Nellen

Characteristics

Nellen ['nɛllen] is a language of Efhang origin, featuring a complex noun declension.

As a North Efhang language, r is pronounced as [ʀ].

Words are stressed on the first syllable, except when an unstressed prefix is used.

Phonology

Consonants

[p]	[t]	[k]
[b]	[d]	[g]
[θ]	[x]
[ð]
[s]	[ʃ]	[z]	[dʒ]
[m]	[n]	r [ʀ]	[l]
[j]	[w]

The plosive consonants have fricative allophones, used at the end of syllables:

• [p] -> [ɸ]
• [t] -> [θ]
• [k] -> [x]
• [b] -> [β]
• [d] -> [ð]
• [g] -> [ɣ]

The allophones for [t] and [d] merge with the original [θ] and [ð]. For most speakers, [ɣ] merges with [ʀ] as well.

Vowels

Vowels are:

a [a] (unstressed), [æ] (stressed)

e [e] (unstressed), [ɛ] (stressed)

i [ɪ]

o [o] (unstressed), [ɔ] (stressed)

u [ʊ]

ö [ø] (unstressed), [œ] (stressed)

y [y]

Morphology

Nouns

There are three gender of nouns: masculine, feminine and neuter. Nouns are declined according to two numbers: singular and plural; definiteness (definite, indefinite); and to five cases, viz.:

1. Nominative (subject)
2. Accusative (direct object)
3. Dative (indirect object)
4. Ablative
5. Genitive (possessive)

Masculine Nouns

Indefinite Declension	Example: uwnan "a man", "a person"
Number Singular Plural Nominative - -uð Accusative -o -oð Dative -uk [-x] -es Ablative -um -em Genitive -ik [-x] -is	Number Singular Plural Nominative uwnan ['uwnan] uwnanuð ['uwnanuð] Accusative uwnano ['uwnano] uwnanoð ['uwnanoð] Dative uwnanuk ['uwnanux] uwnanes ['uwnanes] Ablative uwnanum ['uwnanum] uwnanem ['uwnanem] Genitive uwnanik ['uwnanix] uwnanis ['uwnanis]

Definite Declension	Example: uwnanin "the man", "the person"
Number Singular Plural Nominative -in -un Accusative -on -onð Dative -ung -ens Ablative -im -ejn Genitive -ing -ins	Number Singular Plural Nominative uwnanin ['uwnanin] uwnanun ['uwnanun] Accusative uwnanon ['uwnanon] uwnanonð ['uwnanonð] Dative uwnanung ['uwnanuŋg] uwnanens ['uwnanens] Ablative uwnanim ['uwnanim] uwnanejn ['uwnanejn] Genitive uwnaning ['uwnaniŋg] uwnanins ['uwnanins]

Feminine Nouns

Indefinite Declension	Example: henrejh "a family"
Number Singular Plural Nominative - -eð Accusative -ö -eʃ Dative -ek -es Ablative -um -em Genitive -ik -is	Number Singular Plural Nominative henrejh ['hɛnʀejh] henrejheð ['hɛnʀejheð] Accusative henrejhö ['hɛnʀejhø] henrejheʃ ['hɛnʀejheʃ] Dative henrejhek ['hɛnʀejhex] henrejhes ['hɛnʀejhes] Ablative henrejhum ['hɛnʀejhum] henrejhem ['hɛnʀejhem] Genitive henrejhik ['hɛnʀejhix] henrejhis ['hɛnʀejhis]

Definite Declension	Example: henrejhan "the family"
Number Singular Plural Nominative -an -að Accusative -ön -aʃ Dative -ang -as Ablative -am -en Genitive -ang -as	Number Singular Plural Nominative henrejhan ['hɛnʀejhan] henrejhað ['hɛnʀejhað] Accusative henrejhön ['hɛnʀejhøn] henrejhaʃ ['hɛnʀejhaʃ] Dative henrejhang ['hɛnʀejhaŋg] henrejhas ['hɛnʀejhas] Ablative henrejham ['hɛnʀejham] henrejhen ['hɛnʀejhen] Genitive henrejhang ['hɛnʀejhaŋg] henrejhas ['hɛnʀejhas]

