Some grammar stuff!
Well, since I write this as somewhere else, I thought I might as well just post it here too.
Relative clausesThere are three types:
substantival relative pronoun and
substantival relative indefinite pronoun, and
adjectival relative relational pronoun. The substantival pronouns are divided by animacy (
what vs.
who) and inflect for case only, and the adjectival pronoun inflects for case and number. I think it's best to demonstrate their use with examples.
The following two examples demonstrate the typical use of the substantival relative pronouns:
1)
Sól néonnas, néonjás. "Someone who studies is a student."2)
Véttais vi šíjeneu, sós ve fêntiais. "He gave me a gift, which surprised me." (I was surprised by the fact that he gave me a gift, not by the gift).
The substantival relative indefinite pronouns are used similarly but they translate as
whoever,
whatever and
whichever.
The adjectival relative relational pronoun is, on the other hand, used to directly modify a noun. The difference can be easily demonstrated by modifying the 2
nd example from above:
3)
Véttais vi šíjeneu, á ve fêntiais. "He gave me a gift which surprised me." (The gift surprised me now, not the fact that he gave me a gift.)
It should be noted that there are two variants of this pronoun:
á and
ráili. The former doesn't inflect while the latter does. Compare the following examples:
4)
Véttais vi šíjeneu, á ve fêntiais. "He gave me a gift which surprised me."5)
Véttais vi šíjeneu, ráili ve fêntiais. "He gave me a gift which surprised me."6)
Véttais vi šíjenes, á ve fêntiois. "He gave me gifts which surprised me."7)
Véttais vi šíjenes, ráila ve fêntiois. "He gave me gifts which surprised me."When a case different from nominative is required,
ráili inflects regularly, while
á requires resumptive pronouns. Compare the following:
8)
Nár pólás, á-te sóraj nióunnai. "This is the book that I read yesterday." (lit.
"This is the book that I read it yesterday.")
9)
Nár pólás, ráeda sóraj nióunnai. "This is the book that I read yesterday."ParticiplesLike in English, various participles can be used to replace relative clauses. Laefêvëši has six participles but only three are relevant here, and these are:
adjectival participle,
relative participle, and
qualitative participle.
Their uses are best illustrated by the following examples:
10)
adjectival participle:Ƕáin, á láisáis, háisás. "The man who was seen is old." →
Láili ƕáin háisás. "The seen man is old."11)
relative participle:Ƕáin, á lállas, háisás. "The man who sees is old." →
Láldi ƕáin háisás. "The seeing man is old."12)
qualitative participle:Ƕáin, á lállais, háisás. →
Láldui ƕáin háisás. "The man who saw is old."A better example might be this one:
13)
Ƕáin, á ljêttais, háisás. →
Ljêttui ƕáin háisás. "The man who entered is old."