Shaja
From KneeQuickie
Adseten Shaja /ˈadsətən ˈʂa.ɟa/, usually just called Shaja, is a collaborative conlang that was produced by the members of the ZBB, principally Nuntar, Funkypudding, Waldkater, Circéus, Khemehekis, and Miekko, from November 2004 to January 2006. Sasasha and Delthayre were also part of the initial team, but Sasasha dropped out in March 2005; Funkypudding replaced him for a while but departed in April; and Delthayre left the team in December, with Funkypudding returning to replace him. We hope that, in Phase Two of the Shaja project, we and others will eventually develop daughter languages from it.
Contents |
The Shaja Babel Text
- Cchuni shajat en cchuni xidjat tujeiban lhats lhitukaste.
- Lhauruq kashlut, michnariel rhafanhtanesh, ledena iksetlut rhauesh Shinaresh; psie treuesh atsebeqlut.
- Gaper ixetlut, ebfiru nashdef; psie chua farplajet naxheqi. En ebfirua tluceitfas exalut, en fiagelh purjinerfas exalut.
- Psie ixetlut, taka, la segitl luatfaurlu shialhchuaner lase parugelh flanhat nudseni; psie kieflua nashdef; nhalh faunh gurcchastebsu jarante lhan gsaxamnel ekiqaxh.
- Psie Xheraf druqmat, lhaur la estudi itlepi udsenlut laselh parugesh en flanhaste kietanagse.
- Psie Xheraf xitmat, neki, dfarat cchuni cherulu, en ucher bsi cchuni shajat axelu; psie lhafuari ajefichlu; psie cuesh la arheigmaunhlu janagse lasa saiseq churtuas flitsnel kieluq.
- Taka, nedruqi, psie ucheshajat netsauji, gaper ucheluasbenetsainagse.
- Nuts Xheraf achua faunh treueshtuas jarante gurcchastebsu gsaxammat; psie parugelh dsunanesh guxhlut.
- Nuts chuteni Babela jatlu; tsexh Xheraf treuesh shajat bsi jarante tsaujmat; psie treueshtuas Xheraf achua faunh jarante gurcchastebsu gsaxammat.
Phonology
Phoneme inventory
| IPA | X-Sampa | |
| Plosives: | /p b t d c ɟ k g/ | /p b t d c J\ k g/ |
| Fricatives: | /f s ʂ ç x χ/ | /f s s` C x X/ |
| Affricates: | /ts tɬ cç/ | /ts tK cC/ |
| Rhotics: | /r r̞/ | /r r_r/ |
| Nasals: | /m n ɲ ŋ/ | /m n J N/ |
| Laterals: | /l ʎ/ | /l L/ |
| Vowels: | /a i u ə/ | /a i u @/ |
| Diphthongs: | /ai au əi əu ia ua iə uə/ | /ai au @i @u ia ua i@ u@/ |
(Of the diphthongs, /ia/ and /ua/ are rising, the others falling.)
Phonological constraints
Syllables are C(C)(V)V(C) in roots; consonantless syllables may be introduced morphologically.
Any single consonant may begin a syllable. Any single consonant except /r̞ r_r/ may end a syllable.
Allowed syllable-initial clusters are as follows:
- /s/ or /ʂ S`/ plus any plosive
- /b/ /d/ or /g/ plus any fricative
- /ks/ or /ps/
- /ɟç J\C/
- any non-palatal plosive or fricative plus /r/ or /l/
- /nr/, /nl/
- /ɟʎ J\L/, /çʎ CL/, /ɲʎ JL/
A syllable cannot contain an initial cluster and a rising diphthong.
Two plosives of different voicing cannot be adjacent in the word. Where this happens because a suffix beginning with a plosive is used, the plosive in the suffix assimilates to match the voicing of the preceding consonant; this is, however, not written.
Any consonant except /r̞ r_r/ and plosives may be geminated; however, geminates are fairly rare.
Allophony
- Fricatives become voiced intervocalically or next to voiced plosives.
- /t/ and /d/ become retroflex next to /ʂ s`/ or before /u/ or /ə @/. /n/ also becomes retroflex next to /ʂ s`/.
- Nasals assimilate to the place of articulation of a following consonant. This applies even when the following consonant is a nasal, creating a phonetic geminate.
- Vowels are nasalised before a nasal consonant.
- /a/ and /i/ become [ɑ A] and [ɯ M] before a (phonemic or phonetic) uvular.
- /χ X/ becomes [ʁ R] syllable-finally.
- /ŋ N/ becomes [ɴ N\] before /u/.
- /k/, /g/ and /x/ merge with /c/, /ɟ J\/ and /ç C/ before /i/.
- /i/ and /u/ become [e] and [o] unstressed before a consonant, or [ɛ E] and [ɔ O] when unstressed and word-final.
- Unstressed /ai/ and /au/ merge with /əi @i/ and /əu @u/.
- Unstressed /iə i@/ and /uə u@/ become [ɪ I] and [ɤ 7] (pronounced half-long).
- Stressed /ə @/ is pronounced [ɘ @\].
- /r/ in clusters is pronounced [ɾ 4] in fast speech by many speakers.
Stress
The penultimate syllable is stressed when it contains a falling diphthong; otherwise the antepenultimate syllable is stressed. Two-syllable words stress the first syllable.
Orthography
There is no standard orthography for Shaja; each person working on it is allowed to have their own. The orthography given below is that used for the lexicon on this page.
All IPA symbols that correspond with Latin lowercase letters are represented by those letters.
| IPA | Transcription | X-SAMPA |
| /ɟ/ | <j> | /J\/ |
| /ʂ/ | <sh> | /s`/ |
| /ç/ | <ch> | /C/ |
| /χ/ | <xh> | /X/ |
| /tɬ/ | <tl> | /tK/ |
| /r̞/ | <rh> | /r_r/ |
| /ɲ/ | <nh> | /J/ |
| /ŋ/ | <q> | /N/ |
| /ʎ/ | <lh> | /L/ |
| /ə/ | <e> | /@/ |
Morphology
Nominal morphology
Shaja has eight cases: nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, locative, instrumental, causative, and comitative.
