Appearance
Plurality
English they and the Smiths often mean a named person plus people around them, not a counted list. Agazan marks that associative group with optional -x after the word ending.
On this page
Beginner
Associative group (-x)
Without -x, the word picks one person or thing. With -x after the ending, you name an anchor plus nearby associates (family, coworkers, unit, household, and so on). Who counts as an associate comes from the conversation and the situation; on a name it reads as Azawan and associates. (cue: -x ≈ set with the named anchor)
zazawanx vowogal.z-Azawan-x | v-walk
"Azawan and associates walk."
A name already ends in -n, so a name plus associates is -nx (zazawanx). The same -nx also marks a group that has its own name or title (Team Alpha).
To point back to that group (or to a prior person and their associates), add -x after resume -r:
zazawarx vehahel.z-←Azawan-x | v-sit
"They (that one and associates) sit."
A role pointer takes -x the same way: that one and associates, or the whole group when the earlier slot held a joined list.
zazawan vowogal. zaxarx vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk . z-←agent.same-x | v-sit
"Azawan walks. They and associates sit."
To introduce several things of one kind (English some cats), use -lx (concrete) or -mx (abstract). Plain -l / -m introduce one thing. With -x added, they introduce an indefinite group: a set of that kind in this situation, with no anchor and no associates.
zagadulx vehahel.z-cat-x | v-sit
"Some cats sit."
zazawan dodogalx vahahal.z-Azawan | d-dog-x | v-see
"Azawan sees some dogs."
An extra noun takes -x the same way. Here the recipient is Alahen and associates:
zazawan vezebel balahenx.z-Azawan | v-tell | b-Alahen-x
"Azawan tells Alahen and associates."
Compare with: English cats can mean the kind in general. -lx means only a set in this situation.
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| -lx | indefinite group (a set in this situation), concrete | some cats (a set in this situation) |
| -mx | indefinite group (a set in this situation), abstract | same grouping on a -m root |
| -nx | named / titled group | Team Alpha; Azawan and associates as a title |
| -lnx | indefinite group of things a name applies to (one of a name) | some Azawans (beds of that brand) |
| -rx | resume someone already mentioned and associates, or a prior group | they (that one and associates) |
Person-role -x
English we and you do not say whether the listener is in the group (the split between we including you and we without you is called clusivity). Agazan puts -x on the speaker and listener roots. It still adds associates, but who is in the group follows each root's place in the conversation. Speaker -x is the speaker plus that person’s people, without the listener. Listener -x is the address set: everyone you are talking to right now, and not the speaker.
Inclusive you and I is aha (special pronouns). With -x it adds the speaker’s and listener’s shared people (below).
zehonx vowogal.z-listener-x | v-walk
"You all (the addressees) walk."
zamunx vehahel.z-speaker-x | v-sit
"Speaker and associates (not you) sit."
zalahenx vehahel.z-Alahen-x | v-sit
"You (Alahen) and your associates sit."
zahan vowogal.z-interlocutors | v-walk
"We (you and I) walk."
The same roots take the role letter of the slot they fill. As a direct object they are damunx, dehonx, dahan:
zazawan damunx vahahal.z-Azawan | d-speaker-x | v-see
"Azawan sees speaker and associates (not you)."
zazawan dehonx vahahal.z-Azawan | d-listener-x | v-see
"Azawan sees you all (the addressees)."
zazawan dahan vahahal.z-Azawan | d-interlocutors | v-see
"Azawan sees us (you and I)."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
amunx | speaker plus that person’s people (listener not assumed); zamunx as subject, damunx as object | I and my people (not you) |
ehonx | all current addressees; zehonx as subject, dehonx as object | you all |
ahan | the interlocutor set; zahan as subject, dahan as object | we (you and I) |
ahanx | the interlocutor set plus associates beyond this conversation | we all, us and our people (you included) |
| name -nx / resume -rx | that person plus associates | X and associates |
zahanx vowogal.z-interlocutors-x | v-walk
"We (you, I and our associates) walk."
