Appearance
Joins
When English would pack several things that play the same role into one slot (a dog and a cat, walks and runs), Agazan writes those items in a row and then one join word after them. That last word is how you know the list has ended. This pattern of items, then the join, is called a right-close fence. The join starts with the same role letter as the items (z for subjects, v for verbs, x for whole clauses).
Sometimes you only care that the items belong together, with no ranking among them (and, or, not): that is a set. Sometimes you care which item comes first (X first, A before B): that is a rank.
The join’s vowel says how the items combine. It uses the same vowel cues as the speech-act words: a adds, o picks one, e orders, u undoes.
On this page
Beginner
And-lists (a)
When English would say and, write every item, then the join. Use vowel a on that join: you are adding the items as a group. (cue: a ≈ add.)
The join’s first letter matches the items: zam after two /z/ nouns, vam after two /v/ verbs.
The ending says whether the list is complete. Closed -l means these are the only items, so the English needs no extra words. Open -m means other members may exist: add (and possibly more). When unsure, prefer -m.
zodogal zagadul zal.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and]
"a dog and a cat."
zodogal zagadul zam.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and.open]
"a dog and a cat (and possibly more)."
zazawan zalahen zam.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and.open]
"Azawan and Alahen (and possibly more)."
vowogal varahal vam.[v-walk | v-run | v-and.open]
"walks and runs (and possibly more)."
Whatever the join, the whole list fills one role in the clause. A role pointer back to that role picks up the whole group:
zazawan zalahen zal vowogal. zaxar vehahel.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-walk . z-←agent.same | v-sit
"Azawan and Alahen walk. They sit." (both of them)
Right-close fence
Write the items first, then the join. Readers treat the items up to that join as one role in the clause, filled by several members. A flat list needs only one join, at its end.
Two full clauses are the one exception: the join that starts with x goes between them, so you hear how the clauses relate before the second one starts. See clause joins.
Objects and extra nouns list the same way. Two /d/ objects close with dal; two /b/ recipients close with bal.
zazawan dodogal dagadul dal vahahal.z-Azawan | [d-dog | d-cat | d-and] | v-see
"Azawan sees a dog and a cat."
zazawan vezebel balahen bahaben bal.z-Azawan | v-tell | [b-Alahen | b-Ahaben | b-and]
"Azawan tells Alahen and Ahaben."
Choice (o)
When English would offer a menu and ask to pick one, or leave the pick (optional), use vowel o. Closed -l (zol) means pick one of the listed items. Open -m (zom) means the pick is optional. (cue: o ≈ one.)
zedehel zagavel zol.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-or-exactly-one]
"tea or coffee (pick one)."
zagavel zom.[z-coffee | z-or.open]
"coffee (optional)."
How many items
The join still comes last when there is only one item, or none. How many items sit before it is the arity:
| Arity | Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| List (2+) | A B zam | close a multi-item set | ordinary and / or |
| Single-item (1) | A zal | that one item is the whole story | just X |
| Standalone (0) | zam | the join alone | nothing, as far as I know |
zazawan zal.[z-Azawan | z-and]
"just Azawan."
Single-item -l also covers English just in the sense merely: the one item is all there is, with nothing more to it.
zazawan dagadul dal vahahal.z-Azawan | [d-cat | d-and] | v-see
"Azawan sees just a cat." (only a cat, nothing more)
A standalone join fills its slot with no items. In the object slot, dal is nothing; in the extra-noun slot, bal is nobody.
zazawan dal vahahal.z-Azawan | d-none | v-see
"Azawan sees nothing."
zazawan vezebel bal.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-none
"Azawan tells nobody."
Negation (u)
When English would deny the listed items, use vowel u. One item before zul is not X. Two items before zul is neither A nor B; more items is none of these. The join alone (zul / zum) is no. (cue: u ≈ undo.)
gamadam gul.[g-challenge | g-not]
"not challenging."
zazawan zul.[z-Azawan | z-not]
"not Azawan."
zedehel zagavel zul.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-not]
"neither tea nor coffee."
Everything (ua)
When English would say everything / everyone, write a standalone join with two vowels, u then a (zual). With one item before it, the same join means everything but that item. Both vowels sit in one word: say them in order, then the ending. (cue: u ≈ undo, then a ≈ add.)
zual.z-everything-but
"everything" / "everyone."
Rank (e)
The and / or / not joins above are set joins: the items share a slot as a group, and writing one before the other does not rank them. A rank join is the other English job: you care which item comes first (priority, favorite, A before B).
Write the items in that order, then a join with vowel e. The earlier item outranks the later. One item before zel means only X matters; before zem, X first / mainly X. (cue: e ≈ order.)
zazawan zel.[z-Azawan | z-rank/more]
"only Azawan matters."
Unspecified member (-r)
When English says something or someone, or one of these without saying which, put ending -r on the join. The join then stands for one member of its list that you are not naming. -r goes only on a join with one vowel (a / o / e / u), not on a two-vowel join such as ua.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
zar / var / xar | unspecified member of an add-set | something / do something / something happened | a ≈ add |
zor / vor / xor | unspecified member of a menu | anything / do anything | o ≈ one |
zer / ver / xer | unspecified member of a ranking | whatever ranks highest | e ≈ order |
zur / vur / xur | unspecified leftover | something else / someone else | u ≈ undo |
zar.z-something
"something" / "someone."
zobel zar.[z-person | z-something]
"some (unknown) person."
zedehel zagavel zar.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-something]
"something among tea and coffee."