There are three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Several nouns referring to persons or animals can take any of the three genders depending on whether the person or animal is male, female or of unspecified gender. Groups of mixed gender are considered as neuter plural for verb and pronoun agreement.
Plurals are formed by changing a noun's root vowel and adding a vowel as a prefix:
| Root vowel | Vowel changes to | Prefix |
|---|---|---|
| a, i, u | e | original root vowel |
| e | no change | a |
| ia, ua | no change | a |
| ai, au | ei, eu | a |
| ie, ue | e | first vowel of diphthong |
| ei, eu | e | a |
Case endings for nouns depend on gender, as shown in the following table (with one noun of each gender as an example):
| Case | M | F | N | M | F | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | - | - | - | dsate | shaja | suq |
| Accusative | -elh | -at | -a | dsatelh | shajat | suqa |
| Genitive | -i | -ante | -en | dsatei | shajante | suqen |
| Dative | -er | -eit | -er | dsater | shajeit | suqer |
| Locative | -esh | -aste | -esh | dsatesh | shajaste | suqesh |
| Instrumental | -is | -its | -eis | dsateis | shajaits | suqeis |
| Causative | -are | -aret | -are | dsatare | shajaret | suqare |
| Comitative | -u | -ut | -u | dsatedu | shajaut | suqu |
Some notes:
- All the case endings start with a vowel. When the noun ends with a vowel, the two vowels merge if they are identical; if not, they form a diphthong if this is possible, or else an epenthetic consonant, usually /d/, is inserted (e.g. dsatedu from dsate + -u).
- When the insertion of epenthetic /d/ would make the last two syllables identical, haplology occurs and reduces them to one. For instance, the comitative of katladu is katladu (the same as the nominative), not katladudu.
- If a masculine or neuter noun ends in -sh, the -esh of the locative ending dissimilates to -ech.
- If the noun ends in a diphthong, the ending usually loses its vowel. If the ending is just a vowel, it is retained, with the insertion of epenthetic /d/ if the ending vowel is the same as the second vowel of the noun's diphthong.
A noun's gender can sometimes be predicted from the ending of the nominative case. Nouns ending in -au or -e are usually masculine; those in -a usually feminine; those in -u usually neuter.
Personal pronouns
| First (sing) | First (incl pl) | Second (sing) | Third (sing m) | Third (sing f) | Third (sing n) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | rhu | nhad | nhir | xher | tar | chur |
| Accusative | rhuelh | nhalh | nhilh | xhelh | talh | chua |
| Genitive | rhuen | nhaden | nhin | xhen | tan | chun |
| Dative | rhuer | nhader | nhir | xher | tar | chur |
| Locative | rhuesh | nhadesh | nhish | xhesh | tash | chush |
| Instrumental | rhus | nhais | nhis | xheis | tais | chus |
| Causative | rhuere | nhadre | nhire | xhere | tare | chure |
| Comitative | rhudu | nhadu | nhidu | xheu | tau | chudu |
| Possessive | rhu- | nha- | nhi- | xhe- | ta- | chu- |
| Verbal | rhuri | anhedi | nhiruse | xherema | tera | cherulu |
The plurals are regularly formed, in the same way as the plurals of nouns. The first person has two plurals: the inclusive (above) and the regular plural, used for exclusive.
The possessive prefixes replace possessive pronouns: thus, rhujau "my house". Their plurals are formed in the same way as plurals of nouns: urhejau "our [excl] house", etc.
The verbal pronouns replace the verb "to be": for instance, rhuri is used to translate "I am". The third person pronouns also replace the copula when the subject of the sentence is a noun: rhis raik tera, "the woman is cold".
Pronouns have a paucal form, formed by suffixing -ce or -te to the singular: -ce in the nominative, accusative, causative and comitative, -te in the other cases. (Note that rhuce is the first person exclusive paucal and nhadce the inclusive paucal.) The paucal is used to refer to a smaller, more limited group than the plural.
Pronouns also optionally inflect for distance: they can be marked as intimate (near the speaker) or distant. (This is of course redundant on the first person singular, and is almost never combined with the paucal in any person.) The intimate suffix is -ich, the distant -af.
Other pronouns
Shaja has a three-way distinction in the demonstrative pronouns between lhaur (this), lhan (that) and lhad (yon). There are additionally two emphatic demonstratives, lhafuar (this here) and lhafiar (that there).
Regular demonstratives can be nominalised by adding -uq, emphatic demonstratives by adding -seq. Both endings give rise to neuter nouns.
There is only one relative pronoun, las.
All these pronouns decline like quantitative adjectives (see below). However, demonstratives can be used as determiners, in which case they do not inflect: lhaur stued "this man" (and not lhaure, the normal masculine nominative form).
Adjectival morphology
Adjectives are classified as either qualitative or quanitative. Qualitative adjectives decline for case; quantitative adjectives decline for case and gender.
Qualitative declension:
| Nominative | - |
| Accusative | -alh |
| Genitive | -en |
| Dative | -er |
| Locative | -esh |
| Instrumental | -esh |
| Causative | -er |
| Comitative | -(d)u |
Quantitative declension:
| M | F | N | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -e | -a | -i |
| Accusative | -elh | -at | -i |
| Genitive | -e | -an | -in |
| Dative | -er | -at | -er |
| Locative | -esh | -ats | -esh |
| Instrumental | -esh | -ats | -esh |
| Causative | -are | -aret | -er |
| Comitative | -edu | -at | -it |
Adjectives can be negated with the prefix gun-: chiat "bright", gunchiat "dull".
Adverbs are formed from qualitative adjectives with the prefix far-, from quantitative adjectives with rua-.
The elative form is formed from qualitative adjectives with the prefix mun-, from quantitative adjectives with qia-. The elative followed by the comitative of the noun is used for comparative constructions: munkxemi kxeufadut "drier than the desert". The elative followed by the genitive plural of the noun acts as a superlative: munkxemi ekxafadante "the driest of deserts".
