Gënden Language

The Language of Gënden

Natively known as: gënde /ˈgëⁿde/

...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...

hii mu pechi zhumu pii zai hii chã pii pãse õkã mijo Ju

Pronunciation: /hiː mu ˈpeʧi ˈʒumu piː ˈzai hiː ʧã piː ˈpãse ˈõkã ˈmiʤo ku/

Gënden word order: and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face the wind to

Spelling & Phonology

Consonant inventory: b d g h j k m n p s t w x z ɣ ʃ ʒ ʔ ʤ ʧ ᵐb ᵑg ⁿd

Manner/Place

Bilabial

Nasal = m

Stop = p b ᵐb

Alveolar

Nasal = n

Stop = t d ⁿd

Fricative = s z

Palato-alveolar

Affricate = ʧ ʤ

Fricative = ʃ ʒ

Palatal

Approximant = j

Velar

Stop = k g ᵑg

Fricative = x ɣ

Glottal

Stop = ʔ

Fricative = h

Co-articulated phonemes:

Manner/Place: Labial-velar

Approximant = w

Vowel inventory: a ã e ẽ ë i iː ï o õ u uː

Front:

High = i iː ï

Back:

High = u uː

Front:

High-mid = e ẽ ë

Back:

High mid = o õ

Front:

Low = a

Back:

Low = ã

Syllable structure: (C)V ?

Stress pattern: Penultimate — stress is on the second last syllable

Pronunciation = Spelling

ⁿd = nd

ᵑg = ng

ᵐb = mb

ʔ = ʻ

j = y

x = kh

ʃ = sh

ʒ = zh

ʤ = j

ʧ = ch

ɣ = g̀

Vː = VV

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 before the noun.

Adposition: postpositions ?

Nouns

Singular:

Suffix -bo

uchãbo /uˈʧãbo/

dog

Plural:

No affix

uchã /ˈuʧã/

dogs

Articles

Singular:

Definite: põ /põ/

the

Indefinite:

na /na/

a

Plural:

Definite: su /su/

the

Indefinite: so /so/

some

Uses of definite article that differ from English:

• Definite article can be omitted: 'I am going to supermarket'

Uses of indefinite article that differ from English:

• Not used for non-specific countable nouns: non-specific means 'I am looking for a (any) girl in a red dress', whereas specific means 'I am looking for a (particular) girl in a red dress'

• Not used for non-specific mass (uncountable) nouns: non-specific means 'Would you like some (any) tea?' whereas specific means 'Some tea (a specific amount) fell off the truck'

Pronouns

1st singular:

gã /gã/

I, me, mine

2nd singular:

yë /jë/

you, yours

3rd singular masc:

mu /mu/

he, him, his, it, its

3rd singular fem:

kho /xo/

she, her, hers, it, its

1st plural :

o /o/

we, us, ours

2nd plural:

ʻi /ʔi/

you all, yours (pl)

3rd plural:

të /të/

they, them, theirs

Possessive determiners

1st singular:

sã /sã/

my

2nd singular:

ã /ã/

your

3rd singular masc:

pii /piː/

his

3rd singular fem:

we /we/

her

1st plural :

në /në/

our

2nd plural:

mbã /ᵐbã/

your (pl)

3rd plural:

mbii /ᵐbiː/

their

Verbs

1st person:

Present:

Suffix -ᵐba

yokhamba /joˈxaᵐba/

(I/we) learn

Past:

Suffix -za

yokhaza /joˈxaza/

(I/we) learned

2nd person:

Present: Suffix -do

yokhado /joˈxado/

(you/you all) learn

Past: Suffix -wë

yokhawë /joˈxawë/

(you/you all) learned

3rd person:

Present: Suffix -we

yokhawe /joˈxawe/

(he/she/it/they) learn

Past: Suffix -zõ

yokhazõ /joˈxazõ/

(he/she/it/they) learned

Gënden uses a standalone particle word for future tense:

Future:

Particle before the verb: za -

za yokha /za ˈjoxa/

will learn

Progressive aspect

The 'progressive' aspect refers to actions that are happening at the time of speaking, such as I am learning.

Gënden uses an affix for progressive:

Progressive :

Suffix -zã

yokhazã /joˈxazã/

is learning

Habitual aspect

The 'habitual' aspect refers to actions that happen habitually, such as I learn (something new every day), as opposed to actions that happen once (I learned something).

Gënden uses an affix for habitual:

Habitual:

Suffix -ga

yokhaga /joˈxaga/

learns

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.

