<!>dhoklang Scratchpad (NP: Algonquitut?) (2015-08-12 17:06:56)
dhoklang Scratchpad (NP: Algonquitut?)
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? dhok posts: 235
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OK, instead of going onto the morphology, we're going to look at roots. The prototypical root in Proto-Nahtak is (C)VC and is constructed from a reduced inventory where glottalization, nasalization and length are eliminated. Labialization may appear on either the first consonant or the second consonant, but not both (*w counts as a labialized consonant).

√iθʷ- 'to go, move' (activity)
√saŋ- 'to perceive, sense' (activity)
√qʷuš- 'to scratch, wound' (achievement)
√χet- 'to die, kill' (accomplishment)
√nel- 'to be born' (accomplishment)
√rox- 'to flow' (activity)
√yat- 'to copulate' (activity)
√aš- 'to bear, carry' (activity)
√loχʷ- 'to exist' (state)
√θekʷ- 'to know' (state)

Roots have an inherent argument structure and lexical aspect/Aktionsart (a four-way division between achievements/semelfactives, accomplishments, activities and states) but there are a number of valency or aspect-changing ablaut and similar processes that may take place within a root. For example, a state may be turned into an accomplishment through the transformation CVC > CVnC̉: θekʷ- 'to know', θeŋk̉ʷ- 'to realize'. Similarly, intransitive verbs can easily be causitivized with initial reduplication and lengthening: nel- 'to be born', nenēl- 'to give birth'.

A particular verb's aspect and transitivity properties can be indicated with a shorthand abbreviation, which we'll use from here on in. I marks an intransitive; T a transitive. A capital letter is used to indicate a telic aspect, while a lowercase letter is used for atelic aspect; <a> is used for durative aspects, while <x> is used for punctual ones.