (a sound intermediate
between English v and w). In some
words, an initial v is pronounced like w
in wet. z
is pronounced as in gaze. At the
beginning of a word, it is sometimes pronounced
like dz in adz. zz
is pronounced like dz in
adz. ź
is pronounced like z in
azure. Examples aueila
eagle aźeiśli
there canćoun
song ceśo
blind empeira
imperium jośo
game lumu'
light reźina
queen savadazzo
woodland vilia
daughter vrusso
fruit II.Nouns,
Adjectives, and Pronouns Olimaci
has two grammatical genders, masculine and
feminine. There are two numbers, singular and
plural, and three cases, nominative, accusative,
and oblique. Adjectives agree with their nouns in
gender, number, and case. The
oblique case is used only in poetry and in certain
established phrases. It is used to give a noun the
role of an adjective, describing the quality,
source, or essence of something. The
nominative case is used only in writing, and even
then not consistently except in the most formal of
contexts. It is used to mark the subject of a
sentence, but is only used for persons or other
active agents. For
most purposes, the accusative case serve as an
invariant form, and case is ignored. Forms Nouns: Acc.
Sing. luna,
moon aseino,
donkey noss,
night Nom.
Sing. luna aseins noś
Obl.
Sing. lun aseini nossi Acc.
Plur. luns aseinos nosses Nom.
Plur. lun aseini nosses Obl.
Plur. lunis aseinis nosso Adjectives: Acc.
Sing. bona,
good (fem.) bono,
good (masc.) grand,
great (masc. & fem.) Nom.
Sing. bona boz grandes Obl.
Sing. bon boni grandi Acc.
Plur. bons bonos grandes Nom.
Plur. bon boni grandes Obl.
Plur. bonis bonis grandio Personal
Pronouns: Acc.
Sing. me,
me te,
you Nom.
Sing. eźo tu Obl.
Sing. me te Acc.
Plur. nous,
us vous,
you Nom.
Plur. nous vous Obl.
Plur. nouves vouves Definite
Article: Acc.
Sing. śla,
the (fem.) ślo,
the (masc.) Nom.
Sing. śla śl Obl.
Sing. ślis ślis Acc.
Plur. ślas ślos Nom.
Plur. śl śli Obl.
Plur. ślaro ślouro III.
Verbs Verbs
are inflected by number, person, and tense. There
are three simple tenses: present, perfect, and
imperfect. Compound tenses are used to express
other temporal and modal aspects. Present 1s amo,
I love aveo,
I have duśo,
I lead zecio,
I know so,
I am 2s ams áves dúces zecis es 3s ama av duć zece es 1p amams aveims duceims zecims soums 2p amádes avéides ducéides zecídes ézedes 3p áman áven dúśon zecioun soun Perfect 1s amavi avui duśi zecivi vui 2s amavéizedi avuéizedi duśéizedi zecivśéizedi vuśéizedi 3s amav avu' duś zeciv vue 1p amaveims avueims duśeims zecivims vueims 2p amavéizedes avuéizedes duśéizedes zecivéizedes vuéizedes 3p amavéiron avuéiron duśéiron zecivéiron vuéiron Imperfect 1s amava aveiva duceiva zecieiva era 2s amabs aveibs duceibs zecieibs es 3s amava aveiva duceiva zecieiva era 1p amavams avevams ducevams zecievams erams 2p amavádes avevádes ducevádes zecievádes erádes 3p amávan avéivan ducéivan zeciéivan éran Infinitive amar aveir ducer zecir es Perfect
Participle amado aveido dusso zecido Copyright © 2007-2008 Tom Waters |
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limaci
is spoken in the northeast of Greenhall, and is the
state language of the Kingdom of
Olimac.
This article serves as a simple introduction to the
language, and may aid readers in pronouncing and
understanding the names and terms used in
A Wall Against the Morning.