Modern Yorshaan

Modern Yorshaan, on contrary of Early Modern Yorshaan, is more simplified and more influenced by Romance language (including Atramia).

General Information
The modern and more complete verison of Yorshaan.

Alphabet
The alphabet has decreased by 2 letters. The Æ and Œ has now disappeared.

Consonants
Traditionally the consonants of Yorshaan consist of two groups: front and back consonants. The border is set between alveolar and postalveolar consonants. Learning whether a sound is "front" is critical for learning Yorshaan nouns.
 * 1) /m/ becomes /ɱ/ before f or v.
 * 2) /ɾ/ only appears after t.

Consonant Clusters
The are consonant clusters in Yorshaan, and most of them consist of only 2 consonants. Some of these are: And other common clusters, to name a few.
 * Pf as /p̪f/
 * Dn as /d̪̃n/
 * Tl as /tɾ/
 * Ps as /ps/
 * Pt as /pt/
 * Ft as /ft/
 * Gn as /gɲ/ or /ŋɲ/
 * Mf as /ɱf/
 * Mv as /ɱv/ or /ṽ/
 * Kh as /kx/

Varients of T
There were once at most 5 varients of the alveolar plosive in EModY: /t̪/, /t̻/, /tʲ/, /tʷ/, and /tˤ/. In Modern Yorshaan, some of them has merged with others or been left out. Only palatalized varient is preserved.

Varients of R
There are a lot of varients of r in Yorshaan. The dialects affected by Atramia would receive /ɻ/ (retroflex), and those affected by French would have /ʀ̥/, /ʀ/, or /ɣ/.

Though the "standard" Yorshaan read r as alveolar approximant /ɹ/ and most Yorshaan users can recognize that sound, people using /ʀ/ have difficult time recognizing /ɻ/ or /ɾ/ as r.

Those who pronounce r using their uvula or velum (the back of mouth) are often nicknamed yontlicezye (back-tongue) and those who use the front part of their tongue receive the nickname gendicezye (front-tongue).

Semivowels
Developed from reduced vowels or other semivowels, semivowels exist in Modern Yorshaan. There are two semivowels: /ɥ/ and /j/.

Nasal Vowels
Influenced by French, Yorshaan has nasalized vowels. Most nasal vowels occur in front of the nasal m, especially in front of a stressed syllable or final one.

Yet the number of nasal vowels are restricted. Only these nasal vowels are available in Yorshaan: When the consonant m is followed by other consonants and vowels (including final e), the vowel will no longer be nasalized. This feature is common among infinitives of Yorshaan verbs:
 * dagem /ˈdɑ.gɵ̃/ (to be seen), dageme /ˈdɑ.gem/ (to see)

Rhotic Vowels
There is only one r-colored vowel in Yorshaan, /ɚ/, and it will only occur at the last syllables or that before stressed ones.

In most cases, rhotic vowels occurs at the last syllable of ablative form of nouns whose stems end in -r.
 * argre /ɑɹ.gɹɵ/ (anger) → yargr /jɑɹ.gɚ/ (from anger)

Liaison
(Probably affected by french, )liaison happens in Yorshaan as well. In most cases, it takes place when a noun in absolutive case is followed by vowel-beginning word. For example: Some adjectives ending with syllabic consonants (due to the drop of absolutive suffix -e), such as ofr (long) and matl (creepy), changes the pronunciation of the last syllable upon liaison:
 * peshte ofr (a long time) /peʃt‿ofɚ/
 * Neccrade unim acca. (Time awaits no people.) /ˈnekɹɑd‿umin ˈɑkɑ/
 * peshte ofr ur (one long time) /peʃt‿ofɹ‿uɹ/

Ending E
The e at the end of some words (most of them are nouns) of Yorshaan are "floating" on account of their "uncertain" pronunciation / existance.

Under these circumstances the e must be omitted and read something else instead: While in these cases the e must be read as /ɵ/: In other cases (e.g. follows a voiced consonant) the e can be read optionally, depending on each person.
 * 1) It follows a voiceless consonant.
 * 2) The consonant it follows becomes syllabic.
 * 3) Liaison happens.
 * 1) At the end of a sentence (or clause).
 * 2) In most folklore songs.
 * 3) Emphasized.
 * 4) Read alone (no words following).

