Property: Difference between revisions

Toaq has grammar to describe a property: you use a {{Tone|5}} [[content clause]] with the word {{t|ja}} in it.

This word, {{t|ja}}, corresponds to the hole in the property.

{{Example|gêanua {{green|ja}} ke tỏqfua|{{green|▯}} lifts up the table.}}

{{Example|Lẻo jí gêanua ja ke tỏqfua.|I try to satisfy "▯ lifts up the table."}}

In English, we just say "I try {{green|to lift up the table}}." There's no word that corresponds to {{t|ja}}. Properties in Toaq often correspond to English infinitives and gerunds.

{{t|huaq}} = ▯ is more than ▯ in property ▯.

{{Example|shêaqsao {{green|ja}}|{{green|▯}} is tall.}}

{{Example|Hủaq jí súq shêaqsao ja.|I am more than you in "▯ is tall."<br>I am taller than you.}}

This example somewhat demonstrates the usefulness of properties. We can say {{t|shêaqsao ja}} to refer to "tallness" or "being tall" in the abstract, and then use {{t|huaq}} to compare two concrete "fillings" of that property.

If we only had complete clauses, we'd have to repeat ourselves and say something like "{{t|shêaqsao jí}} is more true than {{t|shêaqsao súq}}".

== {{t|ja}} is a determiner ==

The "property hole marker" {{t|ja}} is a [[determiner]], just like {{t|sa}} or {{t|tushı}}. This means it can be followed by a verb in {{Tone|4}} to give a name and domain to the hole it creates.

{{t|mîu {{green|ja dẻo}} môıjoe déo}} = {{green|▯ ({{t|déo}}), a child,}} opines that {{t|déo}} is smart.<br>= "for children to find themselves smart."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>{{t|bû dủa jí {{red|mâ hẻ chỏ ja baq fỉeqzu}}}}

Sadly this is incorrect! The {{t|ja}} associates with the nested clause marked in red instead. In situations like these, one is forced to instead say

{{t|lâ ja pỏq bı bủ dủa jí mâ hẻ chỏ póq baq fỉeqzu}}.

Note tha this approach is ''never wrong'' – it’s never incorrect to move a {{t|ja}} into a topic phrase, and doing so reduces cognitive load on both speaker and listener.

The rules of [[serial verb]]s are designed to work well with property slots.

They essentially let words with property slots, like {{t|leo}} and {{t|huaq}}, act as auxiliary verbs:

{{t|leo geanua}} = ▯ tries to lift up ▯.<br>

{{t|huaq sheaqsao}} = ▯ is taller than ▯.

This works so well that you don't see Toaq speakers say {{t|ja}} anywhere near as often as they use verbs like {{t|leo}} and {{t|huaq}}. Once you're used to the rules of serial verbs, they're easier and shorter. But now you know how it works under the hood!