Metin/Grammar

Abbreviations used in this guide
NP: noun phrase

VP: verb phrase

1: 1st person singular

2: 2nd person informal

2H: 2nd person honorific

0: 0 person

3': 3rd person topical

3^: 3rd person retrogressive

1E: first person exclusive

1I: first person inculsive

P: posessor

S: subject

Do: direct object

Io: indirect object

As: absolutive

Uas: unabsolutive (typically not marked in morpheme glosses)

Al: ablative

Lo: locative

Da: dative

Irr: irrealis

Rea: realis (unmarked by default on verbs)

Co: Continuous (always marked by both verb stem and prefixes but only the prefix marking is shown in glosses)

Mo: Momentous  (always marked by both verb stem and prefixes but only the prefix marking is shown in glosses)

Po: Potential

Vo: Volitional

St: Stative

Tr: Transitive

Itr: Intransitive

Dtr: Ditransitive

R: relative (ta means nearby-1R, as in relative to the first person, te means nearby-2R, as in relative to the second person

xor: exclusive or

ior: inclusive or

Inq: Inquisitive

Neg: Negative

Prn: Pronominal

Cop:Copula

Pl: plural

F: free

Ts: human

Yy: inhuman

M: inanimate object

W: machine

Sx: location

Ch: mass

ChT: change topic

The noun phrase
In Metin, all  full noun phrases, or noun phrases which can stand by themselves in a sentence, contain a  head noun ,   which must be case marked, and are always the first word of their respective noun phrase. There can be only one head noun  per noun phrase. The head noun of a noun phrase must bear case markings to indicate its role in the sentence. A case marked noun is said to be in the   absolutive. A  head noun together with its optional  descriptive phrases (adjectives phrases, verb phrases, demonstratives, and other words or phrases which describe the head noun and come after it) is referred to as the head phrase. A head phrase all by itself is all that is necessary to make a full noun phrase. To the  head phrase may be appended further subphrases, noun phrases which are appended to the  head noun phrase and play the same role in the sentence. Subphrases  cannot stand by themselves in a full phrase. They must have a case marked head phrase standing before them. The noun which heads a subhead phrase  is called a  subhead noun, and is placed into the "caseless case", or  unabsolutive case. Subphrases can have descriptive phrases  attached after them just as a  head noun phrase  can. A noun phrase which contains only a  head phrase with no  subhead noun phrases is called a  simple noun phrase. A noun phrase which contains  head noun phrases and attached  subhead noun phrases is called a  compound noun phrase.

Multiple  full noun phrases that share identical case markings and are part of the same verb phrase must be combined into a  complex noun phrase.

Forming absolutive and unabsolutive nouns.
Nouns can form the unabsolutive in several ways. Some completely lose their absolutive prefix, some keep a reduced form of this prefix, and a small class of nouns, like yúus, loses their pitch accent in the unabsolutive. The vowels shown in parentheses are epenthetic vowels which tend to dissapear when the preceding word ends with a vowel or nasal and the following consonant in the root of the noun is dissimilar from the first consonant of the unabsolutive word's prefix.

tsimee-s(į)mee: person

įhhuska-huska: shirt

m(į)héá-héá: bridge

chacxó-sh(ą)cxó: beverage

hulaj-laj: shoulders

útchaw-t(į)chaw: train

yúutsaa-yuutsaa: eye

sxutl'an-sx(į)tl'an: city

The unmarked, or naked absolutive is used for full noun phrases that hold nominative or accusative roles in the sentence. 3 of the noun cases in Metin are marked using prefixes that come before the noun and after its class prefix, if present. These are the  prefixal cases, and comprise the  dative ,  ablative , and  locative. In addition, there are numerous case markers in Metin which require case markers that come after the noun, the  suffixal cases.

