Word shape and clause cheat sheet

A quick look at word endings, the clause, and predication on one page. Nothing here is new: each row links to the section that teaches it. Stage: B Beginner, I Intermediate, A Advanced.

Word shape

A word in a sentence is role letter + root + ending. Outside a sentence (a list, a heading) you write a citation: root + ending, no role letter.

Endings

Shown on one root, azawa.

Ending	Means	Example	English	Stage
-l	first mention, everyday kind	azawal	swan	B
-m	first mention, published abstract	azawam	grace	B
-n	a name	azawan	Azawan	B
-r	the same one again	zazawar	Azawan (again)	B
-ln	one of a name	dazawaln	an Azawan	I
-lnx	some of a name	dazawalnx	some Azawans	I
-x after any of these	associates, or a group	zazawanx	Azawan and associates	B

A greeting is your own name and a period: n.

What -n names, by role

The role letter says the job (role map); -n says the thing bears that name, not the kind the root describes.

Role	-n there	Stage
/z/ /d/ /b/	a named person, place, work, or brand	I
/v/	a named event or rite	I
/ɡ/	a named style or brand	I
/w/	a named scale or grade	I
/h/	a named standard or frame	I
/y/	call this named person	I

Names of more than one word

Shape	Example	English	Stage
Full name: given name, then family name on /ɡ/ + -n	zohun galuden vowogal.	Ohun Aluden walks.	I
Full name as a citation, and its resume	ohun galuden; zohun galuden; zohur	Ohun Aluden; Ohun (the same person)	I
Hyphenated name: roots joined by mid-word x	zohuxaluden vowogal.	Ohuxaluden walks.	I
One of a full name	zohuln galuden	someone named Ohun Aluden	I
Titled phrase: -n on the hook, join, or span that packages it	dedehel on dagavel	Coffee-Instead-of-Tea (a cafe)	I
Country and tradition on aheba	aheban / gahebam / dahebal	Japan / Japanese / a Japanese flag	I

The clause

Role letters

From the role letters table.

Letter	Job	Stage
/z/	subject: who acts	B
/d/	direct object: who is acted on	B
/b/	extra noun: recipient, or the piece after a relation word	B
/v/	verb: the action	B
/ɡ/	adjective: a property of the noun before it	B
/w/	extra detail on the next /ɡ/, /h/, or /th/ word	B
/h/	adverb: how, when, where	B
/th/	stance: how sure, how known, why, as if	B

Calls and sentence glue use /y/ and /x/.

Default order and moving words

Rule	Example	English	Stage
Subject, verb	zodogal vowogal.	A dog walks.	B
Subject, object, verb	zodogal dagadul vahahal.	A dog sees a cat.	B
/h/ and /th/ go anywhere	zodogal hadehum vowogal.	A dog walks hastily.	B
Leave out the subject: nobody is named as the doer	dazawan vahahal.	Azawan was seen.	I
Moving words changes nothing	dagadul zodogal vahahal.	A dog sees a cat.	B
Usual order by speech act: question verb second, command verb first, prohibition verb late	yol zazawan vabahel dabegol. · yel vabahel dabegol. · yul dabegol vabahel.	Does Azawan punch the box? · Punch the box! · Don't punch the box.	B
Fill-ask: blank first	yol dar zazawan vahahal.	What does Azawan see?	B
Contrast one word with &	&zazawan dagadul vahahal. · zazawan &dagadul vahahal. · zazawan dagadul &vahahal.	It was Azawan who saw the cat. · It's a cat (not something else) that Azawan sees. · Azawan sees the cat (rather than doing something else to it).	A
Cleft with no contrast: plain sentence	zazawan dagadul vahahal.	It's a cat that Azawan sees (answering what?).	A

Describing words

Job	Example	English	Stage
Adjective after the noun	zodogal gubuhel vowogal.	A blue dog walks.	B
Adjective before the noun: l after /ɡ/	glubuhel zodogal	a blue dog	I
Detail on an adjective	zodogal welavam gubuhel vowogal.	A very blue dog walks.	B
Stance on the whole claim	zodogal thevegam vowogal.	I doubt a dog is walking.	B

Degree words

Slot	Words	English	Stage
/w/, before an adjective or adverb	welavam	very	B
	wohahal	extremely	I
	wamazam	slightly	I
	wadeham	quite	I
	wahahom	completely	I
/h/, on the verb	habedem	kind of	I
	herobem	again	I

The extra noun /b/

Tell the two jobs apart by the word right before the /b/ word.