Some words, such as dfeura "bordering", are adjectives morphologically but behave syntactically as adpositions. They are prepositions, coming before their objects, and the object is put in the locative case.
Verbal morphology
Personal endings:
- First person -i
- Second person -se
- Third person masculine -ma
- Third person feminine -a
- Third person neuter -lu
Tense endings:
- Past -t
- Present (unmarked)
- Future -q
Aspect morphemes:
- Perfect -maunh
- Durative -jeib
- Inchoative -fich
(A verb need not have any marked aspect.)
The order of morphemes, if all are present, is verb stem, aspect, person, tense.
If a verb ends in a diphthong including e, the e drops out before the -i and -a endings. Two identical vowels merge, so a verb in -ie would have first person -i.
Plural verbs are formed in the same way as plural nouns: the root vowel changes but the original vowel is added before the word.
Moods are formed with prefixes; note that if a plural verb is put in a non-indicative mood, the modal prefix comes before the prefixed vowel and loses its own vowel. The moods are:
- Indicative (unmarked)
- Imperative ne-
- Conditional fu-
- Desiderative lua-
- Interrogative ca-
- Energetic lhi-
Negatives are formed with the suffix -sai, which comes after the personal endings but before the tense endings. In the infinitive, -sai comes before the infinitive ending, and the present infinitive simplifies to -sain (from -saian).
Infinitives:
- Past -tan
- Present -an
- Future -qan
Epenthetic /d/ is inserted in the present infinitive where necessary to prevent an impossible vowel cluster. Infinitives inflect for case in the same way as neuter nouns.
Positions
Positions are treated as suffixes. They can be used together with case suffixes (in which case they come after them) to indicate a different shade of meaning. All positions can be used alone (without a case suffix); it is one mark of an old-fashioned style to use a case (usually accusative) with every position.
Derivational morphology
- Noun for female person: -a (e.g. nabar "god", nabra "goddess")
- Augmentative: -aj (e.g. stued "man", stuedaj "giant")
- Diminutive: -ex (e.g. tul "dog", tulex "puppy")
- Collective noun: -at (e.g. cunh "star", cunhat "constellation")
- Noun for meat of animal: -uf (e.g. tlash "cow", tlashuf "beef")
- Noun for "land of": -nar (e.g. ksaga "sun", ksaganar "land of sun, south")
- Noun from qualitative adjective: -um (e.g. chiat "bright", chiatum "brightness")
- Noun from quantitative adjective: -sem (e.g. xhuad "big", xhuadsem "size")
- Nouns from verbs:
- Agentive -es (e.g. dik- "lead", dikes "leader")
- Patientive -u (e.g. dli- "give", dliu "gift")
- Name of process -ja (e.g. sha- "speak", shaja "speech")
- Adjectives from nouns:
- "Like" -mi (e.g. cchair "ice", cchairmi "icy")
- "Having" -er (e.g. kxar "thirst", kxarer "thirsty")
- Adjectives from verbs:
- Resultative -mi (e.g. jait- "hallow", jami sacred")
- Emotional -en (e.g. med- "to brood", meden "broody")
- Gerundive -eda (e.g. muet- "to bear", mueteda "bearable")
- Adverb from noun: shua- (e.g. tul "dog", shuatul "as/like a dog")
- Colour name from noun: -mur (e.g. nhebren "tulip", nhebrenmur "orange")
- Verb from adjective: -uq (e.g. nlexen "satisfied", nlexuq- "to satisfy")
Nouns formed with the -aj, -nar and -es suffixes are masculine; -a and -ja feminine; -ex, -um, -sem, -at, -u and -uf neuter. (Not all of these necessarily apply to nouns that have these endings by coincidence and are not formed with these suffixes.)
Syntax
Word order
Shaja is SOV by default, with the following exceptions:
- VSO word order is used in questions. In declarative sentences it would sound affected and poetic.
- OSV is available as an option in relative clauses, or to especially emphasise the object.
Adjectives normally precede nouns; so do determiners such as bsi (all) and demonstratives such as lhaur (this). Placing an adjective after a noun has the effect of emphasising the adjective. However, when a determiner modifies a pronoun (e.g. ucher bsi "all of them"), the pronoun always comes first; in fact, ucher bsi is almost treated as though it were a single word, though always written as two.
Genitive nouns can come either before or after the nouns they modify, although placing them before is less marked. Possessive pronouns are prefixes (see the pronouns table).
Where the direct object is an infinitive (as in "they stopped building the city"), it is normally placed in the normal object position, before the main verb, and if it has an object of its own (here, "city"), that comes before the infinitive. Note that in this example, the verb guxh- "to stop" is exceptional, and takes a locative object rather than the expected accusative.
Adverb placement
The unmarked position for an adverb is immediately before the verb. In a construction with an auxiliary verb (see below) the adverb is placed immediately before the verb it modifies, which can be either the main verb or the auxiliary.
Adverbs can also be placed differently for emphasis. Placing the adverb after the verb emphasises the action, with the manner indicated by the adverb being an incidental feature.
Use of pronouns
Shaja normally drops subject pronouns, as the information they provide is encoded on the verb. However, the subject pronoun can be retained for especial emphasis.
One special case in which the subject pronoun is normally retained is when the direct object is also a pronoun. In this case, dropping the subject pronoun has the effect of emphasising the object: talh sheirini "I love her (and not some other person you might think I love)".
Subordinate clauses
Relative clauses
Relative clauses are handled by placing the particle la before the clause and las after. Las inflects for case and gender, taking the gender of the noun modified by the relative clause, and an appropriate case to show the relation between the clause and the noun (genitive for an "of which" or "whose" clause, locative for an "in which" clause, etc.). Relative clauses as a whole precede the nouns they modify.
