Appearance
Dependents and continue
How a next sentence fills a slot in the sentence before it, how English who / that / which is two sentences, and how to keep the same speech move going.
On this page
Beginner
You already write one clause with role letters and start a new speech move with /y/. This page attaches another sentence, or keeps going without a new act.
Which person or thing (who / that / which)
English can describe a noun with a whole clause that starts with who, that, or which (the guard who sits). Agazan has no such word. Write two sentences instead: first say the inner clause as an ordinary sentence, then use the same person or thing in the next sentence.
zagavol vehahel. zazawan vezebel bagavol.z-guard | v-sit . z-Azawan | v-tell | b-guard
"A guard sits. Azawan talks to the guard."
That pair is English Azawan talks to the guard who sits. Repeat the full word when you need the same person again in the next sentence.
Compare with: a blue dog is still one adjective (gubuhel). Azawan tells Alahen that a dog runs is a dependent clause: that packages the next sentence as content, not as a tag on dog.
Dependent clauses
Sometimes a whole sentence fills one role in another sentence. In Azawan tells Alahen that the dog runs, the part after that is what Azawan tells: the direct object. (Alahen, the person told, is unhosted /b/.) That inner sentence is a dependent clause.
In the main sentence, a stand-in holds the dependent clause's place: darl, which is the role letter + a + -rl. It stands for the sentence that comes right after it, so the main sentence never has to wrap around the inner one.
Put darl last in the main sentence, and start the dependent clause immediately after it. Word order is free, so you can always arrange the other words to leave darl at the end.
The main sentence stops after darl, and the next full sentence is the content that darl stands for. Do not open that inner sentence with /y/: it is not a new turn, and the stand-in's vowel already says what kind of content it is (a for that …). The inner sentence names who does its verb (/z/), even where English drops that person (wants to walk): write the name again. The one exception is an instruction stand-in (to … or not to …) for the person told (stand-in vowels).
Here the dependent clause is the direct object, so the stand-in is darl:
zazawan vezebel balahen darl zodogal varahal.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-that-clause | z-dog | v-run
"Azawan tells Alahen that the dog runs."
For English whether, change the vowel to o: dorl. The inner sentence is question-like, but the outer sentence is still a statement, so the whole stretch ends with a period.
zazawan vahahal dorl zalahen vowogal.z-Azawan | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Alahen | v-walk
"Azawan sees whether Alahen walks."
Compare with: the dog that runs (which dog) is two sentences, not darl on the noun. If Alahen walks sets a condition rather than filling a role, so it takes a pole word instead of a stand-in on its own (next section).
Because, if, although (poles)
Words like because, if, and although attach a dependent clause as a reason, a condition, a contrast, or a time. Agazan uses a pair for this: a pole word that names the link, then the stand-in barl right after it. The pole is a relation word, so barl is its hosted extra noun in /b/. Keep the pair together, last in the main sentence, with barl at the very end. Only a stance join may come between them.
The pole's role letter follows the clause page. Because, if, only if, and if and only if are your stance on why the claim holds, so they take /th/. Although, while, until, before, after, and so that describe the event itself, so they are adverbs on /h/.
zazawan vezehel thavem barl zalahen vowogal.z-Azawan | v-sing | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-walk
"Azawan sings because Alahen walks."
A pole uses the abstract sense of its root, not the everyday object, so it ends in -m.
You can also say:
| Agazan | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thavem barl | because | avel wall | 🧱: the cause is what the result sits on |
thoyem barl | if | oyel door | 🚪: walk through only if it opens |
tholum barl | only if | olul paper-roll | 🧻: without it the situation does not run |
thedam barl | if and only if | edal east-west | ↔️: each side only with the other |
hezom barl | although / even though | ezol zebra | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal |
huwem barl | while (at the same time) | uwel gemini | ♊: two things at once |
homam barl | until | omal timer | ⏲️: stop when it rings |
heveham barl | by the time | evehal finish-line | 🏁: done by the time you reach the flag |
habam barl | before | abal backpack | 🎒: packed first |
hanom barl | after | anol sand | ⌛: the sand has already run through |
hogom barl | so that / in order to | ogol goal | 🥅: you act so the shot counts |
A command or request makes no claim, so an if pole on it limits the instruction instead: do this only in that case. English often puts if first (if X, do Y); Agazan keeps the usual order, with barl last.
yel vowogal thoyem barl zalahen vehahel.y-command | v-walk | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"If Alahen sits, walk."
