Appearance
Dependents and continue
How a next sentence fills a slot in the sentence before it, how English who / that / which is two sentences, and how to keep the same speech move going.
On this page
Beginner
You already write one clause with role letters and start a new speech move with /y/. This page attaches another sentence, or keeps going without a new act.
Which person or thing (who / that / which)
When English hangs who / that / which plus a clause on a noun (the guard who sits), write two sentences. First say that inner clause as an ordinary sentence. Then use that same person or thing in the next sentence.
zagavol vehahel. zazawan bagavol vezebel.z-guard | v-sit . z-Azawan | b-guard | v-tell
"A guard sits. Azawan talks to the guard."
That pair is English Azawan talks to the guard who sits. Repeat the full word when you need the same person again in the next sentence.
Compare with: a blue dog is still one adjective (gubuhel). Azawan tells Alahen that a dog runs is a dependent clause: that packages the next sentence as content, not as a tag on dog.
Dependent clauses
Sometimes a full sentence fills a slot in the sentence before it (Azawan tells Alahen that the dog runs). That inner sentence is a dependent clause. The person told is unhosted /b/; that… is often a direct object.
In the main sentence, a stand-in darl (role letter + a + -rl) occupies that slot and stands for whatever sentence follows right away.
Put darl last in its slot in the main sentence, and put the dependent immediately after it. Rearrange free word order so darl stays last in that slot.
The main sentence stops after darl; the next full sentence is the content that darl stands for. Do not open that inner sentence with /y/. The stand-in vowel already types it (that a, whether o). With darl, dorl, and barl, the inner sentence names who does the verb (/z/). English often drops that person (wants to walk); write the name again. The one place the inner /z/ can be left out is an instruction stand-in with an addressee (stand-in vowels). Resume -r is pronouns.
That… content is often a direct object, with darl last in the main sentence:
zazawan balahen vezebel darl zodogal varahal.z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-that-clause | z-dog | v-run
"Azawan tells Alahen that the dog runs."
English whether is that same object slot, with vowel o: dorl. The outer sentence stays a statement. End the whole stretch with a period (the outer act is still a claim).
zazawan vahahal dorl zalahen vowogal.z-Azawan | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Alahen | v-walk
"Azawan sees whether Alahen walks."
Because / if and similar use a pole word + /b/ barl. Keep that pair together, last in the main sentence (barl last). The abstract ending on the pole word is always -m.
The pole's role letter follows the clause page. Because, if, only if, and if and only if are your stance on why the claim holds, so they take /th/. Although, while, until, before, after, and so that place the event, so they are adverbs on /h/.
zazawan vezehel thevem barl zalahen vowogal.z-Azawan | v-sing | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-walk
"Azawan sings because Alahen walks."
These poles use -m because they take the abstract sense of the root, not the everyday object. Same root as is that root as an everyday kind (citation -l). Cue only says why the picture maps to the English column.
You can also say:
| Agazan | English | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
thevem barl | because | evel brick | 🧱: the cause is what the result sits on |
thoyem barl | if | oyel door | 🚪: walk through only if it opens |
tholum barl | only if | olul paper-roll | 🧻: without it the situation does not run |
thedam barl | if and only if | edal east-west | ↔️: each side only with the other |
hezom barl | although / even though | ezol zebra | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal |
huwem barl | while (at the same time) | uwel gemini | ♊: two things at once |
homam barl | until | omal timer | ⏲️: stop when it rings |
homal barl | by the time | omal timer | ⏲️: done before it rings |
habam barl | before | abal backpack | 🎒: packed first |
henum barl | after | enul hourglass | ⌛: sand already through |
hogom barl | so that / in order to | ogol goal | 🥅: you act so the shot counts |
A command or request makes no claim, so an if pole on it limits the instruction instead: do this only in that case. English if X, do Y keeps the same order as any other pole, with barl last.
yel vowogal thoyem barl zalahen vehahel.y-command | v-walk | [th-if | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"If Alahen sits, walk."
When English puts a noun after despite (despite Alahen), keep the same hezom pole and put that noun in /b/ instead of barl. The obstacle is given, as with although. Do not write a second concession word. The although pole sits on /h/ (or /ɡ/ on a noun), never on /th/. On a noun host the same pole is gezom. (cue: 🦓 zebra: two stripes, still one animal)
zazawan vowogal hezom balahen.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-although | b-Alahen]
"Azawan walks despite Alahen."