Neuter Nouns

Indefinite Declension	Example: ðejtet "a city", "a town"
Number Singular Plural Nominative - -ið Accusative -y -iʃ Dative -uk -is Ablative -um -im Genitive -ik -is	Number Singular Plural Nominative ðejtet ['ðɛjteθ] ðejtetið ['ðɛjtetið] Accusative ðejtety ['ðɛjtety] ðejtetiʃ ['ðɛjtetiʃ] Dative ðejtetuk ['ðɛjtetux] ðejtetis ['ðɛjtetis] Ablative ðejtetum ['ðɛjtetum] ðejtetim ['ðɛjtetim] Genitive ðejtetik ['ðɛjtetix] ðejtetis ['ðɛjtetis]

Definite Declension	Example: ðejtetin "the city", "the town"
Number Singular Plural Nominative -in -inð Accusative -yn -inʃ Dative -ung -uns Ablative -im -im Genitive -ing -ins	Number Singular Plural Nominative ðejtetin ['ðɛjtetin] ðejtetinð ['ðɛjtetinð] Accusative ðejtetyn ['ðɛjtetyn] ðejtetinʃ ['ðɛjtetinʃ] Dative ðejtetung ['ðɛjtetuŋg] ðejtetuns ['ðɛjtetuns] Ablative ðejtetim ['ðɛjtetim] ðejtetim ['ðɛjtetim] Genitive ðejteting ['ðɛjtetiŋg] ðejtetins ['ðɛjtetins]

Adjectives

Adjective declension follows basically that of nouns, except that the only vowel allowed in endings is -i.

muh "new", "young"

Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative muh ['muh] muhið ['muhið] Accusative muhi ['muhi] muhið ['muhið] Dative muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhim ['muhim] Genitive muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin ['muhin] muhin ['muhin] Accusative muhin ['muhin] muhinð ['muhinð] Dative muhing ['muhiŋg] muhins ['muhins] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhijn ['muhijn] Genitive muhing ['muhiŋg] muhins ['muhins]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative muh ['muh] muhið ['muhið] Accusative muhi ['muhi] muhiʃ ['muhiʃ] Dative muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhim ['muhim] Genitive muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin ['muhin] muhið ['muhið] Accusative muhin ['muhin] muhiʃ ['muhiʃ] Dative muhing ['muhiŋg] muhis ['muhis] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhin ['muhin] Genitive muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative muh ['muh] muhið ['muhið] Accusative muhi ['muhi] muhiʃ ['muhiʃ] Dative muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhim ['muhim] Genitive muhik ['muhix] muhis ['muhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin ['muhin] muhinð ['muhinð] Accusative muhin ['muhin] muhinʃ ['muhinʃ] Dative muhing ['muhiŋg] muhins ['muhins] Ablative muhim ['muhim] muhim ['muhim] Genitive muhing ['muhiŋg] muhins ['muhins]

Kelmt "great"

Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt ['kɛlmθ] kelmtið ['kɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti ['kɛlmti] kelmtið ['kɛlmtið] Dative kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] Accusative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtinð ['kɛlmtinð] Dative kelmting ['kɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins ['kɛlmtins] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtijn ['kɛlmtijn] Genitive kelmting ['kɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins ['kɛlmtins]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt ['kɛlmt] kelmtið ['kɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti ['kɛlmti] kelmtiʃ ['kɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtið ['kɛlmtið] Accusative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtiʃ ['kɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmting ['kɛlmtiŋg] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] Genitive kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt ['kɛlmt] kelmtið ['kɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti ['kɛlmti] kelmtiʃ ['kɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik ['kɛlmtix] kelmtis ['kɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtinð ['kɛlmtinð] Accusative kelmtin ['kɛlmtin] kelmtinʃ ['kɛlmtinʃ] Dative kelmting ['kɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins ['kɛlmtins] Ablative kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] kelmtim ['kɛlmtim] Genitive kelmting ['kɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins ['kɛlmtins]