Compare with: inclusive we uses aha (zahan), not amunx. amunx leaves you out, ehonx leaves the speaker out, and ahanx takes in both and the people around you. Nonspecific someone (una) names no group, so it takes no -x: some people is zobelx.
For you and yours (one listener plus that person's people), put -x on the listener's name (zalahenx). ehonx means only the address set.
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a picnic
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| ant | anadol | 🐜 |
| basket | abezal | 🧺 |
| sandwich | azal | 🥪 |
| wine | awahel | 🍷 |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| speaker | amun |
| listener | ehon |
| interlocutors | ahan |
| angry | anegel |
| haste | hadehum |
| run | varahal |
| sit | vehahel |
| see | vahahal |
| pour | vobohol |
| knife | anaval |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan and associates sit.
Show answer
zazawanx vehahel.
z-Azawan-x | v-sit
2. Some angry ants run hastily.
Show answer
zanadolx ganegel hadehum varahal.
[z-ant-x | g-angry] | h-haste | v-run
Also correct: zanadolx ganegel varahal hadehum.
3. Azawan sees some baskets.
Show answer
zazawan dabezalx vahahal.
z-Azawan | d-basket-x | v-see
4. We all (you, I and our people) see a sandwich.
Show answer
zahanx dazal vahahal.
z-interlocutors-x | d-sandwich | v-see
5. Azawan pours wine. They and associates sit.
Show answer
zazawan dawahel vobohol. zaxarx vehahel.
z-Azawan | d-wine | v-pour . z-←agent.same-x | v-sit
Also correct: zazawan dawahel vobohol. zazawarx vehahel.
6. You all (the addressees) sit.
Show answer
zehonx vehahel.
z-listener-x | v-sit
Agazan → English
1. zahabenx dazal vahahal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben-x | d-sandwich | v-see
Ahaben and associates see a sandwich.
2. zamunx vehahel.
Show answer
z-speaker-x | v-sit
I and my people (not you) sit.
3. zalahen vehahel. zalaherx dazal vahahal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-sit . z-←Alahen-x | d-sandwich | v-see
Alahen sits. They (Alahen and associates) see a sandwich.
4. zazawan danavalx vahahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | d-knife-x | v-see
Azawan sees some knives.
5. yol zehonx vehahel.
Show answer
y-question | z-listener-x | v-sit
Do you all sit?
6. zahan dawahel vobohol.
Show answer
z-interlocutors | d-wine | v-pour
We (you and I) pour wine.
Pick one
1. Some ants sit. zanadolx vehahel. or zanadol vehahel.
Show answer
zanadolx vehahel.
z-ant-x | v-sit
-lx introduces a group in this situation; plain -l is one ant.
2. Azawan sees Alahen and associates. zazawan dalahenx vahahal. or zazawanx dalahen vahahal.
Show answer
zazawan dalahenx vahahal.
z-Azawan | d-Alahen-x | v-see
-x goes on the word whose group it is: here the ones seen.
Fix it
1. We (you and I) sit. zamunx vehahel.
Show answer
zahan vehahel.
z-interlocutors | v-sit
amunx is the speaker and their people, leaving you out; you and I is ahan.
Intermediate
Associate-set resolution
English Azawan and them does not say who belongs. Agazan -x is the same: who counts is open unless you say. When the list matters, name the members with a join. When it does not, the listener guesses in this order: a group already named in the conversation, then the obvious group in the scene (this meeting, this household).
zazawanx vowogal.z-Azawan-x | v-walk
"Azawan and associates walk."