Intensional clauses
Intensional clauses (that is, clauses that are the direct objects of certain verbs such as "to say") are formed by placing the subordinate verb in the accusative infinitive. Each verb may have its own tense and aspect markers.
As the verb of the subclause has no person or number marking, if the subject is a pronoun it is nearly always retained. However, it may be dropped if it refers to the same subject as the verb of the main clause, as this will be understood as the default.
Comparative clauses
When a clause is the object of a comparison, it comes before the verb of the main clause, and is marked with ka before the clause and kas after: Xher ka anebar xhelh epralut kas prenmat, "He ran as if the gods chased after him".
As with intensional clauses, each verb may have its own tense and aspect markers.
Locative clauses
A subclause giving the place or time the main clause happened is marked by placing its verb in the locative infinitive. Alone, this means "as", as in "I shot him as he tried to escape". To indicate other meanings such as "after", "before", "where" or "near the place that", the locative infinitive is followed by the relevant postposition.
Infinitive of purpose
Where English uses the infinitive to show that one verb was done for the sake of another, as in "He came down to see the city", Shaja puts the second verb in the infinitive with the postposition -gse. Unlike English, the infinitive is made to agree with the main verb in tense.
Where the purpose of the main verb is to cause someone else to perform a second verb, gse is instead used as a conjunction, followed by a full clause with a finite verb. As an alternative, if the subject of the secondary verb is a pronoun, the construction with -gse as a postposition is used, and a possessive pronoun is prefixed to the verb. This construction is falling out of use, however.
Participles
Shaja has only a present participle, formed with the suffix -nel: kapnel stued "the throwing man". To form the equivalent of the passive participle, Shaja uses -nel affixed to a verbal pronoun and the accusative infinitive of the verb: cherunel kapana kapu "the ball being thrown".
The equivalent of the past participle, whether active or passive, is the comitative infinitive: kapanu stued "the man having thrown".
Auxiliary verbs
Auxiliary verbs are those that are meant to be used together with another verb, such as tel "to be able to". They are placed after the main verb, and the auxiliary takes all person, tense, and aspect information, while the main verb takes the -nel participle suffix. If there is a direct object, it retains its normal place before the verb.
Thus: Aqerelh fracnel teli, "I am able to carve rocks".
Passive
The above construction is also used to form the passive. Several different verbs can be used as the auxiliary; "to see" is most common and can be used even when it does not literally apply, when the action is one that cannot be seen. "To hear", "to receive", "to enjoy", "to withstand" and others are also used, in more restricted circumstances.
Impersonal
The (nominative) infinitive can be used as an impersonal form of the verb, equivalent to "one" or German man.
Reciprocal
Reciprocal action (where the subject and object both perform an action on each other) is marked by conjoining the subject and object into a compound subject, and placing the particle gaper in place of the object. However, gaper is optional and would often be understood: Usted aperma or, more formally, Usted gaper aperma, "the men killed each other". Gaper is invariable and does not decline.
When the subject and object act not on each other but on something belonging to each other, the construction daksat [object], with a plural verb, is used.
Object complements
Shaja recognises two types of object complements: transforming object complements, where the object is transformed into the complement, and non-transforming.
Transforming object complements are shown by placing the complement (whether a noun or an adjective) after the object in the instrumental case: Dxaktei cchanhesh jei, "I make the blanket red". (If the complement is a quantitative adjective, it agrees with the object noun in gender.)
Non-transforming object complements are shown with the postposition fa. Fa can also be used on adjectives in other places to give the adjective an extra emphasis: jau nhlhausfa, "the new house".
Numbers
Shaja has a hexal (base-6) number system. When used attributively, numbers decline like quantitative adjectives. The numbers up to 36 are as follows:
- cchun
- kie
- fai
- peut
- shur
- juna
- gatle
- kijuna
- fajuna
- tsaushur
- shujuna
- nhaxha
- cunhaxha
- kinhaxha
- fanhaxha
- penhaxha
- shunhaxha
- faiqa
- cufaiqa
- kifaiqa
- fafaiqa
- pefaiqa
- shufaiqa
- peuqa
- cupeuqa
- kipeuqa
- fapeuqa
- pepeuqa
- shupeuqa
- shuqa
- cushuqa
- kishuqa
- fashuqa
- peshuqa
- shushuqa
- tsilha
- tsilha cchun
- tsilha kie, etc.
60 is kietsilha, 90 is faitsilha, and so on. When a number above 36 is given a case ending, it goes on the last word only. 216 is jujuna, and 1296 is lhepeu.
Kinship terms
| Shaja | English |
|---|---|
| seldu | older brother |
| lit | younger brother |
| natsa | older sister |
| shina | younger sister |
| bliqar | parent |
| dsate | father |
| qian | mother |
| tlipi | child |
| mun | son |
| shundec | daughter |
| tsuq | husband |
| maila | wife |
| kuski | uncle |
| gela | aunt |
| qapi | nephew |
| kaida | niece |
| stum | cousin (male) |
| suiba | cousin (female) |
The prefix psar- indicates a relative further removed: thus psardsate "grandfather". (The same word is used for great-grandfather or more distant ancestors; the psar- prefix should not be repeated.)
The prefix nhux- indicates a relative by marriage.
