High Valyrian Grammar: Difference between revisions
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==Verbs== | ==Verbs== | ||
===Mood=== | |||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High_Valyrian_Verb_Moods| Subjunctive Mood and Infinitive Uses]]'' | |||
High Valyrian has three verb moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative. | |||
[[User:Najahho/High_Valyrian_Verb_Moods | Subjunctive | ====Subjunctive==== | ||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High_Valyrian_Verb_Moods#Uses_of_the_subjunctive|Uses of the Subjunctive]]'' | |||
[[User:Najahho/ | ===Non-finite Verbs=== | ||
====Infinitive==== | |||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High_Valyrian_Verb_Moods#Uses_of_the_infinitive|Uses of the Infinitive]]'' | |||
[[User:Najahho/High Valyrian Verb Tables | Verb Tables, by | ===Verb Conjugation=== | ||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High Valyrian Verb Conjugation| Verb Conjugation, by Tense]]'' | |||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High Valyrian Verb Tables | Verb Tables, by Stem Type]]'' | |||
[[User:Najahho/High Valyrian Verbal Prefixes | Verbal Prefixes]] | ===Verbal Derivation=== | ||
:''Main article: [[User:Najahho/High Valyrian Verbal Prefixes | Verbal Prefixes]]'' | |||
==Numerals== | ==Numerals== |
Revision as of 02:31, 22 January 2021
High Valyrian is a heavily inflected language with a strict verb final word order. Nouns and adjectives are inflected for number, case and gender; and verbs are inflected for person, number, tense, aspect, voice, and mood.
Thus verbs can take various endings without the need of the use of an independent pronoun, not unlike Latin, or most Romance Languages. So, for instance iksan means "I am" even without the independent pronoun nyke "I".
Nouns belong to one of four genders (lunar, solar, terrestrial and aquatic) that have no relationship to sexual gender. Most humans are either of the lunar or solar gender, however they can be either feminine or masculine. E.g. vala "man" is of lunar gender, and ābra is too. They also can inflect for one of four grammatical numbers (singular, plural, collective and paucal). The collective number conveys the idea of totality, while the paucal conveys the idea of "some of a greater group". Adjectives have to agree with nouns in gender, number and case.
As well as having gender and number, nouns, adjectives, and pronouns have different endings according to their function in the sentence, for example, dārys "the king" (subject), but dārie "the king" (object). These different endings are called "cases". Most nouns have eight cases: nominative (subject), accusative (object), genitive ("of"), dative ("to" or "for"), locative ("in"), instrumental ("with" or "by"), commitative ("with" or "together with"), and vocative (used for addressing). In most cases some genders conflate a couple of cases. There is no definite or indefinite article in High Valyrian, so that dārys can mean "king", "a king", or "the king" according to context.
High Valyrian word order is subject–object–verb; however, relative clauses may shift this order in established ways.
Adjectives may precede or follow a noun, with the exception of certain determiners and demonstratives, which almost always precede. If such an adjective follows its noun, it gives it a more "official" feel. In some cases this might be done for simple emphasis. When an adjective is "postpositive," that is, when it follows the noun it modifies, it has the complete set of endings. However, when it is "prepositive," meaning it precedes the noun, the endings are shortened and more prone to fall together.
High Valyrian, as mentioned above, usually omits pronouns as the subject except for emphasis (A language with this characteristic is known as a pro-drop language.) High Valyrian also employs a number of verbal prefixes called "applicatives" which can change how an argument is normally encoded.
Vocabulary
- Main article: High Valyrian Vocabulary
- Main article: High Valyrian Dictionary
- Main article: High Valyrian Word Groups
Phonology
- Main article: High Valyrian Phonology
Consonants
Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m [m] | n [n] | ñ [ɲ] | (n [ŋ ~ ɴ]) | ||||
Plosive | voiceless | p [p] | t [t] | k [k] | q [q] | |||
voiced | b [b] | d [d] | g [g] | |||||
Fricative | voiceless | (th [θ]) | s [s] | (kh [x ~ χ]) | h [h] | |||
voiced | v [v ~ w] | z [z] | j [d͡ʒ ~ ʒ ~ j] | gh [ɣ ~ ʁ] | ||||
Approximant | ||||||||
Lateral | l [l] | lj [ʎ] | ||||||
Rhotic | voiceless | rh [r̥] | ||||||
voiced | r [r ~ ɾ] |
Notes:
- In antiquity, /j/ could be pronounced [j] or [ɟ]: always [ɟ] before [i] or [y]; often before [e]; sometimes elsewhere. Modern speakers' pronunciation varies between [j], [ʒ] and [dʒ], depending largely on region, and native language.
