Nellen

Characteristics

Nellen [ʲnɛllen] 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 [ʲuwnan] uwnanuð [ʲuwnanuð] Accusative uwnano [ʲuwnano] uwnanoð [ʲuwnanoð] Dative uwnanuk [ʲuwnanux] uwnanes [ʲuwnanes] Ablative uwnanum [ʲuwnanum] uwnanem [ʲuwnanem] Genitive uwnanik [ʲuwnanix] uwnanis [ʲuwnanis]

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 [ʲuwnanin] uwnanun [ʲuwnanun] Accusative uwnanon [ʲuwnanon] uwnanonð [ʲuwnanonð] Dative uwnanung [ʲuwnanuŋg] uwnanens [ʲuwnanens] Ablative uwnanim [ʲuwnanim] uwnanejn [ʲuwnanejn] Genitive uwnaning [ʲuwnaniŋg] uwnanins [ʲuwnanins]

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 [ʲhɛnʀejh] henrejheð [ʲhɛnʀejheð] Accusative henrejhö [ʲhɛnʀejhø] henrejheʃ [ʲhɛnʀejheʃ] Dative henrejhek [ʲhɛnʀejhex] henrejhes [ʲhɛnʀejhes] Ablative henrejhum [ʲhɛnʀejhum] henrejhem [ʲhɛnʀejhem] Genitive henrejhik [ʲhɛnʀejhix] henrejhis [ʲhɛnʀejhis]

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 [ʲhɛnʀejhan] henrejhað [ʲhɛnʀejhað] Accusative henrejhön [ʲhɛnʀejhøn] henrejhaʃ [ʲhɛnʀejhaʃ] Dative henrejhang [ʲhɛnʀejhaŋg] henrejhas [ʲhɛnʀejhas] Ablative henrejham [ʲhɛnʀejham] henrejhen [ʲhɛnʀejhen] Genitive henrejhang [ʲhɛnʀejhaŋg] henrejhas [ʲhɛnʀejhas]

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 [ʲðɛjteθ] ðejtetið [ʲðɛjtetið] Accusative ðejtety [ʲðɛjtety] ðejtetiʃ [ʲðɛjtetiʃ] Dative ðejtetuk [ʲðɛjtetux] ðejtetis [ʲðɛjtetis] Ablative ðejtetum [ʲðɛjtetum] ðejtetim [ʲðɛjtetim] Genitive ðejtetik [ʲðɛjtetix] ðejtetis [ʲðɛjtetis]

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 [ʲðɛjtetin] ðejtetinð [ʲðɛjtetinð] Accusative ðejtetyn [ʲðɛjtetyn] ðejtetinʃ [ʲðɛjtetinʃ] Dative ðejtetung [ʲðɛjtetuŋg] ðejtetuns [ʲðɛjtetuns] Ablative ðejtetim [ʲðɛjtetim] ðejtetim [ʲðɛjtetim] Genitive ðejteting [ʲðɛjtetiŋg] ðejtetins [ʲðɛjtetins]

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 [ʲmuh] muhið [ʲmuhið] Accusative muhi [ʲmuhi] muhið [ʲmuhið] Dative muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhim [ʲmuhim] Genitive muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhin [ʲmuhin] Accusative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhinð [ʲmuhinð] Dative muhing [ʲmuhiŋg] muhins [ʲmuhins] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhijn [ʲmuhijn] Genitive muhing [ʲmuhiŋg] muhins [ʲmuhins]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative muh [ʲmuh] muhið [ʲmuhið] Accusative muhi [ʲmuhi] muhiʃ [ʲmuhiʃ] Dative muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhim [ʲmuhim] Genitive muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhið [ʲmuhið] Accusative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhiʃ [ʲmuhiʃ] Dative muhing [ʲmuhiŋg] muhis [ʲmuhis] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhin [ʲmuhin] Genitive muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative muh [ʲmuh] muhið [ʲmuhið] Accusative muhi [ʲmuhi] muhiʃ [ʲmuhiʃ] Dative muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhim [ʲmuhim] Genitive muhik [ʲmuhix] muhis [ʲmuhis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhinð [ʲmuhinð] Accusative muhin [ʲmuhin] muhinʃ [ʲmuhinʃ] Dative muhing [ʲmuhiŋg] muhins [ʲmuhins] Ablative muhim [ʲmuhim] muhim [ʲmuhim] Genitive muhing [ʲmuhiŋg] muhins [ʲmuhins]