Comparative Form

Superiority

The suffix -yl- is added to the stem of the adjective. Ex.:

• kelmt "large", kelmtyl "larger"
• muh "new", muhyl "newer"
• pun "good", punyl "better"

Superlative

The suffix -ejn- is added to the stem of the adjective, which is then used in the definite form. Ex.:

• kelmt "large", kelmtejnin "the largest"
• muh "new", muhejnin "the newest"
• pun "good", punejnin "the best"

Pronouns

Pronouns follow the same declension system used for nouns and adjectives, with little differences in some forms.

Personal

	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3nd. sing. m.	3nd. sing. f.	3nd. sing. n.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3nd. pl. m.	3nd. pl. f.	3nd. pl. n.
Nominative	jyn	don	rin	ran	rin	mun	hun	run	rað	rið
Accusative	nyn	dyn	ron	rön	ryn	monð	hunð	ronð	raʃ	rinʃ
Dative	nuk, nung	duk, dung	rung	rang	rung	mis, mins	his, hins	rens	ras	runs
Ablative	num	dum	rim	ram	rim	mim	him	rejn	ren	rim
Genitive	nik	dik	ring	rang	ring	mis	his	rins	ras	rins

Possessive

Possessives are not declined at all. They require the noun to be in the definite form, while any accompanying adjective must be in the indefinite form.

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	ni	mi
2nd	di	hi
3rd m., f. and n.	ið	uð

Examples:

• mi henrejhan "my family"
• mi ðejtetin "my town"
• mi elnehun "my brothers"
• di har enejkin "your old friend"
• di hari enejkun "your old friends"

Demonstrative

There is only one demonstrative er, which may stand for "this", "that", "such". The deictic particles jen "here", ha "there (next to you)", re "there", "over there" may be added after the noun for specification. The same as with possessives, demonstratives require the noun to be definite and any accompanying adjective to be indefinite. The demonstrative er itself does not decline. Ex.:

• er gesan "this/that/such a house"
• er gesan jen "this house"
• er gesan ha "that house (next to you)"
• er gesan re "that house (over there)"
• er muh gesan jen "this new house"
• er harið gesað re "those old houses (over there)"

Interrogative

Interrogatives have an unstressed prefix a-, so they are stressed on the second syllable.

• arij [a'ʀij] "what"
• arawn [a'ʀæwn] "who"
• agor [a'gɔʀ] "which"
• agun [a'gun] "how"
• atir [a'tiʀ] "where"
• amtor [am'tɔʀ] "when"

Relative

The only relative pronoun is ra [ɾæ], standing for "that", "which", "who".

Indefinite

• erkon ['ɛʀkon] "some", "any"
• mejhon ['mɛjhon] "no", "none"
• dut [duθ] "all", "every"
• ret [ʀɛθ] "each", "every"

Numbers

Cardinal Numbers

• 0 mor [mɔʀ]
• 1 hon [hɔn]
• 2 tejd [tɛjð]
• 3 deð [dɛð]
• 4 hel [hɛl]
• 5 ðeg [ðɛɣ]
• 6 zið [zið]
• 7 ðawd [ðæwð]
• 8 hejd [hɛjð]
• 9 muw [muw]
• 10 tawð [tæwð]
• 11 hontawð ['hɔntað]
• 12 tujawð ['tujað]
• 13 deðawð ['dɛðað]
• 14 hellawð ['hɛllað]
• 15 ðengawð ['ðɛŋgað]
• 16 zijawð ['zijað]
• 17 ðawdawð ['ðæwdað]
• 18 uytawð ['ujtað]
• 19 muwawð ['muwað]
• 20 hemd [hɛmð]
• 21 hemd hon [hɛmð hɔn]
• 30 lemd [lɛm(ð)]
• 40 helemd ['hɛlem(ð)]
• 50 ðengemd ['ðɛŋgem(ð)]
• 60 zihemd ['zihem(ð)]
• 70 ðawdemd ['ðæwdem(ð)]
• 80 hejdemd ['hɛjdem(ð)]
• 90 muhemd ['huwem(ð)]
• 100 ðawn [ðæwn]

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers are regular adjectives.