Ending U
It is reported that the u at the end of a word (most of which are nouns) alone could be /ʏ/ instead of /ʊ/. This happens in most northern dialects, to say at least.

Interrogative and Relative (Adverb)
Some modern adverbs are derived from the inherented adverb with some noun suffixes. The relative pronouns of Modern Yorshaan has been merged with interrogative ones. Hence the rules for relative clauses is different from Early Modern Yorshaan.

Indefinite
Some of the pronouns are inherited from Classical Yorshaan, whereas some are borrowed from Atramia, such as the one referring to exclusive things altrene (altrè'n in Atramia), indicating negative existense necu (necuei in Atramia), and meaning distributive things shalu (šalei in Atramia).

Demonstrative
All the determiners are all put behind the modified noun.
 * Shelaa grayosh mabe ri melet moie. (Please send this letter to that girl.)

Possessive
Possessive determiners in Yorshaan is realized by the genitive case. Like most adjectives in Yorshaan, there determiners must be behind the modified nouns. A noun in genitive case can also be modified by another noun also in genitive case. In this case, it's the original form of the previous noun being modified.
 * Mi pocte nadaven muli ic. (The birthday of my daughter.)(muli modifies pocte nadaven and simultaneously is modified by ic.)

Nouns
Nouns in Modern Yorshaan are now of three categories: group I, group II, and proper nouns.

Group I
Group I consists of countable nouns. Under normal circumstances, nouns of Yorshaan doesn't require an article. But it is necessary for an ablative noun since the singular and plural form share the same writting.

Group II
Verbs of group II are all uncountable.

Genitives Acting like Adjectives
Genitives can be regarded as adjectives origined from nouns. The agreement of adjectives can be applied to genitives. See the adjective seciton for more detail about adjectives.

Irregular Nouns
Yet there are some nouns having irregular inflections. Cells with pink background contains irregular forms.

-oir and -eie Nouns
Some irregular nouns end in -oie or -eie due to the loss of the consonant y /j/. For example, savoie (valley) is used to be savoye in EMY.

-nt Countable Nouns
These -nt nouns are those whose last consonant is voiced and penult vowel is e or i.

The nasal ending of plural dative depends on the original last consonant:
 * b, w, v → m
 * n, d, dz, zh, j, zhy → n
 * r → r
 * l → l
 * g → ng

Names
Names in Modern Yorshaan does decline as group II nouns. However, the vocative case is reserved. Take Milyana for example:
 * Milyana! (vocative)
 * Cu Milyanu mimei. (I love Milyana.)(absolutive)
 * Co Milyanim mime. (Milyana loves me.)(ergative)
 * Gruyaa ri mabe Milyanen. (Give this letter to Milyana.)(dative)

To Become Verbs
Nouns can be converted into verbs by attaching the suffix -ashem and therefore follow the strong verb conjugation. This feature is inherited from the instrument case.
 * ucetsu (loyality)
 * Ci ucetsashie! (Be loyal to me!)

Compound Noun
A compound noun is formed by adding the genitive form of a nou in front of another noun. Thus, the order of the words is different from merely using an adjective (genitive form) modifying the noun.
 * omivyole (The Era of Darkness)
 * vyole omi (dark era)

History
Languists manage to build a common ancestor of Yorshaan languages: Proto-Yorshaan, which might be either a daughter proto-language of PIE or isolated from that.

Theoretically, in PY, there are several ways to mark the tense of a verb.

Strong Verb= The strong verbs change their stem vowel (of the last of the word) in only one way: -a- for present, -i- for past, and -ai- for future.

Yet there are verbs take the form -u-em or -oi-em. They are derived from -u-eem and -œ-eem verbs in EMY. Their penult vowels might be different, but they will all become -i- in past tense and -ai- in future.


 * -|Weak Verb=


 * -|Irregular: Yon=


 * -|Irregular: Alon=


 * -|Irregular: Eton=

The ablative form of the gerund, yet, is a common adverbial participle in Yorshaan. It often indicates the time point when something is happened. Like yet co dagem means "when sb. look at me".


 * -|Irregular: Seron=

The most common suppletive verb in Yorshaan, also an import role in perfect compound.

