Zi Zâra



=General Information=

Zâra is a language that employs a trigger system.

=Alphabet and Pronunciation=

Vowels
A vowel gets stretched by marking it with a ^-sign.

Silent Vowels
Many words in Zâra include silent vowels, that are not spoken under certain conditions.

Usually, i is silent if it is the last sound of a word.

Silent vowels are only pronounced when a group 2 consonant follows

or when it avoids two identical consonants to follow one another.

Silent vowels are indicated by brackets like so k(i), the i being silent.

Consonants
If a consonant is doubled, it is pronounced like in Italian or Japanese.

Phonological constraints
Zâra basically allows syllables formed by a consonant, (atleast) a vowel (or multiple vowels), and [n] or [m] which means a syllable has the form (C)V(V)(n)/(m).

The group 1 consonant z can be inserted (almost) everywhere.

So a syllable can actually look like this: (z)(C)(z)V(z)/(n)/(m)(z).

This is not too common, though.

Also note that 3 consonants may never follow one another.

(all letters in brackets are optional)

Stress
Stress in Zâra is (with few exceptions) completely regular.

Every root word and unmodified conjugated verb (See Verb Conjugation) has penultimate stress.

Every sentence has stress on the stressed syllable of the conjugated verb and on the stressed syllable of the word in the trigger position.

Example:

In the sentence "Cinko tak o-dagajro n si." the stress is located as follows (bold):


 * Cinko tak o-dagajro n si.

=Grammar=

General Sentence Order
The general sentence order is VSO.

Verbal Affixes
This is a somewhat unique concept that is not found in too many languages.

Instead of having cases for the accusative and dative (and some other cases) verbal affixes are used.

These are prefixes that indicate what kind of target the verb they modifiy has and in what way the verb is aimed at the target.

The target itself stands after the copula.

There are 6 verbal affixes.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Cases
Zâra (currently) uses 8 cases.

They can also be found under Affixes and Adpositions together with all the other particles.

All case markers are suffixes.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Number
Nouns do not change in either form singular or plural.

Number is expressed with the help of articles.

A noun in its normal form can stand for both singular and plural.

Articles
Articles precede the noun.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Universal Object
The word da is used whenever there is no other object (or subject) in the sentence.

It can also be used in relative sentences.

For examples see the Examples.

Symbol is: UO

Adjectives
Adjectives succeed the word they are modifying.

The respective adjective gets the ADJ-Suffix ja (see Affixes and Adpositions).

Example:


 * A red house

zira iruja house red ADJ

Adjectives can be modified by tense prefixes.

See Tenses.

Verbs
Verbs always end in either a or o.

Conjugation
Conjugation is extemely simple because every grammatical person is treated the same.

A verb is either conjugated or in its infinitive form.

To conjugate a verb add j to the root, then add the subject pronoun.

The resulting cluster is called the unmodified conjugated verb(UCV).

Example:


 * I eat. (eat = mo; I = ro)


 * 1) add j
 * 2) add ro

Result: mojro

If the subject is not a personal pronoun, further changes have to be made.

The above process still applies, but the subject has to be added as well.

Example:


 * Mother eats. (eat = mo; mother = mia; 3.PS = da)


 * 1) add j
 * 2) add da
 * 3) add mia

Result: mojda mia

For more examples see the Examples Section.

Copula
Zâra uses a copula which is the word (u)n(i) (note the silent vowels).

Like every other verb it never changes no matter which position it is in.

Symbol is: COP

Tense
There are 3 tenses:
 * Past
 * Non-past
 * Explicit Future

Each tense uses a different particle.

Past
Symbol is: PAST

The past tense particle is tak(i).

It is treated like a preposition in that it precedes whatever it shall change to past tense.

In Zâra every word class can be affected by tense particles.

Note that the copula must remain unchanged though.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Non-Past
For the non-past tense no changes have to be made.

Non-past is the default tense.

Unless there is no other tense particle in the sentence, tense is non-past.

The non-past is used for both the present tense and the future tense.

Which of them is meant must be clear from the context.

Explicit Future
Symbol is: FUT

The explicit future tense particle is càzak(i).

The explicit future tense is only used when the use of the non-past would be ambiguous.

Obviously, it changes anything it precedes to future tense.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Negation
In Zâra negation is done by using a special verb that meants "to not".

This negative verb can be conjugated like any other verb and it can even be the only verb in the sentence.

The negative verb is ta.

This verb comes after the root word.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Ta can also mean "no".

Reflexive Verbs
In general their are no verbs that are either direct or indirect, but usually a verb can assume either role.

Every verb can be used as a direct verb or reflexive verb by just using the appropriate verbal affix.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Indirect Object
Usually an indirect object is marked by do.

There are exceptions, though, like the verb to give.

Exception verbs are marked with a * in the vocabulary list.

For explanations see the Exceptions Section.

Movement
Zâra distinguishes between still and moving.

These to types can refer to any word class.

Usually, unless the word itself has something to do with movement, a word is considered still.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Mood
Mood is expressed using verbs.

Every mood verb is a root verb meaning it is always the last of multiple verbs.

There is a total of (currently) 5 moods.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Asking Questions
The question particle is ko.

Symbol is: INT

It can be used in different ways.

Basically, if it precedes a noun, it asks for a specification as in "what(kind of) book'''".

The same goes for using it in front of case particles, though it is more versatile in such a position.

Examples:

What book ko koipa ko koipa INT book

Where Ko co ko co INT LOC

For more examples see the Examples Section.

Questions as Sentences
Turning a statement into a question is as simple as adding [...] to the end of a sentence.