• 1 bellin ['bɛllin]
• 2 ðikemd ['ðikemð]
• 3 delðij ['dɛlðij]
• 4 golled ['gɔlleð]
• 5 ðemmed ['ðɛmmeð]
• 6 zihejð ['zihejð]
• 7 ðawdejn ['ðæwdejn]
• 8 hejdeh ['hɛjdeh]
• 9 mujim ['mujim]
• 10 tawðejn ['tæwðejn]

Conjunctions

Coordinating

• roj [ʀɔj] "for"
• ge [ge], [gɛ] "and"
• mah [mæh] "nor"
• ðawt [ðæwθ] "but"
• ho [hɔ] "or"
• ihted ['ihteð]"yet"
• ðejn [ðɛjn] "so"

Correlative

• henep … ge … ['hɛneɸ ... ge] "both … and … "
• ho … ho … "either … or … "
• mah … mah … "neither … nor … "
• me … ðawt … [mæ ... ðæwt] "not … but … "
• með … denep … [mɛð ... 'dɛneɸ] "not only … but also … "

Subordinating

• tib [tiβ] "after"
• gedot ['gɛdoθ] "although"
• ðije "if"
• iððawd ['iððawð] "unless"
• rijuk ['ʀijux] "so that"
• belmed ['bɛlmeð] "therefore"
• bijsel "in spite of", "despite"
• roj "because"

Verbs

• Moods: Indicative
• Tenses: Present, Perfective, Aorist, Future, Future Perfect
• Persons: 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Numbers: Singular and Plural

Sample Conjugation: hejtil "see"

Nellen incorporates old pronominal elements to the endings used in verb conjugation.

The infinitive ends in -l, and old thematic vowels are kept, except in the present tense in which it is optional for all persons but third singular.

Active Voice
	Singular			Plural
	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3rd sing.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3rd pl.	Participle	Infinitive
Present	hejt-(i)-ni-m	hejt-(i)-di-ð	hejt-i-θ-k	hejt-(i)-mi-n	hejt-(i)-hi-ð	hejt-(i)-ju-n	hejt-i-nd	hejt-i-l
Perfective	danim hejt-oθ	dadið hejt-oθ	daθk hejt-oθ	damin hejt-oθ	dahið hejt-oθ	dajun hejt-oθ	hejt-o-θ	dil hejt-oθ
Aorist	hejt-i-sna-m	hejt-i-sta-ð	hejt-i-sa-k	hejt-i-sma-n	hejt-i-sxa-ð	hejt-i-sa-wn	hejt-i-s	hejt-i-sa-l
Future	hejt-i-ti-m	hejt-i-ti-ð	hejt-i-ti-k	hejt-i-ti-n	hejt-i-ti-ð	hejt-i-ti-n	hejt-ol	hejt-i-ti-l
Imperative	-	hejt-ø	hejt-ø-e-k	hejt-ø-e-n	hejt-ø-e-ð	hejt-ø-e-n	-	-
Passive Voice
	Singular			Plural
	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3rd sing.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3rd pl.	Participle	Infinitive
Present	hejt-es-i-m	hejt-es-i-ð	hejt-es-i-k	hejt-es-i-n	hejt-es-i-ð	hejt-es-u-n	hejt-es-ned	hejt-es-i-l
Perfective	desim hejt-oθ	desið hejt-oθ	desik hejt-oθ	desin hejt-oθ	desið hejt-oθ	desun hejt-oθ	hejt-es-o-θ	desil hejt-oθ
Aorist	hejt-es-a-m	hejt-es-a-ð	hejt-es-a-k	hejt-es-a-n	hejt-es-a-ð	hejt-es-a-wn	hejt-es-as	hejt-es-a-l
Future	hejt-es-ti-m	hejt-es-ti-ð	hejt-es-ti-k	hejt-es-ti-n	hejt-es-ti-ð	hejt-es-ti-n	hejt-es-ol	hejt-es-ti-l
Imperative	-	hejt-es	hejt-es-e-k	hejt-es-e-n	hejt-es-e-ð	hejt-es-e-n	-	-