English despite takes a noun instead of a clause (despite Alahen). Use the same hezom pole and put that noun in /b/ where barl would go. As with although, the obstacle is taken as fact, and you add no second word for it. The pole is on /h/ because it describes the event, never on /th/. To attach it to a noun instead, use /ɡ/: gezom. (cue: 🦓 zebra: two stripes, still one animal)
zazawan vowogal hezom balahen.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-although | b-Alahen]
"Azawan walks despite Alahen."
Ordinary zezol is still a zebra.
The sentence after barl has to name an event or a thing, so it needs a noun or a verb. A stance word by itself does not fill it. The one exception is a lone feeling, thanks, or sorry (feeling with no object): that word is already a whole sentence about you, so it can be the sentence after a stand-in.
Compare with: discourse however and therefore start a new sentence after a finished claim (continue); they are not although. Whether Alahen walks is dorl, not thoyem: if sets a condition, and whether leaves a yes-or-no question open.
Times (while, before, after, until, by)
The time poles take a noun the same way. Put the event or period in /b/ right after huwem during, habam before, hanom after, or homam until.
zazawan vowogal huwem bavodel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-while | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan walks during the thunderstorm."
zazawan vehahel hanom bavodel.z-Azawan | v-sit | [h-after | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan sits after the thunderstorm."
Until and by both name an endpoint. homam until says this event lasts up to the endpoint. heveham by says this event is done at the endpoint or sooner. (cue: 🏁 finish line: done by the time you reach the flag)
zazawan vowogal heveham bavodel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-by | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan walks by the thunderstorm (no later than it)."
For as soon as / once, keep hanom after and put the haste word wadehum in front of it. The gap between the two events is as short as it can be.
zazawan vowogal wadehum hanom barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [[w-haste | h-after] | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks as soon as Alahen sits."
For since (from a starting point up to now), see from on a time. Since meaning because is thavem barl.
Agazan verbs have no past or future form. Before, after, while, and until place this event in time relative to the next sentence. A result that is still left over, and a state that used to hold, are stance words on /th/, not times (RESIDUE / FORMER).
So that (in order to)
English so that names the outcome an event aims at (walks so that Alahen sits). Use the pole hogom with barl, the same pair shape as because, and put the outcome in the sentence after barl. Unlike because, this does not claim the outcome happened. To attach the pole to a noun, use gogom. (cue: 🥅 goal: you act so the shot counts)
zazawan vowogal hogom barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks so that Alahen sits."
English in order to drops the person who sits. Agazan still names them in the inner /z/:
zazawan vowogal hogom barl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan walks in order to sit."
Ordinary zogol is still a goal (the net).
Compare with: acting for relatedness is a sake motive on the sake, not an event outcome. A book for a hammer as a swap is exchange. Works for a money-bag (something you want to get) uses a different for before an extra noun; use hogom when for names a result you aim at (practices for a race).
Continue (/x/): keep the same speech move
Often you want to add another sentence to the same statement, question, or command, such as therefore … after a claim. An /x/ word does that: the new stretch continues the speech move you already started, instead of starting a new one. It is still a statement if you were stating, still a question if you were asking, and so on.
Only the first turn (or a default statement body) chooses the speech act. So the continued stretch needs no act word of its own, not even yal.
A linker is an /x/ word that connects one sentence to the next, like English therefore or however. The first sentence may end with a period; the linker then starts the next written sentence, still under the same speech act:
zodogal vowogal. xodum zagadul varahal.z-dog | v-walk . x-therefore | z-cat | v-run
"A dog walks. Therefore a cat runs."
Compare with: /y/ starts a new speech move (a new statement, question, or command). /x/ keeps the move you already started.