Lexicon
| Shaja | English |
|---|---|
| -adu | place (suffix) |
| bab (m) | chest, torso |
| bakis (m) | salt |
| batl (n) | meat |
| baunhja (f) | power, advantage |
| bauq (n) | hill, rise, viewpoint |
| bauq- | to climb |
| ben (m) | head |
| bexhe (m) | kidney |
| bexhutl (n./qual.) | bottom |
| beqsa (f) | tree |
| bfieru (n) | brick |
| bfugu (n) | shirt |
| bipur (qual.) | shiny |
| bixhag (m) | brain |
| bled (m) | middle, centre |
| bledsa (qual.) | central |
| blerh (n) | rubbish, waste, litter |
| bliqar (n) | parent |
| bluen (qual.) | flexible |
| bluq- | to beget; to have a child |
| bre (qual.) | fixed, hard, fast |
| brerhan (m) | boy |
| bruexh (n) | valley |
| bsa- | to stand, to be located |
| bsad- | to kill |
| bsanlau (n) | distance |
| bsatl (m) | liver |
| bsema (f) | cacao |
| bseu- | to live, to stay |
| bsi (quan.) | all |
| bsiq (quan.) | shallow |
| -bsu | on, on the surface of |
| bsum (n) | chocolate |
| buek (m) | necklace |
| bumab (m) | adolescent boy |
| bume (qual.) | moody |
| bup (n./qual.) | back |
| bupan (n) | back (of body) |
| buq (quan.) | heavy |
| bus (m) | wolf |
| bush (qual.) | low |
| buskha- | to come down |
| bxar (n) | yon, over there |
| caprach (m) | armpit |
| cari (qual.) | nearby |
| -cari | near, close to |
| carte (quan.) | other, the next one |
| carun- | to approach |
| cas- | to become |
| catenhja (f) | desire, wish |
| catin- | to desire, to wish |
| cchair (m) | ice |
| cchairmi (qual.) | freezing cold |
| cchairnar (m) | north |
| cchak (quan.) | thick |
| cchanh (qual.) | red |
| cchusen (n) | swamp |
| cchi (qual.) | inner, interior |
| -cchi | into |
| cei (quan.) | small, soft (sound) |
| -cen | action (suffix) |
| ceurket (m) | carrion, corpse, carcass |
| chambu (n) | bone |
| char (m) | moon, moonlight |
| charej (m) | month |
| charmi (qual.) | soft, tender |
| chebutl (m) | sausage |
| chelh (n) | stream |
| chelte (qual.) | other, strange, foreign |
| chiat (qual.) | bright, fair |
| chiatum (n) | brightness |
| chiditl (f) | tail |
| choshin (quan.) | loud |
| chras- | to turn, to spin |
| chu (n) | broom |
| chuan (n) | kingdom, realm |
| chuaq (qual.) | intelligent |
| chud- | to cover, to shelter |
| churda (f) | cream |
| ciat- | to change |
| cienh (f) | sunset |
| cies (qual.) | quick, fast |
| ciesum (n) | speed |
| cuab (m) | button |
| cuesh | now |
| cunh (f) | star |
| cunhat (n) | constellation |
| dafuen (qual.) | interested |
| dafuja (f) | interest |
| dafuq- | to interest |
| daid (qual.) | hard |
| daksa (f) | the other |
| dalqu (n) | lead |
| dan | to, towards (physical goal) |
| danke | further on |
| datl (f) | river |
| dchixh (quan.) | tall |
| deru (qual.) | weak |
| deshitl (f) | waist |
| dfar (m) | human, man |
| dfarat (n) | people, tribe |
| dfeura (qual.) | bordering |
| dferu (n) | edge, rim, margin |
| dfu- | to fix, to attach |
| dfuja (qual.) | sorry |
| dik- | to lead |
| dikes (m) | chieftain, leader |
| dit- | to play |
| dli- | to give |
| dliu (n) | gift |
| dluen (qual.) | green |
| draik (f) | lake |
| dreu- | to end, to finish |
| dreuja (f) | end (noun) |
| drexhu (n) | coat |
| dru (qual.) | lower |
| -dru | under, beneath, below |
| druq- | to go down |
| dsaf- | to kick |
| dsait (qual.) | young |
| dsanh- | to continue, to go on |
| dsate (m) | father |
| dshun- | to rule, to govern |
| dsim (n./qual.) | front |
| dsiman (n) | belly |
| dsun- | to build |
| duexh- | might, may |
| duf (qual.) | pregnant |
| dum (m) | bull |
| dxaga (f) | cloth |
| dxagat (n) | outfit; the clothes worn by a person |
| dxakte (n) | blanket |
| dxhas- | to love (a thing or abstraction) |
| en | and |
| -fa | (not translatable; see section on object complements) |
| falha (f) | cat |
| falhex (n) | kitten |
| -fas | instead of (takes dative) |
| faunh | around, in many directions |
| felh- | to cook, to bake |
| felhu (n) | bread |
| fenu (qual.) | wild, large, vast |
| fescar- | to choose |
| fiag (m) | tar |
| fianh- | to fight |
| fiash (n.) | mind, spirit, will |
| fiashruan (n.) | willpower |
| figrexh (m) | muscle |
| finh (f) | hunger |
| finher (qual.) | hungry |
| flaite (qual.) | brown |
| flanh (f) | tower |
| flar (m) | hair |
| flits- | to prevent from doing, to block, to restrain |
| flurlha- | to pray |
| frac- | to carve, to engrave |
| fragtu- | to jump |
| fraja (f) | vegetable |
| fuaq (qual.) | sick, unwell |
| fuja (n) | sadness |
| fusen (qual.) | sad |
| fusuq- | to sadden |
| gaimba (f) | zinc |
| gamitl (f) | nail |
| gaper | each other |
| gapta (f) | society |
| gas- | to drink |
| gasu (n) | drink |
| gasha (f) | sky |
| gauba (f) | ovary |
| -ge | next to, at, by |
| -geic | to, towards (direction or metaphorical object) |
| gela (f) | aunt |
