Friday, June 19, 2009

We I thinking it has something to do with your wings

I'm Still Not Returning Home
http://sites.google.com/site/psalmofdreams/Home/introduction-to-babel-grammar/i-m-still-not-returning-home




Notebook Entry: I’m still not returning home

I don’t think this storm is so terrible. Fhólus and Aîya are bouncing on my bed. Fhermáta is going to try to paint my words. Puey is out there fighting. I hope he will return home soon.

[scrawled across the page]

khwax-léxh’ q’ux-óí t’i’xh’opjáj (snort!)!

Fhólus and Aîya keep sprawling nonsense upon the page and running around, my Princess.

That’s fine. We’ll let them be. Now, where shall I begin? The locative case has a special form which we call the partitive genitive. The partitive genitive is not a different case for it fulfills all of the requirements for being locative, but it is used in several unique syntactic ways. The partitive genitive is used to show quantity, a number or someone or something, how many and how much and a part a bit of something. It is thus the counterpart to the kiipe- prefix that asked how many, how much?

Jexhùrnamat sqakhanùlkha’ óxing poa.
Perhaps I humbly eat scurrying rocks.
Jexhùrnamat sqakhanùtya’ óxing poa.
Perhaps I humbly eat a porcioun of, some scurrying rocks.
Sèxhuxurl twílayòlkha qúra.
Þe viceroy king is shy to honor birds.
Sèxhuxurl twílayòtya qúra.
Þe viceroy king is shy to honor some birds.

The partitive genitive is especially useful when describing the object of senses: touching, tasting, seeing, hearing, smelling, dreaming, remembering.

Jaê sqakhanùtya pú.
I see some of Þe scurrying rocks.

Qheûxha sqakhanùtya pú.
I tasted of Þe scurrying rocks.
Qheûxha means those who taste or choose someone or something.

The partitive genitive is also the object for atelic clauses or sentences. The subject remains in the experiencer case. Since the partitive genitive is a form of the locative case, the locative marker comes at the edge of the clause rather than one using the ingeminate case. Also, pronominal supplementation does not like the partitive genitive, so one must use one or the other.

Xhùrnamatt totwojiyùtya khmewína.
The pirate eats of the mochi.
Xhùrnamatt tòtwoji’ axhúxhayùtya khmewína.
The pirate eats of the purple mochi.
Xhùrnamatt tòtwoji’ axhúxha’ ixháxhayùtya khmewína.
The pirates eat of the purple and orange mochi.

Of course there can be some ambiguity here, for since the partitive genitive is not marked until the end, one could conceivably have lots of unmarked relative clauses at the beginning of the sentence. However, context always makes the clause works. The sentence below could possibly be ambiguous.

Khmír khniêr stélarètyikhing pú.
I love some of the kissing princess.
Loving I kiss some of the princess.

But I rather think not. Anyway one could always rewrite the sentences to be perfectly clear rather than working on word order.
Khmír stélarètyikhing ker khniêr pú.
I love some of the kissing princess.
Khniêr stélarètyikhing khmírajakh.
Loving I kiss some of the princess.

Since the partitive genitive is properly a form of the locative case, it does not take the ingeminate cae tobe modified. Where one finds:

Construct Case X Ingeminate Case Y
X-ejikh/olkha/axhmikh/ulkha, xhroe Y kae/pfho/pfhu
X being Y

For the partitive genitive we find:

X Y-etyikh/otya/utya
X being Y

Jaê jakhtaqtàyejikh wtsátim kae pú.
I saw Þe green warrior.
Jaê jakhtàqta wtsátimètyikh pú.

I saw some of Þe green warrior.

Pronominal supplementation does not like the partitive genitive, it likes good solid telick objects. So if one wished to use pronominal supplementation one would certainly the idea of humility but lose the idea of some or a part of the object.

Jèjae tlhìsqakhant pú.
I humbly see the scurrying rocks.
Jeqheûxha tlhìsqakhant pú.
I humbly tasted the scurrying rocks
Seixhùrnamat qhitòtwoji khmewína.
The pirate humbly eats the mochi.
Seixhùrnamat qhitòtwoji qhiyaxhúxha khmewína.
The pirate humbly eats the purple mochi.
Seixhùrnamat qhitòtwoji qhiyaxhúxha’ qhiyixháxha khmewína.
The pirates humbly eats the purple and orange mochi.

Therefore the way to use pronominal supplementation and express only a part is to use a subject such as qlús as I shall describe below. Therefore one comes up with sentences such as the following.

Jiîjae khnùqlúss sqakhanùtya pú.
I humbly see some the scurrying rocks.
Jiiqheûxha khnùqlúss sqakhanùtya pú.
I humbly tasted some of the scurrying rocks
Seixhùrnamat qhìqlús totwojiyùtya khmewína.
The pirate humbly eats some of the mochi.
Seixhùrnamat qhìqlús tòtwoji’ axhúxhayùtya khmewína.
The pirate humbly eats some of the purple mochi.
Seixhùrnamat qhìqlús tòtwoji’ axhúxha’ ixháxhayùtya khmewína.
The pirate humbly eats some of the purple and orange mochi.