Ordinary zezol is still a zebra.
The sentence after barl has to name an event or a thing, so it needs a noun or a verb. A stance word by itself does not fill it. The one exception is a lone feeling, thanks, or sorry (feeling with no object): that word is already a whole sentence about you, so it can be the sentence after a stand-in.
The time poles take a noun the same way. Put the event or period in /b/ right after huwem during, habam before, henum after, or homam until.
zazawan vowogal huwem bavodel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-while | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan walks during the thunderstorm."
zazawan vehahel henum bavodel.z-Azawan | v-sit | [h-after | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan sits after the thunderstorm."
Until and by use the same timer root. homam until says this event lasts up to the endpoint. homal by says this event is done at the endpoint or sooner: -l is the hard cutoff. (cue: ⏲️ timer: done before it rings)
zazawan vowogal homal bavodel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-by | b-thunderstorm]
"Azawan walks by the thunderstorm (no later than it)."
For as soon as / once, keep henum after and put the haste word wadehum in front of it. The gap between the two events is as short as it can be.
zazawan vowogal wadehum henum barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [[w-haste | h-after] | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks as soon as Alahen sits."
For since (from a starting point up to now), see the from hook on a time. Since meaning because is thevem barl.
When English names the intended outcome of this event (walks so that Alahen sits), keep the same hosted pair as because. The pole is hogom. Put the outcome in /b/ as a following sentence after barl. The inner event is not asserted as a fact (unlike because). On a noun host the same pole is gogom. (cue: 🥅 goal: you act so the shot counts)
zazawan vowogal hogom barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks so that Alahen sits."
When English to drops the sitter, keep inner /z/:
zazawan vowogal hogom barl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan walks in order to sit."
Ordinary zogol is still a goal (the net).
Compare with: although Alahen walks is hezom barl plus the next sentence. Discourse however and therefore are sentence linkers after a finished claim (continue), not although or so that. Whether Alahen walks is dorl, not thoyem (if is a condition, not polar ignorance). The dog that runs (which dog) is two sentences, not darl on the noun. Acting for relatedness is a sake motive on the sake, not an event outcome. A book for a hammer as a swap is exchange. Works for a money-bag (something you want to get) is an extra-noun hook; use hogom when for names a result you aim at (practices for a race).
The verb has no past or future letter. Before / after / while / until place this event relative to the next sentence. Leftover result and former climate are standing moods, not time (RESIDUE / FORMER).
Continue (/x/): keep the same speech move
After a statement, question, or command, you may keep going without starting a new speech move: the next stretch is still a statement if you were stating (still a question if you were asking, and so on). That is to continue. /x/ marks it.
Only the first turn (or a default statement body) chooses the speech act. Do not write yal on the continued stretch: the speech act is already chosen.
A word that glues two sentences (therefore, however, …) is an /x/ linker. A period may close the first body; the linker then starts the next written sentence under the same speech act:
zodogal vowogal. xodum zagadul varahal.z-dog | v-walk . x-therefore | z-cat | v-run
"A dog walks. Therefore a cat runs."
Compare with: /y/ starts a new speech move (a new statement, question, or command). /x/ keeps the move you already started.
Translation practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a guard post
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan | Same root as | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan | ||
| Alahen | alahen | ||
| Ahaben | ahaben | ||
| guard | agavol | ||
| sit | vehahel | ehahel chair | 🪑: taking a seat |
| stand | vazadol | azadol stand | 🧍: staying in place |
| see | vahahal | ahahal eye | 👁️: seeing is what an eye does |
| tell | vezebel | ezebel speech | 💬: saying it to someone |
| write | varadal | aradal write | ✍️: putting words on the page |
| scream | vezugel | ||
| punch | vabahel | ||
| fight | vavadal | ||
| run | varahal | arahal run | 🏃: leaving at speed |
| that-clause | darl | ||
| because | thevem | evel brick | 🧱: the cause is what the result sits on |
| although | hezom | ezol zebra | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal |
| so-that | hogom | ogol goal | 🥅: you act so the shot counts |
| therefore | xodum | odul east | ➡️: the sun’s path, so the talk moves on |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan tells Alahen that Ahaben sits.