Write A and B, then zar: the join still closes the list, and -r means some member of that pair (you are not saying which).
Compare with: on a content word, -r resumes the last match. On a join, -r is an unspecified member. Standalone -rl / -rm (darl, barl) is a stand-in for the next sentence, not a join and not something.
Vowels and endings (recap)
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | add the items | and | a ≈ add |
| o | exclusive choice | exclusive or | o ≈ one |
| u | deny the listed | not / neither / none of / standalone no | u ≈ undo |
| ua | universal; one listed item is the leftover | standalone everything; one item everything but | u ≈ undo, then a ≈ add |
| e | rank among items | A before B; one item only X matters | e ≈ order |
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| -l | the listed items are the only ones in play | (no extra words) | l ≈ locked list |
| -m | other items may exist | (and possibly more); empty: as far as I know | m ≈ maybe more |
| -r | unspecified member of the join | someone / something in the list | r ≈ member you have not named |
The same vowels and endings work under /d/ /b/ (dal, dam, …), /v/ (val, vam, …), /ɡ/ (gal, gul, …), and /x/ (xal, xam, …). Match the join’s first letter to the items.
Beginner forms
With two or more items, each join reads as taught above. This table collects the readings for a join with only one item before it, or none.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
zal / zam | standalone | nothing / nobody · nothing, as far as I know |
zol / zom | standalone | no options · no pick, as far as I know |
zul / zum | standalone | no · no, as far as I know |
zual / zuam | standalone | everything / everyone · everything, as far as I know |
zal + NP | single-item | just X / only X |
zam + NP | single-item | X, for one / X (and possibly more) |
zol + NP | single-item | the only option is X |
zom + NP | single-item | X (optional) |
zul / zum + NP | single-item | not X · not X (and possibly more) |
zual + NP | single-item | everything but X |
zel / zem | standalone | no favorite · no favorite, as far as I know |
zel + NP | single-item | only X matters |
zem + NP | single-item | X first / mainly X |
Clause joins (/x/)
A clause is long, so a join that waits until the end would leave you holding two whole sentences before you learn how they relate. A clause join that starts with x therefore goes between the clauses: first clause, join, second clause. Every other join still closes its list on the right.
zazawan vowogal xam zalahen varahal.[z-Azawan | v-walk | x-and.open | z-Alahen | v-run]
"Azawan walks and Alahen runs (and possibly more)."
zazawan vowogal xol zalahen varahal xol zahaben vezebal.[z-Azawan | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Alahen | v-run | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-sleep]
"Azawan walks, or Alahen runs, or Ahaben sleeps: exactly one of the three."
Repeating the same join word keeps the list flat. Switching to a different join word closes everything before it as one group: A xol B xal C is (A or B) and C (clause forms).
So a group always sits on the left. The set joins a / o / u ignore order, so you can usually move the group to the front. When the group has to come last, end the sentence and start the next one with the join: the join then takes the whole next sentence.
After a stand-in such as dorl or barl, every clause joined in the same sentence belongs to the dependent clause (stand-ins). A clause meant for the main sentence also starts a new sentence.
zazawan vowogal. xan zalahen varahal xol zahaben vezebal.z-Azawan | v-walk . x-and-then | [z-Alahen | v-run | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-sleep]
"Azawan walks. Then Alahen runs or Ahaben sleeps."
A clause join never sits on one clause alone. To deny or single out one clause, put the join on the part you mean: vowogal vul does not walk, zazawan zal only Azawan.
A join word with no clause before it stands for a clause of its own: xal. nothing happened, xar something happened, xur something else happened, xual everything happened. That join word can also be one item of a clause list:
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zazawan vowogal xam xar. | Azawan walks, for one (and something else happened too) |
zazawan vowogal xol xal. | Azawan may walk (Azawan walks, or nothing happens) |
zazawan vowogal xel xur. | mainly, Azawan walks (that outranks anything else) |
For everything happened except that A, put the except hook after the standalone xual.
Compare with: a sentence linker (therefore, however) also starts the next sentence, but it is a content word with its own meaning (continue).
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a market stall
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| bread | ebevul | 🍞 |
| tomato | adedol | 🍅 |
| mango | amegol | 🥭 |
| watermelon | owodal | 🍉 |
| cart | agegal | 🛒 |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| pay | vamol |
| basket | abezal |
| see | vahahal |
| scream | vezugel |
English → Agazan
1. bread and a tomato (and possibly more)
Show answer
zebevul zadedol zam.
[z-bread | z-tomato | z-and.open]
2. Azawan sees a mango and a watermelon.
Show answer
zazawan damegol dowodal dal vahahal.
z-Azawan | [d-mango | d-watermelon | d-and] | v-see
Also correct: zazawan vahahal damegol dowodal dal.