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a guard post
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| guard | agavol | 💂 |
| see | vahahal | 👁️ from eye |
| tell | vezebel | 💬 from speech |
| scream | vezugel | 😱 |
| therefore | xodum | ➡️ from east: the sun's path, so the talk moves on |
| that-clause | darl | a ≈ add: the content that follows |
| whether-clause | dorl | o ≈ one: pick yes or no |
| because | thavem | 🧱 from wall: the cause is what the result sits on |
| if | thoyem | 🚪 from door: walk through only if it opens |
| although | hezom | 🦓 from zebra: two stripes, still one animal |
| so-that | hogom | 🥅 from goal: you act so the shot counts |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| sit | vehahel |
| sneak | vezevul |
| run | varahal |
| haste | hadehum |
| angry | anegel |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan tells Alahen that Ahaben sneaks.
Show answer
zazawan vezebel balahen darl zahaben vezevul.
z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-that-clause | z-Ahaben | v-sneak
Also correct: zazawan balahen vezebel darl zahaben vezevul.
2. Alahen runs because a guard sees Ahaben.
Show answer
zalahen varahal thavem barl zagavol dahaben vahahal.
z-Alahen | v-run | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-guard | d-Ahaben | v-see
Also correct: zalahen varahal thavem barl dahaben zagavol vahahal.
3. Azawan sits despite a guard.
Show answer
zazawan vehahel hezom bagavol.
z-Azawan | v-sit | [h-although | b-guard]
4. A guard sees whether Alahen sneaks.
Show answer
zagavol vahahal dorl zalahen vezevul.
z-guard | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Alahen | v-sneak
5. Azawan tells the guard who screams.
Show answer
zagavol vezugel. zazawan vezebel bagavol.
z-guard | v-scream . z-Azawan | v-tell | b-guard
6. Alahen screams so that a guard runs.
Show answer
zalahen vezugel hogom barl zagavol varahal.
z-Alahen | v-scream | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-guard | v-run
Agazan → English
1. zahaben vezugel. xodum zagavol varahal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-scream . x-therefore | z-guard | v-run
Ahaben screams. Therefore a guard runs.
2. zalahen vezevul hezom barl zagavol dazawan vahahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-sneak | [h-although | b-that-clause] | z-guard | d-Azawan | v-see
Alahen sneaks although a guard sees Azawan.
3. zahaben vahahal dorl zagavol vehahel.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-guard | v-sit
Ahaben sees whether the guard sits.
4. zagavol hadehum varahal thoyem barl zalahen vezugel.
Show answer
z-guard | h-haste | v-run | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-scream
A guard runs hastily if Alahen screams.
5. zalahen vezevul. zagavol dalahen vahahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-sneak . z-guard | d-Alahen | v-see
The guard sees Alahen, who sneaks.
6. zahaben vezebel bagavol darl zazawan ganegel vehahel.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-tell | b-guard | d-that-clause | [z-Azawan | g-angry] | v-sit
Ahaben tells the guard that an angry Azawan sits.
Pick one
1. Alahen sees whether Azawan runs. zalahen vahahal darl zazawan varahal. or zalahen vahahal dorl zazawan varahal.
Show answer
zalahen vahahal dorl zazawan varahal.
z-Alahen | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Azawan | v-run
Whether leaves a yes-or-no open, so the stand-in takes o; darl would be sees that Azawan runs.
Fix it
1. Alahen sneaks despite a guard. zalahen vezevul hezom barl zagavol.
Show answer
zalahen vezevul hezom bagavol.
z-Alahen | v-sneak | [h-although | b-guard]
Despite takes a noun: put the guard in /b/ right after hezom. With barl, zagavol becomes a whole sentence of its own.
2. Azawan tells Alahen that a guard runs. zazawan balahen darl vezebel zagavol varahal.
Show answer
zazawan vezebel balahen darl zagavol varahal.
z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-that-clause | z-guard | v-run
darl goes last in the main sentence, after the verb, so the sentence it stands for starts right after it.
Intermediate
Reminder:
Intermediate sections assume you have read the beginner sections of every page.
