Discourse hooks
English In fact, for example, here, somewhere, and anyway attach this sentence to prior talk, or point at a place already in play. Ageben reuses the same hook spellings, stacked or with -r. Everyday including, in, and Additionally are in hooks.
On this page
Opening a sentence with stacked hooks
English In fact, … or What's more, … adds a point that goes further than what came before. At the front of a sentence, with no /b/ right after it, the two-vowel hook aol does this job. (cue: ae ≈ add, ranked upward)
aol zalazun vezuvel.in.fact | z-Alazun | v-sleep
"In fact, Alazun sleeps."
Opening with ael … gives English For example, …: this sentence is one case of what you just said. (cue: ao ≈ add one sample) With -m, aem … adds among others and aom … adds in fact, and maybe more. No other two-vowel hook opens a sentence: for next, by the way, and on the contrary, use a linker.
zuvayal vowurol. ael zalazun vowurol.z-family | v-walk . for.example | z-Alazun | v-walk
"The family walks. For example, Alazun walks."
Compare with: al … Additionally adds a separate point next to the last one; ael … gives an instance of it. Inside a clause, such as is am (including, and maybe more).
Point back (er / ar / ur / or)
English there, from there, and for it point back to a place or thing already named. In Ageben, give the extra-noun hook -r and leave out the /b/ word: after the verb, the hook points back to the landmark already in play, the way resume -r does on a noun. A hook with -r has no noun on its right, and no phrase on its left to pair with (it is not a same-role hook).
| Ageben | Points back to | English |
|---|---|---|
ar | inside the place already named | in there / in it |
er | the place already named | there |
ur | the place already named, as a source | from there |
or | the one already named, as a goal | for that / for it |
zazozon vehohel el bohehal. zalazun vehohel er.z-Azozon | v-sit | [at | b-house] . z-Alazun | v-sit | there
"Azozon sits at the house. Alazun sits there too."
zodozel vezuvel al bohehal. zodozer veruvol ur.z-dog | v-sleep | [in | b-house] . z-←dog | v-run | from.there
"The dog sleeps in the house. It runs from there."
Stacked extra-noun vowels point back the same way: the vowels keep the extra they named (ael on, aol using, uel through), and -r drops the landmark.
| Ageben | Points back to | English |
|---|---|---|
aor | the face already named | on it |
aer | the means already named | with it |
uer | the path already named | through there |
zazozon vehohel ael behohel. zalazun vehohel aor.z-Azozon | v-sit | [on | b-chair] . z-Alazun | v-sit | with.it
"Azozon sits on a chair. Alazun sits on it too."
zazozon danal aol bebewol varuyol. zalazun varuyol aer.z-Azozon | d-book | [using | b-pen] | v-write . z-Alazun | v-write | on.it
"Azozon writes a book with a pen. Alazun writes with it too."
zazozon vowurol uel bohehal. zalazun vowurol uer.z-Azozon | v-walk | [through | b-house] . z-Alazun | v-walk | through.there
"Azozon walks through the house. Alazun walks through there too."
At the front of a sentence, a resume hook points back to an earlier stretch of talk, not just the last sentence.
| Ageben | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
er … | back to the main line after a side topic | Anyway, … | e ≈ replaced (the main thread again) |
or … | say an earlier point again | As I said, … | o ≈ still A (the wording again) |
ar … | add to an earlier point, not the last one | Going back to that, … | a ≈ add |
ur … | drop the last point | Never mind that, … | u ≈ undo |
er zazozon vowurol.anyway | z-Azozon | v-walk
"Anyway, Azozon walks."
ur zalazun vezuvel.never.mind.that | z-Alazun | v-sleep
"Never mind that: Alazun sleeps."
Compare with: el … Instead replaces the last claim. er … Anyway leaves the side topic standing and returns to the main one; it leaves the topic alone too, so after a side topic the full return is er xazozor …. To go back to a person or thing rather than a line of talk, return to it as the topic (xazozor), which also makes it the topic again.