- [ŋ] and [ɴ] are in parentheses because they are not phonemes, but allophones of /n/. The phoneme /n/ assimilates to a following velar or uvular consonant, e.g. ēngos /ˈeːngos/ "tongue" is pronounced [ˈeːŋgos], valonqar /vaˈlonqar/ "little brother" is [vaˈloɴqar].
- [θ] and [x ~ χ] are in parentheses because they occur only in words of foreign origin. As foreign sounds, they may not always be pronounced as they ideally should be. For instance, some speakers might pronounce Thoros as [ˈθoros], but others might just say [ˈtoros] or possibly even [ˈsoros]. Likewise, some might pronounce arakh [aˈɾax] or [aˈɾaχ], some [aˈɾah], some might even say [aˈɾaɣ] or [aˈɾaʁ].
- /r/ is generally a trill ([r]), but is a tap ([ɾ]) when following a vowel medially.
- In antiquity, /v/ could be pronounced [w] or [v]: always [v] before [u]; often before [o]; sometimes elsewhere. Modern speakers' pronunciation varies between [w], and [v], depending largely on region, and native language.
Vowels
High Valyrian has 6 phonetically distinct vowel qualities, each of which can be either long or short:
Short | Long | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front | Back | Front | Back | ||||
unrounded | rounded | unrounded | rounded | ||||
Close | i [i] | y [y]* | u [u] | ī [iː] | ȳ [yː]* | ū [uː] | |
Mid | e [e] | o [o] | ē [eː] | ō [oː] | |||
Open | a [a] | ā [aː] |
* Many modern speakers do not distinguish y from i and pronounce both as [i].
Gender
There are four genders in High Valyrian:
- Lunar (hūrenkon qogror)
- Solar (vēzenkon qogror)
- Terrestrial (tegōñor qogror)
- Aquatic (embōñor qogror)
As a general principle, most lunar nouns end in a vowel, most solar nouns in an -s, most terrestrials in -n, most aquatics in -r. But there are a significant number of exceptions to this guideline. In particular, all paucals end in -n and all collectives in -r, no matter what their gender.
There is no exact equivalence between the genders and semantic categories, but there are some general tendencies:
- Lunar mostly words for humans vala "man," abra "woman," muña "mother,", nocturnal animals zokla "wolf", atroksia "owl," kēli "cat", military equipment gelte "helmet," korze "longsword," azandy "shortsword".
- Solar is also mostly for humans quptys "heathen," zentys "guest,", diurnal animals gryves "bear," zaldrīzes "dragon," hobres "goat," names of occupations azantys "soldier," dārys "king," voktys "priest," loktys "sailor," and body parts deks "foot," kris "leg," relgos "mouth," pungos "nose".
- Aquatic is mostly used for liquids and bodies of water iēdar "water," ānogar "blood," embar "sea," qelbar "river," they are also mostly the gender of various derivational suffixes.
- Terrestrial is mostly used for foodstuffs havon "bread," parklon "meat", plants and metals āeksion "gold," gēlion "silver," brāedion "copper," korzion "iron."
Number
High Valyrian nouns have four grammatical numbers: singular, plural, collective, and paucal. Adjectives, verbs, and pronouns only recognize two numbers, with collectives being treated as singular, and paucals as plurals. "Singular" and "plural" are used in English, and most languages familiar to English-speakers, and so need very little elaboration. "Collective" and "paucal" will require some explanation.
Collective
Collectives end in r in the nominative. Despite this, they retain the same gender as their corresponding singular. In general they refer to a large group of something, or that thing as a whole. Words that refer to ordinary humans not associated with a profession usually mean "all" (e.g. valar "all men," ābrar "all women, all people"); those that do refer to a profession are more likely to refer to a group (e.g. azantyr "army.")
Collectives often acquire a special meaning (e.g. muña "mother" → muñar "parents.") Sometimes this results in them being reanalyzed into entirely new words, with their own plural (e.g. azantys pl. azantyssy "soldier" → azantyr pl. azantyri "army").
There seems to be a general tendency for the collective of a word referring to a female to refer to both genders, e.g. muña "mother" → muñar "parents;" ābra "woman" → ābrar "all people;" riña "girl," → riñar "children."
Note that while English does not have a collective number, it does have collective nouns (e.g. "humanity," "soldiery," and so on), and these can often, if not always, be used to get a better understanding of the corresponding HV word.
Paucal
Paucals end in n in the nominative. Despite this, they retain the same gender as their corresponding singular. In general they refer to a small group of something, and may be translated "a few" or "some."
Paucals often acquire a special meaning (e.g. tīkos pl. tīkossa "feather" → tīkun pl. tīkuni "wing.") Sometimes this results in them being reanalyzed into entirely new words, with their own plural (e.g. tīkuni "wings").