The partitive genitive is quite often used with participles that denote numbers.

Jexhùrnamat khíyùlkha sqakhanùtya’ óxing poa.
Perhaps I humbly eat three of the stones.

Khí is an inanimate non-sentient participle meaning three

[scribbled upon the page]

I we wish to contribute some example some sentences some words.

Fine, little ones, I’ll write down what you say, just as long as it meets the Princess’ approval.

I we the making lots of good examples. Okay you the saying that part genesis used for eating and drinking and quaffing et set.

Yes, at least when one wants to emphase being in the state of eating and drinking, that’s what the Princess was saying.

Okay let’s throw around this example:

Qir qàmla ptorptiyáxeus xhamarnafhinùtya tepu!
Tomorry let’s quaff some pink lemonade!

That’s a very good example, Fhólus and Aîya, and I like how you used the locative phrase qir qàmla to mean tomorrow. You also use an inclusive personal pronoun you and I.

Funning! You we the making another example. Looking at your notes the suffixes the verbals –ojhyie means eating no?

Yes.

Qir qàmla qlúsòjhyie khnálùtya tepu khrúje!
Tomorry let’s eat some sweeties!

Yes, yes, that’s excellent, that’s a perfectly well-formed sentence.

I we having another example.

Khwax-léxh’ q’ux-óí t’i’xh’opjáj (snort!)!

And what is that supposed to mean?

Tee hee hee hee hee!

Are you going to tell us?

It mean:

Qir qàmla qlúsòjhyie’ ustiyetyìkheyii tepu khrúje!
Tomorry let’s eat some cute babies!
Tee hee hee hee hee!

Princess, what are you doing! There’s a storm out there!

[scribbles]

HELP! HELP HELP HELP! PRINCESS TRYING TO

Do you think you were to harsh on them, my little Sister?

All I did was throw them out into the storm. I didn’t find their comment funny.

It’s a terrible blizzard out there.

I don’t like their joke.

I think I can hear their teeth chattering.

I don’t care. They’re live. Shall we continue? Now, the partitive genitive can also begin a clause or sentence.

X·etyikh/otya/utya Y
Y is some/any/part/portion of X

For like all forms of the locative case, the partitive genitive may be the first word of a clause or sentence.

Qielùtya lwánoling.
Þe castle is part of Þe hill.

Jaraqtuyùtya’ ijótlhayàlyur.
Tho whispering mountains are part of Jaràqtu.

Xhónùtya pei.
This is some of Þe water.
Xhónùtya tei.
That is some of Þe water
Xhónùtya kei.
Yon is some of Þe water

The partitive genitive is regularly used with the following participles: Jhèpa and Stór which both mean something, anything, someone, anyone, someone else, each other, one another, those who are another, other, different, strange and qlús some persons, some things, anybody, anything and qwús those who are many, more and the personal pronoun khnón no one or none or nothing.

Fhermáta, would you like to create some sample sentences?

Ixháxha jhèpa’ ijótlhayùtya.
Others of the whispering mountains are orange.

Jèjae khnónexhrejor kúyetyikh pú.
I humbly saw none of them.

Jèjae khnónexhrejor túyetyikh pú.
I humbly saw none of you

Khmíraîpoin qlúsejikh úyùtya qlús úyùtya.
Someone has to love someone.

Xhthènteqhe qir qwús wthárlùtya pú.
I wended into many of the rivren.

Khrèjhar stórejikh theupíyayètyikh pú.
I killed others among the maidens.

That was terrible, Fhermáta!

Sorry. I’m just so used to the type of sentences that we were taught by Grandfather Pátifhar. Ah.

Ptiîkha stórejikh theupíyayètyikh pú.
I kissed others among the maidens upon their foreheads.

That’s better. Now Fhermáta, such particples may also be used with unmarked relative khyàtyekh clauses. The translation would be a little different, but the meaning will be mostly the same.

Ixháxha’ ijótlha jhèpa.
Others whispering mountains are orange.
Jenuîjae kúxhrejor khnónutya pú.
I humbly saw none of them.
Jenuîjae túxhrejor khnónutya pú.
I humbly saw none of you
Khmíraîpoin úxhrejor qlús qlúsàxhwa
Someone has to love someone.
Xhthènteqhe qir wthárl qwús pú.
I wended into many rivren.
Khrèjhar theupíyàyejikh stór pú
I killed other maidens.
Ptiîkha theupíyàyejikh stór pú.
I kissed other maidens upon their foreheads.

The participle qwús is quite fun, those who are many, more. When qwús is used in an unmarked relative clause or with a partitive genitive it has the meaning of many but when used in a clause with the suffix –etwekh it means more.

Jaê qwúsejikh stélarètyikh pú.
I saw many Princesses.
Jaê qwúsejikh stélarètyikh pú túyetwekh.
I saw more Princesses than you did.

