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Join across roles
The same join vowel series works across roles: /v/ packages verb phrases, /x/ connects clauses, and -n under /v/, /ɡ/, or /h/ makes join-derived content words. This page covers those forms together. Phrase fences and their set, rank, arity, and scope patterns are in joins.
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Intermediate
Sequence (-n, clause only)
When English would walk through events in time (and then), put ending -n on a clause continue join (/x/). Narrative and then is xan. Like every clause join, it goes between the clauses: A xan B xan C reads one step at a time. The clauses keep one speech act; this -n orders them rather than naming a person.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
xan | sequence add | and then… | a ≈ add |
xon | sequence menu | or maybe…; after an attempt, failing that… | o ≈ one |
xun | sequence deny | and then not… | u ≈ undo |
xaon | sequence inclusive | and/or maybe… | ao ≈ add then one |
The /x/ forms are clause joins; -n under /v/, /ɡ/, and /h/ makes join-derived content words. See join-act verbs and join-relations for those forms. Ordinary content -n still names a person or titled frame.
Verb-phrase and clause forms
Joins already used vam and xam. The same vowels and -l / -m / -r endings work under /v/, /x/, and stance /th/ (stance joins). Clause -n forms are in Sequence; /v/ -n forms are join-act verbs.
| -l | -m | -r | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | val / xal / thal | vam / xam / tham | var / xar / thar |
| o | vol / xol / thol | vom / xom / thom | vor / xor / thor |
| u | vul / xul / thul | vum / xum / thum | vur / xur / thur |
| ao | vaol / xaol / thaol | vaom / xaom / thaom | — |
| ua | vual / xual / thual | vuam / xuam / thuam | — |
| uo | vuol / xuol / thuol | vuom / xuom / thuom | — |
| e | vel / xel / thel | vem / xem / them | ver / xer / ther |
| ae | vael / xael / thael | vaem / xaem / thaem | — |
| oe | voel / xoel / thoel | voem / xoem / thoem | — |
| ue | vuel / xuel / thuel | vuem / xuem / thuem | — |
Stacked vowels take no -r under /v/ or /x/ (the — cells); only a stance join has stacked -r, as a fill-ask.
Each verb-phrase item is a verb plus its own object material, and an item runs up to and including its verb: words before a verb belong to that verb. In vowogal hadehum varahal val, hastily is on run, not walk. When every item is a bare verb, a /d/ immediately after the join is SHARED over all verbs: vahahal vabovul vam dabovul → sees and tempts an apple.
An adverb /h/ before the verb-phrase stretch, or in SHARED after the join, covers every item. /h/ inside an item covers that verb phrase only.
zazawan dababol vugugel vehahel hugem bavahel val.z-Azawan | d-popcorn | v-cooking | v-sit | [h-around | b-fire] | v-none
"Azawan cooked popcorn and sat around the fire."
zazawan vowogal varahal val hahegem.z-Azawan | [v-walk | v-run | v-and | h-intensity]
"Azawan walks and runs, both intensely."
A rank join on verb phrases puts the acts in order of priority, so the earlier act is the one preferred: would rather walk than run.
zazawan vowogal varahal vel.z-Azawan | [v-walk | v-run | v-rank/more]
"Azawan would rather walk than run."
Nothing is SHARED after a clause (/x/) join; each clause carries its own words.
Sequence oe keeps its phrase meaning in both roles: the first item is where you start. Under /v/ it is one subject doing steps in order; under /x/ it fences a list of steps whose order is part of the message (a recipe, directions). Standalone xoel says the steps can go in any order.
zazawan vowogal varahal voel.z-Azawan | [v-walk | v-run | v-in-order]
"Azawan walks, then runs."
Compare with: clause xan (sequence) tells what happened next, one step at a time. xoel makes the order part of the claim (a recipe, directions): A xoel B xoel C says these steps go in this order.
A clause join with no clause before it is the standalone reading, like zal nothing: xal is nothing happened, and xam hedges it.
xam.x-and.open
"Nothing happened, as far as I know."
/x/ keeps the same speech act. Later clauses inherit the opener and omit /y/ (including recoverable yal).
zazawan vowogal xan zalahen varahal.[z-Azawan | v-walk | x-and-then | z-Alahen | v-run]
"Azawan walks and then Alahen runs."
zazawan vowogal xol zalahen varahal xal zahaben vezebal.[[z-Azawan | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Alahen | v-run] | x-and | z-Ahaben | v-sleep]
"(Azawan walks or Alahen runs) and Ahaben sleeps."