3. Ahaben pays nobody.
Show answer
zahaben vamol bal.
z-Ahaben | v-pay | b-none
Also correct: zahaben bal vamol.
4. not the cart
Show answer
zagegal zul.
[z-cart | z-not]
5. Alahen pays and Azawan sees a basket (and possibly more).
Show answer
zalahen vamol xam zazawan dabezal vahahal.
[z-Alahen | v-pay | x-and.open | z-Azawan | d-basket | v-see]
6. only Azawan matters
Show answer
zazawan zel.
[z-Azawan | z-rank/more]
Agazan → English
1. zagegal zam.
Show answer
[z-cart | z-and.open]
a cart, for one / a cart (and possibly more)
2. zual.
Show answer
z-everything-but
everything / everyone
3. zebevul zar.
Show answer
[z-bread | z-something]
some (unknown) bread
4. zamegol zadedol zul.
Show answer
[z-mango | z-tomato | z-not]
neither a mango nor a tomato
5. zazawan dal vahahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | d-none | v-see
Azawan sees nothing.
6. zalahen vezugel xol zahaben vamol.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | v-scream | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-pay]
Alahen screams or Ahaben pays: exactly one of the two.
Pick one
1. a watermelon or a tomato (pick one) zowodal zadedol zol. or zowodal zadedol zom.
Show answer
zowodal zadedol zol.
[z-watermelon | z-tomato | z-or-exactly-one]
Closed -l means pick one of these; -m leaves the pick open.
2. Azawan sees just bread. zazawan debevul dal vahahal. or zazawan debevul dam vahahal.
Show answer
zazawan debevul dal vahahal.
z-Azawan | [d-bread | d-and] | v-see
One item before closed dal is the whole story; dam is bread, for one.
Fix it
1. Azawan and Alahen see a cart. zazawan zam zalahen dagegal vahahal.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zal dagegal vahahal.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | d-cart | v-see
The join closes the list after both items, not between them as English and does.
Intermediate
SHARED after the join
When an adjective or extra noun is meant for the whole list (both challenging, Azawan's dog and cat), write it immediately after the join. Material in that spot is called SHARED: it describes each member of the list. A modifier that belongs to one item only stays on that item (after its head, or gl- before it).
zodogal zagadul zal gamadam.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and | g-challenge]
"(challenging dog) and (challenging cat)."
A hook belongs to one item the same way. Put the hook and its /b/ right after that item, before the join word: em plus a resume gives Azawan and his dog.
zazawan zodogal em bazawar zal vowogal.[z-Azawan | [z-dog | [used-by | b-←Azawan]] | z-and] | v-walk
"Azawan and his dog walk."
Only the item just before the join word takes a hook this way. A hook anywhere else in the clause is an extra noun of the clause.
zodogal zagadul zam gegabem bazawan.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and.open | [g-ownership | b-Azawan]]
"Azawan's dog and cat (and possibly more)."
A plain /ɡ/ after that SHARED pair describes its /b/, as in complex chaining.
zodogal zagadul zam gegabem bazawan gubuhel.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and.open | [g-ownership | [b-Azawan | g-blue]]]
"Blue Azawan's dog and cat (and possibly more)."
Compare with: part of / contents of / made of / origin from use of relations, not egabe. A sakes need on /ɡ/ already means the speaker’s belonging (gulothal my … serves competence).
| Join family | Use of SHARED /ɡ/ |
|---|---|
| a | distributive property (both ADJ) or bundle description |
a + /ɡ/…-x | collective (ADJ together) |
| oe + SHARED scale | equative (/ɡ/ or /h/) |
| e / ue on NP | comparison scale (/ɡ/ or /h/) |
| ae on NP | sorted low to high (/ɡ/ or /h/) |
| ua / uo | kind / domain for universals |
More items of the same role go before the join, not after it.
SHARED material has to be able to describe what the join lists. After a noun join, a /ɡ/ describes every noun, and an /h/ is only a scale after rank e / ue, equative oe, or sequence ae. After a verb join, only an /h/ is SHARED. Nothing describes a list of adjectives, so after a /ɡ/ join the next /ɡ/ is simply the next item. Any other /h/ after a join is an ordinary adverb on the verb:
zazawan zalahen zal hahegem vowogal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | h-intensity | v-walk
"Azawan and Alahen walk intensely."
Rank joins
When English would say two people are as ADJ as each other, use a tie: a rank join with two vowels, o then e (zoel, or open zoem). Write the names, then the tie, then the adjective right after it, so the adjective grades the whole list. In a tie, the order of the names does not matter.
zazawan zalahen zoel gamadam.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-equal-rank | g-challenge]
"Azawan is as challenging as Alahen."
Compare with: more / most and least use e / ue plus the same shared adjective (comparatives).
