Nipmel

Phonology
/Phonemes/

(Orthography)

L, n and r are often devoiced word-finally, and after stops.

Ejective and aspirated stops can only occur at the beginning of syllables.

There is no contrast in length in the vowels; they are all "half-long"-

Phonotactics All syllables are closed, of the CVC-type.

Basic Grammar
Nouns

Nouns are not inflected for plural, or for definiteness.

Case markers appear as postpositional clitics. The nominative case is unmarked. The other cases are marked by postpositional clitics.

Accusative: Marked by -tin. This is optional, and not very common in contemporary Nipmel.

Dative: Marked by -tan. This is used for the indirect object of ditransitive clauses, and for the complement of some verbs. Pin telli' kul ke'tan. - 'The man gives the woman a flower.'

Miltan zullukli' zélkul - 'The king forgot the dream'

Allative: Marked by -tal. Used for destination and goal.

T'ultal seslatman - 'We are travelling to the city'.

Locative: Marked by -nix.

Savnix mermin. - 'I live in the village.'

Ablative: Marked by -nox.

Matnox ladlukli' kin. - 'The woman went from the table.'

Perlative: Marked by -koj

Savkoj latlukli' kul. - 'The man walked through the village.'

Zur lankoj k'arlukmin'. - 'I worked for three days'

Instrumental: Marked by - sep.

Lan poklukmi' kul sornep.

Genitive

Comitative

Abessive

Beneficative

Causative

Comparative

Verbs

Verbs do not inflect for tense. There is a difference between perfective and imperfective aspect, however. The perfective aspect is marked by the suffix -luk. The imperfective aspect is unmarked. Verbs must agree with their subjects.

Word Order

Word order is OVS, modifier-modified.