Stance joins
When English would deny or weigh how you stand toward a claim (not because…, either I saw it or I was told), close the stance words with a /th/ join. The claim itself is untouched; the join works only on the stance words before it. (cue: same vowels as every other join.)
zazawan vowogal thevem berehel thul.z-Azawan | v-walk | [th-because | b-rain] | th-not
"Azawan walks, but not because of the rain."
zazawan vowogal thevom thewam thol.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-WITNESSED | th-TOLD | th-or-exactly-one
"Azawan walks: I either saw it or was told, one of the two."
The other join vowels work on stance words the same way they work on a phrase list (recap). A rank join says which ground carries the weight; the first stance word is the main one.
zazawan vowogal thevom thewam thel.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-WITNESSED | th-TOLD | th-rank/more
"Azawan walks: I mainly saw it, and I was also told."
| Vowel | After stance words | Example reading |
|---|---|---|
| ao | thaol open list of grounds | I saw it, I was told, and maybe more |
| ua | thual every ground but these | on every ground but sight and hearsay |
| uo | thuol any ground but these | any ground but sight and hearsay will do |
| e | thel ranked, first is the main ground | mainly because I saw it, also because I was told |
| ae | thael equal weight | seeing it and being told count the same |
| oe | thoel in the order the grounds arose | I saw it first, then I was told |
| ue | thuel ranked, first is the weakest | chiefly because I was told, a little because I saw it |
Nothing is SHARED after an /h/ or /th/ join. To grade the whole list at once, put a /w/ detail immediately before the join word.
Compare with: Azawan does not walk denies the event, so the join goes on the verb (vowogal vul), not on /th/.
Standalone stance joins
When English would say how to take a claim without naming any grounds (at face value, no judgment, all things considered), put a /th/ join with no stance words before it. It works like standalone zal nothing: the list of stance words is empty, and the join says what that empty stance means. The claim itself is untouched. (cue: same vowels as every other join.)
zazawan vowogal thul.z-Azawan | v-walk | th-not
"Azawan walks. No judgment."
In the table, reason means any grounds a stance word can give: a cause, a source, a likelihood, or a value.
| Vowel | -l | -m | -r |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | thal at face value | tham I don't think there's more to it | thar for reasons I'm not stating |
| o | thol no single reason to pick | thom I'm not sure which reason it is | thor for some reason or other |
| u | thul no judgment | thum not weighing in | thur not for the reason you'd think |
| ao | thaol take it however you like | thaom any framing is fine, I think | question only |
| ua | thual all things considered | thuam all known things considered | question only |
| uo | thuol anything goes | thuom anything goes, I think | question only |
| e | thel impartially / no decisive grounds | them I don't lean either way | ther for one main reason, not named |
| ae | thael equally balanced | thaem equally balanced, I think | question only |
| oe | thoel in no particular order | thoem not sure where to start | question only |
| ue | thuel no reason to object | thuem no objection that I know of | question only |
Outside a question, only the single-vowel -r cells are words. Under a question, a standalone -r stance join is a fill-ask for the grounds. Every vowel takes -r there.
yol zazawan vowogal thar.y-question | z-Azawan | v-walk | th-why
"On what grounds do you say Azawan walks?"
| Word | Question |
|---|---|
thar | Why do you say so? / On what grounds? |
thor | For any reason? |
thur | On what other grounds? |
thaor | How do you want me to take this? |
thuar | What's your overall take? |
thuor | What reasons would you rule out? |
ther | What's the main reason? |
thaer | What are you torn between? |
thoer | What would settle it? |
thuer | What's your objection? |
Compare with: thul no judgment withholds any stance; a no chance stance number is a stance that the claim is false. thar asks for the speaker's grounds, not what caused the event; for Why does it happen? use thevem bar.
Join-act verbs
When someone does a list move to a thing (includes, chooses, leaves out), write that move as a verb: first letter v, the same join vowel you already use on lists, and ending -n (van, von, …). The object is one /d/ phrase: one thing, or a group packed with a phrase join. You can now name the act itself instead of only packing a list. On these verbs, -n is join content, not a proper name. Put ordinary noun -x on the object when the group is associative; verb -x is collective.
zazawan dabovul van.z-Azawan | d-apple | v-includes
"Azawan includes/adds an apple."