Gënden uses an affix for the perfect aspect:

Perfect Suffix -ᵐbo

yokhambo /joˈxaᵐbo/

have learned

Numbers

Gënden has a base-20 number system:

1 - hẽ

2 - pã

3 - mozho

4 - mu

5 - puu

6 - tii

7 - zae

8 - da

9 - kã

10 - jawii

11 - zhõye

12 - zijõ

13 - zonda

14 - ndishõ

15 - yekhi

16 - kiiwuu

17 - miipoã

18 - tubundo

19 - dïmiiwa

20 - adeni

21 - adenihẽ "twenty-one"

400 - hu "fourhundred"

401 - hu hii hẽ "fourhundred and one"

800 - pã hu "two fourhundred"

8000 - kii "eightthousand"

Derivational morphology

Adjective → adverb = Suffix -ha

Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -kï

Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = Suffix -wï

Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = Suffix -ʧi

Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = Suffix -tõ

Noun to verb = Suffix -ʔï

Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -kë

Tending to = Suffix -niː

Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -ɣiː

Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -ʤï

One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = Suffix -ʒa

Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -ʔë

Diminutive = Suffix -mã

Augmentative = Suffix -ᵐbã

Gënden - English Dictionary

Key: spelling /pronunciation/ part of speech. definition(s)

adj. adjective | adv. adverb | art. article | conj. conjunction | det. determiner | interj. interjection | n. noun | num. numeral | prep. preposition | pron. pronoun | v. verb

• a /a/ v. think, figure out, consider, believe, guess, ponder, deduce

• agi /ˈagi/ n. net

• ag̀uuzha /aˈɣuːʒa/ n.hunter

• amba /ˈaᵐba/ adj.violent

• ãnguu /ˈãᵑguː/ n. wolf

• aya /ˈaja/ n. bay, cove

• chã /ʧã/ v. turn

• chë /ʧë/ v. play (have fun), compete

• chëzha /ˈʧëʒa/ n.player

• chimbu /ˈʧiᵐbu/ n.corpse

• chokẽkï /ʧoˈkẽkï/ n.heat

• chuiinu /ʧuˈiːnu/ n.planet

• chuuzhu /ˈʧuːʒu/ n.paint

• dag̀iiʻë /daˈɣiːʔë/ n.sewer

• dãmu /ˈdãmu/ v. cook (prepare food)

• debõ /ˈdebõ/ n. public

• detë /ˈdetë/ n. accent (of language), dialect

• dii ʻuugu /diː ˈʔuːgu/n. thumb

• dizu /ˈdizu/ v. please, satisfy

• dog̀o /ˈdoɣo/ n. belt

• du /du/ n. child (young human being)

• duuwi /ˈduːwi/ n. tide

• ẽge /ˈẽge/ n. time, moment, past

• ëka /ˈëka/ adj. cool (slightly cold)

• ẽngii /ˈẽᵑgiː/ n. wax

• ësha /ˈëʃa/ n.expression (look on someone's face)

