Sentence linkers
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Intermediate sections assume you have read the beginner sections of every page.
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Writing and speech rhythm (periods)
A period closes the sentence body in writing, whatever the speech act. Speech matches that edge with a rest: one silent beat. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
. | Rest: one silent beat | 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 | Rest = the claim is done |
Next /y/ turn (yes / no, a call, written act word) | The period's rest, then the /y/ word | New turn; firm -l / soft -m imply yal / yam | The /y/ word = a new act |
Bare body or hook + body after . | The period's rest only | Implied yal (or yam only if a soft particle / written yam said so) | No /y/ word, so same statement |
| Soft statement / soft yes / no -m | Nothing extra: the -m is heard | yam (implied or written) | -m leaves the hold open |
/x/ continue (clause join) | No rest: the sentence goes on | Keep opener speech act; period after the whole joined stretch | No rest = still going |
/x/ linker after . (xahom …) | The period's rest, then the linker | Keep prior speech act; may start a new written sentence under that speech act | Linker glues; still the same act |
/x/ topic word after . (xazozon …) | The period's rest, then the topic word | Keep prior speech act; a new topic starts | The topic word = the subject changed, not the act |
| Stand-in hang | No rest 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
Beginner already used therefore. It is one of six sentence linkers: /x/ words that connect a finished sentence to the one after it. Each one uses its root's abstract sense, so it ends in -m.
| English | Ageben | Abstract of | Cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| therefore | xahom | ahom progress | ➡️: the sun’s path, so the talk moves on | xahom |
| however | xezem | ezem contrast | 🦓: two stripes, still one animal | xezem |
| meanwhile | xugorom | ugorom passage | 🕰️: time passing beside the last claim | xugorom |
| next | xevewom | evewom sequence | 🎞️: the following frame | xevewom |
| but | xugohum | ugohum blockage | 🚧: the expected path is blocked | xugohum |
| by the way | xavedam | avedam accessory | 🍟: a side dish, not the main course | xavedam |
therefore moves forward from the prior claim; however marks contrast; meanwhile puts the next claim at the same time; 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.
A linker reaches back to one sentence: the one that ends at the period before it. To link back to several claims at once, join them into that sentence with a clause join.
Three linkers also take -l for a firm link: the link holds with no room for doubt, on the same settled-to-passing scale as time horizon. (cue: -l ≈ lasting: the link holds)
| Ageben | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
xahol | the next claim must hold if the last sentence does: a deduction | it follows that / necessarily, then |
xezel | the contrast stands whatever the last claim said | nevertheless / even so |
xugohul | the last claim is blocked outright; the next claim replaces it | on the contrary |
zalazun vezuvel vul. xugohul zalazun veruvol.z-Alazun | [v-sleep | v-not] . x-on-the-contrary | z-Alazun | v-run
"Alazun isn't sleeping. On the contrary, Alazun is running."
No other root makes a linker. Any other /x/ content word sets the topic: -l / -m / -n introduce it (xazozon now, about Azozon) 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 and also use a linker, write the topic word as its own sentence, then start the next sentence with the linker (Now, about Azozon. However, Alazun runs.):
xazozon. xezem zalazun veruvol.x-Azozon . x-however | z-Alazun | v-run
"Now, about Azozon. However, Alazun runs."
xevewom also opens a new frame, like English so, … at the start of a turn: the talk moves on and the topic is cleared.
zodozel vowurol. xevewom zazozon veruvol.z-dog | v-walk . x-next | z-Azozon | v-run
"The dog walks. So, Azozon runs."
xavedam opens a side topic, like English by the way, …, and clears the topic too.
In a new turn with its own act word, the act word comes first and the linker starts the body:
yem xevewom zawan vowurol.y-soft-question | x-next | z-listener | v-walk
"So, do you want to walk?"
yel xavedam zawan vebal.y-question | x-by-the-way | z-listener | v-hear
"By the way, did you hear?"
Result (so … that)
English so … that ties a result to how much of something there is (so tired that they sleep), all in one sentence. Put the pole hahom after the word that carries the degree, then blarl, then the result as the next sentence. hahom uses the same root as therefore, which needs two sentences. Unlike hovam so that, the result really happened.
zazozon welazem gadamul hahom blarl zazozor vezuvel.[z-Azozon | [w-very | g-tired]] | [h-so-result | bl-that-clause] | z-←Azozon | v-sleep
"Azozon is so tired that they sleep."
zazozon welazem hadurom vowurol hahom blarl zalazun veruvol.z-Azozon | [w-very | h-haste] | v-walk | [h-so-result | bl-that-clause] | z-Alazun | v-run
"Azozon walks so hastily that Alazun runs."
Compare with: although / while attach a dependent after blarl (hezem blarl, herom blarl; see dependent clauses). Despite Alazun is the same pole with a bl- noun (hezem blalazun). So that Alazun sits is hovam blarl. Discourse xezem / xugorom / xahom glue a finished sentence to the next one.
