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Pronouns
Once something is on the table, you point back with a -r form.
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Beginner
Resume with -r
A pronoun can point at any prior word (noun, verb, adjective, and so on). English often treats pronouns as stand-ins for people in subject position; Agalan -r can resume whatever you just mentioned.
It takes the usual role letter for the slot you need now (that letter need not match the word you are pointing back to) and ends in -r. Call the word you point back to the antecedent.
Two stem lengths:
- Short resume: a fixed prefix of that word’s root, cut up to and including the 2nd vowel (typically the opening
VCV). Prefer this when it already picks the right antecedent. - Full-root resume: the entire root + -r. Use this when the short form’s most recent match is not what you mean.
-r = resume. The listener always takes the most recent matching stem. Make the intended one most recent: short form, full root, or an adjective / ordinal that singles it out.
`zazawan vawalal. zazar vajul.`
gloss: `z-grace@` · `v-walk` · `z-←grace` · `v-sit`
*Azawan walks. He sits.* (resume from the name’s root prefix)Add -sh after -r for a group referent (anchor and associates): plurality.md. …r = one; …rsh = that one and associates.
Special pronouns
Some pronouns name roles in this utterance (speech, writing, signing: any channel). They take the usual role letter for the slot they fill.
`zugobon vuwurul dedonen.`
gloss: `z-speaker` · `v-write` · `d-listener`
*I write you.*| Role | Root | Mnemonic | Default ending | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker | ugobo | 🎤 microphone → producer-role | -n | zugobon I |
| Listener | edone | 🎧 headphones → addressee-role | -n | dedonen you |
| Interlocutors | aha | 🤝 handshake → co-participants | -n | zahan we (speaker ∪ address set) |
| Generic person | enenu | 👤 silhouette → a person | -n | zenenun someone |
| Next clause | adoro | 🚪 doorway → what follows | -l | badorol / dadorol: placeholder for the dependent that follows |
Person roles default to -n (definite specials). Soft -m hedges the role framing. adoro defaults to -l (exact forward slot); soft -m hedges the dependent edge.
Prefer names. When a proper name is available, use -n and/or its -r resume, including for self-address, rather than ugobo / edone. See proper name.
(Ululon speaking) `zululon vawalal.`
gloss: `z-courage@` · `v-walk`
*I walk.* Ululon names himself rather than saying *I*.`zugobon vawalal.`
gloss: `z-speaker` · `v-walk`
*I walk.*`zahan vawalal.`
gloss: `z-interlocutors` · `v-walk`
*We (you and I) walk.*enenu is a nonspecific individual. Once someone is on the table, resume them with content -r.
adoro is the placeholder for the material that immediately follows (dependent clauses). Put adoro last in its host slot; the dependent follows with no intervening host words. Same speech act as the main sentence: the dependent may omit /j/. A different speech act needs its own act word.
`zugobon dazawan vezehel dadorol zululon vebarul.`
gloss: `z-speaker` · `d-grace@` · `v-tell` · `d-next-clause` · `z-courage@` · `v-depart`
*I told Azawan that Ululon left.*Clusivity
Clusivity is who counts as we or you when names are unavailable.
| Form | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
zugobonsh | speaker and associates (listener not assumed) | zugobonsh vawalal. We (I and my people) walk. |
zedonensh | address set: all current addressees (no speaker) | zedonensh vajul. You all sit. |
zahan | interlocutors: speaker ∪ address set (inclusive we) | zahan vawalal. We (you and I) walk. |
| name…-sh | that person and associates | zazawansh vawalal. Azawan and associates walk. |
Inclusive we is aha. Speaker -sh is “me and my people,” not “you and I.” Plural listener is the address set (zedonensh); you and yours uses a name…-sh.
Translation practice
Short drills on this Beginner band. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Roots used here: azawa grace (name Azawan) · ululo courage (name Ululon) · odogo dog · adara dragon · abogo book · awala walk · aju sit · elebe sleep · urunu run · eje see · ezehe tell · ebaru depart · ele size / big (-m) · ugobo speaker · edone listener · aha interlocutors · enenu generic person · adoro next clause
English → Agalan
1. Azawan walks. He sits.
Show answer
zazawan vawalal. zazar vajul.
2. A dog walks. A book is big. The dog sits.
Show answer
zodogol vawalal. zabogol gelem. zodogor vajul.
3. I walk.
Show answer
zugobon vawalal.
4. We (you and I) walk.
Show answer
zahan vawalal.
5. We (I and my people, not you) walk.
Show answer
zugobonsh vawalal.
6. You all sit.
Show answer
zedonensh vajul.
7. Someone sleeps.
Show answer
zenenun velebel.
8. I told Azawan that Ululon left.
Show answer
zugobon dazawan vezehel dadorol zululon vebarul.