If the wrong reading would matter, say so. Use aha or a join for you and I. For not you, use speaker -x, or subtract the listener with the except hook ul:
zazawanx ul zehon vowogal.z-Azawan-x | except | z-listener | v-walk
"Azawan and associates, not counting you, walk."
| Priority | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit join / except | listed members win | Azawan and Alahen; associates minus the listener |
| Recently named cohort | family, team title already in the conversation | that introduced group |
| Institutional frame | this meeting, this household | the scene’s default group |
| Open | no further cue | the listener may or may not be in the set |
For the address set (ehonx), count everyone called by name at the start of this turn, plus anyone still being addressed from before.
Groups as the topic
A topic word takes -x like any noun: xazawanx makes Azawan and associates the topic, xodogalx makes some dogs the topic, and xazawarx returns to the group. The published linkers take no -x.
Verbs (/v/): collective
English they walk does not say whether it was one shared outing. Put -x on the verb (after its ending) when the event is one shared act (a collective act). Without verb -x, a group subject leaves open whether they acted together or separately, except with a counted object (below). Noun -x says who is in the group; verb -x says they did it as one act.
zazawanx vezehelx.z-Azawan-x | v-sing-x
"They (Azawan and associates) sing as one outing."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
subject set + singular /v/ | how they act is left open | they walk (together, separately, or don’t care) |
subject set + /v/…-x | collective: one shared act | they walk as one outing |
named person + /v/…-x | joint doing; unnamed others share the act | Azawan sings jointly (not a solo) |
group-kind singular (the family) + /v/…-x | the group acts as one unit | the family walks as one unit |
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zazawanx vezehel | Azawan and associates sing (together or each, or don’t care) |
zazawanx vezehelx | they sing as one outing |
zazawan vezehelx | Azawan sings jointly (not a solo) |
zavahal vowogalx | the family walks as one unit |
Counts with a set subject: when a set subject has a counted object, a singular verb gives the count to each member (apiece). Verb -x makes the count the total for the shared act.
zazawan zalahen zal vahahal dagadulx grarel.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-see | [d-cat-x | g-three]
"Azawan and Alahen each see three cats."
zazawan zalahen zal vahahalx dagadulx grarel.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-see-x | [d-cat-x | g-three]
"Azawan and Alahen see three cats between them."
-rx on /v/ resumes a prior collective verb (still as one shared act).
Related form: three times uses a number under /h/; always uses hual.
Adjectives (/ɡ/): collective
English the boxes are heavy can mean each box or the pile. Put -x on the adjective (after its ending) when the property holds of the noun's group as one unit. Without -x, the adjective leaves open whether it holds of each member or of the whole pile.
zavabalx garagamx.z-file-box-x | g-heavy-x
"The file-boxes are heavy as a pile (but not individually)."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
plural noun or list + singular /ɡ/ | each member, or don’t care | the boxes are heavy |
plural noun or list + /ɡ/…-x | collective: the set as one pile | heavy as a pile |
After nouns joined into a list with a (joins), one plain /ɡ/ word applies to each member. With -x, it applies to the list as one unit.
| Agazan | English |
|---|---|
zavabal zulol zal garagam | the file-box and the toolbox are (each) heavy |
zavabal zulol zal garagamx | the file-box and the toolbox are heavy together (collective) |
zavahal gagegem | the family is vast (group-level size) |
zavabalx garagam | the file-boxes are heavy (members / plain) |
zavabalx garagamx | the file-boxes are heavy collectively |
-rx on /ɡ/ resumes a prior collective adjective (still collectively so).
For red books, put -x on the noun and leave the color word plain, since each book is red on its own. A character trait is likewise a plain /ɡ/ word, plus hual.
Related form: who is in the set uses -x on the noun.
Compare with: a scale in comparatives is one line, so that adjective is singular.
Vocatives (/y/)
To call a group at the start of a turn, put -x on the call word (the vocative, /y/) after its ending, the same way you mark associates on a noun. That names who you are talking to as an associative group. A call ends in -n (or resumes with -r), so a kind you address takes -n as a title. An interjection (-l / -m) calls no one, so it takes no -x.
yagadunx.y-Agadun-x
"Hey, cats!"