Nouns
- Main article: High Valyrian Noun Declensions
Nouns in High Valyrian have a series of different forms, called cases of the noun, which have different functions or meanings. For example, the word for "king" is dārys when subject of a verb (nominative), but dāri when it is the object (accusative).
Nouns are furthermore divided into different groups according to the patterns of their case endings. These different groups are known as "declensions". High Valyrian has six declension types, beginning with the first declension: "vala".
First declension
First declension nouns have the stem-vowel a. There are at least two types of first declension nouns, and at least one subtype:
- Those that end in -a (e.g. vala "man"), mostly lunar.
- A subtype that ends in -ia (e.g. dāria "queen.")
- Those that end in -ar (e.g. embar "water"), mostly aquatic.
The first declension paradigm merges the genitive, dative, and locative plural (as do nearly all nouns), but distinguishes all other forms.
Lunar and Subtype -ia
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | vala | vali | valun | valar | daria | darī | darȳn | dariar | |
Accusative | vale | valī | valuni | valari | darie | darȳni | dariari | ||
Genitive | valo | valoti | valuno | valaro | dario | darȳti | darȳno | dariaro | |
Dative | valot | valunta | valarta | dariot | darȳnta | dariarta | |||
Locative | valā | valunna | valarra | dariā | darȳnna | dariarra | |||
Instrumental | valosa | valossi | valussa | valarza | darȳsa | darȳssi | darȳssa | dariarza | |
Comitative | valoma | valommi | valumma | valarma | darȳma | darȳmmi | darȳmma | dariarma | |
Vocative | valus | valis | valussa | valarza | darȳs | darīs | darȳssa | dariarza |
Aquatic
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | embar | embri | embrun | embrar |
Accusative | embri | embrī | embruni | embrari |
Genitive | embro | embroti | embruno | embraro |
Dative | embrot | embrunta | embrarta | |
Locative | embār | embrunna | embrarra | |
Instrumental | embrosa | embrossi | embrussa | embrarza |
Comitative | embroma | embrommi | embrumma | embrarma |
Vocative | embus | embis | embrussa | embrarza |
Second Declension
Second declension nouns have the stem-vowel y. There are two types of second declension nouns:
- Those that end in -y (e.g. egry "knife"), mostly lunar.
- Those that end in -ys (e.g. dārys "king"), mostly solar.
There are not terrestrial- or aquatic-types, so any word whose citation form ends in -yn or -yr can safely assumed to be reanalyzed paucals and collectives respectively.
The second declension merges the locative and instrumental singular; locative and instrumental plural; and the genitive and dative plural. Critically it distinguishes the locative plural from the genitive/dative, and is the only noun class in the language to do so.
Lunar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | egry | egri | egryn | egryr |
Accusative | egri | egrī | egryni | egryri |
Genitive | egro | egroti | egryno | egryro |
Dative | egrot | egrynty | egryrty | |
Locative | egrȳ | egrī | egrynny | egryrry |
Instrumental | egromy | egrommi | egryssy | egryrzy |
Comitative | egrymmy | egryrmy | ||
Vocative | egrys | egrys | egryssy | egryrzy |
Solar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | dārys | dāryssy | dāryn | dāryr |
Accusative | dāri | dārī | dāryni | dāryri |
Genitive | dāro | dāroti | dāryno | dāryro |
Dative | dārot | dārynty | dāryrty | |
Locative | dārȳ | dārī | dārynny | dāryrry |
Instrumental | dāromy | dārommi | dāryssy | dāryrzy |
Comitative | dārymmy | dāryrmy | ||
Vocative | dārys | dāryssys | dāryssy | dāryrzy |
Third Declension
Third declension nouns have the stem-vowel o. The third declension is very diverse: all four gender-types occur in the third declension, and several subtypes:
- Those that end in -o (e.g. avero "grape"), mostly lunar.
- A subtype that ends in -io (e.g. āeksio "master.")
- Those that end in -os (e.g. ēngos "tongue"), mostly solar.
- At least three subtypes, to accommodate such words as rūs "baby," deks "foot," and ȳs "art."
- Those that end in -on (e.g. belmon "chain"), mostly terrestrial.
- A subtype that ends in -ion (e.g. gēlion "silver.")
- Those that end in -or (e.g. bēgor "trout"), mostly aquatic.
- A subtype to accommodate Mȳr (and any other words that might be like it).
The third declension merges the nominative and accusative singular, dative and locative singular; the instrumental and comitative singular; the nominative and accusative plural, and the genitive, dative, and locative plural.