Qwúsufhang khyeqhiirètyikh.
There are many Dragons.
Qwúsufhang khyeqhiirètyikh xoxhetesètwekh.
There are more Dragons than Stars.

Also we have the participles khmèqa those who are great, more, much and tlhèkhar those who are many, more, much and they regularly take the partitive genitive form of the locative case.

Jaê khmeqàyejikh stélarètyikh pú.
I saw a great many Princesses.
I saw more Princesses.
Tlhekhàrufhang khyeqhiirètyikh.
There are many Dragons.
Tlhekhàrufhang khyeqhiirètyikh xoxhetesètwekh.
There are more Dragons than Stars.
Khmeqàyufhang khyeqhiirètyikh jetrayètwekh.
There are more Dragons than pies.

I added that last sentence for our Traîkhiim slaves.

I’m still angry with them, Fhérma. They can freeze in the snow for all I care.

They were just being silly with their words.

Then they can be silly in the ice. Words, oh Fhérma, that denote groups, flocks, swarms, herds, hordes, hosts, or armies often take the partitive genitive form.

Árpènte, árpèntamat herds
Fhùnxha herds, flocks
Jhìqwu, jhìqwus member of group, organizacioun
Jhpìfha, jhpipífha horde, herd of plantimals
Jòmfhe series; number of similar things, various things
Jòri membren of a set, group
Khiêyi blood, race, species
Khiîja, khikhíja horde, swarm of insects
Khíje horde
Khlókh clan, race, tribe
Khlùnta armies, congregaciouns
Khmaôkh, khmaôkhim people, race
Khmètlhilu set, compleate group of similar items
Khnúrm numbren, quantities
Khyùwi people, a people, ethnicity, race, clan
Kùla armies
Kùsqo swarms
Lwuînte, lwuînta armies, congregaciouns
Lyòke, lyòkei groups
Lyùnte, lyùnta armies, congregacioun
Peûng people, race, gens
Pfhayàsya armies
Pfhókh race of a species, gens
Pwífhe hordes
Pyuyaîpa swarms
Qhèmpe, qhèmpepe batch, quantity of things done, produced at once tyme
Qhìrtsu groups
Qlàni quantities
Qlìmart race, clan, gens
Qlúpa group
Qòjha race, tribe of a species, gens
Qòxho, qòxhoim armies, host, war, warbands
Qràtu units, units of slaves
Qrùpa groups
Qthèrtha herds, rows, swarms (of plantimals)
Sèji sets, groups
Syí claßes, kinds, types
Tharàrka horde
Thyètsa, thyethyétsa swarm of small creatures
Thyìla quantity, amount, number, magnitude, tale
Tìjhwa a number, a large number, myriads, a large group
Tlhamlòrlyo, tlhamlòrlyot collecciouns, groups, gathering
Tsùmfhi, tsùmfhan fragments, scraps
Tùmpi race, group of people
Tùtsi armies
Úrjang military company of men, phalanxes, squadrons, platoons, battle lines, troups, bands, ēored, cohorts
Wthoîka, wthoikelónge herds
Wthùqhu hordes
Xàqni company, groups
Xhàswe, xhàswa stampedes
Xhèpu flocks
Xhmìqhito pilen, heaps, stacks, ricks
Xhmòto, xhmotònthe armies
Xhrètsa swarm of small creatures
Xhthút projecting objects, fragments


Do you just like creating lists, my Princess?

Why yes. Why do you ask?

I’m just wondering. You’re quite a listfol person. You just rattle them off. Are they supposed to be in any order?

No, they just come in the order I imagine them. Perhaps one day, after I’ve published a version of the grammar, I can get helpers to alphabetize the lists for me.

Let’s use a few of these particles with the partitive genitive form of the locative case.

Jaê fhunxhayòlkha twílayòtya pú.
I see a flock of birds.

Xhùrnamat tijhwayùlkha sqakhanùtya pú.
I ate a large group of scurrying rocks.

Jaê xhepuyòlkha kóqhayòtya xhèpu jhasqewayòtya.
Þe homocide of ravens sees a murder of crow.

Kóqha is one of our words for crows, those birds who are so special to Our Heart Raven.

Now I also wish to add that we have a level nine suffix which also has the meaning of a group of someone or something, and that suffix is -etwas. And so one one saith:

Jaê twílayolkhayètwas pú.
I see flocks of birds.

Xhùrnamat tijhwayulkhayètwass sqakhanùtya pú.
I ate a large group of scurrying rocks.

Jaê kóqhayolkhayètwas jhasqewayètwas.
The homocide of ravens sees a murder of crow.

I have made some obversations on the squeaks and giggles of the Language of Plantimals, and I have noticed that in some cases Babel has far many more words and complicated forms than the beasts do, but in terms of words for groups of persons or creatures, sometimes Babel is fair simpler than Qtheûnte.

Are you really able to understand all the mews and purrs that Puey and Ixhúja say?

Not all of them, but enough for some broad linguistic observations. Now, one may compare the translation of fhùnxha herds or flocks.

