Awkaŋu

=General Information= Awkaŋu is a noun language, i.e. there are basically neither verbs nor adjectives. The sentence structure can be described as SOV (subject object verb) where the verb part is really just a noun. Only its position in the sentence indicates that the action of the word is meant e.g. the word "eating" in the verb position would be understood as the action of eating i.e. "to eat".

Awkaŋu is an isolating language without any exceptions. Once the basic rules of grammar are understood, the learner can start speaking immediately because everything is logical and thus sentences can be made up on the fly.

There is no word for "to be".

Also, in Awkaŋu all words that are obvious from the context can be omitted. This is especially true for an established topic or agent/client. By inferring many words the sentences can become quite short without losing their meaning. However, context is very important to make a conversation possible.

=The Alphabet=

Vowels

 * a [a]
 * u [u]
 * i [i]
 * o [ɔ]
 * e [ɛ]
 * w [w]

Diphthongs

 * ey [ɛi]
 * ai [aɪ̯]]
 * ou [oʊ̯]]

Consonants

 * n [n]
 * ŋ [ŋ]
 * m [m]
 * b [b]
 * l [l]
 * d [d]
 * t [t]
 * f [f]
 * s [s]
 * sh [ʃ] / [ʒ] vor [d]
 * g [g]
 * k [k]
 * h [g]
 * r [ɺ]

=The Cases=

There is a total of 18 cases in Awkaŋu. All cases are built by using particles that follow the respective part of the sentence.

{| class="wikitable" ! Case                                         !! Particle                                     !! Priority
 * - class="hintergrundfarbe5"
 * Agent (Subject)                                       || bu          || 3
 * Client (Object)            || sa || 4
 * Location || tai || >3
 * Possession     || sawa || >3
 * Relation  || ye || >3
 * Instrument  || bi || >3
 * Time  || we || >3
 * Quality  || ka || >3
 * Quantity  || badi || >3
 * Representation  || go || >3
 * Method/Manner || eto || >3
 * Reference  || nam || >3
 * Function  || kawa || 1
 * Direction  || ena || >3
 * Perspective  || u || >3
 * Condition  || inamu || 2
 * Duration  || tajete || >3
 * Until  || tola || >3
 * -|}
 * Representation  || go || >3
 * Method/Manner || eto || >3
 * Reference  || nam || >3
 * Function  || kawa || 1
 * Direction  || ena || >3
 * Perspective  || u || >3
 * Condition  || inamu || 2
 * Duration  || tajete || >3
 * Until  || tola || >3
 * -|}
 * Perspective  || u || >3
 * Condition  || inamu || 2
 * Duration  || tajete || >3
 * Until  || tola || >3
 * -|}
 * Until  || tola || >3
 * -|}
 * -|}

The particles each have a different priority that determines their order in a sentence with multiple case particles. The lower the number the earlier its position in the sentence.

The particle bu is only used, when an action takes place. If the agent does not "do" anything, then sa is used instead.

For examples of the use of each case particle look at the example sentences section.

=Mood=

Awkaŋu is based on subjectivism. Every sentence is seen as a subjective opinion or description of the environment. It is agreed upon that there are no objective truths apart from those that are defined in the believe system of the Awkaŋus. These things have an influence on the grammar.

{| class="wikitable" ! Mood                                         !! Particle
 * - class="hintergrundfarbe5"
 * Descriptive                                        || m
 * Subjective             || dewa
 * Voluntative || aliwa
 * Objective      || shiaiga
 * Imperative      || mo
 * Interrogative      || no
 * -|}
 * Objective      || shiaiga
 * Imperative      || mo
 * Interrogative      || no
 * -|}
 * Interrogative      || no
 * -|}

The mood particles always come last in every sentence. Usually every sentence needs one mood particle.

The particle shiaiga for the objective mood is used to express universal truths.

The subjective mood is used seldom; it weakens a statement. It is usually unnecessary, because a sentence is subjective anyway.

Because a sentence is always expressing a personal opinion, formulations such as "I find" or "to like" are not used.

The m particle is used when expressing a basic neutral descriptive sentence. That means, the sentence is either a description of what a beings senses perceive or a description of something that happened in the past. For convenience it can be translated as "I perceive".

If the sentence expresses thoughts on possible events or phantasies in general, the particle m would not be used. In such a case the sentence can be left without any mood particle, though it is possible to use any of the others.

In exclamation sentences the m can be left out.