Writing and speech rhythm (periods)
A period closes the sentence body in writing, whatever the speech act. Speech matches that edge with pitch and a short pause. The act word, not the punctuation, sets question or command. ? and ! are tone marks that go before the words they color.
| Writing | Speech | Use | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
. | Fall on the last word + short pause | Closes the prior body. Next stretch still defaults to yal unless a new /y/ turn, a written act word, or yes / no particle sets otherwise | Fall = the claim is done |
Next /y/ turn (yes / no, a call, written act word) | Pitch reset into the turn | New turn; firm -l / soft -m imply yal / yam | Reset = jump to a new act |
Bare body or hook + body after . | No full reset required | Implied yal (or yam only if a soft particle / written yam said so) | No jump, so same statement |
| Soft statement / soft yes / no -m | Lighter fall; boundary still clear | yam (implied or written) | -m leaves the hold open |
/x/ continue (clause join) | Dip or short pause; no full pitch reset | Keep opener speech act; period after the whole joined stretch | Dip extends; no jump |
/x/ linker after . (xodum …) | Dip into the linker; no turn reset | Keep prior speech act; may start a new written sentence under that speech act | Linker glues; still the same act |
/x/ topic word after . (xazawan …) | Pitch reset, no turn reset | Keep prior speech act; a new topic starts | Reset = the subject changed, not the act |
| Stand-in hang | Dip; no full pitch reset until the last dependent | Next sentence fills the slot; period after the whole stretch | Same hang as /x/ continue |
-l vs -m on the act word / yes / no is how firmly you stand behind it (closed vs soft / open).
Sentence linkers
Beginner already used therefore. It is one of six sentence linkers: /x/ words that connect a finished sentence to the one after it. Each one uses its root's abstract sense, so it ends in -m.
| English | Agazan | Abstract of | Cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| therefore | xodum | odum progress | ➡️: the sun’s path, so the talk moves on | xodum |
| however | xezom | ezom contrast | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal | xezom |
| meanwhile | xagagam | agagam passage | 🕰️: time passing beside the last claim | xagagam |
| next | xevavem | evavem sequence | 🎞️: the following frame | xevavem |
| but | xagezam | agezam blockage | 🚧: the expected path is blocked | xagezam |
| by the way | xavazem | avazem accessory | 🍟: a side dish, not the main course | xavazem |
therefore moves forward from the prior claim; however marks contrast; meanwhile puts the next claim at the same time; next is the next frame; but blocks the expected continuation (harder push-back than however). Those same roots keep their ordinary content readings under other role letters.
A linker reaches back to one sentence: the one that ends at the period before it. To link back to several claims at once, join them into that sentence with a clause join.
Three linkers also take -l for a firm link: the link holds with no room for doubt, on the same settled-to-passing scale as time horizon. (cue: -l ≈ lasting: the link holds)
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
xodul | the next claim must hold if the last sentence does: a deduction | it follows that / necessarily, then |
xezol | the contrast stands whatever the last claim said | nevertheless / even so |
xagezal | the last claim is blocked outright; the next claim replaces it | on the contrary |
zalahen vezebal vul. xagezal zalahen varahal.z-Alahen | [v-sleep | v-not] . x-on-the-contrary | z-Alahen | v-run
"Alahen isn't sleeping. On the contrary, Alahen is running."
No other root makes a linker. Any other /x/ content word sets the topic: -l / -m / -n introduce it (xazawan now, about Azawan) and -r returns to it. -r on a linker is still a resume (the same linker again, likewise).
All of these /x/ words, and the topic words, come only at the start of a sentence: only /y/ turn words or a fronted discourse hook may come before them. They never follow a clause join, and they never open the sentence after a stand-in, because that sentence belongs to the dependent.
A linker and a topic word do not share a sentence. To change the topic and also use a linker, write the topic word as its own sentence, then start the next sentence with the linker (Now, about Azawan. However, Alahen runs.):
xazawan. xezom zalahen varahal.x-Azawan . x-however | z-Alahen | v-run
"Now, about Azawan. However, Alahen runs."
xevavem also opens a new frame, like English so, … at the start of a turn: the talk moves on and the topic is cleared.
zodogal vowogal. xevavem zazawan varahal.z-dog | v-walk . x-next | z-Azawan | v-run
"The dog walks. So, Azawan runs."
xavazem opens a side topic, like English by the way, …, and clears the topic too. To come back to the main line afterwards, use the resume hook or … anyway, and name the old topic again (xazawar).
In a new turn with its own act word, the act word comes first and the linker starts the body:
yom xevavem zehon vowogal.y-soft-question | x-next | z-listener | v-walk
"So, do you want to walk?"
yol xavazem zehon vewal.y-question | x-by-the-way | z-listener | v-hear
"By the way, did you hear?"