Show answer
zazawan balahen vezebel darl zahaben vehahel.
z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-that-clause | z-Ahaben | v-sit
2. Azawan runs because Alahen punches a guard.
Show answer
zazawan varahal thevem barl zalahen dagavol vabahel.
z-Azawan | v-run | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | d-guard | v-punch
3. Azawan writes despite a guard.
Show answer
zazawan varadal hezom bagavol.
z-Azawan | v-write | [h-although | b-guard]
4. Azawan sees whether Alahen sits.
Show answer
zazawan vahahal dorl zalahen vehahel.
z-Azawan | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Alahen | v-sit
5. Azawan runs so that Alahen sits.
Show answer
zazawan varahal hogom barl zalahen vehahel.
z-Azawan | v-run | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
6. Azawan stands although Alahen screams.
Show answer
zazawan vazadol hezom barl zalahen vezugel.
z-Azawan | v-stand | [h-although | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-scream
Agazan → English
1. zahaben vezugel. xodum zalahen vavadal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-scream . x-therefore | z-Alahen | v-fight
Ahaben screams. Therefore Alahen fights.
2. zalahen vavadal hezom bagavol.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-fight | [h-although | b-guard]
Alahen fights despite a guard.
3. zahaben vahahal dorl zazawan vazadol.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-see | d-whether-clause | z-Azawan | v-stand
Ahaben sees whether Azawan stands.
4. zalahen varahal hogom barl zazawan vehahel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | v-run | [h-so-that | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | v-sit
Alahen runs so that Azawan sits.
5. zahaben vehahel thevem barl zazawan dagavol vahahal.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | v-sit | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Azawan | d-guard | v-see
Ahaben sits because Azawan sees a guard.
Intermediate
Reminder:
Intermediate sections assume you have read the beginner sections of every page.
Writing and speech rhythm (periods)
A period closes the sentence body in writing, whatever the speech act. Speech matches that edge with pitch and a short pause. The act word, not the punctuation, sets question or command. ? and ! are tone marks that go before the words they color.
| Writing | Speech | Use | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
. | Fall on last stress + short pause | Closes the prior body. Next stretch still defaults to yal unless a new /y/ turn, a written act word, or yes / no particle sets otherwise | Fall = the claim is done |
Next /y/ turn (yes / no, vocative, written act word) | Pitch reset into the turn | New turn; firm -l / soft -m imply yal / yam | Reset = jump to a new act |
Bare body or hook + body after . | No full reset required | Implied yal (or yam only if a soft particle / written yam said so) | No jump, so same statement |
| Soft statement / soft yes / no -m | Lighter fall; boundary still clear | yam (implied or written) | -m leaves the hold open |
/x/ continue (clause join) | Dip or short pause; no full pitch reset | Keep opener speech act; period after the whole joined stretch | Dip extends; no jump |
/x/ linker after . (xodum …) | Dip into the linker; no turn reset | Keep prior speech act; may start a new written sentence under that speech act | Linker glues; still the same act |
/x/ topic word after . (xazawan …) | Pitch reset, no turn reset | Keep prior speech act; a new topic starts | Reset = the subject changed, not the act |
| Stand-in hang | Dip; no full pitch reset until the last dependent | Next sentence fills the slot; period after the whole stretch | Same hang as /x/ continue |
-l vs -m on the act word / yes / no is how firmly you stand behind it (closed vs soft / open).
Sentence linkers
These words glue one finished sentence to the next (one-way). They are a fixed set of six /x/ words. Each one means its root's abstract sense, so it ends in -m. Beginner already used therefore.
| English | Agazan | Abstract of | Cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| therefore | xodum | odum progress | ➡️: the sun’s path, so the talk moves on | xodum |
| however | xezom | ezom contrast | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal | xezom |
| meanwhile | xagagam | agagam passage | 🕰️: time passing beside the last claim | xagagam |
| next | xevavem | evavem sequence | 🎞️: the following frame | xevavem |
| but | xagezam | agezam blockage | 🚧: the expected path is blocked | xagezam |
| by the way | xavazem | avazem accessory | 🍟: a side dish, not the main course | xavazem |
therefore moves forward from the prior claim; however marks contrast; meanwhile is concurrent passage; next is the next frame; but blocks the expected continuation (harder push-back than however). Those same roots keep their ordinary content readings under other role letters.
