A dying language from the west coast of Kaimaeni.
Natively known as: Emni /eIm.ni/
...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
ma fi sobnan efotme fi nemnuv ma pabnam fi tsibiv bonmab pemnuv fo
Pronunciation: /mɑ fi ˈsobnɑn ˈefotme fi nemˈnuv mɑ ˈpɑbnɑm fi ʦiˈbiv ˈbonmɑb ˈpemnuv fo/
Emni word order: and he stood holding hat his and turned his face wet the wind to
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: /b f m n p s t v ʦ k/
| ↓Manner/Place→ |
Bilabial |
Labiodental |
Alveolar |
| Nasal |
m |
|
|
| Stop |
p b |
|
t |
| Affricate |
|
|
ʦ |
| Fricative |
|
f v |
s |
Vowel inventory: /e i o u ɑ/
|
Front |
Back |
| High |
i |
u |
| High-mid |
e |
o |
| Low |
|
ɑ |
Syllable structure: (C)V(C)
Stress pattern: No fixed stress
Word initial consonants: b, f, m, n, p, s, t, ʦ, k
Mid-word consonants: b, bn, f, ff, fn, fp, ft, m, mn, mv, mʦ, n, nb, nf, nm, nn, np, ns, nt, nʦ, p, pm, pn, s, sf, sn, t, tb, tm, ts, tt, tʦ, v, vb, vm, vn, vv, ʦ, ʦn, ʦs
Word final consonants: b, m, n, t, v
Diphthongs: aI, eI, oʊ
Phonological changes (in order of application):
- n → Ø / _{s,ʦ}
- u → o / _{p,b}i
- e → o / K_
- b → v / V_V
- f → w / _V
- um → ũ / _#
- n → Ø / _s#
Spelling rules:
| Pronunciation |
Spelling |
| ʦ |
ts |
| ɑ |
a |
| Pronunciation |
Spelling |
| aI |
ai |
| eI |
ei |
| oʊ |
ou |
Grammar
Main word order: Subject Verb Object (Prepositional phrase). "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into
Mary opened the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned after the noun.
Adposition: postpositions
Nouns
|
Singular |
Plural |
| Masculine |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -ɑm
fom /fom/
man |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -n
Else: Suffix -on
fon /fon/
men |
| Feminine |
Suffix -ɑ
pona /poˈnɑ/
woman |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -t
Else: Suffix -ut
ponut /poˈnut/
women |
| Neuter |
Suffix -um
ubumum /ˈubumum/
doɡ |
If ends with vowel: Suffix -v
Else: Suffix -ov
ubumov /ˈubumov/
doɡs |
Articles
|
Definite |
Indefinite |
| Singular |
fev /fev/
the |
tu /tu/
a |
| Plural |
tsu /ʦu/
the |
su /su/
some |
Pronouns
| 1st singular |
a /ɑ/
I, me, mine |
| 2nd singular |
ut /ut/
you, yours |
| 3rd singular masc |
fi /fi/
he, him, his |
| 3rd singular fem |
tsem /ʦem/
she, her, hers |
| 3rd singular neut |
ta /tɑ/
it, its |
| 1st plural |
mi /mi/
we, us, ours |
| 2nd plural |
ba /bɑ/
you all, yours (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc |
mim /mim/
they (masc), them (masc), theirs (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
beb /beb/
they (fem), them (fem), theirs (fem) |
| 3rd plural neut |
ni /ni/
they (neut), them (neut), theirs (neut) |
Possessive determiners
| 1st singular |
a /ɑ/
my |
| 2nd singular |
ut /ut/
your |
| 3rd singular masc |
fi /fi/
his |
| 3rd singular fem |
tsem /ʦem/
her |
| 3rd singular neut |
ta /tɑ/
its |
| 1st plural |
mi /mi/
our |
| 2nd plural |
ba /bɑ/
your (pl) |
| 3rd plural masc |
mim /mim/
their (masc) |
| 3rd plural fem |
beb /beb/
their (fem) |
| 3rd plural neut |
ni /ni/
their (neut) |
Verbs
| Present |
No affix
bavim /ˈbɑvim/
learn |
| Past |
Suffix -ɑt
bavimat /ˈbɑvimɑt/
learned |
| Remote past |
Suffix -um
bavimum /ˈbɑvimum/
learned (lonɡ aɡo) |
Netben uses a standalone particle word for future tense:
| Future |
Particle before the verb: su -
su bavim /su ˈbɑvim/
will learn |
Imperfective aspect
The ‘imperfective’ aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as
I am learning and habitual actions, such as
I learn (something new every day).
Netben uses a standalone particle word for imperfective:
| Imperfective |
Particle before the verb: bev -
bev bavim /bev ˈbɑvim/
learns/is learninɡ |
Perfect aspect
The perfect aspect in English is exemplified in ‘I have read this book’, which expresses an event that took place before the time spoken but which has an effect on or is in some way still relevant to the present.
Netben uses an affix for the perfect aspect:
| Perfect |
Suffix -ut
bavimut /ˈbɑvimut/
have learned |
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -ɑm
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -ɑ
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -im
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n
Else: Suffix -en
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -im
Noun to verb = If ends with vowel: Suffix -t
Else: Suffix -et
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -n
Else: Suffix -in
Tending to = Suffix -i
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -um
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -u
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -t
Else: Suffix -ut
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -em
Diminutive = If ends with vowel: Suffix -m
Else: Suffix -um
Augmentative = If ends with vowel: Suffix -t
Else: Suffix -et
Number System
The number system of Emni is base 9 positional notation. Numbers outside of the standard numbers are combinations of the two words. When there are two vowels in these combinations, put a t.
0 - Ku
1 (1) - Mo
2 (2) - An
3 (3)- Ai
4 (4) - Tu
5 (5) - Ek
6 (6) - Pu
7 (7) - Bou
8 (8) - Ak
9 (10) - Moku
10 (11) - Motimo
11 (12) - Motan
12 (13)- Motai
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