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Restrictors (/h/ / /w/)
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Beginner
Use these words when you want to say when a claim counts: only when raining, never, always. They take the adverb letter h (or w immediately before the adjective they limit) plus the same vowels and endings you already use on joins. Time or case words sit before the restrictor. Together they limit when the verb's claim (or that adjective) holds; they do not describe how it happens.
Only when / never (hal)
To say only when raining, list the occasions (times or cases) when the verb's claim is true, then end the list with the restrictor hal. Everything goes in the adverb slot (/h/): occasion words first, the restrictor last, the way a join word ends a list. Closed -l means these are all the times you stand behind. (cue: a ≈ add, adding up the times.)
zazawan vowogal herehel hal.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-rain | h-only-when
"Azawan walks only when raining."
With no occasion before it, the list of times is empty and closed, so the claim holds at no time: bare hal is never. (cue: a ≈ add, but nothing added, and -l closes the list.)
zalahen vowogal hal.z-Alahen | v-walk | h-never
"Alahen never walks."
Compare with: English the guard who sits picks out which person (which person or thing); that is not a restrictor. Bundling items into one list uses a join. Two manner adverbs in a row, with no restrictor, both describe the walk (quickly and quietly): they say how it happens, not when it counts.
zazawan vowogal hadehum halahom.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-haste | h-quietude
"Azawan walks quickly and quietly."
Always (hual)
To say the verb's claim holds at every time, use hual. Bare hual is always. With occasion words before it, those times are the exceptions (always except when…). Open huam leaves room for exceptions you have not listed, as -m leaves any list open: always, as far as I know, which English usually says as usually or as a rule. (cue: u ≈ undo then a ≈ add.)
zahaben vezehel hual.z-Ahaben | v-sing | h-always
"Ahaben always sings."
zahaben vezehel huam.z-Ahaben | v-sing | h-always.open
"Ahaben usually sings."
zazawan vowogal herehel hual.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-rain | h-always-except
"Azawan always walks except when raining."
Sometimes / anytime / some other time
To say sometimes, anytime, or some other time without naming the occasion (no rain, no night), put ending -r on the restrictor: har, hor, hur. -r points at some time without saying which, so nothing needs to come before it. Anytime (hor) means any one particular time will do, not at all times (that is always, hual).
Sometimes is the usual English for har, alongside never and always. It says only that there is some such occasion, as something does on a join. It does not mean often.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
har | unspecified member of the time inventory | sometimes / at some time | -r names a member |
hor | unspecified member of a one-choice time menu | anytime (any one particular time, whichever you pick) | o ≈ one |
hur | unspecified leftover occasion | some other time | u ≈ undo |
zalahen varahal har.z-Alahen | v-run | h-sometimes
"Alahen runs sometimes."
zahaben vowogal hor.z-Ahaben | v-walk | h-anytime
"Ahaben walks anytime."
hur names an occasion outside the times already in play. With occasion words before it, that is a time other than the listed ones. With none, it is a time other than the ones the conversation is already about, as in the reply below. Bare hur only says some such other occasion exists (at some other time). It does not say the claim holds at other times in general.
yol zahaben vowogal herehel.y-question | z-Ahaben | v-walk | h-rain
"Does Ahaben walk when raining?"
yuel. zahaben vowogal hur.y-no . z-Ahaben | v-walk | h-some-other-time
"No. Ahaben walks at some other time."
On the following adjective (/w/)
To say never sleepy or sometimes sleepy, limit only the adjective, not the whole sentence. Use the same restrictor vowels and endings with letter w instead of h, right before the adjective. Occasion words for that adjective also take w and sit immediately before the restrictor. An /h/ restrictor, by contrast, limits the whole clause.
zazawan wal gezebul.z-Azawan | [w-never | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is never sleepy."
zalahen wual gezebul.z-Alahen | [w-always | g-sleepy]
"Alahen is always sleepy."
zahaben war gezebul.z-Ahaben | [w-sometimes | g-sleepy]
"Ahaben is sometimes sleepy."
zazawan werehel wal gezebul.z-Azawan | [w-rain | w-only-when | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is sleepy only when raining."
zalahen wor gezebul.z-Alahen | [w-anytime | g-sleepy]
"Alahen is sleepy anytime."
zahaben wur gezebul.z-Ahaben | [w-some-other-time | g-sleepy]
"Ahaben is sleepy at some other time."