Three linkers also take -l for a firm link: the link holds with no room for doubt, on the same strong-to-light scale as other endings. (cue: l ≈ locked)
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
xodul | the next claim follows necessarily | it follows that / necessarily, then |
xezol | the contrast stands whatever the last claim said | nevertheless / even so |
xagezal | the last claim is blocked outright; the next claim replaces it | on the contrary |
zalahen vezebal vul. xagezal zalahen varahal.z-Alahen | [v-sleep | v-not] . x-on-the-contrary | z-Alahen | v-run
"Alahen isn't sleeping. On the contrary, Alahen is running."
No other root makes a linker. Any other /x/ content word sets the topic: -l / -m / -n introduce it (xazawan now, about Azawan) and -r returns to it. -r on a linker is still a resume (the same linker again, likewise).
All of these /x/ words, and the topic words, come only at the start of a sentence: only /y/ turn words or a fronted discourse hook may come before them. They never follow a clause join, and they never open the sentence after a stand-in, because that sentence belongs to the dependent.
A linker and a topic word do not share a sentence. To change the topic after a linker's job, write the topic word as its own sentence and then the linker (Now, about Azawan. However, Alahen runs.):
xazawan. xezom zalahen varahal.x-Azawan . x-however | z-Alahen | v-run
"Now, about Azawan. However, Alahen runs."
xevavem also opens a new frame, like English so, … at the start of a turn: the talk moves on and the topic is cleared.
zodogal vowogal. xevavem zazawan varahal.z-dog | v-walk . x-next | z-Azawan | v-run
"The dog walks. So, Azawan runs."
xavazem opens a side topic, like English by the way, …, and clears the topic too. To come back to the main line afterwards, use the resume hook or … anyway, and name the old topic again (xazawar).
In a new turn with its own act word, the act word comes first and the linker starts the body:
yom xevavem zehodon vowogal.y-soft-question | x-next | z-listener | v-walk
"So, do you want to walk?"
yol xavazem zehodon vewal.y-question | x-by-the-way | z-listener | v-hear
"By the way, did you hear?"
Result (so … that)
Therefore needs two sentences. To tie the result to the degree in one sentence (so tired that he sleeps), put the pole hodum after the degree and the result after barl. The pole uses the same root as therefore. Unlike hogom so that, the result really happened.
zazawan welavam gadadal hodum barl zazawar vezebal.[z-Azawan | [w-very | g-tired]] | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-←Azawan | v-sleep
"Azawan is so tired that they sleep."
zazawan welavam hadehum vowogal hodum barl zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | [w-very | h-haste] | v-walk | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan walks so hastily that Alahen sits."
Compare with: although / while attach a dependent after barl (hezom barl, huwem barl — dependent clauses). Despite Alahen is the same pole with a noun in /b/ (hezom balahen). So that Alahen sits is hogom barl. Discourse xezom / xagagam / xodum glue a finished sentence to the next one.
Stand-in vowels (-rl / -rm)
Beginner used locked a (darl / barl) and whether dorl. Stand-ins reuse the speech-act vowel series (a / o / e / u) to type the following sentence's content: statement-like, question-like, instruction-like, or avoidance-like. Unlike /y/, a stand-in does not begin a speech act; it makes that kind of sentence content fill a role in the outer sentence. They are not joins. -rl locks that sentence as the whole filler; -rm is open (gist / not only that).
| Stand-in | Content type | -rl locked | -rm open |
|---|---|---|---|
a hold | statement-like (compare yal) | darl that … | darm that … (gist) |
o pick | question-like (compare yol) | dorl whether … | dorm whether … (open) |
e order | instruction-like (compare yel) | derl to … | derm to … (open) |
u undo | avoidance-like (compare yul) | durl that not / lest … | durm lest … (open) |
The corresponding /y/ turn makes an assertion, asks a question, gives a command, or prohibits an action. The stand-in puts that kind of content in a dependent slot; it does not assert, ask, command, or prohibit in its own right. You may leave out the dependent /z/ only when all of these hold:
- The stand-in is
derl/derm, ordurl/durmtelling someone not to. - It fills the outer sentence's
/d/slot. - The outer sentence has one unhosted
/b/(the person told).
The missing subject is then that /b/. It is never the listener and never the outer /z/. In every other case, write the inner /z/: after darl / dorl, after any pole (barl / burl), and when the outer sentence has no unhosted /b/ (wants to sit, tries to sit). When the doer is someone other than that /b/, write them too, using resume -r if the name would repeat.