Stand-in vowels (-rl / -rm)
Beginner used darl / barl for that … and derl for whether …. A stand-in's vowel says what kind of content the next sentence is, with the same four vowels as the act words: a a statement, o an instruction, e a question, u something to avoid. So a dependent clause can carry an instruction (tells Alazun to sit) or a warning (tells Alazun not to sit).
Unlike a /y/ act word, a stand-in does not itself state, ask, or command: it only lets that kind of content fill a role in the outer sentence. Stand-ins are not joins. The ending says how much the next sentence covers: -rl means it is the whole content (locked); -rm leaves it open (the gist, or not the only thing).
| Stand-in | Content type | -rl locked | -rm open |
|---|---|---|---|
a add | statement-like (compare yal) | darl that … | darm that … (gist) |
o rank | instruction-like (compare yol) | dorl to … | dorm to … (open) |
e choice | question-like (compare yel) | derl whether … | derm whether … (open) |
u not | avoidance-like (compare yul) | durl that not / lest … | durm lest … (open) |
You may leave out the dependent clause's /z/ only when all of these hold:
- The stand-in is
dorl/dorm, ordurl/durmtelling someone not to. - It fills the outer sentence's
/d/slot. - The outer sentence has one plain
/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 / derl, after any pole (blarl / blurl), and when the outer sentence has no plain /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 blarl (or blarm for gist): because / if / although / so that all use it. There are two exceptions, both with blurl: purpose-not hovam blurl (so that … not) and thohem blurl (unless). Stand-ins never take /x/; clause and is xal / xan.
zazozon vezuyol balazun dorl vehohel.z-Azozon | v-tell | b-Alazun | d-to-clause | v-sit
"Azozon tells Alazun to sit."
The person told is plain /b/, so dorl vehohel can leave out its subject: the sitter is Alazun. The outer sentence stays a statement. With no plain /b/, write the sitter:
zazozon valom dorl zazozon vehohel.z-Azozon | v-wish | d-to-clause | z-Azozon | v-sit
"Azozon wishes to sit."
To quote someone's exact words instead, use a span.
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 dorl. 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.
zazozon vezuyol balazun durl vehohel.z-Azozon | v-tell | b-Alazun | d-lest-clause | v-sit
"Azozon tells Alazun not to sit."
When so that aims at keeping an outcome off, keep hovam and type /b/ with blurl:
zazozon vowurol hovam blurl zazozon vehohel.z-Azozon | v-walk | [h-so-that | bl-lest-clause] | z-Azozon | v-sit
"Azozon walks so as not to sit."
English unless is if … not: keep the if pole thohem and type /b/ with blurl. The following sentence is the condition that must not hold.
zazozon vowurol thohem blurl zalazun vezuvel.z-Azozon | v-walk | [th-if | bl-lest-clause] | z-Alazun | v-sleep
"Azozon walks unless Alazun 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 Alazun walks or Ahelan runs is derl, then both clauses with xel between them.
zazozon vayebel derl zalazun vowurol xel zahelan veruvol.z-Azozon | v-see | d-whether-clause | [z-Alazun | v-walk | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahelan | v-run]
"Azozon sees whether Alazun walks or Ahelan 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 Alazun sits is darl. Tells Alazun to sit is dorl. Walks so that Azozon sits is hovam blarl.
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 Azozon says so, or that in Alazun doubts that. Nothing follows it; the sentence ends as usual.
The vowel still says what kind of content it is, and the word stands for the most recent content of that kind:
| Stand-in | Points back to | English |
|---|---|---|
darth | the last statement | so / that |
derth | the last question | that question |
dorth | the last instruction | that (instruction) |
durth | the last not / lest content | not (I hope not) |
zalazun vehohel. zazozon vezuyol darth.z-Alazun | v-sit . z-Azozon | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
"Alazun sits. Azozon says so."
zazozon vezuyol balazun durl vehohel. zalazun valom durth.z-Azozon | v-tell | b-Alazun | d-lest-clause | v-sit . z-Alazun | v-wish | d-that-same-prohibition
"Azozon tells Alazun not to sit. Alazun wishes not to." (not to sit)
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: blarth after a pole (because of that) or after like hewem (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 + blarth.
