Dornel

Characteristics
Dornel is one of the most important languages of the Efhang family. Its relative simplicity made it an ideal language for commerce and business, until it was almost completely replaced by Tláymyts.

Phonology
Words are stressed on the first syllable, except when an unstressed prefix is added.

Vowels
Vowels and diphthongs are:

Vowels e and o are pronounced primiarily as and. In dialects, the pronunciations [e] and [o] are common.

For u, the standard pronunciation is, but the variation [u] also occurs.

Nouns
There are three gender of nouns: masculine, feminine and neuter. Nouns are declined according to two numbers: singular and plural, and to four cases, viz.:
 * 1) Nominative (subject)
 * 2) Accusative (direct object)
 * 3) Dative (indirect object)
 * 4) Genitive (possessive)

Adjectives
Adjectives are declined in a way similar to that of nouns, but with the element i prevailing in the endings. There is no gender distinction.

Superiority
The particle ka is used before the adjective. Ex.:
 * kelmti "large", ka kelmti "larger"
 * mupfi "new", ka mupfi "newer"
 * punni "good", ka punni "better"

Superlative
The particle hun is used before the adjective. Ex.:
 * kelmti "large", hun kelmti "the largest"
 * mupfi "new", hun mupfi "the newest"
 * punni "good", hun punni "the best"

Pronouns
Pronouns follow the same declension system used for nouns and adjectives, with little differences in some forms.

Personal
The initial e- in the forms of er (except nominative) is dropped in speech, with stress shifting to the last syllable. In written and formal language, however, it is always kept and carries stress.

Possessive
Possessive pronouns are declined like any other adjective.

Demonstrative

 * iðði "this" (very near)
 * hissi "this" (not so near)
 * giyi "that" (far)

Interrogative

 * xiy "what"
 * xawn "who"
 * wer "which"
 * neng "how"
 * heym "where"
 * gohem "when"

Relative

 * xiy "that"
 * xawn "who"

Indefinite

 * hekonn "some", "any"
 * mayom "no", "none"
 * dutt "all", "every"
 * xett "each", "every"

Cardinal Numbers

 * 0 sawl
 * 1 honn
 * 2 tuð
 * 3 delð
 * 4 goleh
 * 5 ðeng
 * 6 dziyes
 * 7 ðawdi
 * 8 uhyed
 * 9 mufi
 * 10 tawððes
 * 11 hontawð
 * 12 tuttawð
 * 13 dettawð
 * 14 gohettawð
 * 15 ðeguttawð
 * 16 dzittawð
 * 17 ðawdittawð
 * 18 uhyettawð
 * 19 mufittawð
 * 20 fed
 * 21 fed honn
 * 30 dled
 * 40 goheled
 * 50 ðeygohed
 * 60 dziheyðed
 * 70 ðawded
 * 80 uhyeded
 * 90 mufed
 * 100 ðawn

Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers are simply the cardinal numbers turned to adjectives and preceded by the particle i:
 * 1st i honni
 * 2nd i tuði
 * 3rd i delði
 * 4th i golhi
 * 5th i ðengi
 * 6th i dziysi
 * 7th i ðawdi
 * 8th i uyhdi
 * 9th i mufi
 * 10th i tawði

Coordinating

 * xoy "for"
 * hiy, goy "and"
 * mayn "nor"
 * ðawt, bûlen "but"
 * u "or"
 * ihet "yet"
 * eððin "so"

Correlative

 * henpuð/eð/ið … hiy …  "both … and … "
 * u … ho …  "either … or … "
 * mayn … mayn …  "neither … nor … "
 * mewu … ðat …  "not … but … "
 * meððu … denpen …  "not only … but also … "

Subordinating

 * tibyed "after"
 * ged "although"
 * ðiy "if"
 * iððawd "unless"
 * xiyuk "so that"
 * belled "therefore"
 * hebbiys "in spite of", "despite"
 * xoye "because"

Concepts

 * Voices: Active and Passive
 * Moods: Indicative, Conditional
 * Tenses: Present, Perfective, Aorist, Imperfective, Pluperfect, Future, Future Perfect
 * Persons: 1st, 2nd and 3rd
 * Numbers: Singular and Plural

Most endings have been lost. Mood, tense and voice are mostly indicated by means of particles put before or after the verb. Some auxiliary verbs are also used.

Sample Conjugation: feyto "see"
Here is the full conjugation of the verb feyto "see". For other verbs, just change the root (in this case, feyt-).

Passive Voice
Passive voice is formed by means of the particle delem put before the verb. Agent is indicated by means of the preposition bə with the genitive case. Ex.:
 * Reyfəl delem efək genbəl bə nik. "The book was bought by me."
 * Istuleyh delem melliyək bə erik. "The story is going to be told by him."

Sample

 * "Duttið uwnanuð meððəng reyflið, kas teykmeytetek hiy kas teyliheydeks. Eruð efəng lesewew hiy gemzemzeyew, hiy tifəng esho honn uhodluk hen ispeyleyduk helnemtetik."
 * ("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.")

Vocabulary

 * Swadesh List: Here we give the Swadesh List for South Efang.
 * Dornel-Wayaliss Swadesh List: a comparison between Dornel and Wayaliss.