Elite Vamapaskian

Elite Vamapaskian is a language spoken by the Vamapaskians as lingua franca.

General information
In context, Elite Vamapaskian is spoken around 5000 BC in the Fertile Crescent by a group of tribes called the Vamapaskians as a lingua franca, because it was the language spoken by the most powerful tribe of them all.

Phonotactics

 * The onset can have a maximum of 3 consonants and is obligatory.
 * The coda can only contain 2 consonants.
 * The nucleus can only contain a vowel sound.
 * (C)(C)CV(C)(C)
 * If a nasal or [t], [d], [θ], or [ð], or by a combination of those sounds, is succeded by an [s], the former consonant (cluster) will be dropped and the preceding vowel will be lengthened.

Contractions
When two vowels meet, they will contract into a different vowel sound. The following table shows these contractions:

Nouns
For the nouns, there are 2 kinds of declensions: thematic and athematic, each having 3 declensions. There are 8 cases: nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative, allative, instrumentalis, and locative. There are also 4 grammatical genders: masculin, feminine, unspecified, neuter. And latsly, there are 3 grammatical numbers: singular, dual, and plural.

Thematic
Note: if for the feminin declension the stem ends in an alveolar consonant, the declension will change to the feminin e-declension.

Stem purification
Sometimes a stem must undergo changes in order to sound good when used on its own. These guidelines describe the changes:
 * Voiced fricatives and plosives become unvoiced: v ~> f; b ~> p; etc.
 * If the ultima ends in -nt, -t, -st, -pt, or -ft, the t will be dropped: samat- ~> samâ

Diminutive
To convey the smallness of a noun, the affix -it- is placed right after the stem, before a possible thematic vowel, and before the case ending.

létel (rock) -> létitel (small rock, pebble)

orno (bird) -> ornito (little bird)

But some words have a stem which ends in -it- and thus are not diminutive.

tyrsitar (mountain) -> tyrsititar (small mountain, hill)

Adjectives
Unlike with the nouns, there is only 1 declension for the adjectives, a mixed thematic declension.

Adverbs
Adverbs can come in the positive, comparative, and superlative form, but do not inflect according to anything.

Positive
You take the stem of the adjective and add -(a)t, so:

Comparative
You take the stem, add -ir-, and then add -at, so:

Superlative
You take the stem, add -istim-, and then add -at, so:

Stems
There are 3 types of stems (simple, continual, and perfect), all of whom are formed by the verbal root of the verb. There are 3 types of ways to form these stems:
 * Non-mutative: add a suffix to the verbal root to signify its aspect.
 * Reduplicative stem: reduplicate the simple-, continual-, and perfect-stem:
 * Ablautive stem: the last vowel sound in the verbal root undergoes an ablaut and the same aspect markers as with the non-mutative stems are used:

A verb can only use 1 one of these ways to form their stems.

Note: verbal roots can be used for different verbs; if their stem formation changes, so does their meaning.

Infinitives
There are 3 main types of infinitives, all of which are formed using the simple-stem and can be active or passive:

Present infinitive:

Past infinitive

Future infinitive

Indicative
There are 3 aspects in the indicative: simple, continual, and perfect. Each aspect uses a different stem, but the same personal endings and tense-signifying augment.

Simple
Here the simple stem is used (obviously).

Continual
Here the continual-stem is used (of course).

Perfect
Naturally, you use the perfect-stem.

Legenda: Normal personal endings are active, cursive personal endings are middle voice, and bold personal endings are passive.

Note: The (n) only added when the stem starts with a vowel sound.

Subjunctive
The subjunctive has multiple functions:

Jussive: It is crucial he be locked away.

Propositional: Let's go to the mall!

Modality: He must work!; You may leave.; He could always work for me.; It should be forbidden.

Its function is dependent on the context in which it is used.

The subjunctive is formed using the simple-stem and the subjunctive personal endings. Legenda: Normal personal endings are active, cursive personal endings are middle voice, and bold personal endings are passive.

Potential
The potential mood indicates very likely possibility that cannot be said with undoubtable certainty.

It could always happen.

Optative
The optative indicates wishes and hopes.

May the force be with you.

Conditional
The conditional mood is used in clauses which indicate a condition.

I'll only help you if you pay me.

Articles
There are definite articles in Elite Vamapaskian, but also negative articles, which show that there are none.

Definite articles
If a noun is indefinite, there will be the noun itself.

Negative articles
Negative articles do not exist in the vocative case, since it is not possible to adress something of which there is none.

Word order
The word order of Elite Vamapaskian is very free, with the most emphasised word in front. But the general rule is subject-object-verb (SOV).

Nominative (NOM):
The nominative either marks the subjuct or the predicative complement when following a copular verb in the main clause.

Vocative (VOC):
The vocative is only used to adress a noun

Accusative (ACC):
The accusative is used to mark the direct object or expresses an adverbial clause of time.

Accusative cum infinitivo
This a construction wherein a subordinate clause follows a verb that expresses a sensation or an experience. The subject of the clause is in the accusative, the main verb is an infinitive.

Accusativus absolutus
This is a construction that expresses an adverbial clause of time. In order to form this construction two main parts are needed:

The subject: which is in the accusative

The verb: which is always a participle

These two parts agree in case, gender, and number. The relative temporal value depends on which infinitive (past, present, or future) is used:

Present infinitive: temporally equal to the main verb

Past infinitive: temporally preterite to the main verb

Future infinitive: temporally postponed to the main verb

Genitive (GEN):
The genitive expresses the source or posessor of something or someone.

Dative (DAT):
The dative marks the indirect object.

Allative (ALL):
The allative marks the motion towards something or someone.

Instrumentalis (INS):
The instrumantal case marks the instrument or tool.

Locative (LOC):
The locative marks a general sense of location.

Allative, Locative, and Genitive
The functions of these cases can be easily explained using this table:

Agreements
Adjectives agree with the noun they describe in case, gender, and number. If an adjective is used independently, its gender will determine wether it is a man, woman, person, or thing. Adverbs do not agree with adjectives or verbs. Instead they are placed before the adjective/verb they describe.

Lexicon
Please visit Elite Vamapaskian's page on Contionary for more information about the words.

B
Bande, bandu, banda, bandi: smart; teaching

Bandelionuti: to teach, to educate

Banduti: to know; to understand

P
Plowuti: to pour; to mold, to cast

Plûwuti: to rain

F
Fure, furu, fura, furi: pure; clean; beautiful

Dh
Dhen: into (a new state of being)

Dhumui, dhumuith: house, building

D
Didoti: to take, receive

Doti: to give

Dûti: to trade, barter

Z
Zerar, zerarith: element, matter; stuff, object

L
Lès, lèth: part, section; division

Leti: to divide, to part, to cut up

Linuti: to lead; to overmaster, to demand, to control; to own, to have

Liones, lioneth: master, lord; owner; senator; leader

Lionuti: to lead; to overmaster, to demand, to control; to own, to have (poetic)

K
Kemople, kemoplè, kemopla, kemopli: every; PLURAL: all, entire

Kykhles, kykhleth: ring, circle; cycle; disc, wheel

Kh/Ch
Kheruti: to walk

Khikheruti: to run

Khiruti: to stroll

H
Habaruti: to have, to hold

Habôruti: to posses, to inhabit

Hals, halis: salt

Hamanar, hamanarith: deity

Hamanes, hamaneth: god

Hamanè, hamanèth: godess

Honodhumui, honodhumuith: palace

Honos, honoth: honor, value, importance