Posessors
Both absolutive and unabsolutive nouns can bear posessive suffixes. These suffixes distinguish alienable and inalienable posession. These suffixes go before any case suffixes or logical suffixes. yúutsu: my eye (inalienable)

yúutsájáh: your eye

yúutseh: Her eye

įhta įhhuskayiz?: Whose shirt is this?

tsisuhitsih?: Whose friend (are you)?

yúutsaa: an eye, eyes( in general. Eyes must be posessed, so the suffix -aa is obligatory. Nouns which require inalienable suffixes are marched as such in the dictionary

Some nouns can take on both the alienable and inalienable suffixes, using the alienable suffixes implies a sense of detachibility or self-containedness

yúutsoh: my camera yúutsu: my eye

jxįl: a recorder jxįlaa: an ear

chagułé: his covering, something he is wearing chagułéh: his, its skin, a coat (of paint)

When a noun is posessed by another noun phrase, it is marked either with the alienable suffix -e or the inalienable suffix -i. The posessing noun phrase is placed in the absolutive.

yúutsi tsuoobhii: The woman's eye

yúutse tsuoobhii: The woman's camera

The usage of the relative suffixes -unmu and -unmuh is fairly complicated and is discussed in the relative clause section.

Noun adjective compounds
The combination of a noun and an adjective can be turned into a compoun word by the concept suffix -íís

mrabhí qoo: A white suit (any kind of suit which is white)

mrabhí qooyíís: A whitesuit '(The kind of suit worn by a matron)

Noun noun compounds

All noun-noun compounds require a suffix of relationship. As with all metin noun constructions, the first noun is the head noun

ooc: First noun is constructed or suited for usage by the second noun.

ą́sh: First noun is made of second (mass) noun (replaces sh(ą) of second noun if present).

íw: First and second noun go together (bow and arrow, hills and valleys, etc.)

Compound noun phrase
A compound phrase consists of one absolutive (head) noun phrase and one or more unabsolutive noun phrases, linked to head  phrase with by the logical suffixes   -mi  (and), - lúz  (exclusive or or), - dį  (inclusive or),and -bhon (not). Bhon also sees usage in simple noun phrases, in sentences like "No man ever goes there". These 3 suffixes are the very last suffixes that can occur on a noun, after posessive suffixes.

oawa tsiwio sįnmomi.

people As-mother-1P father-1P-and

Here are my mother and father.

chaqéz shącxódį?

As-food Uas-drink-ior

(Do you want) some food and/or something to drink?

lac'uincaayns wáák'úa sxuimixtl'an sxkíélúz.

drive-1I.Po-fly throughout-today DA-mixt'an kíé-xor

<p style="font-weight:normal;">We have enough time fly to Mixtl'an or Kíé today, but not both.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">hatxuns muo tsiplerbhon

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3s.Itr-be.asocial always Ts.As-good.citizen-no

<p style="font-weight:normal;">''No good citizen spends all of their time away from people​. '' <h4 style="font-weight:normal;">Dummy logical noun phrases Dummy logical noun phrases are used to communicate concepts like everything, nothing, or only. They consist of a logical suffix appended to a meaningless noun.

minbhon: Only (means "and not anything)

muchebhai oawions minbhon

1IDO-3S.Tr-govern Ts.Pl.As-ancient.people all-no

Only the eldest govern us.

Grouping
<p style="font-weight:normal;">A compound noun phrase or plural simple noun phrase can play its role in the verb phrase either as a whole group or as a collection of separate individuals. A collection of separate individuals is the default interpretation of a plural noun phrase.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yédánh oamee

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3Ov.tr-separate As.pl-person

<p style="font-weight:normal;">He removes the people from eachother (each person is now separate)

<p style="font-weight:normal;">To make a plural noun phrase into a group, the infix -jo- is placed after the first noun prefix and before the first noun stem.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yédánh oajomee

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'.tr-separate As.Ts.pl-Group-person

<p style="font-weight:normal;">He isolated the people (the people remain together in a group, but separate from something else)

<p style="font-weight:normal;">jo can be extended to group together all of the elements of a compound noun phrase.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yétee tsimniu swiumi

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'.tr-reward As.Ts-father-1Po.Ia Ias.Ts-mother-1Po.Ia-and

<p style="font-weight:normal;">She rewards my mother and father (each is rewarded separately)

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yétee tsijomniu swiumi

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'.tr-reward As.Ts-Group-father-1Po.Ia Ias.Ts-mother-1Po.Ia-and

<p style="font-weight:normal;">She rewards my mother and father (they share in the reward <h3 style="font-weight:normal;">Complex noun phrase

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> A complex noun phrase has multiple head nouns, each of which may further have unabsolutive noun phrases attached to them. The  noun phrase which compose a complex noun phrase must be joined by the conjunctives  já  (and),  lújá  (exclusive or), and  dujá  (inclusive or).

