Collectives
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Associate-set resolution
English Azozon and them does not say who belongs. Ageben -x is the same: who counts is open unless you say. When the list matters, name the members with a join. When it does not, the listener guesses in this order: a group already named in the conversation, then the obvious group in the scene (this meeting, this household).
zazozonx vowurol.z-Azozon-x | v-walk
"Azozon and associates walk."
If the wrong reading would matter, say so. Use aya or a join for you and I. For not you, use speaker -x, or subtract the listener with the except hook ul:
zazozonx ul zawan vowurol.z-Azozon-x | except | z-listener | v-walk
"Azozon and associates, not counting you, walk."
| Priority | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit join / except | listed members win | Azozon and Alazun; associates minus the listener |
| Recently named cohort | family, team title already in the conversation | that introduced group |
| Institutional frame | this meeting, this household | the scene’s default group |
| Open | no further cue | the listener may or may not be in the set |
For the address set (awanx), count everyone called by name at the start of this turn, plus anyone still being addressed from before.
Groups as the topic
A topic word takes -x like any noun: xazozonx makes Azozon and associates the topic, xodozelx makes some dogs the topic, and xazozorx returns to the group. The published linkers take no -x.
Verbs (/v/): collective
English they walk does not say whether it was one shared outing. Put -x on the verb (after its ending) when the event is one shared act (a collective act). Without verb -x, a group subject leaves open whether they acted together or separately, except with a counted object (below). Noun -x says who is in the group; verb -x says they did it as one act.
zazozonx vozuyelx.z-Azozon-x | v-sing-x
"They sing as one performance." (Azozon and associates)
| Ageben | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
subject set + singular /v/ | how they act is left open | they walk (together, separately, or don’t care) |
subject set + /v/…-x | collective: one shared act | they walk as one outing |
named person + /v/…-x | joint doing; unnamed others share the act | Azozon sings jointly (not a solo) |
group-kind singular (the family) + /v/…-x | the group acts as one unit | the family walks as one unit |
| Ageben | English |
|---|---|
zazozonx vozuyel | Azozon and associates sing (together or each, or don’t care) |
zazozonx vozuyelx | they sing as one performance |
zazozon vozuyelx | Azozon sings jointly (not a solo) |
zuvayal vowurolx | the family walks as one unit |
A /v/ join word is a verb too, so it takes the same -x: zayan varx. is we do something together, and zayan valx. is we do nothing together.
Counts with a set subject: when a set subject has a counted object, a singular verb gives the count to each member (apiece). Verb -x makes the count the total for the shared act.
zazozon zalazun zal vayebel dogozelx gragel.[z-Azozon | z-Alazun | z-and] | v-see | [d-cat-x | g-three]
"Azozon and Alazun each see three cats."
zazozon zalazun zal vayebelx dogozelx gragel.[z-Azozon | z-Alazun | z-and] | v-see-x | [d-cat-x | g-three]
"Azozon and Alazun see three cats between them."
-rx on /v/ resumes a prior collective verb (still as one shared act).
Related form: three times uses a number under /h/; always uses hual.
Adjectives (/ɡ/): collective
English the boxes are heavy can mean each box or the pile. Put -x on the adjective (after its ending) when the property holds of the noun's group as one unit. Without -x, the adjective leaves open whether it holds of each member or of the whole pile. With -x, a pile can be heavy when no single box is.
zavonalx garolemx.z-file-box-x | g-heavy-x
"The file-boxes are heavy as a pile." (but not individually)
| Ageben | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
plural noun or list + singular /ɡ/ | each member, or don’t care | the boxes are heavy |
plural noun or list + /ɡ/…-x | collective: the set as one pile | heavy as a pile |
After nouns joined into a list with a (joins), one plain /ɡ/ word applies to each member. With -x, it applies to the list as one unit.
| Ageben | English |
|---|---|
zavonal zuwal zal garolem | the file-box and the tool are each heavy |
zavonal zuwal zal garolemx | the file-box and the tool are heavy together (collective) |
zuvayal gagalam | the family is vast (group-level size) |
zavonalx garolem | the file-boxes are heavy (members / plain) |
zavonalx garolemx | the file-boxes are heavy collectively |
-rx on /ɡ/ resumes a prior collective adjective (still collectively so).
For red books, put -x on the noun and leave the color word plain, since each book is red on its own. A character trait is likewise a plain /ɡ/ word, plus hual.