Symbol is: QUE

For examples see the Examples Section.

Yes and No
Yes = ?

No = ta

Personal Pronouns
Note: Zâra is a pro-drop language.

Relative Pronouns
There are two relative pronouns.

One is for inanimate things, the other for animate/living things.

For examples see the Examples Section.

Relative Clauses
Relative clauses work like adjectives.

The only difference is that they consist of multiple words instead of just one.

To ensure comprehension an additional particle is used in addition to the adjective marker ja.

That additional particle is either t(i) or m(i) respectively as explained in the above table.

The formula looks as follows:

NOUN - relative particle - relative clause - adjective marker

i.e.:

NOUN t(i)/m(i) CLAUSE ja

For examples see the Examples Section.

Counting
(The arabic numbers are also used for written text in Zâra script.)

For examples see the Examples Section.

Inversion
Inversion is what makes Zâra extremely flexible in terms of word order.

Many adverbs have their origin in inversion.

Inversion utilizes a special particle jaj.

Symbol is: INV

[...]

What jaj does is that it allows certain parts of a sentence to be moved to another place.

[...]

For more examples see the Examples Section.

The verb
Unlike other indirect verbs, this verb is treated like a direct verb.

See the sentence


 *  Karaz o- daga jro n si .

which means "I give you  the book ".

Karaz ("Book") would usually be the direct object, while si ("you") would be the indirect object.

This verb is different.

Book is used as the attribute of the verb to give.

At the same time the indirect object becomes the direct object.

The verb
Cazakipa

Affixes and Adpositions
For examples for each of these see the Examples Section.

=Examples=

Sentences without object
I eat. O-mojro n da. o-mojro    n   da PT eat 1.PS COP UO

Sentences with both subject and object
I eat a bread. O-mojro n kida. o-mojro    n   kida PT eat 1.PS COP bread

Indirect Object
I gave you an apple. Cinko tak o-dagajro n si. cinko tak o-dagajro    n   si. apple PAST PT give 1.PS COP 2.PS

A = B
Trees are important. Târa n poitu. târa     n   poitu important COP tree

I love children. Mza n karu. mza     n   karu loveable COP child

Past Tense
The house was red. Tak iru n zi zira. tak iru n   zi  zira PAST red COP ART house

Explicit Future Tense
I will go. Cazaki zojro. cazaki zojro FUT   go 1.PS

Location
You are in a house. Ziraco n si. ziraco   n   si house LOC COP 2.PS

I will see you at the tree. Cazak o-kitajro poituco n si. Cazak o-kitajro  poituco   n   si   FUT   PT see 1.PS tree LOC  COP 2.PS

Direction
I went to the tree. Taki zojro n ziraci. taki zojro  n   zi  poituci PAST go 1.PS COP ART tree DIR

Posession
I am in my house. Te ziraco ni ro. te ziraco    ni  ro POS house LOC COP 1.PS

I do not want to give you your book. Daga kizka o-tajro sido n si karazma. Daga kizka o-tajro    sido     n   si   karazma give want PT not 1.PS 2.PS IND COP 2.PS book GEN

Relative Clause
I eat the bread that fell down. O-mojro n z kida mi cirenaz paira ja. o-mojro    n   z   kida  mi  cirenaz  paira ja PT eat 1.PS COP ART bread REL down DIR fall  ADJ

The mother who lives in the house will destroy the tree. Cazak o-kuratajda mia ti zi zira piu ja n zi poitu. cazak o-kuratajda  mia    ti  zi  zira  piu  ja  n   zi  poitu FUT  PT destroy UO mother REL ART house live ART COP ART tree

Pronoun-dropping
I eat a bread. O-moj kida. o-moj kida PT eat bread

Verb Negation
I will not give you the apple. Zi cinko daga cazak o-tajro n si. zi cinko daga cazak o-tajro     n   si ART apple give FUT   PT not 1.PS COP 2.PS

Adjective Negation
The apple is not red. Iru ta n zi cinko. iru ta n   zi  cinko red not COP ART apple

Noun Negation
This is not a house. Zi da taj n zira. zi  da taj n   zira this UO not COP house

Benefactive
I bought bread in a shop for you. Kida tak za-nucajro mikaco n si. kida tak  za-nucajro   mikaco   n   si bread PAST BEN buy 1.PS shop LOC COP 2.PS

Mood Examples
I want to leave. Zudo kizkajro. zudo kizkajro leave want 1.PS

I want to leave this place. Zudo o-kizkajro n zi soi. zudo o-kizkajro   n   zi  soi leave PT want 1.PS COP ART place

I don't want to leave this place. Zudo kizka o-tajro n zi soi. zudo kizka o-tajro     n   zi  soi leave want PT not 1.PS COP ART place

I didn't want to leave this place. Zudo kizka tak o-tajro n zi soi. zudo kizka tak  o-tajro     n   zi  soi leave want PAST PT not 1.PS COP ART place

Questions
Are you at home? Te ziraco n si ku. te ziraco    n   si   ku POS house LOC COP 2.PS QUE

Random Examples
Someone who lives in distractions becomes foreign to himself. Dati kirio motez'je ja n pizam' . - -

Useful Sentences and Formulations
Hello! .

Goodbye. .

How are you? .

When shall we meet? .

=Vocabulary=

=Writing=

Zâra employs a syllabic writing system in which each syllable is arranged in a square.

The squares run from left to right.

Placement


Example:



=Example Text=

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and ''bitumen for mortar.  Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for'' ''ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they ''will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

--Seladwa 13:20, 24 July 2009 (UTC) Siah Seladwa

This is a work in progress.