Agalan → English
1. zululon vawalal. zulur vajul.
Show answer
Ululon walks. He sits.
2. zodogol velebel. zadaral gelem. zadar vawalal.
Show answer
A dog sleeps. A dragon is big. The dragon walks.
3. zazawan dedonen vejel.
Show answer
Azawan sees you.
4. zahan velebel.
Show answer
We (you and I) sleep.
5. zazawansh vawalal.
Show answer
Azawan and associates walk.
6. zenenun vawalal.
Show answer
Someone walks.
7. zazawan dululon vezehel dadorol zodogol vurunul.
Show answer
Azawan tells Ululon that the dog runs.
8. jol zugobon vajul.
Show answer
Do I sit?
Intermediate
How English approximates -r
Agalan has one resume mechanism; English does not. Approximate by crossing what was mentioned (antecedent role) with what slot you need now (pronoun role). The referent stays the same; only the English wording changes.
/x/…-r is discourse navigation: going back to subject X / returning to that thread (removing it does not change the following claim). Not the same job as: clause aboutness (regarding X) uses /h/ + /b/ X (adverbs / continue).
Same-role resume
| Antecedent → pronoun | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ → /z/ | he / she / it / they (subject); that one |
/d/ → /d/ | him / her / it / them (object); that one |
/b/ → /b/ | him / her / it / them as the relation’s argument |
/v/ → /v/ | do so / do that |
/ɡ/ → /ɡ/ | such / that / so (same property) |
/w/ → /w/ | that degree / frame again |
/h/ → /h/ | thus / so / that way / then |
/j/ vocative → /j/ | calling the same addressee again |
/j/ interjection → /j/ | repeating that exclamation |
/x/ → /x/ | and so / likewise / the same linker again |
Resume content with -r.
Quick English cheat sheet
| You want English… | Typical Agalan shape |
|---|---|
| he / she / it / they (entity again) | Noun antecedent → /z/ /d/ or /b/ …-r |
| do so / do that | Verb antecedent → /v/ …-r |
| such / that kind | Adjective antecedent → /ɡ/ …-r |
| thus / that way | Adverb antecedent → /h/ …-r |
| regarding that (clause aboutness) | /h/ regarding + /b/ …-r |
| going back to subject X (thread resume) | Any antecedent → /x/ …-r |
| that (prior cite / mention / aside) | Span resume → daxur / hexur / … |
Span resume forms are closed span-fence words. English often says it or that: "He said that?!" / "that (title)" / "that (proverb)".
Fill-ask (who / what / …) uses unspecified-member -r under question (zar / var / xar / …).
Cross-role recast
Same referent, new role: English needs a longer paraphrase. Full first-letter × first-letter tables are Advanced (cross-role inventory).
| Antecedent was… | Pronoun as… | English sketch |
|---|---|---|
| noun | /v/ | do that (to/with it) |
| noun | /ɡ/ | that one’s / of that kind |
| noun | /x/ | going back to subject X |
| verb | noun | that action / event (the doing, not the doer; role compounds name agent/patient) |
| verb | /h/ | by doing so / thereby |
| adjective | noun | the … one / that quality |
Specials: further notes
Speaker / listener. Use 1st / 2nd person when a name is unavailable or undesired.
Interlocutors (aha). Inclusive we as a discourse role. Associative “my side” and exact membership lists use associative -sh / joins. Soft zaham hedges co-agency.
Address set. Everyone named in this turn’s vocative cluster, plus anyone still held as addressee by context. One addressee → singular edone; several → edone…sh. Inclusive co-agency (shall we…) → aha.
Prefer aha when the point is co-participant role; prefer name joins when membership identity is the point; prefer name…-sh for associative cohorts.
Translation practice
Short drills on this Intermediate band. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Roots used here: azawa grace (name Azawan) · ululo courage (name Ululon) · uhubu beauty (name Uhubun) · awala walk · urunu run · elebe sleep · aju sit · eje see · uzumu smile → happy (-m) · adaza haste (-m) · aha interlocutors · ugobo speaker · edone listener
English → Agalan
1. Azawan walks. Ululon does so.
Show answer
zazawan vawalal. zululon vawalar.
2. Azawan is happy. Ululon is such.
Show answer
zazawan guzumum. zululon guzumur.
3. Azawan sees Ululon. Uhubun sees him.
Show answer
zazawan dululon vejel. zuhubun dulur vejel.
4. Azawan walks. Ululon runs. Going back to Azawan, he sleeps.
Show answer
zazawan vawalal. zululon vurunul. xazawar velebel.
5. Azawan walks in haste. Ululon runs that way.
Show answer
zazawan hadazam vawalal. zululon hadar vurunul.
6. We (you and I) sit.
Show answer
zahan vajul.
7. Azawan and Ululon walk. (exact two people)
Show answer
zazawan zululon zal vawalal.