Fhùnxha pwaopfhayòtya
Murdher of crows
Fhùnxha pìmfhalorn
Tiding of magpies, jays
Fhùnxha khyunayòtya
Unkindneß of white ravens
Homocide of white ravens
Fhùnxha khmerulòtya
Parliament of rooks, blackbirds, ousels
Fhùnxha Pteixhathwufhayètyikh
A wilddeerneß of dragons

In each case the Babel just has the same word, fhùnxha but when speaking in the language of beasts one has all of these different options which I cannot attempt to translate into language. In the above examples have used the words khmèrel blackbirds, ousels and khyùna, khyuyúna white raven doves and pìmfhalarn jays and pwaôpfha crows and Pteixhàthwufha that is Windspirit one of the words that we have for khrūsophúlakes parthenóphagoi Dragons.

And one also says:

Pwaopfhayètwas
Murdher of crows
Pimfhalornètwas
Tiding of magpies, jays
Khyunayètwas
Unkindneß of white ravens
Homocide of white ravens
Khmerulètwas
Parliament of rooks, blackbirds, ousels
Pteixhathwufhayètwas
A wilddeerneß of dragons

The partitive genitive is also used with words that of themselves mean a part or portion of something else. Fhermáta, we’re coming up to a list again, so I hope you are prepared.

Fhaêkh atoms, elements, words, musical notes, smallest bit of story
Fhòqru kind, sort, type, variety (+ part gen)
Fhrùyitlhe, fhruyiîtlhe parts, pieces, slices
Jhwòse, jhwonáse secciouns, segments, part different from othren
Khlìqi porciouns
Khlumlìpla, khlumlìplas clefts, gashes, divisions, particiouns, secciouns
Khótlhuxhi, khótlhuxha allocaciouns, allotments, porciouns, shares
Oâs side (of somewhom/somewhat) [space·part]
Pàptu parts
Pàrti parts, bits, chunks
Pfhìqhelo, pfhìqhelot mathematical sets, groups, stories
Qthòle, qthòlei pieces, parts broken, separated from somewhat else
Qthùrlpi part, porcioun, small part, small porcioun
Qwìjo, qwìjojo parts
Sèroi piece, parts (of somewhom/somewhat) [part·do·matter]
Síngei part, proporciouns [part·one·thing]
Soês elements, atoms, tiny particlen [part·matter·part]
Stòxhi, stòxhiin lumps, clods, blobs, pieces of ne particular shape
Tètil porciouns, departments
Tíl parts, bits
Xhnújas claßes, phyla, parts (of somewhom/somewhat) [together·think·part]

And so we say:

Jaê stoxhiyàxhmikh sqakhanùtya pú.
I saw lumps of stones.

Fhwonxhùnthe fhaekhùlkha fhlúparùtya pú.
I heard some musick.

Fhwònxha, fhwonxhùnthe means those who hear someone or something while fhlúpar is one of our words for music, or music with language.

Princess?

Yes?

The storm is growing very bad outside. Shall I let the Traîkhiim slaves back within?

No.

I can hear their wailing.

A pity.

They didn’t mean to hurt you like that. They don’t know all about your childhood.

I don’t care. Let’s keep working on the grammar. The partitive genitive is also used with level thirteen suffixes such as +khyi to express X-est of Y or Least X of Y.


Wtsàtim khyi qielùtya kei.
That is Þe greenest of hills.

Jaê’ áxhàyeqho Khyeghiirètyikh púxhli.
I see Þe least red of Þe Dragons.

Khnoqwísi pyárs lyárèmpai Khlerayètyikh!
Hail Khnoqwísi, most hopeful of Stars!

Princess, I can still hear them.

Alas. Now I have noticed that sometimes the language of beasts can be extremely blurred while Babel is far more polite. One example is the growl that I call some. Consider these three examples:

Xhùrnamat qlúsàxhmikh tsélòtya púsa.
Xhùrnamat tsélòtya púsa.
Jáxe xhurnamàtejikh tsél pfho púsa.
I ate some applen.

These three sentences can all be translated the same in the Language of Beasts. Each of them has a slightly different meaning, though. The growl some can be quite ambiguous.

Xhùrnamat qlúsàxhmikh tsélòtya púsa.
I ate some applen.
I ate any applen.
I ate some indefinate applen.

In the above sét sentence the object is the particple qlús in the construct case, and it has at its heart the meaning of some unspecified number or quantity. By itself it thus means some or any amount.

Xhùrnamat tsélòtya púsa.
I ate some applen.
I ate of Þe applen.
I ate part of Þe applen.
I tasted of Þe applen.
I nibble on Þe applen.

This above sentence has an object, not in the construct case, but in the partitive genitive form of the locative case. It emphasizes either that some portion of the apple was eaten or that perhaps the action or state of the predicate is unfinished in some way. Sometimes it is best to change the meaning of the predicate unto something else, such as taste or nible since the sentence implies that the apple was incompletely eaten, or at least not completely eaten all at once.

Jáxe xhurnamàtejikh tsél pfho púsa.
I ate some applen.
I ate an apple.
I ate some apple ør another.
I ate in general ond ‘twas applen that I ate.