Related form: packaging a list uses joins (zal / val / xal, …).
Compare with: and then between sentences uses clause sequence (xan, …), not van.
| Clause sequence | Join-act verb | Shared vowel move |
|---|---|---|
xan | van | add / include |
xon | von | one / choose |
xun | vun | undo / refuse |
The /x/ forms connect clauses and keep one speech act. Their /v/ counterparts take an object and name an act on it. Prioritizing (ven) and the stacked /v/ forms have no clause sequence; they follow the same series in the inventory below.
These are ordinary content verbs. Point back at a join-act you already used with a resume or a full paraphrase. Stacked vowels combine the same four moves (a / o / e / u):
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
van | hold the object in the set | includes / adds | a ≈ add (hold / inventory) | zazawan dabovul van |
von | lock the object as the sole pick | chooses (as the one choice) | o ≈ one (single pick) | zazawan dedehel von |
vaon | admit the object; more may follow | picks (more picks may follow) | ao ≈ add + one (open pick) | zazawan dagubem vaon |
vun | reject the object | denies / refuses | u ≈ undo (take that member back) | zazawan dalahal vun |
vuan | leave the object out of the set | excludes | ua ≈ undo + add (cut that member) | zazawan debeyal vuan |
vuon | bar that one; the rest stay free | bars (anything but) | uo ≈ undo + one (forbid that pick) | zazawan dagavel vuon |
ven | rank the object first | prioritizes | e ≈ order (put this first) | zazawan dabogal ven |
vaen | put the objects at the same rank | equates / ties | ae ≈ add + order (same height) | zazawan dalahen dahaben dal vaen |
voen | put the object first in order | starts with | oe ≈ one + order (begin here) | zazawan derevum voen |
vuen | rank the object lower | deprioritizes | ue ≈ undo + order (drop this rank) | zazawan dagubem vuen |
English refuse vs leave out: zazawan demedol vun (Azawan refuses meat) vs zazawan demedol vuan (Azawan excludes meat). One locked choice vs an open pick: zazawan debeyal von vs zazawan debeyal vaon. Rank vs sequence: zazawan derevum ven (prioritizes the workaround: first by importance) vs zazawan derevum voen (starts with the workaround: first in order).
Join-relations
When a noun or event is framed toward something (cake with peanuts, walk without meat, work prioritizing the bug), write the frame as an adjective or adverb: first letter g or h, the same join vowel as join-act verbs, and ending -n (gan / han, …), plus one /b/ argument. Keep that pair together (gan + /b/ on a noun; han + /b/ as one adverb). You can now attach including / without / prioritizing to a host without building a new list. On these words too, -n is join content toward /b/. Put ordinary noun -x on the argument when the group is associative.
zebeval gan bebeyal.z-birthday | [g-including | b-peanut]
"Cake including / with peanuts."
Content including needs that /b/ (gan b…). A stock label uses a mention span.
Compare with: writes with a hammer is an extra-noun hook (ael + /b/), not han. han is company / including, not the tool. Tells on behalf of Alahen is proxy (hadem), not hon exclusively for. uel is against that party, not hun refusing.
Not the same job as: adjective joins (gal / gam / gar). Join-relations take -n toward one /b/.
For including as an afterthought, use: a hook (al, …). zahodom gan bazawan is a team including Azawan; zahodom al zazawan is the team, including Azawan.
For several members or an empty domain, put a phrase join inside the /b/ phrase (gan bebeyal bagubem bal), or use a standalone /b/ join as the only argument (gan bar = including something; guan bal = excluding nothing / stripped frame).