Lunar and Subtype -io
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | avero | avera | averun | averor | āeksio | āeksia | āeksȳn | āeksior | |
Accusative | averuni | averori | āeksȳni | āeksȳri | |||||
Genitive | averō | averoti | averuno | averoro | āeksiō | āeksȳti | āeksȳno | āeksȳro | |
Dative | averot | averunto | averorto | āeksiot | āeksȳnto | āeksȳrto | |||
Locative | averunno | averorro | āeksȳnno | āeksȳrro | |||||
Instrumental | averoso | averossi | averusso | averorzo | āeksȳso | āeksȳssi | āeksȳsso | āeksȳrzo | |
Comitative | averummo | averormo | āeksȳmmo | āeksȳrmo | |||||
Vocative | averos | averas | averusso | averorzo | āeksios | āeksīs | āeksȳsso | āeksȳrzo |
Solar and Contracting subtype
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | ēngos | ēngossa | ēngun | ēngor | jaos | jaohossa | jaohun | jaohor | deks | dekossa | dekun | dekor | ||
Accusative | ēnguni | ēngori | jaohuni | jaohori | dekuni | dekori | ||||||||
Genitive | ēngo | ēngoti | ēnguno | ēngoro | jaoho | jaohoti | jaohuno | jaohoro | deko | dekoti | dekuno | dekoro | ||
Dative | ēngot | ēngunto | ēngorto | jaohot | jaohunto | jaohorto | dekot | dekunto | dekorto | |||||
Locative | ēngunno | ēngorro | jaohunno | jaohorro | dekunno | dekorro | ||||||||
Instrumental | ēngoso | ēngossi | ēngusso | ēngorzo | jaoso | jaohossi | jaohusso | jaohorzo | dekso | dekossi | dekusso | dekorzo | ||
Comitative | ēngummo | ēngormo | jaohummo | jaohormo | dekummo | dekormo | ||||||||
Vocative | ēngos | ēngossas | ēngusso | ēngorzo | jaos | jaohossas | jaohusso | jaohorzo | deks | dekossas | dekusso | dekorzo |
Terrestrial
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | belmon | belma | belmun | belmor |
Accusative | belmuni | belmondi | ||
Genitive | belmo | belmoti | belmuno | belmondo |
Dative | belmot | belmunto | ||
Locative | belmunno | belmorro | ||
Instrumental | belmoso | belmossi | belmusso | belmorzo |
Comitative | belmummo | belmormo | ||
Vocative | belmos | belmas | belmusso | belmorzo |
Subtype -ion
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | gēlion | gēlia | gēlȳn | gēlior |
Accusative | gēlȳni | gēlȳndi | ||
Genitive | gēlio | gēlȳti | gēlȳno | gēlȳndo |
Dative | gēliot | gēlȳnto | ||
Locative | gēlȳnno | gēlȳrro | ||
Instrumental | gēlȳso | gēlȳssi | gēlȳsso | gēlȳrzo |
Comitative | gēlȳmmo | gēlȳrmo | ||
Vocative | gēlios | gēlīs | gēlȳsso | gēlȳrzo |
Aquatic and Mȳr Subtype
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | bēgor | bēgra | bēgrun | bēgror | Mȳr | Mȳra | Mȳryn | Mȳror | |
Accusative | bēgruni | bēgrori | Mȳryni | Mȳrori | |||||
Genitive | bēgro | bēgroti | bēgruno | bēgroro | Mȳro | Mȳroti | Mȳryno | Mȳroro | |
Dative | bēgrot | bēgrunto | bēgrorto | Mȳrot | Mȳrynto | Mȳrorto | |||
Locative | bēgrunno | bēgrorro | Mȳrynno | Mȳrorro | |||||
Instrumental | bēgroso | bēgrossi | bēgrusso | bēgrorzo | Mȳroso | Mȳrossi | Mȳrysso | Mȳrorzo | |
Comitative | bēgrummo | bēgrormo | Mȳrymmo | Mȳrormo | |||||
Vocative | bēgos | bēgas | bēgrusso | bēgrorzo | Mȳs | Mȳras | Mȳrysso | Mȳrorzo |
Fourth Declension
Fourth declension nouns have the stem-vowel e. There are at least three types of fourth declension nouns:
- Those that end in -e (e.g. gelte "helmet"), mostly lunar.
- Those that end in -es (e.g. zaldrīzes "dragon"), mostly solar.
- Those that end in -en (only known example at this time is Targārien "Targaryen"), mostly terrestrial.
No aquatic-type fourth declension nouns attested so far. The fourth declension does not appear to merge any cases, other than the usual genitive, dative, and locative plural.