Right before /b/	Job	Example	English	Stage
a /ɡ/, /h/, or /th/ word	completes that word (the host)	humum bazawan	like Azawan	B
anything else	who receives (at most one)	zazawan vezebel balahen.	Azawan tells Alahen.	B
a host, with /w/ first	/w/ stays before the host	welavam humum bazawan	very like Azawan	B
a host's /b/, then /ɡ/	describes the extra noun	zodogal gugol bazawan gubuhel	a dog the same as blue Azawan	I
two relations on one noun	put one before with gl-	glugol bazawan zodogal gugol balahen	a dog the same as Azawan, the same as Alahen	I

A hook followed by /b/ means in / at / for, not the person who receives.

Predication

Agazan has no word for is. The kind of claim comes from the pattern.

Saying what someone is

Job	Pattern	Example	English	Stage
Quality	noun + /ɡ/	zazawan gamadam.	Azawan is challenging.	B
Belonging	noun + /ɡ/ on -m	zazawan gahebam.	Azawan is Japanese.	B
Kind or role	noun + kind on /ɡ/	zazawan godogal.	Azawan is a dog.	B
In the middle of an event	noun + event root on /ɡ/	zazawan gowogal.	Azawan is walking.	B
Something exists	a lone new noun	zodogal.	There is a dog.	B
	a new noun + /ɡ/	zodogal gelavam.	There is a big dog.	B
Same person	gugol + /b/, side by side	zalahen gugol bazawan.	Alahen is Azawan.	B
Same one again	gugol, no /b/	zalahen dugul gugol varadal.	Alahen writes the same book.	B
Basically the same	-m	zalahen gugom bazawan	Alahen is basically Azawan.	I
Not the same	gul after the pair	zalahen gugol bazawan gul	Alahen is not Azawan.	I
The one who is Azawan	inside a noun phrase	zobel gugol bazawan	the person who is Azawan	I

With a name or a resumed noun, the pair is a property, not a new thing: zodogar gelavam. is The dog is big.

Hedging, denying, commanding

Job	Example	English	Stage
Not	zazawan godogal gul.	Azawan is not a dog.	I
Always	zazawan godogal hual	Azawan is always a dog.	I
Sort of	zazawan wabedem godogal.	Azawan is somewhat of a dog.	I
Be ADJ!	yel geyayem.	Be careful!	I
Don't be ADJ	yul + /ɡ/		I

How far a label reaches

Root, mid-word th, a scope vowel, then the ending. It goes on /ɡ/, /z/, /d/, /b/, /v/, and /h/, and on a role compound.

Vowel	Reach	Example	English	Stage
tha	this episode	zazawan valahathal.	Azawan lied this once.	I
the	a practiced role	zalahen gaxedehothel.	Alahen is a teacher.	I
tho	this pair (/b/ follows)	zazawan gelehothom balahen.	Azawan is a stranger to Alahen.	I
thu	a type across scenes	zalahen ganagothul.	Alahen is an anxious type.	I

Stacked scope: pairs that start with u set the second vowel's reach aside.

Vowel	Reach	English	Stage
thao	this episode, on this pair	teacher this time, to Alahen	I
thae	using the role as a means	using teacher (as a tool)	I
thoe	toward the role	becoming a teacher	I
thua	type, except this episode	a teacher type, except this time	I
thuo	type, except this pair	a teacher type, except with Alahen	I
thue	not in that capacity	not as a teacher	I

Don't mix up

This	vs	That
zazawan godogal. Azawan is a dog (kind)		zalahen gugol bazawan. Alahen is Azawan (one person, two labels)
humum bazawan like Azawan (/b/ completes a host)		zazawan vezebel balahen. Azawan tells Alahen (/b/ receives)
zodogal gelavam. There is a big dog (new noun)		zodogar gelavam. The dog is big (resumed noun)
zazawan vowogal. Azawan walks (the verb)		zazawan gowogal. Azawan is walking (under way)
dazawan vahahal. Azawan was seen (no subject named)		zunan someone did it (an unnamed someone)
dazawal a swan (-l)		dazawaln an Azawan (-ln: one of the name)