Lesson #2: Verbs again: view article

Pronouns in Nolwynn are an extremely complicated topic. You can read an overview of why they are so complicated here. However, for now, all you have to worry about is the following:

Here are Nolwynn's core pronouns:

zšeey	I
zšii	she
zši	they
zšaa	you [singular]
zša	you [plural]
zšuu	we [inclusive]
zšu	we [exclusive]

Pronouns are actually an open class in Nolwynn, so there are many, many more than just this list. However, these are by far the most common. We'll learn about other pronouns in a later lesson.

As you can see, the pronouns have the same endings as the verbs from the first lesson. This is because these pronouns can function as verbs in some circumstances. Because verbs show person, pronouns are not frequently used in Nolwynn since they are redundant, so they are usually dropped.

Nolwynn always defaults to feminine language. The literal meaning of zšii is "she." It is not a gender neutral pronoun.

[edit] [top]Vocabulary: some verbs

Nolwynn	English	Notes
gibxeey	give something [to someone]
orunueey	need something

[edit] [top]Vocabulary: some nouns

myxesazel	school
myxeser	student
bulesak	pen

[edit] [top]Vocabulary: a few other things

Nolwynn	English	Notes
kxa	go somewhere in order to do the root	affix
zel	a place	affix
er	a person described by the root; a person who does the root	affix
we	ergativity marker	affix
á	to; at	preposition
šwazeey	no	technically a verb meaning "I disagree"
tšanka	why	question word
kwutšey	but; however

[edit] [top]Conversation

In this conversation, a young boy named Eónwil is at school, but he’d rather be elsewhere. He speaks to his teacher, Myxesoraba Galyxa.

Myxesoraba Galyxa: Eónwil, oáúanea!
Eónwil: Olwá oeeyúanea. Myxesazel ónyazšiiwela.
MG: Ošenkine, tša šelalxa oša tum zša šonopawe?
E: Šwazeeywe!
MG: Tšanka?
E: Bulesak zšeey šonopeey.
MG: Eónwil, myxeser imá naba. Kwutšey bulesak orunua šelawea. Bulesak zša á gibxeeywe. Myxesazel á kxamyxesawea!
E: Zša bazšelueeywe

[edit] [top]Comprehension questions

What is happening in this conversation?
What did Myxesoraba Galyxa think Eónwil forgot? Was the teacher correct?
What did Galyxa do for Eónwil in the end?

Nolwynn uses a lot of affixes to derive meaning from basic words. Myxesazel “school” uses the affix zel “a place for doing the root.” Myxeser “student” uses the affix er “a person described by the root.” Myxesoraba “teacher” includes the affix orab, which is not very productive; it means “someone who causes the root.” They are all derived from the verb myxeseeya. What do you think this word means?

▼ Answer

[edit] [top]Ergativity

This is a very deep topic, but we’ll take it one step at a time. Like many verb-final languages, Nolwynn is primarily ergative-absolutive. This means that the subject of an intransitive verb is treated like a direct object of a transitive verb – they are both treated the same. Nolwynn could more accurately be called Fluid S, since using ergative markings [or any of the other markings we will learn later] depends on the volition of the subject of an intransitive verb.

Volition means that the verb was done on purpose by a conscious being.

In addition to volition, speakers can choose which marking - if any - they use for intransitive verbs based on other considerations, such as the degree to which the subject was impacted [emotionally or physically] by the verb.

This may sound complicated, but in practice it is somewhat simple.

Simply stated, ergativity means that the object of a transitive verb receives a special marker in Nolwynn, the affix -we. This affix, like most others, will go immediately after the pronomial element [the marker for person]. Transitive verbs and their objects will almost always have an ergativity marker.

In the conversation, Myxesoraba Galyxa says “bulesak zša á gibxeeywe.” We see the ergative marker -we at the end of the verb gibxeeywe; it is there because the verb is one of volition and has a direct object.

Ergativity also means that the subject of intransitive verbs can also receive the affix -we.

In the conversation, Eónwil says “Olwá oeeyúanea. Myxesazel ónyazšiiwela.” There are two intransitive verbs here, but only one has the ergative marker. Can you guess why?

▼ Answer

Knowing all of this, what do you think the teacher meant when she says, "Myxesazel á kxamyxesawea!" ?

▼ Answer

[edit] [top]Quiz: ergativity

Let's put what we've learned about ergativity to the test.

- If you feel that something just happened to you and that it wasn't your fault, would you use the ergative marker?

▼ answer

- Of these verbs, which do you think does NOT require the ergative marker?