The replacing term wed and wedz comes from Old Yorshaan vhederum (to leave), and oiv- or ois- from eyupsarum (to run). The word seron itself was seronzh (to go & to be like) in Early Modern Yorshaan, from Middle Yorshaan sairronzj, seyrrunzy (to go, to depart, to leave), se- (inchaotive prefix) + yrronzy (to leave), from Old Yorshaan yurrhunzyum (to be apart), yurr- (ablative prefix) + henzyum (to move), from Proto-Yorshaan *hẽzy- (to move, to act). Cognate with Farnian hibe (to come).

The adverbial participle or seron, is, is one of the most used adverbs in Yorshaan (that functioning like a preposition). It can mean either to or from in English, depending on the case of the noun behind it.
 * nim is inar ic. (far from my house)
 * birdam is Vorgastet. (wander toward Vorgast)

Passive and Antipassive Voice
Since Yorshaan is an absolutive-ergative language, both passive and antipassive voice has never died out. (though only participles have antipassive form) For example:
 * He-NOM smiles when I-NOM see him-ACC.

would be


 * E-ABS stucha preu e-ABS cu-ERG daga. (*Him-ABS smiles when I-ERG see him-ABS)

The method Yorshaan adapted to express antipassive is to convert the vern into its antipassive participle and introduce the copula alon.


 * E-ABS stucha preu co-ABS al e-ABS dagise. (*Him-ABS smiles when me-ABS is him-ABS seeing)

So that there will be no ergative objects, both co and e are all absolutive. This function is silimar to that of English, whose pattern "sb. be V+ed by..." refers to passive voice. The transitivity of the verb dagem has been reduced (taking only one argument co).

Reflexive Construction
Reflexive verbs take the same object as its agent and patient at the same time, like the verb wash in the sentence "I wash myself." There are no reflexive pronouns in modern Yorshaan; however, reflexive verbs can be regarded as other verbs with infix -apam. For example dagem means "to see" while dagapam means "to see oneself" or "to reflect".

Reflexive verbs resembling strong verbs are "weakened strong verbs with infix -apam".
 * Si e cu daga dagapam. (I don't see him reflect.)

Subjunctive and Optative Mood
In EMY, subjunctive form often received long suffixes. In modern usage, the imperative has been replaced by simplified subjunctive and subjunctive merged with optative. Among the three remaining moods (indicative, optative and imperative), the imperative form from EMY has fallen out of use.

Due to the substitution, some subjunctive usage can be expressed by optative verbs in moden speaking. The conditional sentences is a good example, where the condition clause would be in subjunctive mood in EMY. (see below)

Participles
There are two properties of a participle in Modern Yorshaan: tense and voice.

1) Modifying a Noun
Participles can play a role as an adjective and taking another nouns as arguments at the same time.
 * none mi farise (the burning world)
 * none mi farim (the burned world)
 * mabe mi fawen u (the letter stolen by him)

2) To Form the Perfect
Forms in perfect compuond were actually a combination of the verb and yog in early modern Yorshaan. In Modern Yorshaan, however, the method is different. Two verbs, yon and seron, has been introduced to form the perfect. Here only passive participles are used. In most cases, intransitive verbs use the verb seron. Modal verbs can also be treated as intransitive ones, thus those verbs usually take the modal verb seron as well. In the sentence above, the word aletois is passive whereas dagise is antipassive.
 * Jase cu alim iy. (I have drunk water.)
 * E nacrim sera. (She has cried.)
 * Co aletois seri dagise e. (I have seen him.)(= E cu dagim oy.)

3) Adverbal Form
Participles can alse been regarded as the "adverbal form" of verbs and have a variety of usages:
 * a) To modify the sentense. (Only passive available.)
 * b) Dangling perticiple.
 * c) Genitive absolute.

Infinitives
There were once infinitive dependent and infinitive independent in EMY, but the dependent usage becomes obsolete. In modern usage, every infinitive is independent (they still can't form a main clause on their own). Some usages are inherited from classic ones.

1) Introductory Word of a Noun Clause
Silimar to English to-infinitive, infinitives can be used for introductory word of a clause. Beware that though the infinitive sayem should be ergative (making me sleep), it will never end in -eu or -im. All the suffixes that would be attached in EMY are all dropped.
 * Co sayem e ore. ( To listen to him makes me sleep.)