Invert (ua / uo / ue)
Beginner already used everything but (ua). A leading u inverts o and e the same way: uo offers everything outside the list, and ue reverses a ranking.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| ua | invert add | everything but the listed | u ≈ undo + a ≈ add |
| uo | invert menu | anything but the listed (free choice outside) | u ≈ undo + o ≈ one |
| ue | invert rank | A after B after C (last first) | u ≈ undo + e ≈ order |
What everything or anything ranges over comes from context, or from a SHARED /ɡ/ that names the kind (universals, domains, and generics). Only plain …om means optional; on uo, -m leaves the list open as usual. -r still attaches only to one-vowel a / o / e / u.
zedehel zagavel zual.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-everything-but]
"everything but tea and coffee."
zazawan zalahen zahaben zuel.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-rank/less]
"Ahaben, then Alahen, then Azawan." (last first)
Compare with: plain u is not / none of the listed, not an invert stack. Every cat uses SHARED kind after zual: zual gagadul.
Sequence (ae)
Rank e puts the first item at the top (A matters more than B). When English would instead say A, then B (an itinerary, a turn order, from 3 to 5), the first item is the start, not the winner. Write the items in that order and close with ae.
zazawan zalahen zahaben zael.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-in-order]
"Azawan, then Alahen, then Ahaben."
| Arity | Closed -l | Open -m |
|---|---|---|
| Multi (2+) | A B zael A, then B | A B zaem roughly A, then B |
| Single-item | X zael start with X / from X on | X zaem maybe start with X |
| Standalone | zael in no particular order / any order | zaem not sure where to start |
A sequence does not say which item is better. With a SHARED quality it sorts the list from low to high. Two numbers in a sequence are two values in order (zrarel zraval zael = 3, then 5); a band from 3 to 5 is a range (zrarel al zraval). (cue: a ≈ add + e ≈ order: and then)
Compare with: clause and then between sentences is sequence xan. zael orders nouns inside one slot.
Respectively (wazem)
Two and-lists in one clause do not say who goes with what. zazawan zalahen zal vahahal dagadul dodogal dal. could mean each of them saw both animals. When English says respectively (the first item goes with the first, the second with the second), put wazem right before the join word of the second list.
zazawan zalahen zal vahahal dagadul dodogal wazem dal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-see | [d-cat | d-dog | w-respectively | d-and]
"Azawan and Alahen saw a cat and a dog, respectively."
Azawan saw the cat, and Alahen saw the dog. The lists pair up by position, so they must have the same number of items:
zazawan zalahen zahaben zal vahahal dagadul dodogal debedul wazem dal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-and] | v-see | [d-cat | d-dog | d-bird | w-respectively | d-and]
"Azawan, Alahen, and Ahaben saw a cat, a dog, and a bird, respectively."
| Rule | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Where | right before the a join word (-l or -m) of the later list |
| Partner | another a list in the same clause with the same number of items |
| Only there | wazem goes nowhere else, and no other /w/ word goes before a join word |
The lists can be of different roles. A list of adjectives or verbs pairs with the subject list the same way: put wazem before the join word that closes it.
zazawan zalahen zal gelavam gamazam wazem gal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | [g-big | g-small | w-respectively | g-and]
"Azawan and Alahen are big and small, respectively."
zazawan zalahen zal vowogal varahal wazem val.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | [v-walk | v-run | w-respectively | v-and]
"Azawan and Alahen walk and run, respectively."
Azawan is big and Alahen is small; Azawan walks and Alahen runs. Without wazem, an adjective right after a noun join is SHARED: it describes every noun. When wazem and gal close the adjectives, they are a list of their own, so the first one is not shared.
Without wazem, who got which is left open. (cue: 🧦 socks: sort them into matched pairs)
Full single-item and standalone inventories
Beginner already used single-item just X and standalone nothing / everything. The tables below are the rest of those phrase-level readings. The series also works under /v/: Join across roles. Clause /x/ joins have standalone and stand-in readings but no single-item one (clause joins).