Result (so … that)
English so … that ties a result to how much of something there is (so tired that they sleep), all in one sentence. Put the pole hodum after the word that carries the degree, then barl, then the result as the next sentence. hodum uses the same root as therefore, which needs two sentences. Unlike hogom so that, the result really happened.
zazawan welavam gadadal hodum barl zazawar vezebal.[z-Azawan | [w-very | g-tired]] | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-←Azawan | v-sleep
"Azawan is so tired that they sleep."
zazawan welavam hadehum vowogal hodum barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | [w-very | h-haste] | v-walk | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks so hastily that Alahen sits."
Compare with: although / while attach a dependent after barl (hezom barl, huwem barl; see dependent clauses). Despite Alahen is the same pole with a noun in /b/ (hezom balahen). So that Alahen sits is hogom barl. Discourse xezom / xagagam / xodum glue a finished sentence to the next one.
Stand-in vowels (-rl / -rm)
Beginner used darl / barl for that … and dorl for whether …. A stand-in's vowel says what kind of content the next sentence is, with the same four vowels as the act words: a a statement, o a question, e an instruction, u something to avoid. So a dependent clause can carry an instruction (tells Alahen to sit) or a warning (tells Alahen not to sit).
Unlike a /y/ act word, a stand-in does not itself state, ask, or command: it only lets that kind of content fill a role in the outer sentence. Stand-ins are not joins. The ending says how much the next sentence covers: -rl means it is the whole content (locked); -rm leaves it open (the gist, or not the only thing).
| Stand-in | Content type | -rl locked | -rm open |
|---|---|---|---|
a hold | statement-like (compare yal) | darl that … | darm that … (gist) |
o pick | question-like (compare yol) | dorl whether … | dorm whether … (open) |
e order | instruction-like (compare yel) | derl to … | derm to … (open) |
u undo | avoidance-like (compare yul) | durl that not / lest … | durm lest … (open) |
You may leave out the dependent clause's /z/ only when all of these hold:
- The stand-in is
derl/derm, ordurl/durmtelling someone not to. - It fills the outer sentence's
/d/slot. - The outer sentence has one unhosted
/b/(the person told).
The missing subject is then that /b/. It is never the listener and never the outer /z/. In every other case, write the inner /z/: after darl / dorl, after any pole (barl / burl), and when the outer sentence has no unhosted /b/ (wants to sit, tries to sit). When the doer is someone other than that /b/, write them too, using resume -r if the name would repeat.
After a pole, the dependent is barl (or barm for gist): because / if / although / so that all use it. There are two exceptions, both with burl: purpose-not hogom burl (so that … not) and thoyem burl (unless). Stand-ins never take /x/; clause and is xal / xan.
zazawan vezebel balahen derl vehahel.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-to-clause | v-sit
"Azawan tells Alahen to sit."
The person told is unhosted /b/, so derl vehahel can leave out its subject: the sitter is Alahen. The outer sentence stays a statement. With no unhosted /b/, write the sitter:
zazawan vohum derl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-wish | d-to-clause | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan wishes to sit."
To quote someone's exact words instead, use a span.
English lest / not to (keep this from happening) uses vowel u: durl. When it tells someone not to act, the person told (/b/) can be the missing subject, as with derl. When it only keeps an outcome off, with no one told, write the inner /z/. The outer sentence stays a statement. Don't sit! as the whole move is still a prohibition (yul), not this stand-in.
zazawan vezebel balahen durl vehahel.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-lest-clause | v-sit
"Azawan tells Alahen not to sit."
When so that aims at keeping an outcome off, keep hogom and type /b/ with burl:
zazawan vowogal hogom burl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-lest-clause] | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan walks so as not to sit."
English unless is if … not: keep the if pole thoyem and type /b/ with burl. The following sentence is the condition that must not hold.
zazawan vowogal thoyem burl zalahen vezebal.z-Azawan | v-walk | [th-if | b-lest-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sleep
"Azawan walks unless Alahen sleeps."
The sentence after a stand-in runs to the end of the written sentence, so a clause join inside it stays in the dependent. Whether Alahen walks or Ahaben runs is dorl, then both clauses with xol between them.
zazawan vahahal dorl zalahen vowogal xol zahaben varahal.z-Azawan | v-see | d-whether-clause | [z-Alahen | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-run]
"Azawan sees whether Alahen walks or Ahaben runs."