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: gerom during, gabam before, galam after, garum until, guvahum by. The /b/ after it is the event or period, as with the /h/ pole.
zalazun dowurol galam blanulul vayebel.z-Alazun | [d-walk | [g-after | bl-thunderstorm]] | v-see
"Alazun sees the walk after the thunderstorm." (after the thunderstorm says which walk)
Ordinary zabal is still a backpack.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a departure board
New words:
| English | Ageben | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| sneak | vozuyul | 🥷 |
| however | xezem | 🦓 from zebra: two stripes, still one animal |
| meanwhile | xugorom | 🕰️ from clock: time passing beside the last claim |
| next | xevewom | 🎞️ from film: the following frame |
| to-clause | dorl | o ≈ rank: an instruction |
| to-clause.open | dorm | o ≈ rank: an instruction, and maybe more |
| lest-clause | durl | u ≈ undo: something to avoid |
| that-same-claim | darth | -rth points back at what was said |
| before | gabam | 🎒 from backpack: packed first |
Review:
| English | Ageben |
|---|---|
| Azozon | azozon |
| Alazun | alazun |
| Ahelan | ahelan |
| luggage | elobal |
| therefore | xahom |
| departure | vudurul |
| train | edavol |
| coat | ogobal |
| key | egewol |
| very | welazem |
| haste | hadurom |
| sit | vehohel |
| see | vayebel |
| find | vumewel |
| run | veruvol |
| tell | vezuyol |
| scream | veyamul |
English → Ageben
1. Azozon sees the train. However, Alazun runs.
Show answer
zazozon dedavol vayebel. xezem zalazun veruvol.
z-Azozon | d-train | v-see . x-however | z-Alazun | v-run
2. Ahelan tells Alazun to sit, and maybe more.
Show answer
zahelan vezuyol balazun dorm vehohel.
z-Ahelan | v-tell | b-Alazun | d-to-clause.open | v-sit
3. Azozon tells Ahelan not to sneak.
Show answer
zazozon vezuyol bahelan durl vozuyul.
z-Azozon | v-tell | b-Ahelan | d-lest-clause | v-sneak
4. Alazun sneaks so hastily that Azozon sees them.
Show answer
zalazun welazem hadurom vozuyul hahom blarl zazozon dalazun vayebel.
z-Alazun | [w-very | h-haste] | v-sneak | [h-so-result | bl-that-clause] | z-Azozon | d-Alazun | v-see
5. Alazun sees the luggage before the departure. (before the departure says which luggage)
Show answer
zalazun delobal gabam bludurul vayebel.
z-Alazun | [d-luggage | [g-before | bl-departure]] | v-see
6. Ahelan sits unless the train departs.
Show answer
zahelan vehohel thohem blurl zedavol vudurul.
z-Ahelan | v-sit | [th-if | bl-lest-clause] | z-train | v-departure
Ageben → English
1. zalazun vezuyol. xugorom zahelan dogobal vumewel.
Show answer
z-Alazun | v-tell . x-meanwhile | z-Ahelan | d-coat | v-find
Alazun talks. Meanwhile, Ahelan finds a coat.
2. zahelan veyamul. zalazun vezuyol darth.
Show answer
z-Ahelan | v-scream . z-Alazun | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
Ahelan screams. Alazun says so.
3. zahelan degewol vumewel vul. xezel zahelan vehohel.
Show answer
z-Ahelan | d-key | [v-find | v-not] . x-nevertheless | z-Ahelan | v-sit
Ahelan does not find the key. Nevertheless, Ahelan sits.
4. zazozon delobal vayebel. xevewom zalazun veruvol.
Show answer
z-Azozon | d-luggage | v-see . x-next | z-Alazun | v-run
Azozon sees the luggage. Next, Alazun runs.
5. zalazun vayebel derl zedavol vudurul xel zahelan veruvol.
Show answer
z-Alazun | v-see | d-whether-clause | [z-train | v-departure | x-or-exactly-one | z-Ahelan | v-run]
Alazun sees whether the train departs or Ahelan runs.
6. zazozon vehohel hovam blurl zalazun delobal vayebel.
Show answer
z-Azozon | v-sit | [h-so-that | bl-lest-clause] | z-Alazun | d-luggage | v-see
Azozon sits so that Alazun does not see the luggage.
Pick one
1. Azozon tells Alazun not to run. zazozon vezuyol balazun durl veruvol. or zazozon vezuyol balazun dorl veruvol.
Show answer
zazozon vezuyol balazun durl veruvol.
z-Azozon | v-tell | b-Alazun | d-lest-clause | v-run
Not to is avoidance, vowel u; dorl tells Alazun to run.
2. Ahelan runs. Even so, Alazun sits. (the contrast holds no matter what) zahelan veruvol. xezel zalazun vehohel. or zahelan veruvol. xezem zalazun vehohel.
Show answer
zahelan veruvol. xezel zalazun vehohel.
z-Ahelan | v-run . x-nevertheless | z-Alazun | v-sit
Firm -l says the contrast holds no matter what; xezem is plain however.
Fix it
1. Alazun sees the train. Azozon says so. zalazun dedavol vayebel. zazozon vezuyol darl.
Show answer
zalazun dedavol vayebel. zazozon vezuyol darth.
z-Alazun | d-train | v-see . z-Azozon | v-tell | d-that-same-claim
darl holds a slot for the next sentence; to point back at what was said, end the stand-in in -rth.