What follows is the briefest outline on Zhdetl. With it and a lexicon, you will be able to compose basic Zhodani sentences with tenses, adjectives, commands, and prepositional phrases.
Sentence Structure
Sentences are of the form
Subject – Verb – Object(s) – Indirect Object(s).
Zhodani sentences are grouped into phrases; often a phrase is represented by a single word made up of a root word and modifying affixes. Sometimes a word will also have auxiliary words that together make up a phrase.
Noun Phrases
Nouns modify nouns in the same order as in English: the modifying noun is first, then the main noun last. In Zhodani these forms are compound words, written and treated like one word.
Example: vlezhdatl = star + lord, a type of cruiser. /vlezhd/ “Star” is the modifier, /atl/ “Lord” is the main noun.
Adjectives modify nouns in the same manner as Spanish: the noun comes first, then adjectives follow.
Pronouns which follow nouns are considered possessives. These modifiers are directly suffixed to the word.
Example: vlezhdaf = star + yonder. “A star far away”.
Example: vlezhdatlishaf = vlezh + atl + ish + af = star + lord + us + yonder = our yonder Star-Lord-class cruiser.
Building Nouns. Verbs can be turned into nouns with the –da suffix.
When a nominalizing suffix results in a word with a doubled consonant, the extra consonant is removed.
Example: /rid/ sing + /-da/ nominalizer = /ridda/ => /rida/ song
Verb Phrases
Verbs are conjugated for person and tense via suffixes.
Example: kiatlikej = /kiatl/ “attack” /ik/ “I” /ej/ “have done” = I have attacked (something
unspecified).
PERSON
-ik
1st person singular
-dish, -ish
1st person plural
-u’d
2nd person (singular or plural)
-ens
3rd person (singular or plural)
TENSE
Infinitive
-e'
Present
-es
Past
-atl
Future
-el
Progressive*
-enzh
Perfective*
-ej
Adverbial (+ly)
-vra
* present tense unless tacked to the end of past or future
Commands. Normal commands use the Infinitive coupled with Person. Here is the difference between using a bare infinitive versus issuing a command:
Kiatle’
Kiatlu’de’
Abrupt commands, used under danger, stress, to disparage, or to assert one’s superiority, leave off the infinitive ending.
Kiatlu’d
to attack
you, attack
attack!
To Send. The verb “send” is used to set up a secondary verb. This is used where English would often use the verb “to tell”.
Example: I sent him to attack.
Example: I sent you to solve the problem.
Auxiliary Phrases
These are phrases ending in locative, dative, or purposive cases. These phrases operate on or modify the immediately preceding phrase.
When a verb is absent, these phrases may also operate as cupolas, i.e. they sort of act like the verb “to be”.
Example: vlezhdatl vlezhdia. The Cruiser [is] near (about) the star.
Sentence Structure
Sentences are of the form
Subject – Verb – Object(s) – Indirect Object(s).
Zhodani sentences are grouped into phrases; often a phrase is represented by a single word made up of a root word and modifying affixes. Sometimes a word will also have auxiliary words that together make up a phrase.
Noun Phrases
Nouns modify nouns in the same order as in English: the modifying noun is first, then the main noun last. In Zhodani these forms are compound words, written and treated like one word.
Example: vlezhdatl = star + lord, a type of cruiser. /vlezhd/ “Star” is the modifier, /atl/ “Lord” is the main noun.
Adjectives modify nouns in the same manner as Spanish: the noun comes first, then adjectives follow.
Pronouns which follow nouns are considered possessives. These modifiers are directly suffixed to the word.
Example: vlezhdaf = star + yonder. “A star far away”.
Example: vlezhdatlishaf = vlezh + atl + ish + af = star + lord + us + yonder = our yonder Star-Lord-class cruiser.
Building Nouns. Verbs can be turned into nouns with the –da suffix.
When a nominalizing suffix results in a word with a doubled consonant, the extra consonant is removed.
Example: /rid/ sing + /-da/ nominalizer = /ridda/ => /rida/ song
Verb Phrases
Verbs are conjugated for person and tense via suffixes.
Example: kiatlikej = /kiatl/ “attack” /ik/ “I” /ej/ “have done” = I have attacked (something
unspecified).
PERSON
-ik
1st person singular
-dish, -ish
1st person plural
-u’d
2nd person (singular or plural)
-ens
3rd person (singular or plural)
TENSE
Infinitive
-e'
Present
-es
Past
-atl
Future
-el
Progressive*
-enzh
Perfective*
-ej
Adverbial (+ly)
-vra
* present tense unless tacked to the end of past or future
Commands. Normal commands use the Infinitive coupled with Person. Here is the difference between using a bare infinitive versus issuing a command:
Kiatle’
Kiatlu’de’
Abrupt commands, used under danger, stress, to disparage, or to assert one’s superiority, leave off the infinitive ending.
Kiatlu’d
to attack
you, attack
attack!
To Send. The verb “send” is used to set up a secondary verb. This is used where English would often use the verb “to tell”.
Example: I sent him to attack.
Example: I sent you to solve the problem.
Auxiliary Phrases
These are phrases ending in locative, dative, or purposive cases. These phrases operate on or modify the immediately preceding phrase.
When a verb is absent, these phrases may also operate as cupolas, i.e. they sort of act like the verb “to be”.
Example: vlezhdatl vlezhdia. The Cruiser [is] near (about) the star.