Rank: single-item
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…el (zel / …) | closed rank of one | only X matters / X, period; + SHARED scale → superlative (comparatives) |
…em (zem / …) | open rank of one | X first / mainly X; + SHARED scale → open superlative |
…oel (zoel / …) | closed tie of one | X tied for / equal priority to X |
…oem (zoem / …) | open tie of one | X about tied for / soft equal priority |
…oen (zoen / …) | stock tie of one | X tied for (stock / conventional draw label) |
…aem (zaem / …) | open sequence start | maybe start with X |
…ael (zael / …) | closed sequence start | start with X / from X on |
…uel (zuel / …) | closed last place | X last; + SHARED scale → least |
…uem (zuem / …) | open last place | mainly leave X for last |
…en (zen / …) | stock first | X first (stock) / X, as usual |
…er (zer / …) | unspecified ranked member | preferably some X / X as a priority |
Rank: standalone
Standalone e says nothing is on top (no favorite; with a SHARED scale, there is no biggest). Standalone ue says nothing is at the bottom (no least, no veto). Neither says the items are tied (that is oe), and neither picks out whichever is on top (that is zer). Closed -l states it as a fact about the set; open -m says only that you know of none.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…el (zel / …) | closed empty rank | no favorite / nobody's first; + SHARED scale → there is no biggest |
…em (zem / …) | open empty rank | no favorite, as far as I know; + SHARED scale → no biggest comes to mind |
…oel (zoel / …) | closed empty tie | it's a draw / tie |
…oem (zoem / …) | open empty tie | probably a tie / looks even |
…oen (zoen / …) | stock empty tie | it's a draw (stock) |
…aem (zaem / …) | open empty sequence | not sure where to start |
…ael (zael / …) | closed empty sequence | in no particular order / any order |
…uel (zuel / …) | closed empty last | no least-favorite / nobody's last; + SHARED scale → there is no smallest |
…uem (zuem / …) | open empty last | no objection (not naming a veto) |
…en (zen / …) | stock empty rank | no favorite (stock) |
…er (zer / …) | unspecified empty rank | whatever's most important |
Set: single-item
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…al (zal / …) | closed add of one | just X / only X |
…am (zam / …) | open add of one | X, for one / X (and possibly more) |
…ol (zol / …) | closed menu of one | the only option is X |
…om (zom / …) | open menu of one | X (optional) |
…ual (zual / …) | closed invert-add of one | everything but X |
…uam (zuam / …) | open invert-add of one | everything but X (and possibly more) |
…uol (zuol / …) | closed invert-menu of one | anything but X |
…uom (zuom / …) | open invert-menu of one | anything but X (and possibly more) |
…aol (zaol / …) | closed inclusive of one | X is enough / X'll do |
…aom (zaom / …) | open inclusive of one | at least X / X would work |
…ar (zar / …) | unspecified add | some (unknown) X |
…or (zor / …) | unspecified menu | any X |
…ul (zul / …) | closed deny of one | not X |
…um (zum / …) | open deny of one | not X (and possibly more) |
…un (zun / …) | stock denial of one | not X (stock / conventional) |
…ur (zur / …) | unspecified leftover | something other than X |
…un is the stock denial: a conventional not X (a set phrase). Ordinary denials use …ul / …um.
Set: standalone
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
…al (zal / …) | closed empty add | nothing / nobody |
…am (zam / …) | open empty add | nothing, as far as I know |
…an (zan / …) | named empty add | null / void (with items, -n instead names the bundle; see named phrase) |
…ol (zol / …) | closed empty menu | no options / we're stuck |
…om (zom / …) | open empty menu | no pick, as far as I know |
…ual (zual / …) | closed empty invert-add | everything / everyone |
…uam (zuam / …) | open empty invert-add | everything, as far as I know |
…uan (zuan / …) | stock empty invert-add | everyone / everything (stock); + SHARED kind → the kind itself |
…uol (zuol / …) | closed empty invert-menu | anything (goes) |
…uom (zuom / …) | open empty invert-menu | anything offered |
…aol (zaol / …) | closed empty inclusive | all set / nothing more needed |
…aom (zaom / …) | open empty inclusive | nothing needed, as far as I know |
…ul (zul / …) | closed empty deny | no |
…um (zum / …) | open empty deny | no, as far as I know |
…un (zun / …) | stock empty deny | No (stock) |
…ar (zar / …) | unspecified empty add | something / someone |
…or (zor / …) | unspecified empty menu | anything / anyone |
…ur (zur / …) | unspecified empty leftover | something else / someone else |
Yes/no, offer, emptiness, and fill-ask on a lone join: questions. The same series on /v/ and /x/, including its -n forms, is in join-series forms.
Exclusivity and denying a whole list
When English would allow several listed items at once (and/or), stack a then o (ao). o alone is still at most one: closed -l is pick one; open -m is (optional). On ao, even -m still needs at least one of the listed items.
When English would deny a list as a whole (not both), close the list with its own join, then add a u join after it. The inner list is the one item before the u join, so this is single-item not X with the whole list as X. To deny each item instead (neither A nor B), put the items straight before the u join, as in Beginner negation.
vowogal varahal val vul.[[v-walk | v-run | v-and] | v-not]
"not both walk and run." (at least one of them does not happen)
vowogal varahal vol vul.[[v-walk | v-run | v-or-exactly-one] | v-not]
"not exactly one of walk and run." (both, or neither)
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
vowogal varahal vul | neither walk nor run |
vowogal varahal val vul | not both walk and run |
vowogal varahal vol vul | not exactly one of walk and run |
Universals, domains, and generics
When English would say every cat rather than everything but the cat, write ua and put the kind as a shared adjective after the join (zual gagadul). Any nouns listed before that join are leftovers excluded from that kind. The same ua join covers both every K and everything but X.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
standalone zual | empty invert-add | everything / everyone |
zual + SHARED /ɡ/ | closed every-kind | every K (zual gagadul = every cat) |
zuam + SHARED /ɡ/ | open every-kind | every K, as far as I know; English often says K in general |
zuan + SHARED /ɡ/ | the kind itself | the K as a species |
single-item zual X (no SHARED) | leftover only | everything but X |
zual gagadul.[z-everything | g-cat]
"every cat."
The kind word after ua / uo takes no -x: every cat already covers every member.
With a plain verb, every cat acts one by one: zual gagadul vehahel. is each cat sits. For all of them acting together, put collective -x on the verb (vehahelx).