8. Azawan and associates walk.
Show answer
zazawansh vawalal.
Agalan → English
1. zululon vurunul. zazawan vurunur.
Show answer
Ululon runs. Azawan does so.
2. zazawan dululon vejel. zuhubun dulur vejel.
Show answer
Azawan sees Ululon. Uhubun sees him.
3. xulur vajul.
Show answer
Going back to Ululon, he sits.
4. zazawan hadazam vawalal. zululon hadar vurunul.
Show answer
Azawan walks in haste. Ululon runs that way.
5. zahan vawalal.
Show answer
We (you and I) walk.
6. zazawan zuhubun zal velebel.
Show answer
Azawan and Uhubun sleep.
7. zululonsh vawalal.
Show answer
Ululon and associates walk.
8. zedonensh vajul.
Show answer
You all sit.
Advanced
Cross-role inventory
Each subsection is an antecedent role; table rows are the pronoun role. Reading aid only: Agalan still has one -r mechanism.
Antecedent was a noun (/z/, /d/, or /b/)
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | Ordinary 3rd-person or that (one); /b/ follows the host relation |
/v/ | Treat that entity as the action: do that (to/with it) / X it |
/ɡ/ | that one’s / of that kind / property tied to that entity |
/w/ | Degree or frame scoped to a property of that entity |
/h/ | Occasion framed by that entity; clause aboutness is /h/ + /b/ …-r |
/j/ vocative | Address that entity |
/x/ | Going back to subject X (discourse resume; not clause aboutness) |
Antecedent was a verb (/v/)
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | that action / event / doing (not the agent/patient; use role compounds) |
/v/ | do so / do that |
/ɡ/ | such (done that way); property of having done that |
/w/ | Frame on an adjective about that doing |
/h/ | by doing so / thereby / in that manner of acting |
/j/ | Vocative/interjection built on that named act (rare) |
/x/ | Going back to that (doing / event) |
Antecedent was an adjective (/ɡ/)
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | the … one; that quality; those who are … |
/v/ | be/do that (act characterized by the property) |
/ɡ/ | such / that (same property) |
/w/ | that degree of the property |
/h/ | in that way / so (manner from the property) |
/j/ | Rare; named category used as call |
/x/ | Going back to that (property / category) |
Antecedent was an adjective extra (/w/)
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | that degree / scale / criterion (as a thing) |
/ɡ/ | Host property under that frame again |
/w/ | Same adjunct again |
/v/ /h/ | Act or clause framed by that degree/criterion |
/j/ | Rare |
/x/ | Going back to that (scale / criterion) |
Antecedent was an adverb (/h/)
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
/z/ /d/ /b/ | that time / place / manner / reason / recipient-slot (the adjunct as a noun) |
/v/ | Act under that occasion |
/ɡ/ | Property as of that occasion |
/w/ | Adjective-level echo of that frame |
/h/ | thus / so / then / that way |
/j/ | Rare |
/x/ | Going back to that (occasion / framing) |
Antecedent was /j/ or /x/
| Pronoun role | English approximation |
|---|---|
Same class (/j/ or /x/) | Repeat that vocative, interjection, or linker |
/x/ from a content antecedent | Going back to subject X |
| Noun / verb / adjective / adverb | Recast the named formula or discourse label as an ordinary referent (common for -n titles) |
Translation practice
Short drills on this Advanced band. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Roots used here: azawa grace (name Azawan) · ululo courage (name Ululon) · odogo dog · awala walk · urunu run · aju sit · elebe sleep · ele size / big (-m) · uzumu smile → happy (-m) · adaza haste (-m)
English → Agalan
1. Azawan sits. Ululon does that with him.
Show answer
zazawan vajul. zululon vazar.
2. A dog walks. That action is big.
Show answer
zodogol vawalal. zawalar gelem.
3. Azawan walks. By doing so, Ululon sits.
Show answer
zazawan vawalal. zululon hawalar vajul.
4. Azawan is happy. The happy one runs.
Show answer
zazawan guzumum. zuzumur vurunul.
5. Azawan is happy. Ululon does that.
Show answer
zazawan guzumum. zululon vuzumur.
Agalan → English
1. zazawan vawalal. gazar gelem.
Show answer
Azawan walks. That one's kind is big.
2. zululon vawalal. zazawan hawalar vajul.
Show answer
Ululon walks. By doing so, Azawan sits.
3. zazawan guzumum. zululon vuzumur.
Show answer
Azawan is happy. Ululon does that.
4. zazawan hadazam vawalal. zadazar gelem.
Show answer
Azawan walks in haste. That haste is big.
5. zodogol vajul. zazawan vodor.
Show answer
A dog sits. Azawan does that with it.
See also
- plurality.md: -sh; address set vs associative
- core.md:
adoroplacement