To join another clause to the main sentence instead, end the sentence and start the next one with the join.
Compare with: tells that Alahen sits is darl. Tells Alahen to sit is derl. Walks so that Azawan sits is hogom barl.
Pointing back (-rth)
A stand-in on -rl / -rm holds a slot for the sentence that comes next. To point back at content already said, end the stand-in in -rth: English so in Azawan says so, or that in Alahen doubts that. Nothing follows it; the sentence ends as usual.
The vowel still says what kind of content it is, and the word stands for the most recent content of that kind:
| Stand-in | Points back to | English |
|---|---|---|
darth | the last statement | so / that |
dorth | the last question | that question |
derth | the last instruction | that (instruction) |
durth | the last not / lest content | not (I hope not) |
zalahen vehahel. zazawan vezebel darth.z-Alahen | v-sit . z-Azawan | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
"Alahen sits. Azawan says so."
zazawan vezebel balahen durl vehahel. zalahen vohum durth.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-lest-clause | v-sit . z-Alahen | v-wish | d-that-same-prohibition
"Azawan tells Alahen not to sit. Alahen wishes not to, too."
The content can be anything a sentence says: a verbless sentence, a denied event, or several sentences chained with /x/. A resume -r picks up one word; -rth picks up what was said.
Other role letters work the same way as the forward stand-in: barth after a pole (because of that) or after like humum (like that), zarth as the subject. Stand-ins fill /z/ /d/ /b/ only; there is no stand-in on /ɡ/ /h/ /w/ /th/. Such is whole-stem -r, and then or so is a pole + barth.
Time poles on a noun
To place a thing in time rather than the event (the walk after the thunderstorm), put the time pole on /ɡ/ right after that noun: guwem during, gabam before, ganom after, gomam until, geveham by. The /b/ after it is the event or period, as with the /h/ pole, or a signed count from now (gabam bazazam grawol before tomorrow).
zalahen dowogal ganom bavodel vahahal.z-Alahen | [d-walk | [g-after | b-thunderstorm]] | v-see
"Alahen sees the walk after the thunderstorm."
Ordinary zabal is still a backpack.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a departure board
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| luggage | alagel | 🧳 |
| however | xezom | 🦓 from zebra: two stripes, still one animal |
| meanwhile | xagagam | 🕰️ from clock: time passing beside the last claim |
| next | xevavem | 🎞️ from film: the following frame |
| to-clause | derl | e ≈ order: an instruction |
| lest-clause | durl | u ≈ undo: something to avoid |
| that-same-claim | darth | -rth points back at what was said |
| before | gabam | 🎒 from backpack: packed first |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| therefore | xodum |
| departure | vedabal |
| train | edehal |
| coat | ogodul |
| key | egehul |
| very | welavam |
| haste | hadehum |
| sit | vehahel |
| see | vahahal |
| find | vamagal |
| run | varahal |
| sneak | vezevul |
| tell | vezebel |
| scream | vezugel |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan sees the train. However, Alahen runs.
Show answer
zazawan dedehal vahahal. xezom zalahen varahal.
z-Azawan | d-train | v-see . x-however | z-Alahen | v-run
2. Ahaben tells Alahen to sit.
Show answer
zahaben vezebel balahen derl vehahel.
z-Ahaben | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-to-clause | v-sit
3. Azawan tells Ahaben not to sneak.
Show answer
zazawan vezebel bahaben durl vezevul.
z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Ahaben | d-lest-clause | v-sneak
4. Alahen runs so hastily that Azawan sees the luggage.
Show answer
zalahen welavam hadehum varahal hodum barl zazawan dalagel vahahal.
z-Alahen | [w-very | h-haste] | v-run | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | d-luggage | v-see
5. Alahen sees the luggage before the departure.
Show answer
zalahen dalagel gabam bedabal vahahal.
z-Alahen | [d-luggage | [g-before | b-departure]] | v-see
6. Ahaben sits unless the train departs.
Show answer
zahaben vehahel thoyem burl zedehal vedabal.
z-Ahaben | v-sit | [th-if | b-lest-clause] | z-train | v-departure
Agazan → English
1. zalahen vezebel. xagagam zahaben dogodul vamagal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-tell . x-meanwhile | z-Ahaben | d-coat | v-find
Alahen tells. Meanwhile, Ahaben finds a coat.