<p style="font-weight:normal;">hétunɮ mciar lúí já  įhzáu chuot eetlág.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3.M-Tr-place  As.M-plate blue and As.M-cup green Lo.M-table

<p style="font-weight:normal;">He's placing blue plates and green cups on the table.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yint'oąítuyns tewįtie sxuiręę́je tsuooduia dujá sxuiręę́je tsuoowio

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'Do-2S-place.irrealis this-by.you-few LO-bedroom-P AL-Duia ior LO-bedroom-P AL-mother-1P

<p style="font-weight:normal;">You can put those in Duia's room or mom's room.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">When the same noun heads multiple NPs linked by já, lújá, or dujá, the noun does not need to be repeated in every já phrase. Thus, the above sentence can be shortened to  

<p style="font-weight:normal;">yint'oąítuyns tewįtie sxuiręę́je tsuooduia dujá  tsuoowio

<p style="font-weight:normal;">You can put those in Duia's room or mom's (room).

<p style="font-weight:normal;">

Descriptive phrases
There are many varieties of descriptive phrase in Metin. Descriptive phrases go after the noun  or  noun phrase   they describe exclusively. A descriptive phrase has at least 1 argument (monovalent), for the noun or noun phrase they describe, but some types take more.

Direct descriptive phrase
A direct descriptive phrase has an arity of 1. These phrases resemble English adjectives.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">mta mkxįyaon ǫ́hwaaf

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As-thing-this-1R As-towel fluffy

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Here's a fluffy towel.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The adjectives percieved as the most "essential" go closest to the noun, in approximately this order. The word for and, "xi", comes after the "true" essential adjectives, before numbers and demonstratives

<p style="font-weight:normal;">class/substance>shape>surface features> color> beauty >age> size >xi> number > demonstrative>posessor

<p style="font-weight:normal;">bhaa bhábhanw xi góos xi!

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Cop shiny and smooth and

<p style="font-weight:normal;">It's both shiny and smooth! <p style="font-weight:normal;">

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Adjectives can be preceded by the long forms of evidential prefixes. <p style="font-weight:normal;">

<p style="font-weight:normal;">tsimee ta áazsuh.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As.Ts-person at.hand-1R seems-friend

<p style="font-weight:normal;">She seems friendly

<p style="font-weight:normal;">hécxǫ ooji oozáu ienfánma.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'.Pr.Tr-drink As.water Al.M-cup looks-shiny

<p style="font-weight:normal;">He's drinking water from a shiny-looking cup.

Polyvalent Descriptive phrases
<p style="font-weight:normal;">Descriptive phrases with a valence greater than 1, or  polyvalent descriptive phrases , are used in constructions like "A city rich in culture" or "A dress vibrant in color".

Yen phrases
Yen phrases are prefixed with yen- and are bivalent. They demand an  ablative noun phrase to follow immediately after. This construction is very productive and used far more extensively than its English counterpart.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">

<p style="font-weight:normal;">sxugį́taang yenmíír unwji

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As.Sx-land St-abundant  Al-water

<p style="font-weight:normal;">a land with abundant water

<p style="font-weight:normal;">sxutl'an yenmíír uęęme tsoiu

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As.Sx-city abundant Al.Pl.Ts-people rare

<p style="font-weight:normal;">A city full of uncommon people

<p style="font-weight:normal;">tsitxá yenjáie chontsíx tj'axkúzmį

<p style="font-weight:normal;">As-man beautiful Al-hair Us-clothes-and

<p style="font-weight:normal;">A man with beautiful hair and clothing

Descriptive verbs
<p style="font-weight:normal;">Verbs can be used to head descriptive phrases. The verb must have no non-pronoun arguments or any adverbial phrases associated with it. The verb will have the 0 subject prefix, with the dummy h/hį prefix which precedes continuative verbs with 0 subject and no disjunct prefixes ommitted.

