Nòcara

Phonology
Nòcara has 10 vowels, and 18 consonants. In Nòcaran alphabetical order, they are è, ù, a, u, e, i, o, à, ò, ì, l, r, m, n, p, t, c, b, d, g, f, s, š, v, z, ž, č, j.

Vowels
è - [i]

ù - [u]

a - [a]

u - [ʌ]

e - [ɛ]

i - [ɪ]

o - [ɔ]

à - [e]

ò - [o]

ì - [y]

Consonants
Consonants without diacritical marks are pronounced as in English.

š - [ʃ]

č - [ʧ]

ž - [ʒ]

Phonotactics
The usual syllable structure is a simple CV. However, affixes deviate from this. Prefixes are allowed to be simply V, and suffixes are usually CVC.

Nouns
Nouns have six cases: Intransitive/Absolutive, Ergative, Accusative, Dative, Postpositional, and Genitive. Cases are marked with vowel prefixes. Nouns are also declined based on number: singular, dual, or plural and this is marked with a suffix.

In transliterated foreign words beginning with a vowel, an l is added between the prefix and the word. For example, America would be written as Umàricu in the absolutive case, but in the ergative case, it would be written as Alumàricu.

Intransitive/Absolutive Case
Unmarked case (dictionary word), used for the arguement of an intransitive verb. The word for ring, tumòma, for example: "The ring(s) sparkled."

Ergative Case
Marks the subject of a transitive verb. Using tumòma again: "The ring(s) hit him."

Accusative Case
Marks the object of a transitive verb. Keeping with tumòma: "The goldsmith forged the ring(s)."

Dative Case
Marks the indirect object. "The jeweler added diamonds to the ring(s)."

Postpositional Case
This marks the object of a postpositional phrase. "The diamonds on the ring(s) sparkled."

Genitive Case
A noun modifying another noun to indicate a relationship, frequently posession. "The ring's dropped it."/"The rings' owner dropped them."

Pronouns
Pronouns are declined in the same manner and using the same affixes as normal nouns, as can be see by the dual and plural forms in the table below. One exception is going from I to we, the inclusive form changes slightly from the root. The dual and plural forms of he and she are used when the group being referred to is all one gender. For mixed groups, the plural of it is used.

Verbs
There are three tenses (past, present, future), and four aspects (perfective, habitual, continuous, simple), all indicated with prefixes. Number (as with nouns) and mood (infinitive, indicative, imperative, potential, interrogative) are indicated with suffixes. Affix order is tense-aspect-root-mood-number. The verb number agrees with the subject, and uses the same suffixes.

Infinitive Mood
The basic, unconjugated form. In English, usually indicated by the word "to" in front: "to go". In Nòcara, unconjugated verbs end with rà. For example, "nòcara" means language. "To speak" is nòcarà.

Tenses
The tenses are indicated with a vowel prefix. Past tense is marked with à-, present tense is marked with ò- and future tense is marked with ì-.

Aspects
Simple aspect is unmarked. The other three have infixes that follow the tense prefix and precede the root word. Perfective is -ba-, habitual is -pa-, and continuous is -ta-.

Indicative Mood
Indicative mood is a statement of fact. "She speaks to him." A verb is conjugated for indicative mood by adding -lo. So, "nòcarà", "to speak" becomes "nòcaràlo", which then has prefixes for tense and aspect added, as mentioned above and as demonstrated in the nifty table below. Simple: She spoke to him. She speaks to him. She will speak to him.

Perfective: She has spoken to him. She will have spoken to him.

Habitual: She used to speak to him. She speaks to him regularly. She will speak to him regularly.

Continuous: She was speaking to him. She is speaking to him. She will be speaking to him.

Imperative Mood
Imperative mood is used when giving an order. "(You) speak to him." Verbs in the imperative mood are conjugated by adding -ro. Nòcarà ---> nòcaràro. Simple: Speak to him. You will speak to him.

Habitual: Speak to him regularly. You will speak to him regularly.

Potential Mood
Potential mood is used when something is not certain. "She might have spoken to him." Potential-mood verbs take the -so suffix. Nòcarà ---> nòcaràso. Simple: She might have spoken to him. She might be speaking to him. She might speak to him.

Habitual: She might have regularly spoken to him. She might be speaking to him regularly. She might speak to him regularly.

Continuous: She might have been speaking to him. Interchangeable in present and future tense with simple; used for emphasis

Interrogative Mood
This mood is used to ask simple questions by itself and, in conjunction with various "question words", more complex questions. It is marked with -zo. Nòcaràzo. Simple: Did she speak to him? Is she speaking to him? Will she speak to him?

Perfective: Has she spoken to him?

Habitual: Did she speak to him regularly? Does she speak to him regularly? Will she speak to him regularly?

Continuous: Was she speaking to him? Present tense interchangeable with simple; used for emphasis. Will she be speaking to him?