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
/h/ | limits the clause | when the verb claim counts | h starts how / when / where |
/w/ | same map on the next adjective | never sleepy | w ≈ with (stuck to that host) |
Compare with: ordinary /w/ adds extra detail to an adjective (clause). A restrictor on /w/ says when that adjective holds. When a label is marked as this episode, a practiced role, this pair, or a type, put the restrictor (and its occasion words) on /w/ immediately before that scoped /ɡ/ word. The scope says what kind of claim the label makes; the restrictor says on which occasions it holds.
Listed occasions (open)
To say when raining, among other times, end the list with open ham instead of closed hal. Open -m leaves room for occasions you did not list, so the claim no longer means only when. Each listed occasion is one simple content word, and every occasion takes the same role letter as the restrictor (/h/, or /w/ before an adjective). Bare ham is never, as far as I know. (cue: a ≈ add; ua ≈ undo then add.)
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
hal / ham | listed times; empty list is never | only when… / when…, among other occasions · bare never / never, as far as I know | a ≈ add |
hual / huam | every time minus listed exceptions | always except when… · bare always / usually (always, as far as I know) | u ≈ undo then a ≈ add |
zazawan vezebal herehel hanadal ham.z-Azawan | v-sleep | h-rain | h-night | h-when.open
"Azawan sleeps when raining and at night, among other times."
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a swimming pool
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| swim | vezewel | 🏊 |
| sleepy | ezebul | 😪 |
| rain | erehel | 🌧️ |
| night | anadal | 🌃 |
| thunderstorm | avodel | ⛈️ |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| scream | vezugel |
| sit | vehahel |
| run | varahal |
| angry | anegel |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan swims only when raining.
Show answer
zazawan vezewel herehel hal.
z-Azawan | v-swim | h-rain | h-only-when
2. Alahen never swims.
Show answer
zalahen vezewel hal.
z-Alahen | v-swim | h-never
3. Ahaben always swims, except at night.
Show answer
zahaben vezewel hanadal hual.
z-Ahaben | v-swim | h-night | h-always-except
4. Alahen screams sometimes.
Show answer
zalahen vezugel har.
z-Alahen | v-scream | h-sometimes
5. Ahaben is never sleepy.
Show answer
zahaben wal gezebul.
z-Ahaben | [w-never | g-sleepy]
6. Azawan swims at night, among other times.
Show answer
zazawan vezewel hanadal ham.
z-Azawan | v-swim | h-night | h-when.open
Agazan → English
1. zahaben vehahel huam.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-sit | h-always.open
Ahaben usually sits.
2. zalahen wual ganegel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | [w-always | g-angry]
Alahen is always angry.
3. zazawan vezewel hor.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-swim | h-anytime
Azawan swims anytime.
4. zalahen varahal havodel hal.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-run | h-thunderstorm | h-only-when
Alahen runs only when there is a thunderstorm.
5. zazawan vezewel hur.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-swim | h-some-other-time
Azawan swims at some other time.
6. zahaben wanadal wal gezebul.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | [w-night | w-only-when | g-sleepy]
Ahaben is sleepy only at night.
Pick one
1. Alahen always runs. zalahen varahal hual. or zalahen varahal hal.
Show answer
zalahen varahal hual.
z-Alahen | v-run | h-always
Bare hual is always; bare hal, an empty list of times, is never.
2. Azawan is sometimes sleepy. zazawan war gezebul. or zazawan har gezebul.
Show answer
zazawan war gezebul.
z-Azawan | [w-sometimes | g-sleepy]
To limit only the adjective, the restrictor takes w right before it; har limits the whole clause.