To limit every cat to one place or group (all the cats at the house), add an extra-noun hook for the place right after the kind. With no hook, the cats are the ones the situation is about.
zual gagadul ol bahazal vehahel.[z-everything | g-cat] | [at | b-house] | v-sit
"Every cat at the house sits."
No cat is the same shape with u: zul plus the kind.
zul gagadul vehahel.[z-no | g-cat] | v-sit
"No cat sits."
The same shape with no verb says there is none of that kind (there is no …), like a lone noun saying a thing exists. Keep the order: zodogal zul. puts the dog before the join and means not a dog.
zul godogal.[z-no | g-dog]
"There is no dog."
Not every (zual … zul)
To deny every cat as a whole (not every cat, not all cats), close the zual fence with zul. The ua fence is the one item before the u join, so the join denies that item, as zul denies any single item (fence nesting). The claim is that the cats do not all sleep: some cat may still sleep.
zual gagadul zul vezebal.[[z-everything | g-cat] | z-not] | v-sleep
"Not every cat sleeps."
Where the denial goes changes the claim:
| Agazan | What it says | English |
|---|---|---|
zul gagadul vezebal. | none of the cats sleeps | No cat sleeps. |
zual gagadul vezebal vul. | each cat, one by one, does not sleep | Every cat stays awake (= no cat sleeps) |
zual gagadul zul vezebal. | the cats do not all sleep | Not every cat sleeps. |
zagadul vezebal vul. | a cat does not sleep | Some cat doesn't sleep. |
The last two come to the same thing: if not every cat sleeps, some cat stays awake. Not every denies the general claim, and the last row names one case of the denial.
With zual / zuam, a further /ɡ/ after the kind is a property of every member: every K is ADJ. The listener can already pick out every fire, so the clause does not say there is ….
zual gavahel gahadul.[z-everything | g-fire] | g-hot
"Every fire is hot."
Open zuam makes the same claim but leaves the list of exceptions open, the way -m leaves any list open: every cat, as far as I know. You do not say whether you know of exceptions; you only do not rule them out. English says this as the everyday general claim (cats are sleepy, cats in general). A resumed noun, by contrast, is one cat already in the conversation.
zuam gagadul gezebul.[z-everything.open | g-cat] | g-sleepy
"Cats are sleepy."
zagadul vowogal. zagadur gezebul.z-cat | v-walk . z-←cat | g-sleepy
"A cat walks. The cat is sleepy."
In the sentence after a barl on a general claim, a resume of the kind means the same member, one at a time: zual gagadul vezebal thoyem barl zagadur gezebul. is every cat sleeps if it is sleepy, each cat with its own sleepiness.
With zul the two readings say the same thing: zul godogal gabagol. is both no dog is black and there is no black dog.
When a joined subject shares one thing marked SAME with no /b/, the members are compared with each other: they all have the same one.
zazawan zalahen zal dugul gugol varadal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | [d-book | g-SAME] | v-write
"Azawan and Alahen write the same book."
For English whoever / whatever, use a bare role compound, which names anyone who does it: whoever walks is everyone who walks. Use the agent compound (a) for whoever, and the undergoer compound (u) for whatever.
zual gaxowogal vezehel.[z-everything | g-agent-x-walk] | v-sing
"Whoever walks sings."
Use closed zual plus kind when the claim allows no exceptions, and open zuam plus kind when you leave the exceptions open. Free-choice any cat will do uses zor.
For always, use: bare habitual hual (restrictors).
Plural -x (plurality) is different: it names an anchor plus nearby associates, not every K.
The kind itself (zuan)
English the dodo is extinct and someone invented the megaphone are not about any one dodo or megaphone, or about every one. They are about the kind: the one thing that lasts while its members come and go. Write zuan and put the kind as a shared adjective after it (zuan gododul). The -n names the kind the way it names a person: one individual, not a set of members.
zuan gododul gododum.[z-the-kind | g-dodo] | g-obsolescence
"The dodo is extinct."
zar duan gemegol vobogam.z-something | [d-the-kind | g-megaphone] | v-innovation
"Someone invented the megaphone."
The kind is one individual, so its verb and adjectives stay singular, and the kind word takes no -x. The kind is a known thing, so a further /ɡ/ is a property claim, not there is ….
To choose, ask whether one member could have the property. If none could, the claim is about the kind: no single wolf is rare, extinct, or invented. Wolves are sleepy is about the members, since one wolf can be sleepy, so it takes zual or zuam.
zuan guwuval guyugom.[z-the-kind | g-wolf] | g-rarity
"The wolf is rare."
| Agazan | Covers | English |
|---|---|---|
zual gagadul | each cat in this situation, no exceptions | every cat |
zuam gagadul | the members, as a rule | cats in general |
zuan gagadul | the kind itself, one individual | the cat (as a species) |
zual gagadul + /v/…-x | all the members in one shared act | all the cats together |
zual gagadul zul | the members, denied as a whole | not every cat |
A cause or condition on a zuan clause is about the kind, not each member: why the kind is the way it is.