Lunar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | gelte | gelti | geltin | gelter |
Accusative | geltī | geltī | geltini | gelteri |
Genitive | gelto | geltoti | geltino | geltero |
Dative | geltot | geltinte | gelterte | |
Locative | geltē | geltinne | gelterre | |
Instrumental | geltose | geltossi | geltisse | gelterze |
Comitative | geltome | geltommi | geltimme | gelterme |
Vocative | geltys | geltīs | geltisse | gelterze |
Solar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | zaldrīzes | zaldrīzesse | zaldrīzin | zaldrīzer |
Accusative | zaldrīzī | zaldrīzī | zaldrīzini | zaldrīzeri |
Genitive | zaldrīzo | zaldrīzoti | zaldrīzino | zaldrīzero |
Dative | zaldrīzot | zaldrīzinte | zaldrīzerte | |
Locative | zaldrīzē | zaldrīzinne | zaldrīzerre | |
Instrumental | zaldrīzose | zaldrīzossi | zaldrīzisse | zaldrīzerze |
Comitative | zaldrīzome | zaldrīzommi | zaldrīzimme | zaldrīzerme |
Vocative | zaldrīzys | zaldrīzesses | zaldrīzisse | zaldrīzerze |
Terrestrial
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | targārien | targārī | targārȳn | targārior |
Accusative | targārī | targārī | targārȳni | targārȳndi |
Genitive | targārio | targārȳti | targārȳno | targārȳndo |
Dative | targāriot | targārȳnte | targārȳnde | |
Locative | targāriēn | targārȳnne | targārȳrre | |
Instrumental | targārȳse | targārȳssi | targārȳsse | targārȳrze |
Comitative | targārȳme | targārȳmmi | targārȳmme | targārȳrme |
Vocative | targāries | targārīs | targārȳsse | targārȳrze |
Fifth Declension
Fifth declension nouns have the stem-vowel i. There are at least two types of fifth declension nouns:
- Those that end in -i (e.g. brōzi "name"), mostly lunar.
- Those that end in -is (e.g. tubis "day"), mostly solar
- Those that end in -ir (e.g. rōbir "fig"), mostly aquatic.
There does not appear to be a terrestrial (*-in) type.
It is known that the fifth declension merges the nominative and accusative singular; the nominative and accusative plural; and the usual genitive, dative, and locative plural.
Lunar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | brōzi | brōza | brōzin | brōzir |
Accusative | brōzini | brōziri | ||
Genitive | brōzio | brōzȳti | brōzino | brōziro |
Dative | brōziot | brōzinti | brōzirti | |
Locative | brōzī | brōzinni | brōzirri | |
Instrumental | brōzȳsi | brōzȳssi | brōzissi | brōzirzi |
Comitative | brōzȳmi | brōzȳmmi | brōzimmi | brōzirmi |
Vocative | brōzys | brōzas | brōzissi | brōzirzi |
Solar
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | tubis | tubissa | tubin | tubir |
Accusative | tubini | tubiri | ||
Genitive | tubio | tubȳti | tubino | tubiro |
Dative | tubiot | tubinti | tubirti | |
Locative | tubī | tubinni | tubirri | |
Instrumental | tubȳsi | tubȳssi | tubissi | tubirzi |
Comitative | tubȳmi | tubȳmmi | tubimmi | tubirmi |
Vocative | tubys | tubissas | tubissi | tubirzi |
Aquatic
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | rōbir | rōbra | rōbrin | rōbrir |
Accusative | rōbrini | rōbriri | ||
Genitive | rōbrio | rōbrȳti | rōbrino | rōbriro |
Dative | rōbriot | rōbrinti | rōbrirti | |
Locative | rōbīr | rōbrinni | rōbrirri | |
Instrumental | rōbrȳsi | rōbrȳssi | rōbrissi | rōbrirzi |
Comitative | rōbrȳmi | rōbrȳmmi | rōbrimmi | rōbrirmi |
Vocative | rōbys | rōbas | rōbrissi | rōbrirzi |
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | vestriarzir | vestriarja | vestriarjin | vestriarjir |
Accusative | vestriarjini | vestriarjiri | ||
Genitive | vestriarjio | vestriarjȳti | vestriarjino | vestriarjiro |
Dative | vestriarjiot | vestriarjinti | vestriarjirti | |
Locative | vestriarzīr | vestriarjinni | vestriarjirri | |
Instrumental | vestriarjȳsi | vestriarjȳssi | vestriarjissi | vestriarjirzi |
Comitative | vestriarjȳmi | vestriarjȳmmi | vestriarjimmi | vestriarjirmi |
Vocative | vestriarzys | vestriarzas | vestriarjissi | vestriarjirzi |
Sixth Declension
The sixth declension is used for miscellaneous nouns. It includes borrowings such as foreign words especially those that have not been fully accepted into the language (e.g. buzdari), are mostly lumped into this paradigm. In the nominative singular the final -i is optional. It is mandatory in the accusative singular and plural forms.
