Serial verb: Difference between revisions

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== Examples ==
== Examples ==
Serial verbs are a very powerful construct in Toaq grammar: any verb with a “satisfies property…” or “is the case” slot can essentially act as an auxiliary verb to another. With other verbs, the result is like “adjective-noun”, or “verb-[[baq]]-object”.
Serial verbs are a powerful construct in Toaq grammar:
* Any verb with a “satisfies property…” or “is the case” slot can essentially act as an auxiliary verb to another.
* With other verbs, the result is like “[[adjective]]-thing”, or “verb-[[baq]]-object”.


Here is a list of examples to demonstrate the sort of thing serial verbs let you express in Toaq.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Serial verb examples
|+ Serial verb examples
! {{t|deq  koı}}
! {{t|deq  koı}}
| can · walk
| can walk
| A modal auxiliary verb, like in English.
|-
|-
! {{t|pu  koı}}
! {{t|pu  koı}}
| did · walk
| did walk
| A tense auxiliary verb, like in English.
|-
|-
! {{t|sheo  fıeq}}
! {{t|sheo  fıeq}}
| regret · inventing
| regret inventing
| A less familiar auxiliary verb: {{t|sheo}} “regret”.
|-
|-
! {{t|leo  kuaq}}
! {{t|leo  kuaq}}
| try to · express
| try expressing
| Many serials correspond to “(verb) to (verb)” in English.
|-
|-
! {{t|jaq  chuı}}
! {{t|jaq  chuı}}
| very · early
| very early
| Other serials correspond to adverbs in English.
|-
|-
! {{t|bu  suaojıe}}
! {{t|bu  suao}}
| not · care about
| not important
| Even negation can be done with a serial verb.
|-
|-
! {{t|taq  loı}}
! {{t|taq  loı}}
| self- · hate
| self- hate
| Serialization can be used to make reflexive verbs.
|-
|-
! {{t|sao  meı}}
! {{t|sao  meı}}
| big · mountain
| big mountain
| An “adjectival” serial verb (adjective-noun).
|-
|-
! {{t|joaı  haq}}
! {{t|joaı  haq}}
| seek · food
| seek food
| A “genitival” serial verb (verb-[[baq]]-noun).
|}
|}


== Merging definitions ==
== Merging definitions ==
When joining two verbs together into one, their definitions are merged according to the [[serialization algorithm]].
When joining two verbs together into a serial, their definitions are merged according to the [[serialization algorithm]].
 
Verbs that are treated the same in this algorithm are said to belong to the same “[[frame#Serial frames|serial frame]]”.


All of the behaviors in the table above arise from a handful of rules:
All of the behaviors in the table above arise from a handful of rules:
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{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Adjective: “describe-head”
|+ Adjective: “describe”
|-
|-
! sao
! sao
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The result can be used as a verb by saying each word in {{tone|4}}:
The result can be used as a verb by saying each word in {{tone|4}}:


{{Example|Dẻq kỏı súq moq?|Are you <u>able to walk</u>?}}
{{Example|<u>Dẻq kỏı</u> súq moq?|Are you <u>able to walk</u>?}}
{{Example|Bủ sủaojıe jí ní da.|I <u>don't care about</u> that.}}
{{Example|<u>Bủ sủaojıe</u> jí ní da.|I <u>don't care about</u> that.}}
{{Example|Shẻo lẻo rủo hủaq cảq jí nháo da.|I <u>regret trying to act more strong than</u> them.}}
{{Example|<u>Shẻo lẻo rủo hủaq cảq</u> jí nháo da.|I <u>regret trying to act more strong than</u> them.}}


Only the first word is conjugated for tone, and everything else stays in {{tone|4}}.
Only the first word is conjugated for tone, and everything else stays in {{tone|4}}.
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{{Example|táq lỏı|self-hater}}
{{Example|táq lỏı|self-hater}}
{{Example|täq lỏı|… who self-hates}}
{{Example|täq lỏı|… who self-hates}}
{{Example|jãq dẻ|very beautifully}}
{{Example|bũ jảq dẻ|not very beautifully}}

Revision as of 00:14, 22 October 2021

A serial verb (or serial) is created when two or more verbs are placed together. This process is called serialization.

Examples

Serial verbs are a powerful construct in Toaq grammar:

  • Any verb with a “satisfies property…” or “is the case” slot can essentially act as an auxiliary verb to another.
  • With other verbs, the result is like “adjective-thing”, or “verb-baq-object”.

Here is a list of examples to demonstrate the sort of thing serial verbs let you express in Toaq.

Serial verb examples
deq koı can walk
pu koı did walk
sheo fıeq regret inventing
leo kuaq try expressing
jaq chuı very early
bu suao not important
taq loı self- hate
sao meı big mountain
joaı haq seek food

Merging definitions

When joining two verbs together into a serial, their definitions are merged according to the serialization algorithm.

Verbs that are treated the same in this algorithm are said to belong to the same “serial frame”.

All of the behaviors in the table above arise from a handful of rules:

Property slot: “merge-away”
leo ___ tries to satisfy property ___
baı ___ builds ___
leo baı ___ tries to build ___
Event slot: “merge-into”
le it is probable that ___
guq ___ is underneath ___
le guq ___ is probably underneath ___
Transitive verb: “merge-with-baq”
cho ___ likes ___
rua ___ is a flower
cho rua ___ likes flowers
Adjective: “describe”
sao ___ is big
paq ___ is a part of ___
sao paq ___ is a big part of ___

Long serials

For more than two verbs, this merging process is right-grouping:

sheo (leo kuaq)
regret (trying to express)

le (haı (luı (ceo guaı)))
probably (already (have (started working)))

Usage

The result can be used as a verb by saying each word in falling tone:

Dẻq kỏı súq moq?
Are you able to walk?

Bủ sủaojıe jí ní da.
I don't care about that.

Shẻo lẻo rủo hủaq cảq jí nháo da.
I regret trying to act more strong than them.

Only the first word is conjugated for tone, and everything else stays in falling tone.

táq lỏı
self-hater

täq lỏı
… who self-hates

bũ jảq dẻ
not very beautifully

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