Content clause

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A content clause is a subclause that acts like a noun form.

For example, the phrases in bold here are content clauses:

  1. It's good that you're here.
  2. I hope it won't rain.
  3. That she apologized doesn't change anything.

In Toaq, a simple content clause is made using ꝡä.

Placing ꝡä before a verb starts a content clause, which lasts until it reaches into something that cannot be a part of it. In other words, trying to fill non-existent slots will terminate the clause (Example 2), but adding adverbials will not (Example 1).

Zaı jí, ꝡä bu ruqshua râo níchaq da.
I hope that it won't rain today.

Sua, ꝡä marao íme, ꝡä jaı nháo.
That we dance is necessary for them to be happy.
(Marao doesn't have a second slot, so ꝡä jaı nháo must belong to the outer clause.)

A content clause can also contain a prenex:

Zaı jí, ꝡä pátı bï, bu ruqshua da.
I hope that as for the party, it doesn't rain.

Properties

Properties are expressed in Toaq with .

These correspond roughly to "non-finite" clauses in English that lack a subject, formed using "to" or "-ing":

Sue nháo mí Ana, lä soa já nháo da.
He asked Ana to help him.

Rıu jí, lä guaı tî núokua já da.
I resume working in the bedroom.

Kuaı jí, lä maı sá poq já da.
I desire to be loved by someone.

See the main article for more information.

Interrogative content clauses

The above content clauses are all declarative content clauses. There are also interrogative content clauses — better known as indirect questions.

  1. I know what you did last night.
  2. I wonder whether it will rain.

In Toaq, these are rising-falling tone clauses containing a question word. See the main article for more information.