After a pole, the dependent is barl (or barm for gist): because / if / although / so that all use it. There are two exceptions, both with burl: purpose-not hogom burl (so that … not) and thoyem burl (unless). Do not put this family on /x/ (clause and stays xal / xan).
zazawan balahen vezebel derl vehahel.z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-to-clause | v-sit
"Azawan tells Alahen to sit."
The person told is unhosted /b/, so derl vehahel can leave out its subject: the sitter is Alahen. The outer sentence stays a statement. With no unhosted /b/, write the sitter:
zazawan vohum derl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-wish | d-to-clause | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan wishes to sit." Quotes of wording stay spans.
English lest / not to (keep this from happening) uses vowel u: durl. When it tells someone not to act, the person told (/b/) can be the missing subject, as with derl. When it only keeps an outcome off, with no one told, write the inner /z/. The outer sentence stays a statement. Don't sit! as the whole move is still a prohibition (yul), not this stand-in.
zazawan balahen vezebel durl vehahel.z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-lest-clause | v-sit
"Azawan tells Alahen not to sit."
When so that aims at keeping an outcome off, keep hogom and type /b/ with burl:
zazawan vowogal hogom burl zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-walk | [h-so-that | b-lest-clause] | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan walks so as not to sit."
English unless is if … not: keep the if pole thoyem and type /b/ with burl. The following sentence is the condition that must not hold.
zazawan vowogal thoyem burl zalahen vezebal.z-Azawan | v-walk | [th-if | b-lest-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sleep
"Azawan walks unless Alahen sleeps."
The sentence after a stand-in runs to the end of the written sentence, so a clause join inside it stays in the dependent. Whether Alahen walks or Ahaben runs is dorl, then both clauses with xol between them.
zazawan vahahal dorl zalahen vowogal xol zahaben varahal.z-Azawan | v-see | d-whether-clause | [z-Alahen | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahaben | v-run]
"Azawan sees whether Alahen walks or Ahaben runs."
To join another clause to the main sentence instead, end the sentence and start the next one with the join.
Compare with: tells that Alahen sits is darl. Tells Alahen to sit is derl. Walks so that Azawan sits is hogom barl.
Pointing back (-rth)
A stand-in on -rl / -rm holds a slot for the sentence that comes next. To point back at content already said, end the stand-in in -rth: English so in Azawan says so, or that in Alahen doubts that. Nothing follows it; the sentence ends as usual.
The vowel still types the content, and the word stands for the most recent content of that type:
| Stand-in | Points back to | English |
|---|---|---|
darth | the last statement | so / that |
dorth | the last question | that question |
derth | the last instruction | that (instruction) |
durth | the last not / lest content | not (I hope not) |
zalahen vehahel. zazawan vezebel darth.z-Alahen | v-sit . z-Azawan | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
"Alahen sits. Azawan says so."
zazawan balahen vezebel durl vehahel. zalahen vohum durth.z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-lest-clause | v-sit . z-Alahen | v-wish | d-that-same-prohibition
"Azawan tells Alahen not to sit. Alahen wishes not to, too."
The content can be anything a sentence says: a verbless sentence, a denied event, or several sentences chained with /x/. A resume -r picks up one word; -rth picks up what was said.
Other role letters work the same way as the forward stand-in: barth after a pole (because of that) or after like humum (like that), zarth as the subject. Stand-ins fill /z/ /d/ /b/ only; there is no stand-in on /ɡ/ /h/ /w/ /th/. Such is whole-stem -r, and then or so is a pole + barth.
Time poles on a noun
To place a thing in time rather than the event (the walk after the thunderstorm), put the time pole on /ɡ/ right after that noun: guwem during, gabam before, genum after, gomam until, gomal by. The /b/ after it is the event or period, as with the /h/ pole, or a signed count from now (gabam bazazam grawol before tomorrow).
zalahen dowogal genum bavodel vahahal.z-Alahen | [d-walk | [g-after | b-thunderstorm]] | v-see
"Alahen sees the walk after the thunderstorm."
Ordinary zabal is still a backpack.