And this sentence above is in the antipassive voice. As such the object is demoted into the ingeminate case. The subject does something in general and the obect is some apple or other left unemphasied. Oh, and in the above examples I’ve been using the word tsél for apples.

Princess, the Traîkhiim are calling your name. The windows are frosting. I don’t know how much cold they can take.

THE TRAÎKHIIM COME FROM ICE ASTEROIDS! THEY CAN WITHSTAND THE COLD! Did you just copy down what I just chanted? You don’t have to write down everything.

Perhaps they can withstand the cold, but I think they’re just sad to be away from you.

I don’t want to see them. Now, strangely enough, participles that signify half regularly take the thèngpo construct case and not the partitive genitive form of the locative case. The participles that we have that mean half are khlàwa and lwiîkh and thèrpi and twùjhu. For instance one says

Jaê thèrpi xhroe lwánol xhroa pú.
I saw half of Þe castle.

Princess shall I let the slaves back inside? They sound miserable. Princess. They don’t know about what happened to you in your childhood. And the Dragons. Don’t cry don’t

Thank the thanking you for letting us back inside Aîya and I and Aîya getting quite cold out there but we I the brave quite brave indeed

Is it okay that if we write all o'er your grammar notes? Not like anyone reading them. Do you have more pie for me and Fhólus?

Listen you two. The Princess is going to lie down a little. When she gets up again she will probably want to continue these grammatical excises. I have to warn you, please don’t make any more jokes about babies. She is quite sensitive.

Why?

Some things happened to her right after she was born. She doesn’t like to be reminded of it.

Does this have anything to do with the wings?

I we bet it have something to do with dragons.

Are we right right right right?

Yeah we’re probably right, no?

That’s enough, you two.

Princess, I have a new page all ready for you.

Where’s Puey?

He’s busy I suppose. But I’m here with you. Don’t you want to sit next to me? We can both be wrapped up in the same blanket and sit close to the fire. Fhólus and Aîya are working on a treat for you.

We making hot choclate for you we making the

[smears of hot chocolate upon the rest of this page]

Okay this page looks rather clean. Shall we begin, Princess?

Drink up the chocolate Fhólus and I made for you! We spat in the chocolate and everything! Drink it all the way up!

Yeah, our saliva usually ends up at the bottom of the gourd mug. Have to upend it all up.

I’m not very thirsty. So, while we’re discussing the partitive genitive we should discuss its relationship to mass participles.

You going to drink up all that chocolate saliva?

There are some participles in Babel which I think can be considered as mass participles. Mass participles most often appear as participles with no marked singular form, although some of them do have marked singular forms to denote a specific instance of this particples. Most often these mass participles are syntaclly considered singular and are modied by marked singular participles and agree with singular personal pronouns or at least personal pronouns considered singular in this context.

Tsàmle wtsàtim
Green psand. Some green sand.
Fhàxhri wtsuyot
Great cold ær. Some greatcold air.
Thineîqe tlhìjhweqhe
Falling snow. Some falling snow.
Thyéwa jijíxhe
Laughing love. Some laughing love.
Xhrúmum fhròkaot
An old instance of darkness. Some old darkness.

Tsàmle keixing.
It’s love. It’s some love.
Fhàxhra keixing.
It’s cold air. It’s some cold air.
Thineîqe keixing.
It’s snow. It’s some snow.
Thyéwa keixing.
It’s love. It’s some love.
Xhrúmum keixing.
It’s darkness. It’s some darkness.

Notice how I’ve also translated these mass participles as some something. The reason is that these participles one sometimes finds with either affixes meaning the totality of something, khorna- and –uxhwi as well as many of something xhajhya- and -ul. Then of course these mass participles become plural.


Khornatsàmle kei.
Tsamlexùxhwi kei.
They’re all of the sand.
Khornafhàxhri kei.
Fhaxhrixùxhwi kei.
They’re all the cold air.
Khornathineîqe kei.
Thineiqexùxhwi kei.
They’re all the snow.
Khornathyéwa kei.
Thyéwaxùxhwi kei.
They’re all the love.
Khornàxhrúm kei.
Xhrúmùxhwi kei.
They’re all the darkness.


Xhajhyatsàmle kei.
Tsàmlexul kei.
They’re many grains of sand.
Xhajhyafhàxhri kei.
Fhàxhrixul kei.
They’re many bubbles of cold air.
Xhajhyathineîqe kei.
Thineîqexul kei.
They’re many flakes of snow.
Xhajhyathyéwa kei.
Thyéwaxul kei.
They’re many instances of love.
Xhajhyàxhrúm kei.
Xhrúmul kei.
They’re many instance of darkness.