Related form: who is in the set uses -x on the noun.
Compare with: a scale in comparatives is one line, so that adjective is singular.
Vocatives (/y/)
To call a group at the start of a turn, put -x on the call word (the vocative, /y/) after its ending, the same way you mark associates on a noun. That names who you are talking to as an associative group. A call ends in -n (or resumes with -r), so a kind you address takes -n as a title. An interjection (-l / -m) calls no one, so it takes no -x.
yogozenx.y-Ogozen-x
"Hey, cats!"
| Ageben | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
| -nx | a kind or a title as the group | hey, kids; Team Alpha |
| -rx | prior addressee and associates | hey, you (that one) and associates |
yawanx | current addressees, no name | hey, you all |
Where -x sits
Beginner already used -x on nouns and person-role specials. The rest of the words that take it:
| Word | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
nouns /z/ /d/ /b/ | associative group (name / resume); indefinite group (kind -lx / -mx) | Azozon and associates; some dogs |
vocatives /y/ | group address | hey, cats; Team Alpha |
| person-role specials | speaker’s people / address set | I and my people; you all |
join -rx (zarx) | unnamed group of members | some ones / some of them |
/v/…-x | collective event | one shared act |
/ɡ/…-x | collective property | the set as one pile |
| inner words of a non-opaque span | group reference inside the span | -x on those inner words |
Related form: a count uses a number on /ɡ/ (digitless gral = more than one; gragel = three). -x and a count can combine (zogozelx gragel).
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a choir loft
New words:
| English | Ageben | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| sheet-music | ehorol | 🎼 |
| heavy | arolem | 🪨 from rock |
Review:
| English | Ageben |
|---|---|
| Azozon | azozon |
| Alazun | alazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| listener | awan |
| topic | alen |
| family | uvayal |
| trumpet | adorol |
| page | obonol |
| sing | vozuyel |
| see | vayebel |
English → Ageben
1. They sing as one performance. (Azozon and associates)
Show answer
zazozonx vozuyelx.
z-Azozon-x | v-sing-x
2. Alazun sings jointly. (not a solo)
Show answer
zalazun vozuyelx.
z-Alazun | v-sing-x
3. The sheets of music are heavy as a pile.
Show answer
zehorolx garolemx.
z-sheet-music-x | g-heavy-x
4. Hey, you all!
Show answer
yawanx.
y-listener-x
5. Azozon and Alazun see three pages between them.
Show answer
zazozon zalazun zal vayebelx dobonolx gragel.
[z-Azozon | z-Alazun | z-and] | v-see-x | [d-page-x | g-three]
6. Ahelan and associates, not counting you, sing.
Show answer
zahelanx ul zawan vozuyel.
z-Ahelan-x | except | z-listener | v-sing
Ageben → English
1. zuvayal vozuyelx.
Show answer
z-family | v-sing-x
The family sings as one unit.
2. zalazun zahelan zal vayebel dehorolx gradol.
Show answer
[z-Alazun | z-Ahelan | z-and] | v-see | [d-sheet-music-x | g-two]
Alazun and Ahelan each see two sheets of music.
3. zobonol zadorol zal garolemx.
Show answer
[z-page | z-trumpet | z-and | g-heavy-x]
The page and the trumpet are heavy together.
4. xazozonx zalen vozuyel.
Show answer
x-Azozon-x | z-TOPIC | v-sing
Now, about Azozon and associates: they sing.
5. yalazunx.
Show answer
y-Alazun-x
Hey, Alazun and associates!
6. zehorolx garolem.
Show answer
z-sheet-music-x | g-heavy
The sheets of music are heavy. (each one or the whole pile, not said which)
Pick one
1. The trumpet and the sheet music are each heavy. zadorol zehorol zal garolem. or zadorol zehorol zal garolemx.
Show answer
zadorol zehorol zal garolem.
[z-trumpet | z-sheet-music | z-and | g-heavy]
A plain adjective after an and-list applies to each member; -x would make them heavy only together.
2. Hey, Ahelan and associates! yahelanx. or zahelanx.
Show answer
yahelanx.
y-Ahelan-x
A call is /y/ with -nx; zahelanx. only says Ahelan and associates are there.
Fix it
1. They sing. (Ahelan and associates) zahelan vozuyelx.
Show answer
zahelanx vozuyel.
z-Ahelan-x | v-sing
-x on the noun says who is in the group; on the verb it only says Ahelan sang jointly.