Examples with intransitive verbs
<p style="font-weight:normal;"> tsimnah tas hétl'úę́g oadáánmiye

<p style="font-weight:normal;">3'.Pr-dine As.Ts-father be.happy As.Pl.Ts-family-0P-with

<p style="font-weight:normal;">The happy father has lunch with his family

<p style="font-weight:normal;">łigaa ɮí sxeuttl'an tiin z̨a

<p style="font-weight:normal;">1E.Pr-stick.out in Lo.Ts-city crowded this-1R

<p style="font-weight:normal;">We stand out in this crowded city. <p style="font-weight:normal;">

<p style="font-weight:normal;">Transitive verbs in these constructions take indefinite objects, giving a different meaning than their intransitive counterpart

<p style="font-weight:normal;">tas: happy | etas: "makes something happy", joy-bringing

<p style="font-weight:normal;">tsimee tas: A happy person | tsimee etas: A person who brings joy to those around them

<p style="font-weight:normal;">tsimee tsííl: Lost person | tsimee etsííl: Forgetful person

<p style="font-weight:normal;">ooji móíg: Swirling water | tsibhii emóíg: A woman twiddling with something

Copular sentences
(bhaa) As-NP As-NP

(bhaa) tsimee z̨a tsimetin

As.Ts-person that-1R As.Ts-Metin

That person is Metin.

bhaa is added to emphaisze that the first NP is the second noun phrase in exclusion to several other alternatives; eg; That person is Metin, (not Ishnna or some other ethnicity). bhaa is usually used to correct people, and can sound somewhat rude.  

d̨haa transforms a statement into a question. It is placed before the NP in question, which is moved to the front of the sentence''. d̨haa questions are often responded to with bhaa answers with identical word orders''

d̨haa tsimee z̨a tsimetin?

Inq As.Ts-person that-1R As.Ts-metin

''Is that person Metin? ''(One of the people the asker is referring to is Metin but the asker is uncertain which)

d̨haa tsimetin tsimee z̨a

Inq As.Ts-Metin As-person that-1R

''Is that person Metin? ''(The person being referred to is of ambiguous ethnicity)

Negative copular sentences
Míinmi negates a copular sentence.

Míinmi tsimee z̨a tsimetin

Neg As.Ts-person that-1R As.Ts-Metin

That person isn't metin

Mínbha and mínd̨ha are the negatives of bhaa and d̨haa respectively

mínbha tsimetin tsimee z̨a

Neg As.Ts-Metin As.Ts-person that-1R

''That person isn't Metin. (corrective tone)''

mínd̨ha tsimetin tsimee z̨a?

Neg-Inq As.Ts-Metin As.Ts-person that-1R

Isn't that person Metin?

Evidentials in Copular Sentences
The full from of the evidential (ienmi, uonmo, etc...) is placed at the beginning of the sentence.

uǫtlo tsitxen tsijueng

hearsay As.Ts-Txen As.Ts-scientist

Txen is a scientist (so-I-hear).

The long form of the evidential prefix (ien-, uon- etc.) may also be prefixed to bha.

uǫlbha tsitxen tsijueng

hearsay-Corrective As.Ts-Txen As.Ts-scientist

''I hear Txen is a scientist. (not whatever you thought he was)''

Simple locative sentences
preposition--Lo NP--As locative object NP

oon tsuarme z̨a sxudhááy ghe

above Lo.Ts-person that As.Sx-staircase that.Inv-2R

''The staircase is above that guy. (the staircase can't be seen from where the adressee is)''

prepositional Prn--As locative object NP

sxutxienme sxuoomíxtl'an  muyo

As-forum-P Al-Míxtl'an under.you

Under you is the forum of Mixtlan.

When the prepositional NP is first, the location of the object. It is the word order exculsively used when answering "where" questions. When the locative object NP is first, the identity of the noun is emphasized. This word order is typically used to point out interesting or important objects

Ellipted locative sentences
The object of a locative sentence may be ellipted.

oozó

behind.you

It's behind you.

ɮí oowji

inside Al-water

It's in the water.