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| -nx | a kind or a title as the group | hey, kids; Team Alpha |
| -rx | prior addressee and associates | hey, you (that one) and associates |
yehonx | current addressees, no name | hey, you all |
For everyone, use: universals (…ual).
Where -x sits
Beginner already used -x on nouns and person-role specials. The rest of the words that take it:
| Word | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
nouns /z/ /d/ /b/ | associative group (name / resume); indefinite group (kind -lx / -mx) | Azawan and associates; some dogs |
vocatives /y/ | group address | hey, cats; Team Alpha |
| person-role specials | speaker’s people / address set | I and my people; you all |
/v/…-x | collective event | one shared act |
/ɡ/…-x | collective property | the set as one pile |
| inner words of a non-opaque span | group reference inside the span | -x on those inner words |
Related form: a count uses a number on /ɡ/ (digitless gral = more than one; grarel = three). -x and a count can combine (zagadulx grarel).
For every K, use: universals (zual gagadul; habitual hual). For the kind itself (the dodo is extinct), use zuan.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a choir loft
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| sheet-music | umuyul | 🎼 |
| heavy | aragam | 🪨 from rock |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| listener | ehon |
| topic | ozan |
| family | avahal |
| trumpet | adawol |
| page | abehel |
| sing | vezehel |
| see | vahahal |
English → Agazan
1. They (Azawan and associates) sing as one outing.
Show answer
zazawanx vezehelx.
z-Azawan-x | v-sing-x
2. Alahen sings jointly (not a solo).
Show answer
zalahen vezehelx.
z-Alahen | v-sing-x
3. The sheets of music are heavy as a pile.
Show answer
zumuyulx garagamx.
z-sheet-music-x | g-heavy-x
4. Hey, you all!
Show answer
yehonx.
y-listener-x
5. Azawan and Alahen see three pages between them.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zal vahahalx dabehelx grarel.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-and] | v-see-x | [d-page-x | g-three]
6. Ahaben and associates, not counting you, sing.
Show answer
zahabenx ul zehon vezehel.
z-Ahaben-x | except | z-listener | v-sing
Agazan → English
1. zavahal vezehelx.
Show answer
z-family | v-sing-x
The family sings as one unit.
2. zalahen zahaben zal vahahal dumuyulx gradul.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-and] | v-see | [d-sheet-music-x | g-two]
Alahen and Ahaben each see two sheets of music.
3. zabehel zadawol zal garagamx.
Show answer
[z-page | z-trumpet | z-and | g-heavy-x]
The page and the trumpet are heavy together.
4. xazawanx zozan vezehel.
Show answer
x-Azawan-x | z-TOPIC | v-sing
Now, about Azawan and associates: they sing.
5. yalahenx.
Show answer
y-Alahen-x
Hey, Alahen and associates!
6. zumuyulx garagam.
Show answer
z-sheet-music-x | g-heavy
The sheets of music are heavy (each, or either way).
Pick one
1. The trumpet and the sheet music are each heavy. zadawol zumuyul zal garagam. or zadawol zumuyul zal garagamx.
Show answer
zadawol zumuyul zal garagam.
[z-trumpet | z-sheet-music | z-and | g-heavy]
A plain adjective after an and-list applies to each member; -x would make them heavy only together.
2. Hey, Ahaben and associates! yahabenx. or zahabenx.
Show answer
yahabenx.
y-Ahaben-x
A call is /y/ with -nx; zahabenx. only says Ahaben and associates are there.
Fix it
1. They (Ahaben and associates) sing. zahaben vezehelx.
Show answer
zahabenx vezehel.
z-Ahaben-x | v-sing
-x on the noun says who is in the group; on the verb it only says Ahaben sang jointly.
See also
- Inclusive we
aha: pronouns.md - Endings before -x: word-endings.md