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Please don't add Derani to this page. It looks very overwhelming/distracting. I want this page to look light. I don't want beginners to worry about having to learn the script first. | |||
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This page offers a point-by-point overview of Toaq's grammar. It can be used as a lightweight learning material, a cheat sheet, or a sort of guided tour through the language. | |||
== Before we start == | |||
* Make sure you've read about the [[phonology]] first. | |||
* Keep [[Toadua]] handy to look up words. | |||
* If you have any questions or suggestions, tell Laqme / ly2n on [[Discord]]. | |||
== Sentence structure == | == Sentence structure == | ||
Toaq word order is "verb, subject, object". | Toaq word order is "verb, subject, object". | ||
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You can also use these particles in the falling tone {{Done|1}} in the main clause. {{t|Ꝡa}} doesn't change the meaning, but {{t|ma}} and {{t|tıo}} are how you ask questions. | You can also use these particles in the falling tone {{Done|1}} in the main clause. {{t|Ꝡa}} doesn't change the meaning, but {{t|ma}} and {{t|tıo}} are how you ask questions. | ||
{{Example|Ꝡa guaı jí.|I work.}} | {{Example|Ꝡa guaı jí.|I work.}} | ||
{{Example|Ma meo súq?|Are you sad? (Whether you're sad?)}} | {{Example|Ma meo súq?|Are you sad? (Whether you're sad?)}} | ||
{{Example|Tıo foı súq | {{Example|Tıo foı súq?|How bored are you?}} | ||
== Verbs and determiners == | == Verbs and determiners == | ||
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{{Example|Chum chuq súq hí {{green|raı}}?|What are you eating? (Which {{green|anything}} are you eating?)}} | {{Example|Chum chuq súq hí {{green|raı}}?|What are you eating? (Which {{green|anything}} are you eating?)}} | ||
{{Example|Gı tú {{green|raı}}.|Every{{green|thing}} is good.}} | {{Example|Gı tú {{green|raı}}.|Every{{green|thing}} is good.}} | ||
== Names and quotes == | |||
To refer to words, use {{t|shú {{small caps|word}}}} or {{t|mó {{small caps|many words}} teo}}. | |||
{{Example|Cho jí shú ‹soaq›.|I like the-word "garden."}} | |||
{{Example|Kuq jí mó « foı jí » teo.|I say the-words "I'm bored" (end).}} | |||
To refer to people and things by their name, use {{t|mí {{small caps|word}}}} or {{t|mímo {{small caps|many words}} teo}}. | |||
{{Example|Pu geq jí mí Sara.|I met Sara.}} | |||
{{Example|Pu noaq jí mímo Ké Nuru Bao teo.|I read ''The White Snake''.}} | |||
== Adverbs == | |||
To make an adverb out of a verb, say it in the rising-falling tone {{done|4}} and put it at the end. | |||
{{Example|Taocıa hóq.|It's unintentional.}} | |||
{{Example|Dem jí cíoq.|I press the button.}} | |||
{{Example|Dem jí cíoq {{green|tâocıa}}.|I press the button {{green|unintentionally}}.}} | |||
This means: I press the button, and '''me pressing the button''' is unintentional. | |||
If the verb can't describe an event, the adverb says something about the subject instead: | |||
{{Example|Dem jí cíoq {{green|fôı}}.|I press the button {{green|boredly}}.}} | |||
Events can't be bored, so this means: I press the button, and '''I'm''' bored while doing so. | |||
== Prepositions == | |||
If a verb is transitive, its adverb form (the {{done|4}} form) takes an object. This acts just like a preposition: | |||
{{Example|Nıe hóq kúa.|It's inside the room.}} | |||
{{Example|Dem jí cíoq {{green|nîe kúa}}.|I press the button {{green|inside the room}}.}} | |||
I press the button, and '''me pressing the button''' happens inside the room. | |||
And again, if the verb can't describe an event, the preposition phrase says something about the subject. | |||
{{Example|Sı jí kíqtoq.|I focus on the screen.}} | |||
{{Example|Dem jí cíoq {{green|sî kíqtoq}}.|I press the button {{green|focusing-on the screen}}.}} | |||
Events can't focus on things, so this means: I press the button, and '''I'm''' focusing on the screen while doing so. | |||
== Speech acts == | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right" | |||
! Particle !! Meaning | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|da}} || statement | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|dâ}} || explanatory statement | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|móq}} || question | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|môq}} || rhetorical question | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|nha}} || promise | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|ba}} || wish, command | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|ka}} || "hereby..." | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|doa}} || giving permission | |||
|- | |||
| {{t|ꝡo}} || warning | |||
|} | |||
Sentences can be statements, questions, promises, warnings, commands… | |||
A Toaq sentence can end with a '''speech act particle''' to indicate which it is. | |||
{{Example|Guaı jí nha.|I work [I promise]. / I'll work.}} | |||
{{Example|Sea súq doa.|You rest [I permit it]. / Feel free to rest.}} | |||
If there's no such particle at the end of a sentence, the rule is: | |||
* If there are any question words ({{t|ma}} or {{t|tıo}} or {{t|hí}}) in the main clause, it's a question ({{t|móq}}). | |||
* Otherwise, it's a statement ({{t|da}}). | |||
== "To" and serial verbs == | |||
To make to-clauses, like "to speak Toaq" or "to create art", use {{t|lä}} and {{t|já}}. | |||
{{Example|Zudeq jí Tóaqzu.|I speak Toaq.}} | |||
{{Example|Chıe jí, {{green|lä zudeq já Tóaqzu}}.|I learn {{green|to speak Toaq}}.}} | |||
This {{t|lä}} is another subclause-starting word like {{t|ꝡä}}, meaning ''to''. | |||
There isn't really an English equivalent of {{t|já}}. You can think of it as a "hole" — it corresponds to the ''lack'' of a subject in English to-clauses. Instead of omitting the subject, in Toaq you say {{t|já}}. | |||
{{Example|Fıeq nháo báq lea.|She creates art.}} | |||
{{Example|Taoshao nháo, {{green|lä fıeq já báq lea}}.|She intends {{green|to create art}}.}} | |||
We can actually make '''serial verbs''', like "learn to speak" or "intend to create", to say the same things without {{t|lä}} or {{t|já}}. | |||
<blockquote>{{t|{{green|V₁}} S, {{green|lä V₂ já}} O}}<br>→ {{t|{{orange|V₁ V₂}} S O}}</blockquote> | |||
{{Example|{{orange|Chıe zudeq}} jí Tóaqzu.|I {{orange|learn-to-speak}} Toaq.}} | |||
{{Example|{{orange|Taoshao fıeq}} nháo báq lea.|She {{orange|intends-to-create}} art.}} | |||
Another serial verb pattern is as follows: | |||
<blockquote>{{t|{{green|V₁}} S₁, {{green|ꝡä V₂}} S₂ O}}<br>→ {{t|{{orange|V₁ V₂}} S₁ S₂ O}}</blockquote> | |||
{{Example|{{green|Shoe}} jí, {{green|ꝡä chuq súq}} báq keıke.<br>{{orange|Shoe chuq}} jí súq báq keıke.|I allow you to eat cake.}} | |||
See [[property]] and [[serial verb]] for more information. | |||