| gemitl (f) | intestine |
| gen (n) | place |
| genej (m) | hour |
| genhad (qual.) | tired |
| gets (m) | hill, mountain |
| geud- | to carry from a place to another; to transport |
| geudan (n) | stomach |
| gfe- | to have the opportunity to |
| gfeu (n) | opportunity, chance |
| gfijas (m) | spine |
| giab- | to hunt |
| giabes (n) | hunter |
| giaja (f) | hunting |
| giaxha (f) | summer |
| giec- | to touch |
| giedruq (qual.) | upside-down |
| gieja (f) | touch |
| gifte (m) | scarf |
| gitl (n) | pig |
| gitluf (n) | pork |
| gixhe (n) | freckle |
| gralut (m) | arm |
| gregen (qual.) | excited |
| greja (f) | excitement |
| greguq- | to excite |
| grenes (n) | worker, labourer |
| grenit- | to work |
| grenhja (f) | work, labour |
| griqa (f) | spleen |
| grush (m) | dough |
| gsaxam- | to scatter |
| -gse | to, in order to |
| gshana (f) | morning |
| gshuta (quan.) | wide |
| gsur- | to escape, to flee |
| gub- | to meet |
| guch- | to swim |
| gurccha (f) | surface |
| gurha (f) | egg |
| guxh- | to stop doing |
| -iel | away (with a precise direction) |
| jailu (n) | poison |
| jainu (n) | root (of plant) |
| jait- | to hallow, to enchant |
| jaites (m) | shaman |
| jalhiq (m) | hat |
| jami (qual.) | holy, sacred |
| janhu (n) | gold |
| janin (m) | salad |
| jara (f) | world |
| jarat (n) | universe |
| jatl (f) | music |
| jatl- | to be called |
| jatu (n) | fetish, idol |
| jau (m) | house |
| jaub (m) | juice |
| jaxhud (n) | wilderness, undeveloped land |
| jchi- | to go |
| je- | to do, make |
| jelhiq (qual.) | ancient |
| jem- | to resume |
| jer (f) | branch, bough |
| jeta (f) | leg |
| jinh (qual.) | round |
| jlhad (qual.) | old |
| jlhadum (n) | age |
| ju- | to help, to do someone a favour |
| juan (n) | goodwill, grace |
| juash (m) | fire |
| juatl (f) | betrayal |
| juma (f) | coffee |
| jumi (qual.) | gracious, good, benevolent |
| juqe (qual.) | purple |
| jut- | to betray |
| ka | like, as |
| kab- | to knock |
| kaban (n) | knuckle |
| kaich- | to veil, to enshroud |
| kaida (f) | niece |
| kais (n./qual.) | left (opp. of right) |
| kam | but |
| kap- | to throw |
| kapu (n) | ball, missile |
| karna (f) | rose |
| kash- | to happen |
| katl (f) | grass |
| katladu (n) | field, open space |
| kaxh- | to cut; to laugh |
| ke (qual.) | front, foremost |
| -ke | in front of, before |
| kepsa (f) | spring |
| kera (f) | face |
| kian- | must, (logically) has to |
| kie- | to see, to look |
| kieflu (n) | fame, reputation |
| kir (n) | fish |
| kisa (f) | rice |
| kitl (f) | milk |
| kix (f) | dawn |
| krain (quan.) | unique |
| kralka (f) | emerald |
| krats- | to trap, to catch |
| kratses (m) | trap |
| ksaga (f) | sun |
| ksaganar (m) | south |
| ksef- | to move |
| ksegas (m) | elbow |
| ksera (f) | cloak |
| ksig- | to bend (oneself) |
| ksit- | to find, to discover |
| ksix- | to scratch |
| ksub- | to rot, to decay |
| ksubes (m) | demon ("the decayer") |
| ksucen (n) | decay (noun) |
| ksumen (qual.) | bored |
| ksumuj- | to bore |
| ksuna (qual.) | pink |
| ksunhja | boredom |
| ksur- | to listen |
| ku- | to come |
| kuas (qual.) | immortal |
| kuasragrar (n) | the underworld |
| kues (m) | wrist |
| kubi (m) | knee |
| kuj (n) | throat |
| kuk (m) | nut |
| kuski (m) | uncle |
| kxar (f) | thirst |
| kxarer (qual.) | thirsty |
| kxeil (qual.) | hot; ill-tempered |
| kxeila (f) | adolescent girl |
| kxemi (qual.) | dry |
| kxeufad (f) | desert |
| lai (qual.) | blue |
| lauq (n) | snow |
| -le | in |
| leden (n) | plain |
| letseug- | to include, to contain |
| letsun- | to sit |
| lha (qual.) | divine |
| lhad (m) | shoe |
| lhaid (f) | song |
| lhar- | to cry, scream, shout |
| lhe (quan.) | entire, total, whole |
| lhituk (f) | earth, soil |
| lhituk- | to give birth to |
| lhitukmi (qual.) | earthy, grainy |
| lhuben (qual.) | mute |
| lhuj (f) | way, road, path |
| lhush (f) | sea |
| lhushen (qual.) | calm |
| lit (m) | younger brother |
| lits- | to proceed |
| luabe (m) | night |
| lufa (f) | skirt |
| lujchla (f) | rite, ritual |
| lujchlaish (n) | religious ceremony |
| maila (f) | wife |
| maitl (f) | tear |
| maki (m) | cheek |
| malun (m) | sauce |
| manu- | to taste |
| mas- | to take pride |
| masen (qual.) | proud |
| masja (f) | pride |
| med- | to brood |
| meden (qual.) | broody, depressed |
| medja (f) | depression |
| meduq- | to depress |
| mex- | to bite |
| mich (m) | dust |
| michnar (m) | east |
| mijaxh (qual.) | conscious |
| min (n) | light |
| muan- | to blow |
| much (n) | nickel |
| muet- | to bear, to carry |
| mun (m) | son |
| mur (n) | colour |
| nabar (m) | god |
| nabra (f) | goddess |
| nacen (n) | marvel, miracle |
| nait- | to marvel |
| nare (m) | country, realm |
| nash (qual.) | black |