2) Consequence of previous verb
Infinitives can attach to other finite verbs. In such case, the whole clause with the infinitive acts like adverb and thus doesn't effect the main verb. The clause in the following sentences are underlined.
 * Wasit in lopiteu ri fiwats uage euz bapem is vaset .(This villager stole our bread to keep his body and soul together .(lock his soul in torso))
 * Sluye mi u cirter nyo spadem . (He raised the torch to warn us .)
 * Do cu bume hecte in boram . (I want you to keep our secret.)

Gerunds
Gerunds in Yorshaan are usually regarded as the noun of an action. There is only one form of gerunds, regardless whether its passive or antipassive (different from infinitives). Yet gerunds can never take any argument.

Gerunds is also used for adverbial participles. In this case, the ablative case of gerunds is adopted. On treated as adverbial participles instead of a noun in ablative case, it's able to take arguments. Consider one conditional sentence: The adverb yoirvar (ablative of oirvaru) replaces the clause noia vin oirvats (if they are killed). In modern usage conditional sentences that are implying facts often adopt such construction, whereas other circumstances (predicative & hypothetic) still use optative form of verbs.
 * Cradit sideir yoirvar. = Cradit sideir noia vin oirvats. (People die if they are killed.)
 * Idagar nyo, e stucha. (Upon seeing us, he smiles.)

Adjective
Adjectives were "the form of the nouns that modify other nouns", but are isolated in ModY. Take a look at the differences: In EModY, "an adjunt in dative case" was "an adjunt meaning something dative", like bina "kingdom" → biner "for a/the/some kingdom(s)". Such usage was ambiguous, though, and had been mistaken for "changes to its dative form when modifying a dative noun." We can learn from the table above that not all specific case of adjectives are inherented from EModY. A possible reason is that some forms are actually "the result of the stem following the first or second declension in EModY, and the -um affix dropped.".

Comparative and Superlative
The once-existed absolute superlative has been dropped. There are only comparative and relative superlative remaining. The affix -o and -a is derived from the comparative and (relative) superlative suffix of EModY: -ijor and -ijar respectively.

When comparing to an object, the clitic -e is added to the adjective. It referred to the present third person imperfect form of third conjugation verbs. The object behind it could be either absolutive or ablative, though the latter is becoming archaic.
 * Rasoe /ˈɹɑsø/ maye (imay) mi. (Redder than the sun)

Adverb
Adverbs are derived from adjectives. Both adverbs and adjectives shared the same form in EModY, but, as for the absolutive form, the suffix -um or -iys of adjectives dropped. Adverbs derived from -iys adjunts in EModY pick the simplified suffix -is. No matter what an adverb modifies, it won't change its spelling.
 * Seron sepis. (To go fast.)

Conditional Sentence
Conditional sentences express that whether an event will happen or not depends on another event. One is the conditional, and the other the consequence. In Yorshaan, there are several types of conditional sentences:

Implicative
Implicative conditional sentences state that if one fact is true, then so is another. Such sentences is used for common sense, obvious facts, and strong will of the speaker. Tense of both clauses is usually present. The conjunction noia indicates the condition clause.
 * Cradit sideir noia vin oirvats. (People die if they are killed.)

Predictive
Predictive conditional sentences concern events that would happen in the future on account of another present or future event. The conclusion clause is in future optative mood, while the conditional one can be in either present or future indicative mood, depending on when the condition is going to take place.
 * Noia u olme euz veshyei prasyenis, cu e lanzagints. (If he admits his fault publicly, I will trust him.)

Counterfactual
Counterfactual conditional sentences refers to consequences that would happen if an event known to be false or unlikely to happen in the future takes place. The hypothetic situation could be in the past, present or even future. Classically the consequence clause of counterfactual sentences was in optative mood (or even subjunctive), but such usage became archaic, obsolete, and was replaced by declarative mood.
 * Noia u olme euz veshyaven ogun prasyenis, cu e lanzavei. (If he had admitted his fault publicly, I would have trusted him.)
 * Noia u olme euz veshyavints prasyenis, cu e lanzei. (If he admitted his fault publicly, I would trust him.)
 * Noia u olme euz veshyam omavints prasyenis, cu e lanzagei. (If he were to admit his fault publicly, I would trust him.)

Clitics and Affixes
There are several clitics that can be attached to nouns (or even verbs) in Yorshaan. There clitics are derived from separate words in Early Modern Yorshaan or early languages, but they became dependent nowadays.

