Joins
When English would pack several things that play the same role into one slot (a dog and a cat, walks and runs), Agebon writes those items in a row and then one join word after them. That last word is how you know the list has ended. This pattern of items, then the join, is called a right-close fence. The join starts with the same role letter as the items (z for subjects, v for verbs, x for whole clauses).
Sometimes you only care that the items belong together, with no ranking among them (and, or, not): that is a set. Sometimes you care which item comes first (X first, A before B): that is a rank.
The join’s vowel says how the items combine. It uses the same vowel cues as the speech-act words: a adds, o picks one, e orders, u undoes.
On this page
And-lists (a)
When English would say and, write every item, then the join. Use vowel a on that join: you are adding the items as a group. (cue: a ≈ add.)
The join’s first letter matches the items: zam after two /z/ nouns, vam after two /v/ verbs.
The ending says whether the list is complete. Closed -l means these are the only items, so the English needs no extra words. Open -m means other members may exist: add (and possibly more). When unsure, prefer -m.
zudozol zagozol zal.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and]
"a dog and a cat."
zudozol zagozol zam.[z-dog | z-cat | z-and.open]
"a dog and a cat." (and possibly more)
zuzozen zolazun zam.[z-Uzozen | z-Olazun | z-and.open]
"Uzozen and Olazun." (and possibly more)
vowurel varuvel vam.[v-walk | v-run | v-and.open]
"walks and runs." (and possibly more)
Whatever the join, the whole list fills one role in the clause. A role pointer back to that role picks up the whole group:
zuzozen zolazun zal vowurel. zwazar vuhohol.[z-Uzozen | z-Olazun | z-and] | v-walk . z-←episode-agent.same | v-sit
"Uzozen and Olazun walk. They sit." (both of them)
Right-close fence
Write the items first, then the join. Readers treat the items up to that join as one role in the clause, filled by several members. A flat list needs only one join, at its end.
The join is never optional. Two nouns of the same role side by side, or two verbs, must close with one, because only the join says how the items combine: Uzozen and Olazun walk is zuzozen zolazun zal vowurel., never the two names alone. Two verbs in one clause take the join even with other words between them. The join takes every item right before it, back to the last word of another role. Adjectives and adverbs are different: a row of them needs no join, because each one describes on its own (clause).
Two full clauses are the one exception: the join that starts with x goes between them, so you hear how the clauses relate before the second one starts.
Objects and extra nouns list the same way. Two /d/ objects close with dal; two /b/ recipients close with bal.
zuzozen dudozol dagozol dal vawebol.z-Uzozen | [d-dog | d-cat | d-and] | v-see
"Uzozen sees a dog and a cat."
zuzozen vezuyel bolazun bahelan bal.z-Uzozen | v-tell | [b-Olazun | b-Ahelan | b-and]
"Uzozen tells Olazun and Ahelan."
Choice (o)
When English would offer a menu and ask to pick one, or leave the pick (optional), use vowel o. Closed -l (zol) means pick one of the listed items. Open -m (zom) means the pick is optional. (cue: o ≈ one.)
zududal zugudal zol.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-or-exactly-one]
"tea or coffee." (pick one)
zugudal zom.[z-coffee | z-or.open]
"coffee." (optional)
How many items
The join still comes last when there is only one item, or none. How many items sit before it is the arity:
| Arity | Agebon | Use | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| List (2+) | A B zam | close a multi-item set | ordinary and / or |
| Single-item (1) | A zal | that one item is the whole story | just X |
| Standalone (0) | zam | the join alone | nothing, as far as I know |
zuzozen zal.[z-Uzozen | z-and]
"just Uzozen."
Single-item -l also covers English just in the sense merely: the one item is all there is, with nothing more to it.
zuzozen dagozol dal vawebol.z-Uzozen | [d-cat | d-and] | v-see
"Uzozen sees just a cat, nothing more."
A standalone join fills its slot with no items. In the object slot, dal is nothing; in the extra-noun slot, bal is nobody.
zuzozen dal vawebol.z-Uzozen | d-none | v-see
"Uzozen sees nothing."
zuzozen vezuyel bal.z-Uzozen | v-tell | b-none
"Uzozen tells nobody."
Right after a word that takes a bl- partner, a standalone join is that whole partner, so it takes bl- too. Written plain, it would be the one who receives.
zuzozen vowurel hewom blal.z-Uzozen | v-walk | [h-like | bl-none]
"Uzozen walks like nobody."
Negation (u)
When English would deny the listed items, use vowel u. One item before zul is not X. Two items before zul is neither A nor B; more items is none of these. The join alone (zul / zum) is no. (cue: u ≈ undo.)
gamahum gul.[g-challenge | g-not]
"not challenging."
zuzozen zul.[z-Uzozen | z-not]
"not Uzozen."
zududal zugudal zul.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-not]
"neither tea nor coffee."
