Jump to content

Grammar overview: Difference between revisions

2,037 bytes added ,  14:11, 13 August 2023
adverbs, prepositions
(remove some nerdy details, add a section on "the")
(adverbs, prepositions)
Line 1: Line 1:
<!-- 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. -->
== Sentence structure ==
== Sentence structure ==
Toaq word order is "verb, subject, object".
Toaq word order is "verb, subject, object".
Line 67: Line 69:
{{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 WORD}} or {{t|mó MANY WORDS teo}}.
{{Example|Cho jí shú ‹soaq›.|I like the-word "garden."}}
{{Example|Kúq 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 WORD}} or {{t|mímo 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.