Kelmt "great"

Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt [ʲkɛlmθ] kelmtið [ʲkɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti [ʲkɛlmti] kelmtið [ʲkɛlmtið] Dative kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] Accusative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtinð [ʲkɛlmtinð] Dative kelmting [ʲkɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins [ʲkɛlmtins] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtijn [ʲkɛlmtijn] Genitive kelmting [ʲkɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins [ʲkɛlmtins]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt [ʲkɛlmt] kelmtið [ʲkɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti [ʲkɛlmti] kelmtiʃ [ʲkɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtið [ʲkɛlmtið] Accusative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtiʃ [ʲkɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmting [ʲkɛlmtiŋg] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] Genitive kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis]	Indefinite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmt [ʲkɛlmt] kelmtið [ʲkɛlmtið] Accusative kelmti [ʲkɛlmti] kelmtiʃ [ʲkɛlmtiʃ] Dative kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] Genitive kelmtik [ʲkɛlmtix] kelmtis [ʲkɛlmtis] Definite Number Singular Plural Nominative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtinð [ʲkɛlmtinð] Accusative kelmtin [ʲkɛlmtin] kelmtinʃ [ʲkɛlmtinʃ] Dative kelmting [ʲkɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins [ʲkɛlmtins] Ablative kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] kelmtim [ʲkɛlmtim] Genitive kelmting [ʲkɛlmtiŋg] kelmtins [ʲkɛlmtins]

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 [aʲʀij] "what"
• arawn [aʲʀæwn] "who"
• agor [aʲgɔʀ] "which"
• agun [aʲgun] "how"
• atir [aʲtiʀ] "where"
• amtor [amʲtɔʀ] "when"

Relative

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

Indefinite

• erkon [ʲɛʀkon] "some", "any"
• mejhon [ʲmɛjhon] "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 [ʲhɔntað]
• 12 tujawð [ʲtujað]
• 13 deðawð [ʲdɛðað]
• 14 hellawð [ʲhɛllað]
• 15 ðengawð [ʲðɛŋgað]
• 16 zijawð [ʲzijað]
• 17 ðawdawð [ʲðæwdað]
• 18 uytawð [ʲujtað]
• 19 muwawð [ʲmuwað]
• 20 hemd [hɛmð]
• 21 hemd hon [hɛmð hɔn]
• 30 lemd [lɛm(ð)]
• 40 helemd [ʲhɛlem(ð)]
• 50 ðengemd [ʲðɛŋgem(ð)]
• 60 zihemd [ʲzihem(ð)]
• 70 ðawdemd [ʲðæwdem(ð)]
• 80 hejdemd [ʲhɛjdem(ð)]
• 90 muhemd [ʲhuwem(ð)]
• 100 ðawn [ðæwn]

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers are regular adjectives.

• 1 bellin [ʲbɛllin]
• 2 ðikemd [ʲðikemð]
• 3 delðij [ʲdɛlðij]
• 4 golled [ʲgɔlleð]
• 5 ðemmed [ʲðɛmmeð]
• 6 zihejð [ʲzihejð]
• 7 ðawdejn [ʲðæwdejn]
• 8 hejdeh [ʲhɛjdeh]
• 9 mujim [ʲmujim]
• 10 tawðejn [ʲtæwðejn]

Conjunctions

Coordinating

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

Correlative

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

Subordinating

• tib [tiβ] "after"
• gedot [ʲgɛdoθ] "although"
• ðije "if"
• iððawd [ʲiððawð] "unless"
• rijuk [ʲʀijux] "so that"
• belmed [ʲbɛlmeð] "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."

[ʲdutin ʲuwnanun ʲmɛðjun ʲʀɛjlið, ʲtɛjkemtetum ge ʲtɛjlijdem. ʀun ʲdæjun ʲlɛsø ge ʲgɛmzejzø, ge ʲtihjun ʲɛʃejl hɔn ʲhɔlluŋg ʲspɛjlejdum ʲhɛlnemtetix.]

• • ("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.")