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
gan / han | /ɡ/ noun or /h/ event toward /b/ | including / with | a ≈ add (hold the extra member) | zebeval gan bebeyal; zazawan han balahen vowogal |
gon / hon | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ exclusive for (sole pick); /h/ exclusively for / as the one | o ≈ one (lock that pick) | zahodom gon bazawan; … hon bazawan vowogal |
gaon / haon | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ open to (more may follow); /h/ among options | ao ≈ add + one (admit, still open) | zebeval gaon bebeyal; … haon bebeyal vowogal |
gun / hun | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ against / anti-; /h/ refusing | u ≈ undo (reject that member) | zebeval gun bebeyal; … hun bemedol vowogal |
guan / huan | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | without / excluding | ua ≈ undo + add (leave that member out) | zebeval guan bebeyal; … huan bebeyal vowogal |
guon / huon | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ open to anything but; /h/ barring / anything but | uo ≈ undo + one (bar that one; rest free) | zowodel guon bebeyal; … huon bebeyal vowogal |
gen / hen | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ prioritizing / headed by; /h/ prioritizing | e ≈ order (put this first) | zehegol gen babogal; … hen babogal verevum |
gaen / haen | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ on a par with; /h/ equating / tying | ae ≈ add + order (same height) | zedehel gaen bagavel; … haen balahen vowogal |
goen / hoen | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ starting with; /h/ starting with | oe ≈ one + order (begin here) | zehegol goen berevum; … hoen berevum vowogal |
guen / huen | /ɡ/ or /h/ toward /b/ | /ɡ/ deprioritizing / trailing; /h/ deprioritizing | ue ≈ undo + order (drop this rank) | zebeval guen bagubem; … huen bagubem vowogal |
Anti- vs without: gun bemedol vs guan bemedol. Without X vs anything but X: guan bebeyal vs guon bebeyal. Sole pick vs among options: gon bazawan vs gaon bazawan. Workaround as top priority vs workaround as first step: gen berevum vs goen berevum.
Compare with: a house like Azawan’s / walks like a duck is resemblance (simile gumum / humum), not gaen / haen on a par with / equating.
Translation practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a relay race
Roots used here:
| English | Agazan | Same root as |
|---|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan | |
| Alahen | alahen | |
| Ahaben | ahaben | |
| finish-line | devehal | evehal finish-line |
| teamwork | ahodom | ahodol handball |
| trophy | odovel | |
| medal | amedal | |
| run | varahal | |
| punch | vabahel | |
| scream | vezugel | |
| lie | alahal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan includes the medal.
Show answer
zazawan damedal van.
z-Azawan | d-medal | v-includes
2. The finish line, including Ahaben.
Show answer
zevehal gan bahaben.
z-finish-line | [g-including | b-Ahaben]
3. Azawan chooses the medal (as the one choice).
Show answer
zazawan damedal von.
z-Azawan | d-medal | v-choose
4. Alahen runs with Ahaben.
Show answer
zalahen han bahaben varahal.
z-Alahen | [h-including | b-Ahaben] | v-run
5. Azawan punches, then Alahen screams.
Show answer
zazawan vabahel xan zalahen vezugel.
[z-Azawan | v-punch | x-and-then | z-Alahen | v-scream]
6. A team exclusive for Ahaben.
Show answer
zahodom gon bahaben.
z-teamwork | [g-exclusive-for | b-Ahaben]
7. Alahen runs and punches.
Show answer
zalahen varahal vabahel vam.
z-Alahen | [v-run | v-punch | v-and.open]
8. Alahen runs, refusing the medal.
Show answer
zalahen hun bamedal varahal.
z-Alahen | [h-refusing | b-medal] | v-run
Agazan → English
1. zahaben dodovel van.
Show answer
z-Ahaben | d-trophy | v-includes
Ahaben includes the trophy.
2. zevehal guan bamedal.
Show answer
z-finish-line | [g-without | b-medal]
Finish line without the medal.
3. zalahen dodovel von.
Show answer
z-Alahen | d-trophy | v-choose
Alahen chooses the trophy (as the one choice).
4. zazawan han balahen varahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | [h-including | b-Alahen] | v-run
Azawan runs with Alahen.
5. zahodom gan bazawan.
Show answer
z-teamwork | [g-including | b-Azawan]
A team including Azawan.
6. zazawan hun balahal varahal.
Show answer
z-Azawan | [h-refusing | b-lie] | v-run
Azawan runs, refusing a lie.
7. zahodom gaon bazawan.
Show answer
z-teamwork | [g-open-to | b-Azawan]
A team open to Azawan (more members may follow).
8. zalahen huon bahaben vezugel.
Show answer
z-Alahen | [h-anything-but | b-Ahaben] | v-scream
Alahen screams, barring Ahaben.
See also
- List joins (right-close fence): joins.md
- Causal readings of open / without: causation.md
- Prefix-less including / instead: hooks.md
- Using a tool: hooks.md