If a borrowed word already ends in a vowel, it can still be borrowed into this declension by keeping the final vowel in the nominative singular, in place of the optional -i, but dropping it in favor of the case-endings elsewhere, e.g. nom.s. mhysa, acc.s. mhysi, voc.s. mhysis etc. There is also the possibility of adding -h- to the stem, analogously to the third declension contracting subtype: Yunkai, dat. Yunkaihot.
The accusative singular, nominative plural, and optionally the nominative singular of this paradigm all end in -i. It has the usual genitive, dative, locative plural merger. Other than that, all forms are distinct.
Borrowing Type
Singular | Plural | Paucal | Collective | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | buzdari | buzdari | buzdarin | buzdarir |
Accusative | buzdarī | buzdarini | buzdariri | |
Genitive | buzdaro | buzdaroti | buzdarino | buzdariro |
Dative | buzdarot | buzdarinti | buzdarirti | |
Locative | buzdarī | buzdarinni | buzdarirri | |
Instrumental | buzdarisi | buzdarissi | buzdarissi | buzdarirzi |
Comitative | buzdarimi | buzdarimmi | buzdarimmi | buzdarirmi |
Vocative | buzdaris | buzdarissis | buzdarissi | buzdarirzi |
Reanalyzed Collectives
Sometimes a collective acquires so specific a meaning that it begins to be thought of as a separate word (e.g. azantyr "army," originally the collective of azantys "soldier.") At this point, a way to pluralize them becomes necessary, which puts them into the sixth declension. Reanalyzed collectives retain the gender of the original word, and therefore can be any gender.
Reanalyzed collectives merge the instrumental and vocative singular; and the genitive, dative, and locative plural.
Here is all we know about the declension reanalyzed collectives:
- The singular keeps its usual collective declension (e.g. azantyrmy "along with an army," udrirzi "in a language.")
- The nominative plural ends in -i or -y, depending on vowel harmony (but the exact conditions are unclear.)
- The plural declension is not identical to that of foreign words or reanalyzed paucals.
- The plural merges no cases, except for the usual gen./dat./loc.pl.
- If a reanalyzed collective were ever to be itself placed in the collective or paucal, the first declension paradigms (-ar, -un) would probably be used. However, it is uncertain that this ever happens.
Paucal Plural | Collective Plural | |
---|---|---|
Nominative | valuni | valari |
Accusative | valunī | valarī |
Genitive | valunoti | valaroti |
Dative | ||
Locative | ||
Instrumental | valussi | valarzi |
Comitative | valummi | valarmi |
Vocative | valussis | valarzis |
Reanalyzed Paucals
Sometimes a paucal acquires so specific a meaning that it begins to be thought of as a separate word (e.g. tīkun "wing," originally the paucal of tīkos "feather"). At this point, a way to pluralize them becomes necessary, which puts them into the sixth declension. Reanalyzed paucals retain the gender of the original word, and therefore can be any gender.
Reanalyzed paucals merge the instrumental and vocative singular; and the genitive, dative, and locative plural.
Here is all we know about the declension reanalyzed paucals:
- The singular keeps its usual paucal declension (e.g. tīkusso "by wing.").
- The nominative plural probably follows the same rule as reanalyzed collectives, e.g. tīkuni "wings." The accusative plural appears to be -ī, as seen in gēlȳnī "debts."
- The plural declension is not identical to that of foreign words or reanalyzed collectives.
- The plural merges no cases, except for the usual gen./dat./loc.pl.
- If a reanalyzed plural were ever to be itself placed in the paucal or collective, the first declension paradigms (-un, -ar) would probably be used. However, it is uncertain that this ever happens.
Paucal Plural | Collective Plural | |
---|---|---|
Nominative | teguni | tegori |
Accusative | tegunī | tegorī |
Genitive | tegunoti | tegoroti |
Dative | ||
Locative | ||
Instrumental | tegussi | tegorzi |
Comitative | tegummi | tegormi |
Vocative | tegussis | tegorzis |
Use of cases
- Main article: High Valyrian Noun Cases
Nominative
The nominative case is used for the subject of an active or a passive verb:
- Āeksio yne ilīritas = The Lord has smiled upon me
It is also used for the complement of a copula verb such as issa "he is":
- Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor = A dragon is not a slave
- Davido zaldrīzes aōhos zaldrīzose rovyktys issa = David’s dragon is bigger than your dragon
The nominative singular is the citation form for declinable words, and thus the form one normally uses when looking a word up in the dictionary.
Accusative
The accusative case is used for the object of a sentence:
- Āeksia ossēnātās, menti ossēnātās! = Slay the masters, slay the soldiers!