A- / Aw-
This clitic was derived from the word a in Early Modern Yorshaan. In informal usage, this word can be connected with the modified noun by hyphen. For example, edriys a nastiys none would be formal while edriys a-nast none was informal, both of which mean that "sorrowful and painful world". They equal to edr anast none in modern grammar, where the clitic a has been merged with the adjective nast.

The pronounciation of this clitic was once /ɤ/, but then a schwa, eventually a round schwa (probably affected by French, as well as e at the end of words of Yorshaan). This is a possible explanation of why would this clitic receive a consonant /w/ in front of a vowel-initial word like edr in the phrase nast awedr none.

Moi-
The clitic is used to indicate alternative options, silimar to or in English.
 * Pro moiwente moiarbese du bume? (Do you want a banana or an apple?)

-(i)cte
This clitic/suffix is believed to be derived from the word standing for "person", crade (MY), or crada (EMY). The word became */ikɹ̩t/ and finally /ikt/.

Such usage first appeared in Early Modern Yorshaan, where the gerund of a verb can combine with the word crada. This clitic is no longer productive. The term doinarcte can only be used to indicate a member of a chorus. It's not the equivalent of "singing person", but crade doinise is.

Polar and Content Question
Polar quesitons are ones to which the expected response is yes or no, whereas content questions require a more specific answer. In Modern Yorshaan, one can tell if a question is polar or content easily because of the difference between their structures. Let's see some sentences:
 * Polar Q.: Oy pri + Sentence
 * Content Q.: Q. Particle + Clause

Honorific Speech
The politeness system in Yorshaan has been simplified, but there are three ways of expressing respect::
 * 1) by pronouns.
 * 2) by honorific forms
 * 3) by verbs.

Honorific Verb
As far as rule #1 is concerned, there can be at most four different verbs representing one same meaning, each of them stands for a different different level of politeness: Take the verb "to know" for example: Alen mvon pri... stands for "that... is true". As far as Yorshaan is concerned, '''there's no need to modify the rank of patient (absolutive case). 'As a result, there would be no humble form of a sentence whose topic is "me" (Co...'') and no respectful form of a sentence whose patient is other people.
 * Casual language
 * Formal language
 * Respectful (Referent is superior.) & Humble language (Speaker is inferior.)

Syntax
Sentences in Modern Yorshaan follow some principles:
 * 1) All adjectives follow nouns they modify. Genitive nouns and verb participles do also observe this law.
 * 2) Indirect nouns (dative and ablative) are put after verbs. Absolutive nouns proceed ergative ones.
 * 3) Verbs (modal) follow the verbs they modify. When there are indirect nouns behind the modified verbs, then the modal verbs would follow the nouns.

Example
Siy shulaa, Lafrente. (Sil shalhaha, Lafrente.)

Don't forget it, Lafrente.

Ilado ne mi hesluyewe, iu jate hamebeuzise yei seuwa. (Iliaduan mei helsluyevhai, ur jate hahamescei siewa.)

If the candle goes out, a river that can't be crossed will apear.

Pro siy du shoye ic yun shyei?

''Don't you want to be my friend? (Tu ne voudrais pas devenir mon amie?)''

Noia mele ameu nada, mele mi eulom ochetos ame.

If a mother gives birth to a girl, the girl will become a mother.

Noia zene u fetints, harcit froinats.

If he said a word, things could have changed.

Yodzu ic seretois sera ilyet icimeuts!

My time has come!

Co siy boize oram yet zhorden.

I can't sleep during the daytime.

Siy pocte ri shailatte.

Never forget this day.

Peshte sar nyu zira is Fransen.

We really had a great time in France.

Vozu eul filt yet zhasset ri, cu netei.

This time everything will be different, I promise.

Neccrade unim acca.

Time waits for no one.

U weth syertei pri chyastei is dupet hith vordi euz.

Only he knows what lies in the deepest place of his mind.

Siy morte mi cu hinca, yoiw siy u psayam rade bima.

I didn't tell her the truth because she didn't want to hear it.

Oins e cu syerten oy yet peshte ofr ur, siy co boize faisam priet u buma galoirvem.

Though I've known him for a long time, I can't understand why he wants to commit suicide.