=Example Sentences=

{| class="wikitable" ! Case-Particle                                         !! Example Sentence                                     !! Translation
 * - class="hintergrundfarbe4"
 * Agent - bu         || Lou bu tuba m. || I eat.
 * Client - sa || Lou bu ley sa tili m. || I hit you.
 * Location - tai || Lou sa maku tai m.|| I (am) at the tree.
 * Possession - sawa || Ley bu lou sawa tam sa tuba m. || You eat my bread.
 * Relation - ye || Ley bu tiwon min ye bate sa lou sawa ata min m. || The person you killed was my friend.
 * Instrument - bi || Wen bu simbi bi kula m. || She eats with/by using a knife.
 * Time - we || Ley bu nui we kula no.  || What time will you eat?
 * Quality - ka || Ley bu tatim sa maŋal ka gwada m. || You wash the plate nicely.
 * Quantity - badi || Nui badi tam sa kula aliwa no. || How many slices of bread do you want to eat?
 * Representation - go || Lou bu ley sa dshabai go wim. || I regard you as a father.
 * Method - eto || Wen bu tou sa wabi eto tiwon min m. || She killed him singing.
 * Reference - nam || Tesu sa maku nam ba weno m. || The house is bigger than the tree.
 * Function - kawa || Ley sa mitu kawa ama min m. || I did it in order to help you.
 * Direction - ena || Lou bu maku ena midewa m. || I go to the tree.
 * Perspective - u || Wen u ley bu lou sa mitu mo. || She thinks you should help me.
 * Conditional - inamu || ley bu bawa inamu lou bu ley sa tiwon. || If you come, I will kill you.
 * Expansion - tajete || Nui tajete diebu no. || How long will you stay?
 * -|}
 * Representation - go || Lou bu ley sa dshabai go wim. || I regard you as a father.
 * Method - eto || Wen bu tou sa wabi eto tiwon min m. || She killed him singing.
 * Reference - nam || Tesu sa maku nam ba weno m. || The house is bigger than the tree.
 * Function - kawa || Ley sa mitu kawa ama min m. || I did it in order to help you.
 * Direction - ena || Lou bu maku ena midewa m. || I go to the tree.
 * Perspective - u || Wen u ley bu lou sa mitu mo. || She thinks you should help me.
 * Conditional - inamu || ley bu bawa inamu lou bu ley sa tiwon. || If you come, I will kill you.
 * Expansion - tajete || Nui tajete diebu no. || How long will you stay?
 * -|}
 * Direction - ena || Lou bu maku ena midewa m. || I go to the tree.
 * Perspective - u || Wen u ley bu lou sa mitu mo. || She thinks you should help me.
 * Conditional - inamu || ley bu bawa inamu lou bu ley sa tiwon. || If you come, I will kill you.
 * Expansion - tajete || Nui tajete diebu no. || How long will you stay?
 * -|}
 * Expansion - tajete || Nui tajete diebu no. || How long will you stay?
 * -|}
 * -|}

Here is a vocabulary list with all the words that appear in the examples.

{| class="wikitable" ! Word                                         !! Translation
 * - class="hintergrundfarbe5"
 * lou                || I, me
 * ley             || you
 * tuba || eating
 * tili      || hit, push
 * maku      || tree
 * tam      || bread
 * tiwon      || kill
 * bate      || person, human
 * ata      || friend
 * simbi      || knife
 * tatim      || plate, cup
 * gwada      || washing
 * weno      || size
 * mitu      || help
 * ama      || activity
 * midewa      || moving
 * bawa      || arrival
 * nui      || Question-particle, "what"
 * diebu      || stay
 * dshabai      || father
 * wim      || seeing, eye
 * -|}
 * gwada      || washing
 * weno      || size
 * mitu      || help
 * ama      || activity
 * midewa      || moving
 * bawa      || arrival
 * nui      || Question-particle, "what"
 * diebu      || stay
 * dshabai      || father
 * wim      || seeing, eye
 * -|}
 * bawa      || arrival
 * nui      || Question-particle, "what"
 * diebu      || stay
 * dshabai      || father
 * wim      || seeing, eye
 * -|}
 * dshabai      || father
 * wim      || seeing, eye
 * -|}
 * -|}

= Notes =

Awkaŋu is basically already complete, but I didn't want to explain every grammar detail here or give all the words that exist. If someone is interested, I will clarify anything that is not clear. Any questions are welcome!

--Seladwa 11:00, 16 March 2009 (UTC)Siah