The applied object of a verb containing the oblique applicatve prefix, i-, will be in the accusative. This will usually be a word one would otherwise expect to be in the dative:
- Belmurtī ivestrās kesir pōnte jiōrinna = Tell the slavers I will receive them here
(If the verb had been vestrās, without the i-, we would have expected the dative *belmurtoti instead.)
In phrases that aren't complete sentences, words may be in the accusative, as if dependent on an unstated verb. This is called the "accusative of exclamation":
- Biarior Arlior Jēdari! = Happy New Year!
Genitive
The genitive case is used for possessives, and in general anything that would be expressed with "of" in English:
- Va oktio remȳti vale jikās = Send a man to the gates of the city
Note that personal pronouns generally do not use the genitive to express possession, instead they use their possessive adjective.
The "genitive of material" to indicate what something is made out of:
- Āeksio ondos = Hand of gold
All postpositions take a genitive object:
- Dāeri vali pōntalo syt gaomoti iderēbzi = Free men make choices for themselves
The applied object of a verb containing the locative applicatve prefix, u-, will be in the genitive if the verb in question begins with a consonant.
- Jemēlo syt ziry mazemagon jemo bēvilza = It is incumbent on you to take it for yourselves
Dative
The dative case means "to" or "for". It is frequently used with verbs of saying or giving as an indirect object:
- Voktys Eglie aōt gaomilaksir teptas = The High Priest gave you a mission
The applied object of a verb containing the locative applicatve prefix, u-, will be in the dative if the verb in question begins with a vowel. In addition, certain verbs may take a dative object for other reasons.
- Keso glaesot iderēptot daor = You did not choose this life
Two out of the three prepositions may take a dative case, depending on the meaning.
However, the dative is less common in High Valyrian than one might think since the oblique applicative turns many datives into accusatives.
Locative
The locative is basically used to indicate location:
- Olvī voktī Rulloro Qelbriā ūndessun daor = I don’t see many priestesses of R’hllor in the Riverlands
This also includes time:
- Kesy tubi jemot dāervi tepan = On this day I give you freedom
Additionally all three prepositions may take a locative object:
- Va oktio remȳti vale jikās = Send a man to the city gates
Instrumental
The instrumental indicates the instrument or means (may be translated "by" or "with," but critically "with" in the sense of "by means of."):
- Quptenkos Ēngoso ȳdrassis? = Do you speak the Common tongue? (i.e. literally "by means of the Common Tongue")
The instrumental is also used to form adverbs:
- Mentyri idañe jevi ivestrilātās keskydoso gaomagon = You shall tell your fellow soldiers to do likewise
- Aōhoso ziry rijībiā, se ñuhoso ziry rijībin = You worship Him your way, and I’ll worship Him mine
Certain verbs require this case, e.g. mijegon (probably an "instrumental of separation"):
- Dōrior dārion udrirzi mijessis = No kingdom lacks a language
It is also used with comparative adjectives, to mean "than":
- Davido zaldrīzes aōhos zaldrīzose rovyktys issa = David’s dragon is bigger than your dragon
Comitative
The comitative case mainly indicates accompaniment. May be translated "with" in the sense of "along with". It's worth noting that in some declension types the comitative merges with the instrumental.
- Morghor zijomy amāzis = The dead come with it
- Zaldrīzesse Daeneromy ēdrusi = The dragons are sleeping with Daenerys.
Vocative
The vocative is mainly used when addressing someone directly:
- Dovaogēdys! Naejot memēbātās! = Unsullied! Forward march!
- Muñus jorrāeliarzus = Dearest mother
It may also occur in adjectives being used predicatively to a vocative noun:
- Jaehossas sȳris sātās = Gods be good!
Another particular use of the vocative in High Valyrian is with the infinitive to form a "third person command."
- Dohaerirus māzigon! = May a slave come!
Word Formation
- Main article: High Valyrian Derivational Affixes
Derivational affixes are prefixes and suffixes used to create a new word, as opposed to inflectional affixes, which are used to inflect an existing word. In some cases it is debatable whether a particular affix is inflectional or derivational. High Valyrian shows the usage of several affixes for word formation, not unlike other flexive languages such as English, Latin or Greek.
A negative prefix takes the form do-, dor- used in a similar fashion to English un-:
- zalty "burnt", Dorzalty "Unburnt".
- vaogēdy "sullied", Dovaogēdy "Unsullied".
There's also another negative prefix nā-, which seems to be more derivational, being used to form the negative concept of the word it prefixes:
- morghūlilaros "mortal", nāmorghūlilaros "immortal".
- pāsiros "believer", nāpāsiros "nonbeliever, unbeliever".