Everything (ua)
When English would say everything / everyone, write a standalone join with two vowels, u then a (zual). With one item before it, the same join means everything but that item. Both vowels sit in one word: say them in order, then the ending. (cue: u ≈ undo, then a ≈ add.)
zual.z-everything-but
"everything" / "everyone."
Rank (e)
The and / or / not joins above are set joins: the items share a slot as a group, and writing one before the other does not rank them. A rank join is the other English job: you care which item comes first (priority, favorite, A before B).
Write the items in that order, then a join with vowel e. The earlier item outranks the later. One item before zel means only X matters; before zem, X first / mainly X. (cue: e ≈ order.)
zuzozen zel.[z-Uzozen | z-rank/more]
"only Uzozen matters."
Unspecified member (-r)
When English says something or someone, or one of these without saying which, put ending -r on the join. The join then stands for one member of its list that you are not naming. -r goes only on a join with one vowel (a / o / e / u), not on a two-vowel join such as ua.
| Agebon | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
zar / var / xar | unspecified member of an add-set | something / do something / something happened | a ≈ add |
zor / vor / xor | unspecified member of a menu | anything / do anything | o ≈ one |
zer / ver / xer | unspecified member of a ranking | whatever ranks highest | e ≈ order |
zur / vur / xur | unspecified leftover | something else / someone else | u ≈ undo |
zar.z-something
"something" / "someone."
zeyol zar.[z-person | z-something]
"some person." (unknown who)
zududal zugudal zar.[z-tea | z-coffee | z-something]
"one of tea and coffee."
Write A and B, then zar: the join still closes the list, and -r means some member of that pair (you are not saying which).
When English says some of them or some people, more than one, add -x after the -r. The join then stands for a group of members you are not naming.
zarx vowurel.z-something-x | v-walk
"Some of them walk."
zuzozen zolazun zahelan zarx vowurel.[z-Uzozen | z-Olazun | z-Ahelan | z-something-x] | v-walk
"Some of Uzozen, Olazun, and Ahelan walk."
-x goes after -r only. A closed or open empty set already covers every member.
Compare with: on a content word, -r resumes the last match. On a join, -r is an unspecified member. Standalone -rl / -rm (darl, barl) is a stand-in for the next sentence, not a join and not something.
Vowels and endings
| Agebon | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | add the items | and | a ≈ add |
| o | exclusive choice | exclusive or | o ≈ one |
| u | deny the listed | not / neither / none of / standalone no | u ≈ undo |
| ua | universal; one listed item is the leftover | standalone everything; one item everything but | u ≈ undo, then a ≈ add |
| e | rank among items | A before B; one item only X matters | e ≈ order |
| Agebon | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| -l | the listed items are the only ones in play | (no extra words) | l ≈ locked list |
| -m | other items may exist | (and possibly more); empty: as far as I know | m ≈ maybe more |
| -r | unspecified member of the join | someone / something in the list | r ≈ member you have not named |
| -rx | unspecified group of members | some ones / some of them | r ≈ member you have not named, x ≈ more than one |
The same vowels and endings work under /d/ /b/ (dal, dam, …), /v/ (val, vam, …), /ɡ/ (gal, gul, …), and /x/ (xal, xam, …). Match the join’s first letter to the items.
With two or more items, each join reads as taught above. This table collects the readings for a join with only one item before it, or none.
| Agebon | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
zal / zam | standalone | nothing / nobody · nothing, as far as I know |
zol / zom | standalone | no options · no pick, as far as I know |
zul / zum | standalone | no · no, as far as I know |
zual / zuam | standalone | everything / everyone · everything, as far as I know |
zal + NP | single-item | just X / only X |
zam + NP | single-item | X, for one / X (and possibly more) |
zol + NP | single-item | the only option is X |
zom + NP | single-item | X (optional) |
zul / zum + NP | single-item | not X · not X (and possibly more) |
zual + NP | single-item | everything but X |
zel / zem | standalone | no favorite · no favorite, as far as I know |
zel + NP | single-item | only X matters |
zem + NP | single-item | X first / mainly X |
Clause joins (/x/)
A clause is long, so a join that waits until the end would leave you holding two whole sentences before you learn how they relate. A clause join that starts with x therefore goes between the clauses: first clause, join, second clause. Every other join still closes its list on the right.
zuzozen vowurel xam zolazun varuvel.[z-Uzozen | v-walk | x-and.open | z-Olazun | v-run]
"Uzozen walks and Olazun runs." (and possibly more)
zuzozen vowurel xol zolazun varuvel xol zahelan vezuvol.[z-Uzozen | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Olazun | v-run | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahelan | v-sleep]
"Uzozen walks, or Olazun runs, or Ahelan sleeps: exactly one of the three."