2. zahaben vezugel. zalahen vezebel darth.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-scream . z-Alahen | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
Ahaben screams. Alahen says so.
3. zahaben degehul vamagal vul. xezol zahaben vehahel.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | d-key | [v-find | v-not] . x-nevertheless | z-Ahaben | v-sit
Ahaben does not find the key. Nevertheless, Ahaben sits.
4. zazawan dalagel vahahal. xevavem zalahen varahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | d-luggage | v-see . x-next | z-Alahen | v-run
Azawan sees the luggage. Next, Alahen runs.
5. zalahen vahahal dorl zedehal vedabal xol zahaben varahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-see | d-whether-clause | [z-train | v-departure | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-run]
Alahen sees whether the train departs or Ahaben runs.
6. zazawan vehahel hogom burl zalahen dalagel vahahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-sit | [h-so-that | b-lest-clause] | z-Alahen | d-luggage | v-see
Azawan sits so that Alahen does not see the luggage.
Pick one
1. Azawan tells Alahen not to run. zazawan vezebel balahen durl varahal. or zazawan vezebel balahen derl varahal.
Show answer
zazawan vezebel balahen durl varahal.
z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen | d-lest-clause | v-run
Not to is avoidance, vowel u; derl tells Alahen to run.
2. Ahaben runs. Even so, Alahen sits. (the contrast stands whatever) zahaben varahal. xezol zalahen vehahel. or zahaben varahal. xezom zalahen vehahel.
Show answer
zahaben varahal. xezol zalahen vehahel.
z-Ahaben | v-run . x-nevertheless | z-Alahen | v-sit
Firm -l says the contrast holds no matter what; xezom is plain however.
Fix it
1. Alahen sees the train. Azawan says so. zalahen dedehal vahahal. zazawan vezebel darl.
Show answer
zalahen dedehal vahahal. zazawan vezebel darth.
z-Alahen | d-train | v-see . z-Azawan | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
darl holds a slot for the next sentence; to point back at what was said, end the stand-in in -rth.
Advanced
Lexicalized stand-ins in other roles
A stand-in's vowel says what kind of content follows, and its first letter says which role that content fills. With -rn (or -n after two vowels, as in vaen), the stand-in becomes a fixed word for that kind of content: darn a statement, dorn a question, dern a command, durn a prohibition. Use the same vowels with another role letter when the following sentence fills that role. On /v/, the same -rn / -n endings make verbs that take the following sentence as their content.
Each content type has one lexicalized form; there is no closed / open pair here.
| Agazan | Dependent content | English |
|---|---|---|
varn | statement-like (a) | state… |
vorn | question-like (o) | question… |
vern | instruction-like (e) | command… |
vurn | avoidance-like (u) | prohibit… |
vaen | accepts a statement | confirm that… |
vuen | rejects a statement | deny that… |
vaon | accepts a proposed action | agree to… |
vuon | rejects a proposed action | decline to… |
vuan | rejects the premise behind a question or claim | dispute the premise that… |
For example, the /v/ word takes the following sentence as its content:
zazawan vaen zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-confirm | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan confirms that Alahen sits."
zazawan vuon zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-decline-to | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan declines to sit."
A /z/ stand-in puts the whole following sentence in the subject slot. With a /ɡ/ word describing that sentence, that is English it is … that / it is … to.
gamadam zarl zazawan vowogal.g-challenge | z-that-clause | z-Azawan | v-walk
"It is hard for Azawan to walk."
The sentence after one of these verbs has its own subject when the chosen content type requires one, just as it does after darl / derl. Changing the role letter lets the same kind of content serve as an object, a described property, or another role the clause allows.
Nested dependents
A clause has at most one stand-in, at its end. But the dependent clause is a clause too, so it may end in its own barl, and a further sentence follows it on the right.
zazawan gezebul thavem barl zalahen vowogal thavem barl zahaben vezebal.[z-Azawan | g-sleepy] | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-walk | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Ahaben | v-sleep
"Azawan is sleepy because Alahen walks because Ahaben sleeps."