amiu - "linguist"

[pauraque_bk]

For ellen_fremedon:



ammíiuaú naý nrúl "I know language"

X-SAMPA (ignoring tone): [ {m:iIU{u n{1 nr\ul ]

Since Ellen does indeed know language, I'm going to get a little denser with my explanations on this one, so bear with me.

ammíiuaú "that which is spoken"

The root verb here is mí "to speak deliberately". m- and -i indicate no actor and no target, respectively. a- and -u together form a circumfix indicating a restrictive, object-head relative clause. mí doesn't have an object in this sentence, so the whole clause is understood to be a nominal formation -- such is the fate of the Headless Relative in Amíu. (If you're guessing that the word "Amíu" itself is a form of this clause, you're right.) -aú is the first person marker; our new noun is now assigned the first person.

naý "knowledge; understanding"

'Understanding' is classed with the emotions, so its written form gets the emotional determinative, the nose. The phonetic is /nai/ "tree". (I have to admit this is a pun on my part -- tree of knowledge.)

nrúl "I have it"

This is the main verb. The root is rúl "to have deliberately". n- indicates a second-person actor (the speaker, in this case). The zero suffix indicates a first person target -- it must be ammíiu. The only word left is naý; it is the object of nrúl.

So, in the most literal terms, we're saying "I deliberately have knowledge directed at that which is deliberately spoken". But a much better translation would be "I know language" or "I'm a linguist"!

As always, I'm open to requests for icons, examples, explanations, anything. Next up will be "tracing mansions" for spican.

Edited to correct my X-SAMPA.

Comments

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

So, in the most literal terms, we're saying "I deliberately have knowledge directed at that which is deliberately spoken".

I love this. I love it to itty bitty pieces. I am going to go icon this and gaze upon the perfect geeky shininess of its headless relative clause.

Re:

[whimemsz.livejournal.com]

What they (gender unknown) said. This is one of the best and most creative conlangs I've ever seen, Eo, right up there with Noyahtukah and the Cadhinorian langs. I'm awestruck.

(And ellen_frememdon, I just wanted to say that I love your name :D )

Re:

[pauraque]

Thank you! I've certainly been inspired by our colleagues from the ZBB. Noyatukah is one of my favorite conlangs, so your comparing mine to it is a great compliment. :)

Re:

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

(And ellen_frememdon, I just wanted to say that I love your name :D )

Thanks! So do I *g*.

Re:

[pauraque]

Hee! Glad you approve. I hope I didn't muck up the linguistic terminology too much (I know I said perifix when I meant circumfix, which I've already, um, fixed). Everything I know about linguistics I've learned from books and the internet, so I'm sure I make mistakes -- if you ever see me messing up, don't hesitate to tell me.