Repeating the same join word keeps the list flat. Switching to a different join word closes everything before it as one group: A xol B xal C is (A or B) and C.
So a group always sits on the left. The set joins a / o / u ignore order, so you can usually move the group to the front. When the group has to come last, end the sentence and start the next one with the join: the join then takes the whole next sentence.
After a stand-in such as dorl or blarl, every clause joined in the same sentence belongs to the dependent clause. A clause meant for the main sentence also starts a new sentence.
zuzozen vowurel. xan zolazun varuvel xol zahelan vezuvol.z-Uzozen | v-walk . x-and-then | [z-Olazun | v-run | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahelan | v-sleep]
"Uzozen walks. Then Olazun runs or Ahelan sleeps."
A clause join never sits on one clause alone. To deny or single out one clause, put the join on the part you mean: vowurel vul does not walk, zuzozen zal only Uzozen.
A join word with no clause before it stands for a clause of its own: xal. nothing happened, xar something happened, xur something else happened, xual everything happened. That join word can also be one item of a clause list:
| Agebon | English |
|---|---|
zuzozen vowurel xam xar. | Uzozen walks, for one (and something else happened too) |
zuzozen vowurel xol xal. | Uzozen may walk (Uzozen walks, or nothing happens) |
zuzozen vowurel xel xur. | mainly, Uzozen walks (that outranks anything else) |
Compare with: a sentence linker (therefore, however) also starts the next sentence, but it is a content word with its own meaning (continue).
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a market stall
New words:
| English | Agebon | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| bread | ebodol | 🍞 |
| tomato | udedol | 🍅 |
| mango | emedol | 🥭 |
| watermelon | owodol | 🍉 |
| cart | ogowal | 🛒 |
Review:
| English | Agebon |
|---|---|
| Uzozen | uzozen |
| Olazun | olazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| pay | varal |
| basket | abowal |
| see | vawebol |
| scream | varemul |
| big | gelazom |
English → Agebon
1. Uzozen sees a mango and a watermelon.
Show answer
zuzozen demedol dowodol dal vawebol.
z-Uzozen | [d-mango | d-watermelon | d-and] | v-see
Also correct: zuzozen vawebol demedol dowodol dal.
2. Ahelan pays nobody.
Show answer
zahelan varal bal.
z-Ahelan | v-pay | b-none
Also correct: zahelan bal varal.
3. not the cart
Show answer
zogowal zul.
[z-cart | z-not]
4. Olazun pays and Uzozen sees a basket. (and possibly more)
Show answer
zolazun varal xam zuzozen dabowal vawebol.
[z-Olazun | v-pay | x-and.open | z-Uzozen | d-basket | v-see]
5. only Uzozen matters
Show answer
zuzozen zel.
[z-Uzozen | z-rank/more]
6. Some of Uzozen, Olazun, and Ahelan pay.
Show answer
zuzozen zolazun zahelan zarx varal.
[z-Uzozen | z-Olazun | z-Ahelan | z-something-x] | v-pay
7. not big
Show answer
gelazom gul.
[g-big | g-not]
Agebon → English
1. zogowal zam.
Show answer
[z-cart | z-and.open]
a cart, for one / a cart, and possibly more
2. zual.
Show answer
z-everything-but
everything / everyone
3. zebodol zar.
Show answer
[z-bread | z-something]
some bread (unknown which)
4. zemedol zudedol zul.
Show answer
[z-mango | z-tomato | z-not]
neither a mango nor a tomato
5. zuzozen dal vawebol.
Show answer
z-Uzozen | d-none | v-see
Uzozen sees nothing.
6. zolazun varemul xol zahelan varal.
Show answer
[z-Olazun | v-scream | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahelan | v-pay]
Olazun screams or Ahelan pays: exactly one of the two.
Pick one
1. a watermelon or a tomato (pick one) zowodol zudedol zol. or zowodol zudedol zom.
Show answer
zowodol zudedol zol.
[z-watermelon | z-tomato | z-or-exactly-one]
Closed -l means pick one of these; -m leaves the pick open.
2. Uzozen sees just bread. zuzozen debodol dal vawebol. or zuzozen debodol dam vawebol.
Show answer
zuzozen debodol dal vawebol.
z-Uzozen | [d-bread | d-and] | v-see
One item before closed dal is the whole story; dam is bread, for one.
Fix it
1. Uzozen and Olazun see a cart. zuzozen zam zolazun dogowal vawebol.
Show answer
zuzozen zolazun zal dogowal vawebol.
[z-Uzozen | z-Olazun | z-and] | d-cart | v-see
The join closes the list after both items, not between them as English and does.
See also
- Prefix-less revision (including / rather): hooks.md
- Applicability when under
/h//w/: restrictors.md - Fill-ask and yes/no on single-item/standalone joins: questions.md
- Join series across roles: join-across-roles.md
- Titled phrases: word-endings.md