Lexicon
Lexicon

My Home, Sweet Home (Final Fantasy: Dear Friends)
So far away from my home, sweet home

Sort   nim      is       inar      ic      enti so-ADV far-ADJ  go-PTCP  home-ABL  my-GEN  sweet-ADJ

Day by day, from land to land I roam

Ipoctum      ihendum        co     nashye. from_day-ADV from_land-ADV  I-ABS  roam-PRS.1S

Though told by the wind which way to go,

Oins       oalim     hince        seron, though-ADV wind-ERG  tell-1S.PST  go-INF

Oh, how I long for my home, sweet home.

O,       nare      ic      enti       cu     buma. O-INTERJ home-ABS  my-GEN  sweet-ADJ  I-ERG  long-3S.PRS

Boaðe ruoktot alot go dan dovtat tuski (You can come home in times of harshness.)

Boize      jalsem    naret     yet             heritset. can-2S.PRS come-INF  home-DAT  exist-PTCP.PRS  harshness-DAT

Boaðe ruoktot alot go dan dovtat vaivui (You may come home in times of sorrow, too.)

Boize      jalsem    naret     yet         natsu. can-2S.PRS come-INF  home-DAT  exist-PTCP  sadness-DAT

Du ruoktu vuordà du alot (Your home will be waiting for you forever)

Nareu    id        do       aicci,             yulis. home-ERG your-GEN  you-ABS  wait-2S-FUT.PROGR  forever-ADV

Du ruoktu vuordà du alot (It will be waiting for you forever.)

Nareu    id        do       aicci,             yulis. home-ERG your-GEN  you-ABS  wait-2S-FUT.PROGR  forever-ADV

Fragrant blossoms blooming far away--

Mili         porsh         boicen                nimum, flower-N.GEN fragrant-ADJ  bloom-PTCP.PRS.ANTIP  far-ADV

Do my folks see them as I did long ago?

Pro         vin       jisoit      icimt       dagats,     say     cu    digats? whether-ADV they-ABS  man-ERG.PL  my-GEN-ERG  see-PRS.3PL as-CONJ I-ERG see-PST.3PL

Are they still joyful? Are they young at heart? Alene- vin       myuz       is       tlazeu? Alenn- vin      hosy       is       tlazeu? be-3PL they-ABS  happy-ADJ  go-PTCP  heart-DAT  be-3PL they-ABS  young-ADJ  go-PTCP  heart-DAT

Will I see them again as I did that day? Pro         vin       cu     daigats      ithoim,      say      cu    digats? whether-ADV they-ABS  I-ERG  see-FUT.3PL  return-PTCP  as-CONJ  I-ERG see-PST.3PL

Bearaš, ushbat (Family, friends,) Tloye      ashoyit, family-ABS and.friend-ABS.PL

Ruoktu, muitut (Home and memories.) Anare        awondit and.home-ABS and.memory-ABS.PL

Dat ca goassige (No one will ever.) Neccradoit    ces nobody-ERG.PL ever-ADV

Vajaldahtc du (Forget about you.) do      shaile. you-ABS forget-FUT.2S

How far I've come from my childhood home! Alen-      e       co     seri        pseren     nim      is       inar      slaguni! be-PRS.3SG it-ABS  I-ABS  go-PRS.1SG  come-PTCP  far-ADJ  go-PTCP  home-ABL  childhood-GEN

There will come a time when my troubles are gone, Unu      pseragei      preu      udzit           ic      seretois  sereuz, time-ABS come-FUT.3SG  when-CONJ  trouble-ABS.PL  my-GEN  go-PTCP   go-FUT.3PL

And when I shall not be all alone-- Preu co when-CONJ

Till then, I dream of my home, sweet home.

Meahcci, čàcit, (Forest, stream,)

Albmi, eana: (Sky and earth:)

Dat buot vurdet du (Everyone is waiting,)

Dat buot vurdet du (Waiting for your return.)

Agnus Dei
Remeu Ayi, prosem-ihada sima cradis, yamaa ed!

Lamb of God, who take away sins of people, have mercy on us!

Remeu Ayi, prosem-ihada sima cradis, yamaa ed!

Lamb of God, who take away sins of people, have mercy on us!

Remeu Ayi, prosem-ihada sima cradis, gruyaa ed zyoze!

Lamb of God, who take away sins of people, grant us peace!