| natla (f) | lightning |
| natsa (f) | older sister |
| nepu (n) | umbilical cord |
| nham- | must, is obliged to |
| nheb (f) | lip |
| nhebat (n) | mouth |
| nhebren (f) | tulip |
| nhebrenmur (qual.) | orange |
| nhip (m) | robe, dress |
| nhlhaus (qual.) | new |
| nhux- | to marry |
| nhuxja (f) | marriage |
| nid (n) | nose |
| nike | again |
| nikemi (qual.) | familiar, common |
| nina (f) | plant |
| nish (n) | person |
| nlau (qual.) | far, distant |
| -nlau | far from |
| nleim (m) | sandal |
| nlexen (qual.) | satisfied |
| nlexja (f) | satisfaction |
| nlexuj- | to satisfy |
| nliqu (n) | tea |
| nlish- | to take |
| nlut (qual.) | deaf |
| nras- | to lure |
| nreik (m) | penis |
| nuenh (f) | ear |
| nuj (f) | sand |
| nup (m) | navel |
| nuts | so, therefore |
| nuxhi (m) | thunder |
| pachal (n) | wing |
| pagal (m) | village |
| paimit- | to exceed, to surpass |
| paimrak (m) | hero |
| panh (n) | rain |
| parug (m) | city |
| pasa (m) | air |
| paux (quan.) | deep |
| peitl (m) | stick, staff |
| per- | to kill deliberately, to murder |
| perek (m) | knife, dagger |
| pi (m) | mouse |
| pietu (quan.) | thin |
| pipax (f) | clitoris |
| pirdu (n) | chin |
| pixh (n) | foot |
| pixh- | to go, to walk |
| pixhcen (n) | direction |
| pixhja (f) | journey |
| plajet (qual.) | thorough |
| preit- | to chase |
| pren- | to run, to go fast |
| preu (qual.) | yellow |
| psad (qual.) | blind |
| psat- | to fly |
| pshaf (n) | dirt |
| psie | and then |
| psix- | to envy |
| psixen (qual.) | jealous |
| psixja (f) | envy, jealousy |
| psuch (n) | alcohol, liquor |
| puja (f) | boot |
| pulh- | to hit, to strike |
| pulhja (f) | stroke, beat |
| pumu (m) | mind |
| pupi (m) | nipple |
| purjin (n) | mortar |
| putl (f) | bush |
| qab (f) | sleep |
| qaber (qual.) | asleep |
| qabun- | to sleep |
| qacche (m) | ribbon |
| qair (m) | (male) infant |
| qam (m) | iron |
| qanhju (n) | neck |
| qapi (m) | nephew |
| qar (m) | rock, boulder |
| qaren (qual.) | nervous |
| qasen (f) | cake |
| qaura (f) | barley |
| qeja (f) | soul |
| qemi (quan.) | narrow |
| qian (f) | mother |
| qiax (qual.) | white |
| qiedu (n) | vagina |
| qieduren (f) | orchid |
| qim- | to smell |
| qub (qual.) | bad |
| qufaf (n) | toe |
| qugam (n) | ankle |
| qur (m) | beer |
| raf- | should, probably will |
| rafixh (n) | cereal |
| ragas (n) | wall |
| ragrar (n) | pain |
| raik (qual.) | cold |
| raikum (n) | coldness, chill |
| ral (qual.) | useful, good |
| rariq (qual.) | mad, insane |
| rein (f) | flower |
| reinit- | to bloom |
| renech (m) | heart |
| rhabi (m) | blood |
| rhafanh- | to journey |
| rhafanhja (f) | journey |
| rhaig- | to imagine |
| rham- | to dance |
| rhamet (n) | forest, wood |
| rhau (m) | land |
| rhaux- | to wield |
| rheb- | love (physically) |
| rhem- | to think |
| rheuat (n) | continent |
| rheuch (m) | the future |
| rhiq (f) | hand |
| rhis (f) | woman |
| rhudum (n) | warmth |
| rhuan (n) | strength |
| rhuag (qual.) | strong |
| rhue (qual.) | warm |
| rhuexh (n) | hot drink |
| rhuf- | to cry |
| rhulh (n) | cookie, biscuit |
| rhush (m/f) | child |
| riaxh- | to fall |
| rib- | to grow, to sprout |
| ribax (quan.) | short |
| ridu (n) | leaf |
| rim (m) | coronet, diadem |
| rin (n) | worm |
| rush (n) | weather |
| sade (n) | where, in the place that |
| safis (f) | body |
| saiseq (n) | nothing |
| san- | to rejoice, be happy |
| sanen (qual.) | happy |
| sanja (f) | joy |
| sanuq- | to delight |
| sar (quan.) | high |
| sarluabe (m) | midnight |
| sarspis (f) | noon |
| sarum (n) | height |
| sas- | to chat, to gossip |
| sasu (n) | gossip |
| saupus (m) | bladder |
| sbanet- | to understand |
| scaftain | loyal |
| sce- | should, ought to |
| sebu- | to break |
| sedam (n) | platinum |
| seflaxh (quan.) | light (in weight) |
| segitl (n./qual.) | top |
| sekat (n) | cracker |
| seldu (m) | older brother |
| selhan (f) | nectar |
| selhud (n) | honey |
| set (m) | stone, pebble |
| setl (f) | wheat |
| sexhu (n) | ring |
| sha- | to speak |
| shafatl (f) | dumpling |
| shait- | to wash |
| shaja (f) | language |
| shakte (n) | saying, proverb |
| shalet (qual.) | talkative |
| sharja (f) | tin |
| shat (qual.) | flat |
| shaupa (f) | womb |
| shbain- | to sweep, to clean |
| shban- | to eat |
| shbanja (f) | dinner, lunch |
| shdaf- | to shape, form, make |
| shdax (n) | bowl, pot |
| shduel (m) | mountain |
| shduel- | to rule |
| shdueles (m) | king, leader |
| shduelmi (qual.) | majestic, awesome |
| shedar (m) | friend |
| shedra (f) | friend |
| sheirin- | to love (a person, emotionally) |
| shetxau (qual.) | wet |
| sheit (m) | water |
| shelku (n) | frost |
| shenhu (n) | oesophagus |
| sheuma (f) | girl |
| shga | after |
| shgesa (f) | |