Irregular Verbs

Sejel "be"

	Singular			Plural
	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3rd sing.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3rd pl.	Participle	Infinitive
Present	sim	sið	sik	smin	sið	sun	sind	sejel
Perfective	danim sej-oθ	dadið sej-oθ	daθk sej-oθ	damin sej-oθ	dahið sej-oθ	dajun sej-oθ	sej-o-θ	dil sej-oθ
Aorist	sej--sna-m	sej--sta-ð	sej--sa-k	sej--sma-n	sej--sxa-ð	sej--sa-wn	sej-e-s	sej-e-sa-l
Future	sej--ti-m	sej--ti-ð	sej--ti-k	sej--ti-n	sej--ti-ð	sej--ti-n	sej-ol	sej-e-ti-l
Imperative	-	sej-ø	sej-ø-e-k	sej-ø-e-n	sej-ø-e-ð	sej-ø-e-n	-	-

Dil "have"

Active Voice
	Singular			Plural
	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3rd sing.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3rd pl.	Participle	Infinitive
Present	danim	dadið	daθk	damin	dahið	dajun	damind	dil
Perfective	danim doθ	dadið doθ	daθk doθ	damin doθ	dahið doθ	dajun doθ	doθ	dil doθ
Aorist	da--sna-m	da--sta-ð	da--sa-k	da--sma-n	da--sxa-ð	da--sa-wn	da--s	da--sa-l
Future	dam--ti-m	dam--ti-ð	dam--ti-k	dam--ti-n	dam--ti-ð	dam--ti-n	dam-ol	dam--ti-l
Imperative	-	dam-ø	dam-ø-e-k	dam-ø-e-n	dam-ø-e-ð	dam-ø-e-n	-	-
Passive Voice
	Singular			Plural
	1st sing.	2nd. sing.	3rd sing.	1st pl.	2nd. pl.	3rd pl.	Participle	Infinitive
Present	d-es-i-m	d-es-i-ð	d-es-i-k	d-es-i-n	d-es-i-ð	d-es-u-n	d-es-ned	d-es-i-l
Perfective	desim doθ	desið doθ	desik doθ	desin doθ	desið doθ	desun doθ	dam-es-o-θ	desil doθ
Aorist	dam-s-a-m	dam-s-a-ð	dam-s-a-k	dam-s-a-n	dam-s-a-ð	dam-s-a-wn	dam-s-as	dam-s-a-l
Future	dam-s-ti-m	dam-s-ti-ð	dam-s-ti-k	dam-s-ti-n	dam-s-ti-ð	dam-s-ti-n	dam-s-ol	dam-s-ti-l
Imperative	-	dam-s	dam-s-e-k	dam-s-e-n	dam-s-e-ð	dam-s-e-n	-	-

Vocabulary

• Swadesh List: Here we give the Swadesh List for North Efhang.

Sample

• "Dutin uwnanun meðjun rejlið, tejkemtetum ge tejlijdem. Run dajun lesö ge gemzejzö, ge tihjun eʃejl hon hollung spejlejdum helnemtetik."

['dutin 'uwnanun 'mɛðjun 'ʀɛjlið, 'tɛjkemtetum ge 'tɛjlijdem. ʀun 'dæjun 'lɛsø ge 'gɛmzejzø, ge 'tihjun 'ɛʃejl hɔn 'hɔlluŋg 'spɛjlejdum 'hɛlnemtetix.]

• • ("All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.")