Notice, however, that even when these seem to use the same in- or un- prefix in the translation, the meaning is "the contrary of", hence:
- kostōba "strong", nākostōba "weak".
A very well-known suffix for nouns is the suffix -āzma, an augmentative:
- brāedāzma "bronze", compare brāedion "copper".
- jelmāzma "storm", compare jelmio "wind".
The suffix -ītsos is a diminutive:
- riñītsos "little child, little girl", compare riña "child".
- zoklītsos "little wolf", compare zokla "wolf".
And another very well-known one is the suffix -tys, especially frequent in the names of professions:
- azan·tys "soldier"
- lok·tys "sailer"
- men·tys "soldier "
- vok·tys "priest"
Pronouns
- Main article: High Valyrian Pronouns
Third person pronouns have different forms for animate and inanimate referents. This is similar to English distinction "he/she" vs. "it". Personal pronouns inflect for all cases as follows:
High Valyrian Personal Pronouns | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | ||||||||||
1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person | 1st Person | 2nd Person | 3rd Person | ||||||
Lunar/Solar | Terrestrial/Aquatic | ||||||||||
Nominative | nyke | ao | ziry | ūja | īlon | jeme | pōnta | ||||
Accusative | yne | avy | ūī | īlōn | jemī | pōnte | |||||
Genitive | yno | aō | zijo | ūō | īlo | jemo | pōnto | ||||
Dative | ynot | aōt | zijot | ūjot | īlot | jemot | pōntot | ||||
Locative | nykē | aō | zirȳ | ūjā | īlō | jemē | pōntā | ||||
Instrumental | ynoma | aōma | zijosy | josa | īloma | jemme | pōntosa | ||||
Comitative | zijomy | joma | pōntoma | ||||||||
Vocative | nykys | aōs | zirys | ūjus | īlos | jemys | pōntus | ||||
Reflexive/Emphatic | nykēla | aōla | zirȳla | jāla | īlōnda | jemēla | pōntāla | ||||
Possessive | ñuhon | aōhon | zȳhon | jāhon | īlvon | jevon | pōjon |
Possessive pronouns
When a possessive adjective needs to be nominalized, instead of the expected substantive forms in -y and -ir, a special form in -on is used, which declines as an ordinary 3ter. noun. Thus:
Adjectives
- Main article: High Valyrian Adjectives
Adverbs
Adpositions
- Main article: High Valyrian Adpositions
Adposition is a general term to refer to both prepositions (which precede their object) and postpositions (which follow their object.) High Valyrian utilizes both kinds.
Prepositions
There are only three prepositions in the High Valyrian language. Hae only occurs with the locative, but hen and va can also take a dative.
hae (→loc.): as, like. (cf. Astapori Valyrian he)
hen (→loc.): from, of; (→dat.) out of, on account of, thanks to, because of, for. (cf. Astapori Valyrian hin)
va (→loc.): towards, at, near; (→dat.) to, all the way up to, into. (cf. Astapori Valyrian va)
Postpostions
All known postpositions take a genitive object. This makes sense, as they all seem to have evolved from nouns in the locative, dative, or instrumental case.
bē (→gen): on, on top of, upon; on (the subject of), about.
gō (→gen): under, beneath, below; before.
hēdrȳ (→gen): from amongst, from the midst of.
iemnȳ {→gen): within.
naejot (→gen): in front of. (cf. Astapori Valyrian nejo)
ondoso (→gen): by. (cf. Astapori Valyrian dos, which, however, means "with")
rȳ (→gen): between, through, across, throughout
syt (→gen): for. (cf. Astapori Valyrian zy)
toliot (→gen): over; after.
Verbs
Mood
- Main article: Subjunctive Mood and Infinitive Uses
High Valyrian has three verb moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative.
Subjunctive
- Main article: Uses of the Subjunctive
Non-finite Verbs
Infinitive
- Main article: Uses of the Infinitive
Verb Conjugation
- Main article: Verb Conjugation, by Tense
- Main article: Verb Tables, by Stem Type
Verbal Derivation
- Main article: Verbal Prefixes
Numerals
- Main article: High Valyrian Number System
- For grammatical number, see above.
Other word classes
- Main article: High Valyrian Word Groups
- High Valyrian language
- Grammar pages
- High Valyrian aquatic nouns
- High Valyrian nouns of first declension
- High Valyrian lunar nouns
- High Valyrian nouns of second declension
- High Valyrian solar nouns
- High Valyrian nouns of third declension
- High Valyrian terrestrial nouns
- High Valyrian nouns of fourth declension
- High Valyrian nouns of fifth declension
- High Valyrian nouns of sixth declension
- High Valyrian