However, most of the time when we wish to describe a quantify of some mass participle we have to resort to another resource, especially if we wish to refer to a specific quantity. By the way, from the examples above you’ve probably figured out that tsàmle means sand and fhàxhri means air or cold air, hmm, I wonder why Babel doesn’t have a specific word that means hot air, and thineîqe means snow and thyéwa means love and xhrúm, xhrúmum means darkness, an instance of darkness, caliginosity.
Mass semantically non-restrictive sùkhpet participles in Babel are usually not counted. One usually does not say tsenathineîqe one instance of snow and janyathineîqe two instances of snow and lyiikhathineîqe three instances of snow. Those forms are not wrong, they’re not grammatically unsound, but they sound terrible. They are quite inelegant. Usually just little children say such things as

We says Lyiikhathineîqe all the time! Look at those three clobglobs of snow!

I know. I can’t call it ungrammatical. And yet it is not the common usage. Usually to count mass participles or to refer to a specific instance or example of one of these mass participles, one must use one of the seven quantifiers. The quantifiers are very strange participles, they may only take the number affixes of the level fourteen variety, the –ing series. Note that the final –t becomes –k before the suffixes of these seven quantifies. The mass particple then follows the quantifier and must take the partitive genitive form of the locative case. The quantifiers are slightly irregular in that the ending –t is considered the singular form. Quantifiers are considered non-sentient and inanimate since they are abstractions.
The seven quantifies are based upon the seven prime elements are make up the universes of the Dreamtime, the Land of Story. These elements are Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Sand, Metal, and Love. The first six elements each have their own kindred of Elemental Spirit for to guard o'er them. These spirits ygnowen are as Khùngum Salamanders and Khlàxa Nymphs and Qunóma Aardmans and Khùfhe Sylphs and Qhiêfhu Sprites and Khnaîniwu Gorgons. There is no special Elemental in charge of Love, since it is everyone’s duty to care for love.

Þe seven quantifiren are as follows:

Khùngut (khunguk·) (< Khùngum) Quantifier for fire (+ part gen)
Khlàxat (khlaxak·) (< Khlàxa) Quantifier for water, eke liquids, plasma (+ part gen)
Qùnot (qunok·) (< Qunóma) Quantifier for earth, eke solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil (+ part gen)
Khùfhet (khufhek·) (< Khùfhet) Quantifier for ær, eke gaßes, elements of nature (+ part gen)
Qhiêfhut (qhiefhuk·) (< Qhiêfhu) Quantifier for psand, dust, clay (+ part gen)
Khnaînit (khnainik·) (< Khnaîniwu) Quantifier for metal, eke abstracciouns (+ part gen)
Khmót (khmok·) Quantifier for love, eke affeccioun, friendship, innocence (+ part gen) [love]

So the quantifiers are found in the following numerical forms:

Khùngut
One instance of fire
Khlàxat
One instance of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnot
One instance of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukeng
Two instances of fire
Khlàxakeng
Two instanes of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokeng
Two instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukang
Three instances of fire
Khlàxakang
Three instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokang
Three instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukung
Four instances of fire
Khlàxakung
Four instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokung
Four instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukikh
Five instances of fire
Khlàxukikh
Five instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnoking
Five instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukekh
Six instances of fire
Khlàxukekh
Six instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokekh
Six instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukakh
Seven instances of fire
Khlàxukakh
Seven instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokakh
Seven instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukukh
Eleven instances of fire
Khlàxukukh
Eleven instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokukh
Eleven instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khungùkuthi
A few instances of fire
Khlaxùkuthi
A few instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qunòkuthi
A few instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khùngukul
Many instances of fire
Khlàxukul
Many instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qùnokul
Many instance of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil
Khungukùxhwi
All instances of fire
Khlaxukùxhwi
All instances of water, liquid, plasma
Qunokùxhwi
All instances of earth, solids, cereals, food, dry goods, soil

Khùfhet
One instance
of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhut
One instance of
sand, dust, clay
Khnaînit
One instance of metal, abstractions
Khmót
One instance of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekeng
Two instances
of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukeng
Two instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikeng
Two instance of metal, abstractions
Khmòkeng
Two instancse of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekang
Three instances of
air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukang
Three instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikang
Three instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkang
Three instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekung
Four instances of
air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukung
Four instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikung
Four instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkung
Four instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekikh
Five instances of
air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukikh
Five instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikikh
Five instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòking
Five instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekekh
Six instances
of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukekh
Six instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikekh
Six instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkekh
Six instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekakh
Seven instances
air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukakh
Seven instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikakh
Seven instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkakh
Seven instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekukh
Eleven instances
of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukukh
Eleven instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikukh
Eleven instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkukh
Eleven instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khufhèkuthi
A few instances
of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiefhùkuthi
A few instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnainìkuthi
A few instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkuthi
A few instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khùfhekul
Many instances of
air, gasses,
elements
Qhiêfhukul
Many instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnaînikul
Many instances of metal, abstractions
Khmòkul
Many instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence

Khufhekùxhwi
All instances of air, gasses,
elements
Qhiefhukùxhwi
All instances of sand, dust, clay
Khnainikùxhwi
All instances of metal, abstractions
Khmokuxhwi
All instances of love, affection, friendship, innocence


That was pretty straightforward, don’t you think so, Fhérma.

