Difference between revisions of "Word Order Restrictions"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
* '''Ke''' must always go directly before the verb, '''kea''' must go before its noun. | * '''Ke''' must always go directly before the verb, '''kea''' must go before its noun. | ||
− | * A '''si''' verb will always have the word order '''X si''' or, negated, '''X ke si''' or '''X rä'ä si''' (where '''X''' is the noun or adjective element) | + | * A '''si''' verb will always have the word order '''X si''' or, negated, '''X ke si''' or '''X rä'ä si''' (where '''X''' is the noun or adjective element). |
** The sole exception is '''irayo si''', which can have the order disrupted somewhat. | ** The sole exception is '''irayo si''', which can have the order disrupted somewhat. | ||
* Attributive/non-predicative adjectives must either go directly before or directly after the noun they describe. You can use both '''kawnga tute''' and '''tute akawng'''. | * Attributive/non-predicative adjectives must either go directly before or directly after the noun they describe. You can use both '''kawnga tute''' and '''tute akawng'''. | ||
Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
: '''nga yivom tsun''' = wrong | : '''nga yivom tsun''' = wrong | ||
: '''tsun nga yivom''' / '''nga tsun yivom''' / '''tsun yivom nga''' = correct forms. | : '''tsun nga yivom''' / '''nga tsun yivom''' / '''tsun yivom nga''' = correct forms. | ||
− | * The topical must come at the beginning of the clause | + | :* There are exceptions in song (the ''Hunt Song'', '''livu win sì txur oe zene'''). |
+ | * The topical must come at the beginning of the clause. | ||
+ | ** Again, exceptions may be found in song, the '''Hunt Song,''' '''pxan livu txo nì'aw oe ''ngari...'''''. | ||
[[Category: Syntax]] | [[Category: Syntax]] |
Revision as of 15:31, 8 September 2011
While Na'vi is usually described as having free word order, there are nonetheless some restrictions to know about.
- Ke must always go directly before the verb, kea must go before its noun.
- A si verb will always have the word order X si or, negated, X ke si or X rä'ä si (where X is the noun or adjective element).
- The sole exception is irayo si, which can have the order disrupted somewhat.
- Attributive/non-predicative adjectives must either go directly before or directly after the noun they describe. You can use both kawnga tute and tute akawng.
- Possessives/genitives must either go before directly before or directly after their possessed noun, except that an adjective describing the noun may come in between if necessary:
- oeyä 'eylan = 'eylan oeyä,
- oeyä sìltsana 'eylan = 'eylan asìltsan oeyä
- Ma must go directly before the name who is being addressed.
- Srak(e) may (as far as I know) only go either at the very beginning or very end of a yes/no question.
- The words ko and nang must only go at the end of the sentence.
- Modal verbs can only come somewhere before the secondary verb; the secondary verb cannot happen somewhere before the modal:
- nga yivom tsun = wrong
- tsun nga yivom / nga tsun yivom / tsun yivom nga = correct forms.
- There are exceptions in song (the Hunt Song, livu win sì txur oe zene).
- The topical must come at the beginning of the clause.
- Again, exceptions may be found in song, the Hunt Song, pxan livu txo nì'aw oe ngari....