| shial (f) | (female) infant |
| shialh (qual.) | quiet |
| shialhchuan (n) | heaven, paradise |
| shifrhud (qual.) | brave |
| shij- | will, is willing to |
| shina (f) | younger sister |
| shkel (n) | cave |
| shral- | to stab |
| shreuq (qual.) | stiff |
| shtafakaichu (n) | mist, fog |
| shtafal (n) | cloud |
| shua (qual.) | upper |
| -shua | above, over |
| shuam- | to breathe |
| shubi (m) | evening |
| shuk- | to shut, to close |
| shukar (m) | dusk |
| shundec (f) | daughter |
| shunha (f) | sugar |
| sic- | to light, to shine |
| sika (f) | here |
| silh- | to sing |
| sinha (f) | flour |
| sitl (f) | urine |
| six (m) | silver |
| sketl (f) | heel |
| skeum- | to push |
| skinh- | to pull |
| skud- | to attack |
| slep (quan.) | few |
| spaixu (n) | sock |
| spaju (n) | wine |
| spami (f) | clothing |
| spasher (qual.) | awake |
| spashun- | to wake up |
| spesha (f) | jewellery |
| spis (f) | day |
| spuj (n) | grape |
| spujmur (qual.) | burgundy |
| stash- | to hear |
| staxu (n) | cheese |
| stif (m) | eyebrow |
| stued (m) | man |
| stum (f) | afternoon |
| stum (m) | male cousin |
| stup (n) | forehead |
| stuts- | to punch |
| suag (m) | horse |
| sualh (qual.) | beautiful, good, admirable |
| sualhum (n) | beauty |
| sub- | to feel, to touch |
| subar (m) | sheep |
| subarex (n) | lamb |
| subarexuf (n) | lamb (meat) |
| subaruf (n) | mutton |
| such (n) | trousers |
| suchunh (n) | short trousers |
| suduq (qual.) | unconscious |
| suen (m) | tongue |
| suiba (f) | female cousin |
| suq (n) | fruit |
| suqat (n) | fruit salad |
| sush (n) | food |
| tac (quan.) | long |
| tacum (n) | length |
| taf (f) | thigh |
| taka! | come! |
| tashar (n) | pudding, dessert |
| taxhan (n) | flame |
| teisha (qual.) | sweet |
| tek (n) | storm |
| tel- | to be able to |
| telja (f) | skill, ability |
| teni (n) | name |
| teu (quan.) | only, merely |
| tfag (n) | fence |
| tfaur- | to reach |
| tfax (n) | eye |
| tfaxat (n) | sight |
| tiq (n) | finger |
| tisniq (n) | infant, toddler |
| tla- | to begin, to start |
| tlabsa (f) | raincoat |
| tlag (m) | stalk |
| tlaig (n./qual.) | right (opp. of left) |
| tlaja (f) | beginning, start |
| tlajer (f) | shoot (of plant) |
| tlak- | to possess, to own |
| tlalteq (m) | spear |
| tlash (f) | cow |
| tlashex (n) | calf |
| tlashuf (n) | beef |
| tlax (quan.) | having, with |
| tleg (f) | vessel, jar |
| tlemitl (f) | family |
| tlia- | to peek, look at clandestinely |
| tliarheuch- | to prognosticate, foretell |
| tlin- | to sting, to pierce |
| tlipi (n) | child (of a parent) |
| tlir (qual.) | sharp |
| tlisa (f) | year |
| tluc (f) | stone (mass noun) |
| tluf (qual.) | ugly |
| tluja (f) | pie |
| traqfa (f) | autumn |
| traxu (n) | ham |
| treu (n) | there |
| trim- | to hurt, to feel pain |
| tru- | to die |
| truja (f) | death |
| truser (qual.) | dead |
| tsam- | to know |
| tsamja (f) | knowledge |
| tsar- | to rage |
| tsarja (f) | anger |
| tsaren (qual.) | angry |
| tsaruq- | to anger, to enrage |
| tsauj- | to mix up, confuse |
| tsaxes (n) | belt |
| tseb (n) | tooth |
| tsebeq- | to settle |
| tsen (n) | town |
| tseug- | to hold, to retain |
| tseuga (f) | shoulder |
| tsexh | because |
| tsiju (n) | ruby |
| tsin- | may, is permitted to |
| tsuba (f) | winter |
| tsueb (n) | hoof |
| tsuq (m) | husband |
| tu- | to use |
| -tuas | away from (direction irrelevant) |
| tul (m) | dog |
| tulex (n) | puppy |
| xag (qual.) | slow |
| xale (m) | life |
| xaleser (qual.) | alive |
| xaleun- | to live, to be alive |
| xamis (n) | wind |
| xamisnar (m) | west |
| xan- | to beat up |
| xanh- | to raise, lift, heave |
| xanhja (f) | ascent, rise |
| xarna (f) | copper |
| xasats (m) | sapphire |
| xedit (n) | adolescent |
| xei- | to have |
| xeub- | to fear |
| xeuben (qual.) | afraid |
| xeubuq- | to frighten |
| xeuja (n) | fear, angst |
| -xha | lest, so as to prevent |
| xhad (n) | skin |
| xhal- | won't, refuses to |
| xhale (m) | tunic |
| xhamu (m) | wood |
| xhaq- | to burn |
| xhaispa (f) | diamond |
| xharfi (m) | bark (of tree) |
| xharh- | to freeze |
| xhauch (f) | fireplace, hearth |
| xhauchmi | comfortable, safe |
| xheb- | to hurt, to injure |
| xhin (n) | soup |
| xhuad (quan.) | great, big |
| xhuadsem (n) | size |
| xhuag (qual.) | intimidating |
| xhuar (m) | loremaster, sage |
| xheurnat (n) | lore, tradition |
| xhexhitl (m) | testicle |
| xhudu (n) | skull |
| xhugaq (n) | lots, a huge number |
| xhugas (m) | bottom, behind (of a person) |
| xian- | to pause |
| xidja (f) | speech |
| xidu (n) | word |
| xit- | to say |
| xix (qual.) | healthy, well |
| xru (qual.) | outer |
| -xru | out of |
| xufus (m) | faeces, excrement |
| xum (m) | thumb |
| xutl (m) | wind |
| xuxha (f) | placenta |