Yes, Princess. It was completely regular.

You the should be seeing the charts she made me paint out before! They had billions and billions and zillions and thousands of forms. E'er hear of something called the locative case? It very quaad. Bad bad bad!

There are many ways to translate quantifiers into the Language of Beasts. Perhaps my friends here would like to help me?

Do I we have to to to?

Yeah you the better at grammar. We here just for the fun of it. Didn’t the Tushed Elders send you to learn wisdom at the hand-feet of the new Emperor and Empress.

Yeah … not quite working. Didn’t the new Empress resurrect you out of dirt and dust and something?

Didn’t the new Empress drink all our spit in her hot chocolate?

Okay, I’m going to talk grammar now. Fhermáta, please write this down.

I we have a nano-disease too, who knows what goo was in my spit in her hot chocolate.

Mayhap we should not the talking we.

Fhermáta, here are some examples of translating quantifiers into the language of beasts. A tendril of flame, a flash of fire, a drop of water, a spoonful of liquid, a bit of earth, a piece of solid, an atom of an element, a sheet of paper, a piece of cloth, some grains of soil, some grains of cereal, a portion of food, a bubble of air, a peal of thunder, a flash of lightning, some grains of sand, a speck of dust, a nugget of gold, an instance of love, an act of friendship, an example of innocence.

A bite of pie! Does that work?

Ah, well we already have the words aqhàkhaluta cut off pieces of food, morsels, portions of food, forhewn food, scran, cud and áxhles bits of food, morsels, appetizers, mouthfuls, scran, cud, horse’s doofus. So one can say aqhakhalùtaxing jairetuyùtya a morsel of food or àxhlesing jairetuyùtya a mouthful of pie.

No! No! Use a word for biting. Khmàpajhi!

Ah Qùnot khmapajhiyejikhàjhwen jairetuyùtya, an instance of one’s biting of a pie.

Did we really all just saying such a long mouthful? Qùnot khmapajhiyejikhàjhwen jairetuyùtya!

Yes, that’s what we just chanted.

Sure there not a shorter way to say it, the question?

Khmàpajhi is an interesting word for aside meaning those who bite it can also mean those who miskiss someone. Other words which mean both those who bite and those who miskiss are tsuî and tsùkhwa, tsutsùkhwa and tnènekh and peît and tìtqa and qwé and stoâ and khmàxurl and xhlásar and àxhlesi.

Um, Sister, I am afraid to ask, but what does miskiss mean?

It means to kiss someone in an awkward way. Such as when I ran up to Puey outside of the temple and I accidently kissed his nose. Or whenever our teeth accidently clash when we mean fo rour lips to touch. Or if we should be walking and trying to kiss but someone slips. Or if –

Princess, I love you and we are of the same Clan now, but would you please just never mention in my presence your kissing of my foster Brother? It is a rather awkward subject.

Is it? I don’t think so.

Puey and I were betrothed at one time.

Ah, I’m ignoring them. I plan on never mentioning that for the rest of my life.

Shall we just go on to some grammatical examples?

Do let’s. Let’s see.

Qùnot exhoxhrayùtya
An article of women’s clothing
Qùnokang fhrotlhayòtya
Three seeds of grain
Khlàxakeng jatsuyùtya
Ttwo drops of water
Khmót jhepwayùtya
An instance of innocence
Qùnot jhitiyùtya
A portion of food
Qùnokul fhàfhoka jhitiyùtya
Eleven porciouns of food
Notice that qùnokul many instances of food is used to agree with fhàfhoka eleven things . One could say:
Qùnokukh jhitiyùtya
Eleven portions of food
Khungutàlrakh jhpúsùtya
A single red tendril of fire
Khùfhet khlútiyùtya
A bubble of cold ær
Khnaînikakh prukheyùtya
Seven nuggets of gold
Qhiêfhut ptajhoyùtya
A grain of sand
Qhiêfhut puletseyùtya
A speck of dust
Qùnot pwartoyùtya
A piece of a solid
Qùnot pyisyayùtya
A porcioun of land
Khnaînikeng pyuntentayùtya
Two instances of happineß
Qùnot qhatokhiyùtya
A handful of soil
Khùfhekeng qthelkhonùtya
Two flashes of lightening
Qùnot qthupíjukhoyùtya
An atom of Einsteinium
Khmót qthuxhnapayùtya
An act of love
Khmót thósùtya
An act of friendship
Khùfhet tlhoaxojuxujoxíjuyùtya
A peal of thunder
Khlàxat xakhqayùtya
A drop of liquid
Qùnot xhwujiweùtya
A sheet of paper
Wtsàtim qhiêfhut ptajhoyùtya.
Þe grain of sand is green.
Wtsàt qhiêfhukul ptajhoyùtya.
Þe many grains ofpsand are green.
Jaê qhiefhukàxhmikhing ptajhoyùtya pú.
I see a grain of psand.
Jaê qhiekhukàxhmikh ptajhoyùtya pú.
I see grains of psand.