People in general (oben)
English one, generic you, and people make a claim about people as a rule. Agazan has a pronoun for this as well as the every-kind joins. The generic pronoun oben works like a one-word version of the open every-kind zuam gobel: a default that allows exceptions, not a claim about everyone.
| Form | Picks | English |
|---|---|---|
ehon | the person actually listening | you |
unan | one unidentified individual who exists | someone |
oben | nobody in particular; true of people as a rule, with exceptions | one, generic you |
zuam gobel | people in general, as far as I know | people in general |
zual gobel | every person, no exceptions | everyone |
zuan gobel | humankind as a kind | people (the species) |
For everyone, no exceptions, use zual gobel. As a topic, xoben (now, about people in general) makes the topic pronoun mean one.
Fence nesting
When one list sits inside another ((tea or coffee) and water), write the inner items, then their join, then the outer item, then the outer join. Each join sits after only the stretch it closes. You nest by stacking right-close joins; a flat list still uses a single join after all its members. Clause joins group by position instead (clause joins).
| Pattern | Agazan | English |
|---|---|---|
| flat | zedehel zagavel zowodel zol | tea or coffee or water |
| nested | zedehel zagavel zol zowodel zal | (tea or coffee) and water |
| nested adjectives | geredal gamazam gul gelavam gal | (neither red nor small) and big |
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a wedding
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| ring | erehal | 💍 |
| veil | evewal | 👰 |
| tuxedo | adozel | 🤵 |
| kiss | vegezal | 💏 |
| small | amazam | 🐁 from mouse |
| respectively | wazem | 🧦 from socks: sort them into matched pairs |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| wine | awahel |
| beer | ebehol |
| sleepy | ezebul |
| walk | vowogal |
| punch | vabahel |
| see | vahahal |
English → Agazan
1. everything but wine and beer
Show answer
zawahel zebehol zual.
[z-wine | z-beer | z-everything-but]
2. every ring
Show answer
zual gerehal.
[z-everything | g-ring]
3. (sleepy Azawan) and (sleepy Alahen)
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zal gezebul.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and | g-sleepy]
4. (wine or beer) and a ring
Show answer
zawahel zebehol zol zerehal zal.
[[z-wine | z-beer | z-or-exactly-one] | z-ring | z-and]
5. Azawan kisses first, then Alahen.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zael vegezal.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-in-order] | v-kiss
6. not both kiss and walk
Show answer
vegezal vowogal val vul.
[[v-kiss | v-walk | v-and] | v-not]
Agazan → English
1. zevewal zuol.
Show answer
[z-veil | z-anything-but]
anything but the veil
2. zuam gerehal gamazam.
Show answer
[z-everything.open | g-ring] | g-small
Rings are small. (as a rule)
3. zalahen zuel.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | z-rank/less]
Alahen last.
4. zul gadozel.
Show answer
[z-no | g-tuxedo]
There is no tuxedo.
5. zahaben zaom.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | z-and/or.open]
at least Ahaben
6. zazawan zalahen zal vahahal derehal devewal wazem dal.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-see | [d-ring | d-veil | w-respectively | d-and]
Azawan and Alahen see the ring and the veil, respectively.
Pick one
1. Ahaben, then Alahen, then Azawan. (a turn order) zahaben zalahen zazawan zael. or zahaben zalahen zazawan zel.
Show answer
zahaben zalahen zazawan zael.
[z-Ahaben | z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-in-order]
Sequence ae makes the first item the start; rank e would make it the most important.
2. neither kiss nor punch vegezal vabahel vul. or vegezal vabahel val vul.
Show answer
vegezal vabahel vul.
[v-kiss | v-punch | v-not]
Items straight before vul are each denied; vegezal vabahel val vul only denies doing both.
Fix it
1. every veil zevewal zual.
Show answer
zual gevewal.
[z-everything | g-veil]
The kind goes after zual as a SHARED /ɡ/; a noun before the join is the one left out, everything but the veil.
Advanced
Scope islands
A join takes every same-role item before it. When English groups a small list inside a bigger one of the same role (Azawan and (just water)), wrap the small list and its join in { … }, called a scope island. The join inside the island takes members only from between those marks. One island per clause; material outside needs its own outer join. An island holds at most one phrase and may close partway through it (scope islands).
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zazawan { zowodel zal } zam | Azawan and (just water) |
zazawan { zal } zam | Azawan and nothing |
{ zowodel zal } | just water alone in the slot |
zazawan { zowodel zal } zam.[z-Azawan | SCOPE[z-water | z-and] | z-and.open]
"Azawan and (just water)."
Compare with: an island limits only what a join or an /h/ word covers. An evidential or as-of that should cover several clauses is written or resumed on each host instead.
Named phrase -n
When a list is a familiar set phrase (Stop–Drop–Roll), end its join with -n (under /z/, /d/, or /b/). The -n names the whole list as one title, the way it names a person (titled phrases). Members keep their usual endings unless a member is itself a name.
zebevul zabodel zan.NAME[z-bread | z-butter | z-and]
"bread and butter" (the familiar bundle)
Standalone …an (no items) is null / void. Under /ɡ/ /h/, -n forms join-derived relations; see Join across roles.
Compare with: clause xan is and then, not a named list.