Locative sentences with multiple prepositional NP's
The prepositional NP's are listed in sequence from general to specific.

bhuay yerrao  bhiminz  sxuarmunz pli sxuaɬtoó  isin qoo

inside Lo-town near Lo.Ts-Munz through Lo.Ts-garden As-path white

The white path is in the city, going through the garden near Munz's place.

When the topic is the subject, direct object, or indirect object of multiple clauses in direct sequence.
In this situation, each of the successive clauses is strung together with the verb always in initial position. The verb of the first clause will agree with the topic using a 3' personal prefix, the other verbs will agree with the topic with a 0 personal prefix. As always, the topic of such a sentence will be placed at the very front.

tsiyáang  liiépxú tsijué  txaápxen

As.Ts-youth 3'.Tr.Pr-see 3'.Itr.Pr-enter

The youth who sees Jué is coming in

<p style="font-weight:normal;">

Adjective conjunction
Multiple simple adjectives can be simply stated in sequence. The adjectives percieved as the most "essential" go closest to the noun, in approximately this order.

class/substance>shape>surface features> color> beauty >age> size >xi> number > demonstrative>posessor

The conjunction  xi will come after the "true" essential adjectives and before numbers, demonstratives, and posessors.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">'''inmáabhai tsuiya įhhuskaye gít'iyaon ty'uy xi tsįtxen janzja. '''

<p style="font-weight:normal;"> Seen-again-Itr-0-C-wear  this.person ABS-shirt-his wrinkle-2D red xi Txen that.same-1R.

<p style="font-weight:normal;">''I see her wearing Txen's same wrinkled red shirt again. ''

The conjunction iiz links together multiple complex adjectival phrases, and is obligatory when a noun phrase is modified more than one possessor or complex adjectival phrase. It acts as a sort of logical and.

jįmií timinz sxeutmixtl'an iiz jáie

As-apartment near-R Lo.Ts-Mixtl'an and beautiful

Beautiful apartments that are near Mixtl'an

This conjunction can be compounded with lúz (xor) and dį (ior) to form iilúz and iidį respectively.

bhaang jįmií timinz sxeutmixtl'an iilúz jáie, chį miínmang jįmií timinz sxeutmixtl'an iiz jáie

There.are As-apartment near-R Lo.Sx-Mixtl'an xor beautiful, but There.aren't As-apartment near-R Lo.Ts-Mixtl'an and beautiful

''There are not beautiful apartments near Mixtl'an. (There are apartments near mixtl'an or beautiful, but there aren't apartments near mixtl'an and beautiful).''

Verb conjunction
wos: and

los: xor

dos: ior 

Expressing temporal relationships between verbs
The prefix dí is used to identify the verbal action which came before. The exact meaning of dí varies based on the aspect of both the previus and following actions. dí implies that the previous action caused the next action. tl'ú does not make this implication.

dí affixed to a momentous verb
lidíépxú tsitiys tsid̨úken hįtsun

dí-3os-sees As.Ts-student As.Ts-teacher 0-nervous

The student sees his teacher and is nervous

Habitual nouns
Nouns which preform or undergo a verbal action periodically are expressed by prefixing a fully conjugated continuous verb with an absolutive prefix such as tsi, eey, m-, we-, or cha-, depending on whether the noun in question is human, servile/inhuman, a tool, a machine, or a mass respectively.

la-0-caayn: To pilot it

tsi-laacaayn

As.Ts-0s-pilot

A pilot (human)

eey-laacaayn

As.Yy-0s-pilot

 A pilot (servile) 

tsi-laácaayn

As.Ts-3os-pilot

S/he who pilots, S/he is a pilot

tsi-lǫǫhcaayn

As.Ts-1s-pilot

 I who pilot, I am a pilot 

oa-laanwcaayn: 

As.Pl.Ts-1Es-pilot

We who pilot, we are pilots.