Fix it
1. Alahen sits when raining, among other times. zalahen vehahel herehel hal.
Show answer
zalahen vehahel herehel ham.
z-Alahen | v-sit | h-rain | h-when.open
Closed hal says only when raining; open ham leaves room for other times.
Intermediate
Occasions vs a dependent when
English when / if can introduce a whole sentence as the occasion (if Azawan walks). Write that with a pole word, /h/ (when) or /th/ (if), plus /b/ barl. The main sentence stops after barl; the next sentence is the occasion. Use a restrictor when each occasion is a word in the adverb slot; use barl when the occasion is a full clause.
zahaben vezehel thoyem barl zazawan vowogal.z-Ahaben | v-sing | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-walk
"Ahaben sings if Azawan walks."
A listed restrictor occasion can also be a longer unit: an /h/ word with its /b/, or a run of adjacent /w/ words.
Compare with: only when raining is a restrictor list (herehel hal). If Azawan walks is the stand-in pattern above.
More occasions
Beginner already used only when / never (hal), always (hual), and sometimes / anytime / some other time (har / hor / hur). The rest of the same vowel map names exclusive, inclusive, not when, ranked, and leftover readings. /w/ uses that same map on the next adjective or prefix-less hook (wal / wam / wual / wuam / war / wor / wur, and the rows below). The occasion words and their restrictor count as one /h/ unit (or, on /w/, one run of words immediately before the adjective or hook they limit).
zazawan vowogal herehel hanadal hol.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-rain | h-night | h-when-one
"Azawan walks either when raining or at night (not both)."
zalahen vezebal herehel hozezol haol.z-Alahen | v-sleep | h-rain | h-snow | h-when-any-of
"Alahen sleeps when raining and/or when snowing."
Set / invert / inclusive
| Agazan | Use | English (with occasions) | English (bare) | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
hal / ham | listed times; empty list is never | only when… (closed) / when…, among other occasions (open) | never / never, as far as I know | a ≈ add |
hol / hom | one exclusive time menu | either when A or when B (not both); hom also allows or never | o ≈ one | |
haol / haom | any of the listed times suffices | when A and/or when B | a ≈ add + o ≈ one | |
hul / hum | invert the listed times | not when… / not when…, for one | u ≈ undo | |
hual / huam | every time minus listed exceptions | always except when… | always / usually (always, as far as I know) | u ≈ undo then a ≈ add |
huol / huom | any leftover time minus listed exceptions | anytime except when… | u ≈ undo + o ≈ one |
Compare with: hur is some leftover occasion (some other time). huol is leftover times in general (anytime except when…).
Ranked (with listed occasions)
Closed hel ranks the listed occasions: the first one listed is the preferred time. Plain hal means only when these times, with no ranking among them.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
hel / hem | priority among occasions | preferably when A ≻ when B… (closed / open) | e ≈ order |
hael / haem | occasions in order | first when A, then when B (closed / open) | a ≈ add + e ≈ order |
hoel / hoem | equal frequency among occasions | as often as / equally when A and when B | o ≈ one + e ≈ order |
huel / huem | occasions last-first | as a last resort when A (one occasion); several run last-listed first (closed / open) | u ≈ undo + e ≈ order |
zazawan vowogal hamabam hahobam hel.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-emergency | h-convenience | h-when-ranked
"Azawan walks preferably in an emergency rather than for convenience."
One occasion before huel is the last resort: the claim counts there, but only when nothing better applies. With several, the order reverses, as with zuel: the last one listed is the most preferred, so herehel hanadal huel makes night the first choice and rain the last. On /w/ the same words limit the next adjective (wuel / wuem).
zazawan vowogal herehel huel.z-Azawan | v-walk | h-rain | h-when-last
"Azawan walks only as a last resort when raining."