Parallel chains
To say more than one thing about the same A (including B but except C, or two includings), keep adding hooks after B: A HOOK₁ B HOOK₂ C. Each hook applies to A, not to the B before it, and each has its own vowel and ending. So C is never tucked under B the way English including (B except C) can be.
zuvayal am zazozon ul zalazun.z-family | including.open | z-Azozon | except | z-Alazun
"The family, including Azozon and maybe more, except Alazun."
| Chain | English |
|---|---|
A am B am C | A including B and including C, and maybe more |
A al B al C | A including B and including C |
A am B ul C | A including B, and maybe more, except C |
A ul B ul C | A except B and except C |
Compare with: a list join after the hook is finished first, and the whole list becomes B: zodozel el zogozel zebezel zam is a cat and a bird (and possibly more) instead of a dog.
Discourse placements
Beginner put a discourse hook at the front of a plain statement. It can sit in three more places, with the same spellings and vowel meanings:
| Placement | Ageben | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Before a written turn marker | HOOK yal BODY | The written yal / yel / …, after any vocatives and interjections |
| Before a default-statement body | HOOK BODY | Implied yal (speech moves) |
Later clause under /x/ | … JOIN HOOK BODY | Same as the opener |
Before an /x/ linker | HOOK LINKER BODY | Same as prior talk |
A sentence opening takes only one discourse hook; you cannot chain them the way you chain in-clause hooks. After a written turn marker, a hook inside the body is an in-clause hook.
On a later clause in a clause /x/ join, the hook goes right after the join, before that clause’s body: A xam al B → A and additionally B. Before an /x/ linker (therefore, however, …), it applies to the linker and the rest of the sentence together: al xahom … → Additionally, therefore …. When one connective is enough, prefer plain al … or plain xahom ….
yazozon al zalazun vowurol.y-Azozon | additionally | z-Alazun | v-walk
"Azozon! Additionally, Alazun walks."
The call comes first, then the discourse hook, then the body.
Compare with: packaging a list uses prefixed joins (zal / zam / val …).
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a hotel lobby
New words:
| English | Ageben | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| elevator | ulahol | 🛗 |
Review:
| English | Ageben |
|---|---|
| Azozon | azozon |
| Alazun | alazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| key | egewol |
| sit | vehohel |
| find | vumewel |
| family | uvayal |
English → Ageben
1. Azozon sits at the elevator. Alazun sits there too.
Show answer
zazozon vehohel el bulahol. zalazun vehohel er.
z-Azozon | v-sit | [at | b-elevator] . z-Alazun | v-sit | there
2. In fact, Alazun finds the key.
Show answer
aol zalazun degewol vumewel.
in.fact | z-Alazun | d-key | v-find
3. The family, including Azozon and maybe more, except Alazun, sits.
Show answer
zuvayal am zazozon ul zalazun vehohel.
z-family | including.open | z-Azozon | except | z-Alazun | v-sit
Ageben → English
1. yazozon al zalazun vehohel.
Show answer
y-Azozon | additionally | z-Alazun | v-sit
Azozon! Additionally, Alazun sits.
2. ael zahelan vehohel.
Show answer
for.example | z-Ahelan | v-sit
For example, Ahelan sits.
3. zalazun vehohel er.
Show answer
z-Alazun | v-sit | there
Alazun sits there.
Pick one
1. Anyway, Alazun sits. er zalazun vehohel. or el zalazun vehohel.
Show answer
er zalazun vehohel.
anyway | z-Alazun | v-sit
er goes back to the main line; el would replace the last claim (Instead).
Fix it
1. In fact, Alazun sits. al zalazun vehohel.
Show answer
aol zalazun vehohel.
in.fact | z-Alazun | v-sit
al adds a separate point (Additionally); aol goes further (In fact).
See also
- Everyday hooks: hooks.md
- Sentence linkers: dependents.md
- The topic pronoun: topic.md