Translation practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a departure board
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| luggage | alagel |
| departure | vedabal |
| sit | vehahel |
| see | vahahal |
| run | varahal |
| sneak | vezevul |
| tell | vezebel |
| very | welavam |
| haste | hadehum |
| before (on a noun) | gabam |
| to-clause | derl |
| lest-clause | durl |
| that-same-claim | darth |
| next | xevavem |
| however | xezom |
| meanwhile | xagagam |
| nevertheless | xezol |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan sits. Next Alahen runs.
Show answer
zazawan vehahel. xevavem zalahen varahal.
z-Azawan | v-sit . x-next | z-Alahen | v-run
2. Azawan tells Alahen not to depart.
Show answer
zazawan balahen vezebel durl vedabal.
z-Azawan | b-Alahen | v-tell | d-lest-clause | v-departure
3. Alahen runs. Ahaben says so.
Show answer
zalahen varahal. zahaben vezebel darth.
z-Alahen | v-run . z-Ahaben | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
4. Ahaben sees the luggage before the departure.
Show answer
zahaben dalagel gabam bedabal vahahal.
z-Ahaben | [d-luggage | [g-before | b-departure]] | v-see
5. Alahen sneaks. Nevertheless, Azawan sits.
Show answer
zalahen vezevul. xezol zazawan vehahel.
z-Alahen | v-sneak . x-nevertheless | z-Azawan | v-sit
Agazan → English
1. zahaben vehahel. xagagam zalahen dalagel vahahal.
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z-Ahaben | v-sit . x-meanwhile | z-Alahen | d-luggage | v-see
Ahaben sits. Meanwhile Alahen sees luggage.
2. zalahen vezevul. xezom zazawan varahal.
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z-Alahen | v-sneak . x-however | z-Azawan | v-run
Alahen sneaks. However Azawan runs.
3. zalahen bazawan vezebel derl vehahel.
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z-Alahen | b-Azawan | v-tell | d-to-clause | v-sit
Alahen tells Azawan to sit.
4. zahaben welavam hadehum varahal hodum barl zalahen vehahel.
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z-Ahaben | [w-very | h-haste] | v-run | [h-so-result | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-sit
Ahaben runs so hastily that Alahen sits.
Advanced
Lexicalized stand-ins in other roles
The stand-in vowel identifies the kind of sentence content, while the first letter identifies the role that content fills. With -rn (or -n after a stacked vowel), a stand-in becomes a lexicalized name for that content: statement, question, command, prohibition, and so on. For example, darn is a statement, dorn a question, dern a command, and durn a prohibition. Use the same vowel choices with another role letter when the following sentence fills that role. /v/ forms use the same -rn / -n endings for their lexicalized verb readings.
Each content type has one lexicalized form; there is no closed / open pair here.
| Agazan | Dependent content | English |
|---|---|---|
varn | statement-like (a) | state… |
vorn | question-like (o) | question… |
vern | instruction-like (e) | command… |
vurn | avoidance-like (u) | prohibit… |
vaen | accepts a statement | confirm that… |
vuen | rejects a statement | deny that… |
vaon | accepts a proposed action | agree to… |
vuon | rejects a proposed action | decline to… |
vuan | rejects the premise behind a question or claim | dispute the premise that… |
For example, the /v/ word takes the following sentence as its content:
zazawan vaen zalahen vehahel.z-Azawan | v-confirm | z-Alahen | v-sit
"Azawan confirms that Alahen sits."
zazawan vuon zazawan vehahel.z-Azawan | v-decline-to | z-Azawan | v-sit
"Azawan declines to sit."
A /z/ stand-in puts the whole following sentence in the subject slot. With a predicative /ɡ/, that is English it is … that / it is … to.
gamadam zarl zazawan vowogal.g-challenge | z-that-clause | z-Azawan | v-walk
"It is hard for Azawan to walk."
The sentence after one of these verbs has its own subject when the chosen content type requires one, just as it does after darl / derl. The verb’s role letter lets you use the same typed content as an object, a described property, or another role supported by the clause.
Nested dependents
Each clause has at most one stand-in at the end of the main sentence. The sentence after it may itself end in barl, so a further sentence hangs to the right.
zazawan gezebul thevem barl zalahen vowogal thevem barl zahaben vezebal.[z-Azawan | g-sleepy] | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Alahen | v-walk | [th-because | b-that-clause] | z-Ahaben | v-sleep
"Azawan is sleepy because Alahen walks because Ahaben sleeps."