Unspecified-member (-r)
Statement readings below. Asking when: questions.md.
| Agazan | Use | English (with occasions) | English (bare) | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
har | unspecified member of the listed times | sometimes among these | sometimes | -r some member |
hor | unspecified member of a one-choice time menu | anytime among these | anytime | o ≈ one + -r |
hur | unspecified leftover occasion | some time other than these | some other time | u ≈ undo + -r |
her | unspecified first-ranked occasion | at whichever of these ranks first | at the preferred time | e ≈ order + -r |
Under a question, her asks which time ranks first: When's best? With occasions before it, the listener picks the one they prefer.
yol her zahan vowogal.y-question | h-when-best | z-interlocutors | v-walk
"When's best for us to walk?"
zazawan werehel wanadal wol gezebul.z-Azawan | [w-rain | w-night | w-when-one | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is sleepy either when raining or at night (not both)."
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a mountain trail
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| climb | vagayal | 🧗 |
| snow | ozezol | 🌨️ |
| fog | avegel | 🌫️ |
| ice | azahol | 🧊 |
| fall | vadahel | ⏬ from down |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| interlocutors | ahan |
| rain | erehel |
| night | anadal |
| thunderstorm | avodel |
| sleepy | ezebul |
| walk | vowogal |
| run | varahal |
| sleep | vezebal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan climbs either when snowing or at night (not both).
Show answer
zazawan vagayal hozezol hanadal hol.
z-Azawan | v-climb | h-snow | h-night | h-when-one
2. Alahen climbs when raining and/or when foggy.
Show answer
zalahen vagayal herehel havegel haol.
z-Alahen | v-climb | h-rain | h-fog | h-when-any-of
3. Ahaben walks, but not when icy.
Show answer
zahaben vowogal hazahol hul.
z-Ahaben | v-walk | h-ice | h-not-when
4. Azawan climbs preferably when snowing, rather than when raining.
Show answer
zazawan vagayal hozezol herehel hel.
z-Azawan | v-climb | h-snow | h-rain | h-when-ranked
5. When's best for us to climb?
Show answer
yol her zahan vagayal.
y-question | h-when-best | z-interlocutors | v-climb
6. Alahen falls if Azawan runs.
Show answer
zalahen vadahel thoyem barl zazawan varahal.
z-Alahen | v-fall | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-run
Agazan → English
1. zahaben vowogal havegel huol.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-walk | h-fog | h-anytime-except
Ahaben walks anytime except in fog.
2. zazawan vagayal hozezol hanadal hael.
Show answer
z-Azawan | v-climb | h-snow | h-night | h-when-in-order
Azawan climbs first when snowing, then at night.
3. zalahen vowogal hazahol huel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-walk | h-ice | h-when-last
Alahen walks on ice only as a last resort.
4. zazawan wozezol wanadal wol gezebul.
Show answer
z-Azawan | [w-snow | w-night | w-when-one | g-sleepy]
Azawan is sleepy either when snowing or at night (not both).
5. zahaben vagayal herehel havegel hoel.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-climb | h-rain | h-fog | h-equally-when
Ahaben climbs as often in rain as in fog.
6. zalahen vagayal havodel hom.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-climb | h-thunderstorm | h-when-one.open
Alahen climbs during a thunderstorm, or never.
Pick one
1. Azawan sleeps when raining and/or when snowing. zazawan vezebal herehel hozezol haol. or zazawan vezebal herehel hozezol hol.
Show answer
zazawan vezebal herehel hozezol haol.
z-Azawan | v-sleep | h-rain | h-snow | h-when-any-of
haol lets both count; hol says one or the other, not both.
2. Ahaben climbs preferably when foggy. zahaben vagayal havegel hel. or zahaben vagayal havegel hal.
Show answer
zahaben vagayal havegel hel.
z-Ahaben | v-climb | h-fog | h-when-ranked
Rank hel names the preferred time; hal would say only when foggy.
Fix it
1. Ahaben sleeps if Azawan climbs. zahaben vezebal hal barl zazawan vagayal.
Show answer
zahaben vezebal thoyem barl zazawan vagayal.
z-Ahaben | v-sleep | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-climb
A restrictor lists occasion words; a whole sentence as the occasion takes a pole word and barl.
See also
- Phrase lists (right-close fence): joins.md
- When? under question: questions.md
- Former climate (not used to as past): knowing.md