Hohoho

General information
Hohoho was the language spoken in the land of Herrderrserr. It became extinct when the entire village was massacred by honey badgers. Hohoho means greater tool as derived from /ho/ which means tool.

Phonotactics
The syllable structure in Hohoho is CV(S), with C being any consonant and V being any vowel. S is any consonant except for /θʼ/ and /ɾ/. No consonant clusters are possible. Final consonants geminate when the next syllable has the same initial consonant. The first syllable of every word is stressed.

Nouns
The nouns decline with suffixes for case, gender, number and definiteness in that order. Noun phrases are formed with prepositional phrases after and determiners preceding. Nouns that have word modifying cases are treated as determiners.

Case/Gender
The case markers are initial consonants in the suffix. Some markers are required for certain postpositions. There are four genders marked by different vowels in the suffix and three optional sub-genders indicated by final consonants.

Number/Definiteness
Number is marked by suffixes that begin with /j/ but vary in the vowel. The number suffix may also be added to quantifiers. Definiteness is expressed by adding the prefix /ho/ to the word in question.
 * 1) Collective - unmarked
 * 2) Singulative - /je/
 * 3) Dual - /ju/
 * 4) Trial - /jae/
 * 5) Paucal (twelve or less) - /jo/
 * 6) Plural - /joth/

Determiners
There are many determiners that can be derived from the basic determiners listed here. Determiners can also be used as pronouns. The personal and impersonal interrogatives can be modified to inquire of possession by changing the vowels to /e/

Numerals
Hohoho uses a quaternary number system based on the number of legs of a honey badger. Most numbers larger than twenty are achieved by using the multiplicative word /de/ before the multiplier. The larger number is usually the multiplicand. The word for honey badger is /saettu/, which is often abbreviated to /sae/ without declination when speaking of numbers. The honey badger at the end of the cardinal numbers is usually truncated when used in higher numbers. Numbers can be used as determiners or nouns.

Prepositions
Prepositions are attached after a noun to form a prepositional phrase and then attached after the modified word. The modified word has a case corresponding to the type of preposition, but the modifier has a neutral case. Some motion prepositions can be used as temporal ones.

Adjectives
Adjectives in Hohoho are treated like determiners, but with the added ability to attach to verbs, filling the role of an adverb. The adjective order of Hohoho is this: An important adjective is the negative polarity adjective /cobe/.
 * 1) Head
 * 2) Polarity
 * 3) Qualifier
 * 4) Quantifier
 * 5) Demonstrative/Interrogative
 * 6) Evidentiality/Mirativity/Probability/Necessity

Verbs
Verbs conjugate by voice, mood, tense, number, person and aspect. Not all of the slots in the template have to be filled.

Voice
Passive voice is indicated by the prefix /rro/ in the voice slot, while active voice is unmarked. The potential voice which expresses the ability to do something is indicated by the prefix /rre/ in the voice slot.

Pro-affixes
The pro-affixes inflect based on person and deixis. They may be attached to the Subject or Object slots.

Tense/Aspect
Tense and aspect are expressed through inflection of the affix in the Tense/Aspect slot.

Mood/Number
Mood and number are expressed through inflection of the Mood/Number affix. The number indicates how many times the verb has been performed.

Preposition Classifier
The preposition classifier indicates whether the prepositional phrase after the verb affects the subject or object if there are pro-affixes. The affix /go/ indicates subject, while the affix /cep/ indicates object.

Copula
There are two copulas in Hohoho which link subject and predicate. The copula /guduko/ is used for a permanent state and /beporr/ for a temporary state.

Pro-words
Pro words are separate units unlike pro-affixes. They are substitutes for their respective words or word phrases. There are three pro-words that are a separate class for their function of referring to the previous clause. Referring to the subject, object, and verb are respectively the words /qebol/, /sheppu/ and /ghuj/.

Pronouns
Pronouns are able to be declined for case, gender and number. They are derived from the pro-affixes, so they have inherent deixis and person.

Pro-adjectives
There are two pro-adjectives in Hohoho: /kutu/ which means "like so", and /pogho/ which means "in this way".

Pro-verbs
There are two pro-verbs in Hohoho: /poded/ which means "to do", and /tucbu/ which means "to be".

Derivation
There is an extensive system of derivations in Hohoho. The declensions and conjugations are removed in the process.

Conjunctions
The conjunctions are words that link clauses or words together. Some of them also express mirativity in inflection. They can be placed at the end of clauses or at the beginning. They are also placed after the word they modify.

Sentence Structure
The canon word order of Hohoho is SOV. Relative clauses must precede the modified word or clause and end with the relativizer /jukew/.

Vocabulary
Hohoho/Word List

Example text
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.