The participles in the examples above are exhòxhra feminine clothing and fhròtlha grain, cereal crops and their seeds and jàtsu water and jhèpwa innocence and jhìti food and jhpús fire and khlúti cold air and prùkhe cold and ptàjho sand and pùletse dust and pwàrto those who are solid, firm and pyìsya earth, land and pyuntènta happiness and qhàlotkhi soil and qthèlkhon lightning and qthupíjukho Einsteinium and qthùxhnapa love or those who love someone or something and thós friendship and tlhoaxojuxujoxíju thunder and xàkhqa liquid and xhwùjiwe paper.
When particples take the level nine suffix –ajhwen they are always considered grammatically plural, and the suffix can only be added to the unmarked plural form of the particple. In order to count participles containing –ajhwen one must use one of the seven quantifiers listed above. The quantifier, however, remains non-sentient inanimate while the participle ending in –ajhwen may be any gender depending on what the meaning means. Oh, and –ajhwen may be translated in a variety of ways in the languages of beasts, it can mean the quality of, the mass of, the amount of, the property or event or state of, -ness, or –ment or something of that sort.
Qùnot exhoxhrayutyayàjhwen
An example of Þe quality of women’s clothing
Qùnokang fhrotlhayutyayàjhwen
Three seeds of grainneß
Khlàxakeng jatsuyutyayàjhwen
Two drops of watericity
Khmót jhepwayutyayàjhwen
An instance of being innocent
Qùnot jhitiyutyayàjhwen
A porcioun of Þe quality of food
Qùnokul fhàfhoka jhitiyutyayàjhwen
Eleven portions of the quality of food
Qùnokukh jhitiyutyayàjhwen
Eleven portions of the quality of food
Khungutàlrakh jhpúsutyayàjhwen
A single red tendril of fireneß
Khùfhet khlútiyutyayàjhwen
A bubble of airment
Khnaînikakh prukheyutyayàjhwen
Seven nuggets of goldneß
Qhiêfhut ptajhoyutyayàjhwen
A grain of sandineß
Qhiêfhut puletseyutyayàjhwen
A speck of dustineß
Qùnot pwartoyutyayàjhwen
A piece of a solidicity
Qùnot pyisyayutyayàjhwen
A porcioun of landineß

Quantifiers without a partitive genitive after them are often best translated as a personal pronoun such as it or them. This is especially true if the antecident has already been mentioned.

Jaê khrexhye khungukàxhmikh tú?
Do you see it?
Do you see the fire-like item?
Do you see the item that is pertaining to fire?
Axhíxhi xhón. Khrìxhmer khlaxakùlkha kúxing.
Þe water was orange. He brought it to friends ør family.
Xhurnamatétyai qunokàxhmikh!
Eat it!
Eat the food!
Xhnenoyùpwarn kúxing. Jesíthelónge khmokàxhmikh pú.
He used to be a friend. I miß it, the friendship.

That was a rather sad sentence. I imagine it being chanted after a dear friend has passed into the protection of one’s Ancestors. The predicate for the last sentence is jesíthe, jesíthelónge those who long for, who miss someone or something.

And this discussion on the genitive partitive form of the locative case and quantifiers reminds me of one of the sillinest things that our peiratical Uncle Xhnófho has e'er chanted:

Jáxe qìfhiss senípásìyejikh qéngama’ akhasyilatserefhtoyòjhwan qunokùlkhaxing xhrasuyòtya qé xhnoe lriqhínxhanatsèraxúng qir xhmèjhetlhe theqoayoâtye khàntraja xhroe qé.
A Qhíng man is never hyper on anything at all provided that he can continuously grasp a single blade of blue-gree grass while not falling downwards from the face of the earth.


And this this apothegm consists of akhàsya, akhàsyil those who grasp someone or something and khàntraja dreamlands, earth, dirt, tír and lriqhínxha those who fall, and this is a particle with the –qhi- infix, lrìnxhan means those who drop someone or something and Qéngan, qéngama means adult gamma Qhíng while qífhis you know, and qir thèqoa X xhroe is a composite adposition that means on the surface of X and qir xhmèjhetlhe is an adverbial phrase that means down, downwards and qùnot, qunok- you know, as well as sepási, senípási and xhràsu blue-green grass græs gærs.

I’m getting a little sleepy, Princess. Could we rest for a time.

I suppose. At least we’ve had a pretty good introduction to the level one suffixes, and how they’re used with the absolutive, experiencer, and ingeminate case, as well as the partitive genitive form of the locative case.

Yeah I we about to say that.

Do you want me to put the notebook down now, my Princess?

Empress of the future tomorrow? May the asking of you of the questionings? Are you just a little sensitive about your babyhood?

Yeah, you just a little sensitive about something.

We I thinking it has something to do with your wings.

My parents were not quite ready to have a child. I don’t really want to talk about it.
Éfhelìnye, let’s just watch the fire for a time. Maybe Grandfather Pátifhar will let Puey visit us tonight.

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