Allowed joins by role letter
A join has at most two vowels. Which endings it can take depends on its role letter:
| Role | Join endings | Notes |
|---|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | -l / -m / -n / -r ( -r only on a / o / e / u) | phrase lists; -n is a named package |
/w/ | none | not a phrase list: the only /w/ before a join word is wazem, with -l or -m |
/ɡ/ /h/ | same series as restrictors allow | restrictors; -n forms are join-relations |
/v/ | -l / -m / -r | parallel -n forms are join-act verbs |
/th/ | -l / -m / -r ( -r only on a / o / e / u) | stance joins on stance words (not because…) |
/x/ | -l / -m / -n / -r ( -r only on a / o / e / u) | between clauses, not after them (clause joins); forms: Join across roles |
Word shape: phonology.
Constraints
These limits apply to every join.
| Limit | Pattern |
|---|---|
| One slot per chain | one subject, object, unhosted /b/ recipient, /ɡ/ stack, or /w/ / /h/ / /th/ unit; hosted /b/ stays on its /ɡ/, /h/, or /th/ |
| Matching role letter | every item head and the join share the first letter |
| One right-close per flat list | nest as fence nesting |
| Shared modifiers | only immediately after each join |
| Phrase -r | only …ar / …or / …er / …ur |
| Verb+object packages | verb-phrase /v/; full sentences use /x/ (forms) |
| Revising one item | in-clause including / rather / instead / except are hooks |
Several manners on /h/ /w/ | juxtaposition (hadehul halahol) |
Compare with: prefix-less al / am / … are hooks. Under /h/ /w/, the unit is a restrictor, not sibling and.
Because / if use /th/ plus /b/ barl. An /h/ or /th/ word between the items of a noun, adjective, or /b/ list does not end the list. For how far an /h/ reaches in a verb list, see VP and clause forms. Each item of a clause join is a full clause.
Practice
Short drills for Advanced. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a treaty table
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| dove | adevel | 🕊️ |
| imprimatur | ezevom | 🦭 from seal: the stamp of approval |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| page | abehel |
| pen | ebewel |
| see | vahahal |
English → Agazan
1. a page or a pen (the usual named menu)
Show answer
zabehel zebewel zon.
NAME[z-page | z-pen | z-or-exactly-one]
2. Azawan and (just Ahaben)
Show answer
zazawan { zahaben zal } zam.
[z-Azawan | SCOPE[z-Ahaben | z-and] | z-and.open]
3. null / void
Show answer
zan.
NAME[z-and]
4. Alahen sees something other than the dove.
Show answer
zalahen dadevel dur vahahal.
z-Alahen | [d-dove | d-something-else] | v-see
Agazan → English
1. zoen.
Show answer
NAME[z-equal-rank]
It's a draw. (the stock phrase)
2. zazawan { zal } zam.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | SCOPE[z-none] | z-and.open]
Azawan and nothing
3. zezevom zabehel zur.
Show answer
[z-imprimatur | z-page | z-something-else]
something other than the seal and the page
4. zalahen dabehel debewel dan vahahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | NAME[d-page | d-pen | d-and] | v-see
Alahen sees “Page-and-Pen” (the familiar pair).
Pick one
1. Azawan and (just the dove) zazawan { zadevel zal } zam. or zazawan zadevel zal zam.
Show answer
zazawan { zadevel zal } zam.
[z-Azawan | SCOPE[z-dove | z-and] | z-and.open]
The island keeps zal on the dove alone; without braces it closes Azawan and the dove together.
2. “Page and Pen” (the familiar set phrase) zabehel zebewel zan. or zabehel zebewel zal.
Show answer
zabehel zebewel zan.
NAME[z-page | z-pen | z-and]
-n names the list as one set phrase; -l is an ordinary a page and a pen.
Reference tables
Lookup grids that restate forms taught above; nothing here is new.
Rare arities and edge readings
Most other phrase joins need two or more items. These edge readings keep a defined sense at every arity, or mix two joins by nesting.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| …ul / …um / …un | deny at every arity | standalone no; one item not X; multi none of |
| …ar / …or / …er / …ur | unspecified member at every arity | unspecified -r |
| …oen / …en / …an standalone | stock empty rank / named empty | it's a draw; no favorite (stock); null / void |
| …ual / …uol standalone | empty invert | everything; anything (goes) |
zobel vs zobel zar | content -l vs join -r | a person vs some person, unknown who |
A B C zor vs … zer | menu vs rank unspecified | any of them is fine vs pick by ranking |
A B zar / zur / zual | among / leftover / invert | some one among; some one other than; everything but |
A B zel vs A B zael | rank vs sequence | A matters more than B vs A, then B |
zedehel zagavel zowodel zor.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-water | z-anything]
"any of tea, coffee, or water is fine (no order)."
For except, use: hook ul / um (hooks). Prefixed zur is unspecified something else. Nest when you need a rare mix (pick one of a closed list, but the pick is optional: zedehel zagavel zol zom).
See also
- Prefix-less revision (including / rather): hooks.md
- Applicability when under
/h//w/: restrictors.md - Fill-ask and yes/no on single-item/standalone joins: questions.md
- Join series across roles: join-across-roles.md
- Titled phrases: word-endings.md