Habitual nouns phrases with arguments
Habitual nouns can take the arguments that the verbs they are derived from can. The structure of a habitual nouns phrase is thus:

Habitual nouns- arguments -freeform absolutive that agrees with the habitual noun.

tsimee ta tsilaáncaayn oaxúéfiish cxinmaaz tsii kpagiíndjhac jyahóé tsoiu xi jhęú xi

As.Ts-person this As.Ts-3's-pilot As.pl.Ts-gamesman-ChT Dat.Pl.Sx-wilderness part As.Ts.F Prp-Ben-3's-search As.pl.Yy-creature rare and strange and

This person flies gamesmen out into the wilderness so that they might search for rare and unusual creatures for them (their clients).

tsilaáncaayn oaxúéfiish cxinmaaz tsii

a As.Ts-3os-pilot As.Pl.Ts-gamesman-ChT Da.Pl.Sx-wilderness As.Ts.F

S/he who flies gamesmen out into the wilderness

Purpose clauses
Purpose clauses contain an irrealis verb prefixed with kpa-

Topic introduction and change
A topic is the NP about which a portion of discourse is about. 3' personal prefixes always refer to the role of the topic in a sentence. The simplest way to introduce and or change a topic is to place the topical NP at the very beginning of the sentence. When a new topic is introduced by placing it initially in the sentence, such as Oawions (the higher ups) in the 3rd line, the 3' personal prefixes will be referring to the role of the higher ups rather than that of the old topic tsisuhoh tsiMaang (my friend Maang). The old topic (my friend Maang) will then be referred to using the 3^ personal prefixes.

'''tsisuhoh tsiMaang hémǫǫ sxeutLuu. giínthaa  koiwions. tsidíchįpxú tǫ́nk'í tsii, wos díipleh, chįtee. '''

As.Ts-friend-1p As.Ts-Maang 3's.Pr-dwell Lo.Sx-Luu. Ben-3's.Pr-work As.Pl.Ts-higher.ups. As.Ts-because-3'do-0s.Pr-see every-day As.Ts.F, and.V because-3's.Pr-does.as.a.good.citizen.does, 3'do.0s.Pr-reward.

''My friend Maang lives in the city of Luu. There she works for some higher ups. Because they see her every day, and because she is diligent and resepctful, they reward her. ''

inkx'odíijaíe meité,  kx'ojxochęhjooj  sxeuttsiyé jxaa fiǫǫhtas, inmęndífiaamíír mtsiyé iyyątsiyémi dįįn 

'''tsánto. '''

SeeE-so-because-0s.Pr-beautiful home-3'p, so-with-3'do-1s.Pr-hang.out Lo.Sx-place-3'p very-1s.Pr-happy SeeE-because-very-0s.Pr-abundant As.M-thing-3'p Uas.Yy-servile-3'p-and interesting various.

So her home is very beautiful, and I have a lot of fun hanging out there, as she has a great variety of interesting things and serviles.

'''imingoqimoózii euzhín. oawions ázkx'ointeéndés sxutsiyen tsiyenmi iyyątsiyenmi. ioshdímiswéé, eshplehmisziinzx.'''

HearE-despite-subversive-3's-say in.private. As.Pl.Ts-higher.ups InfE-so-3^io-3's.Mo.Dtr-punish.Ire As.Ts-place-3^p Uas.M-thing-3^p-and Uas.Yy-servile-3^p-and. HopE-3^s.Pr-reasonable.Ire, HopE-in.line-3^s.Pr-say.Ire.Inc

''But I hear her say many subversive things in private. So I worry the higher ups will punish her, and take away her things and serviles. I hope she is reasonable, and starts talking about more in line things.''

Changing the topic with the suffix -iish
This is an alternative to introducing a new topic by placing it in the initial position in a sentence. Notice how the 3' personal prefix refers to the first topic, tsid̨ukoh (my boss) in the first sentence, but after the -iish suffixed noun oameyiish is introduced the 3' personal prefix refers to the oameyiish tsoiu (strange people) in the following verb.

'tsid̨ukoh uǫlépxú oameyiish'' tsoiu k'íǫx. gidiíxuij héłens sxeuttien. '''

As.Ts-boss-1p HeaR-3's.Pr.Tr-see As.Pl.Ts-people-ChT strange yesterday. 3's.Pr-wander 3's.Pr-high Lo.Sx-forum.

My boss  told me she saw some strange people yesterday. They (the strange people) were wandering about high in the forum.