• ëzho /ˈëʒo/ n. pile, heap

• gachaʻë /gaˈʧaʔë/ n.armoury

• gãti /ˈgãti/ n. tool, appliance

• gëkã /ˈgëkã/ n.beverage

• giʻiwo /giˈʔiwo/ n. tin

• giko /ˈgiko/ v. run

• gochi /ˈgoʧi/ adj.bright

• gu /gu/ n. altitude

• guusẽ /ˈguːsẽ/ n.snake

• hãʻu /ˈhãʔu/ n. goat

• hambu /ˈhaᵐbu/ v.like, love

• haoha /haˈoha/ adv.recently

• hechï /ˈheʧï/ n. cloud

• hepã /ˈhepã/ n.anxiety

• hii /hiː/ conj. and

• hishï /ˈhiʃï/ n. course, direction

• hõ /hõ/ prep. like

• hog̀u /ˈhoɣu/ adj.previous

• hõyẽg̀ii /hõˈjẽɣiː/ n.control

• huug̀uu /ˈhuːɣuː/pron. anyone

• ʻã /ʔã/ prep. during

• ʻate /ˈʔate/ adj.delicious

• ʻedusukï /ˌʔeduˈsukï/n. perfection

• ʻẽsechi /ʔẽˈseʧi/ adj.greedy

• ʻïgeha /ʔïˈgeha/ adv.especially

• ʻõa /ˈʔõa/ n. candy

• ʻugo /ˈʔugo/ v.complain

• ʻuuda /ˈʔuːda/ n.bottle, jar

• ï /ï/ adv. up

• ig̀ijï /iˈɣiʤï/ n.critique

• iidagu /iːˈdagu/ n.care

• iikhayu /iːˈxaju/ n.pump

• iiwe /ˈiːwe/ n. prey

• ïma /ˈïma/ n. breast

• ipii /ˈipiː/ v. agree

• iyugu /iˈjugu/ adj.tight, tense

• jaʻo /ˈʤaʔo/ n. shape

• jatu /ˈʤatu/ n. dust, powder

• jẽe /ˈʤẽe/ n.excitement

• jẽwuu /ˈʤẽwuː/ adj.thick, dense

• jiime /ˈʤiːme/ n.front

• jïza /ˈʤïza/ n. sin

• jopãchi /ʤoˈpãʧi/ adj.confident

• juwi /ˈʤuwi/ v.repeat, replicate

• kag̀uʻutõ /ˌkaɣuˈʔutõ/adj. medical

• kãngii /ˈkãᵑgiː/ v.avoid, dodge, escape

• kẽgë /ˈkẽgë/ n. menu

• kezhã /ˈkeʒã/ n. boot

• khashõ /ˈxaʃõ/ v.behave

• khẽ /xẽ/ n. change

• khẽyu /ˈxẽju/ n.impulse

• khii /xiː/ adv. quite, rather

• khõ /xõ/ n. reason, logic

• khuje /ˈxuʤe/ v. cry, shout, moan, weep, mourn

• khuumbi /ˈxuːᵐbi/ n.offer

• kiiwuu /ˈkiːwuː/ num.sixteen

• kõ /kõ/ v. walk

• kucho /ˈkuʧo/ n.erection

• kupo /ˈkupo/ n. seat, chair

• kuzë /ˈkuzë/ n.mistake, error

• mãe /ˈmãe/ n. liquid

• mama /ˈmama/ n. fool

• mãwa /ˈmãwa/ v.watch, monitor, spectate

• mbabo /ˈᵐbabo/ n.pen

• mbe /ᵐbe/ adj.important

• mbeko /ˈᵐbeko/ v.escape, flee

• mbiga /ˈᵐbiga/ n.window, nostril, view

• mbu /ᵐbu/ n.condition (requirement, stipulation)

• mbuuti /ˈᵐbuːti/ n.frame

• megë munë /ˈmegë ˈmunë/ n. lower class

• membu /ˈmeᵐbu/ adj.famous

• mewo /ˈmewo/ n.worker

• mïgã /ˈmïgã/ n.compliment

• miia /ˈmiːa/ adj. fat, big, obese, broad

• miig̀u /ˈmiːɣu/ v. face, confront

• miiwa /ˈmiːwa/ v.rest, relax

• minuu /ˈminuː/ n.fowl

• miyo /ˈmijo/ n. plague

• mobii /ˈmobiː/ n.sister

• mõg̀uuʻë /mõˈɣuːʔë/n. cafe

• mondõ /ˈmoⁿdõ/ v.support, brace

• mug̀iʻii /muˈɣiʔiː/ n.war

• munda /ˈmuⁿda/ v.receive, accept, gain, get, acquire, gather

• muu /muː/ pron.what

• muyõ /ˈmujõ/ n.square, block, cube

• nahuu /ˈnahuː/ n.result, outcome

• nãmbiiwï /nãˈᵐbiːwï/v. bore

• nda /ⁿda/ n. family (related by blood)

• ndasï /ˈⁿdasï/ n.blasphemy, heresy

• ndẽme /ˈⁿdẽme/ n.band (musical group)

• ndiig̀a /ˈⁿdiːɣa/ n.profit

• ndiwi /ˈⁿdiwi/ v. edit

• ndopo /ˈⁿdopo/ n.percent

• ndunãku /ⁿduˈnãku/n. silver

• nduuti /ˈⁿduːti/ v.own, possess

• nëji /ˈnëʤi/ n. foot

• neki /ˈneki/ v. catch

• nga /ᵑga/ adj. big, great (very large), enormous, huge, great (excellent), popular

• ngag̀ẽ /ˈᵑgaɣẽ/ n.button (pushbutton)

• ngato /ˈᵑgato/ v. study

• ngẽme kupo /ˈᵑgẽme ˈkupo/ n. saddle

• ngiʻa /ˈᵑgiʔa/ v.deserve

• ngotuke /ᵑgoˈtuke/ n.mouth

• nguucheg̀ii /ᵑguːˈʧeɣiː/ n. treatment

• niisha /ˈniːʃa/ n.amount, quantity

• no /no/ adj. thin (slender), slim, skinny

• nokhanii /noˈxaniː/adj. shiny

• nug̀ii /ˈnuɣiː/ n.hearing

• nuui /ˈnuːi/ v. cure

• obï /ˈobï/ n. alphabet

• ohã /ˈohã/ adj. best

• okhehazha /ˌoxeˈhaʒa/ n. gardener

• õmeʻë /õˈmeʔë/ n.winery

• ozu /ˈozu/ v. chase

• pã /pã/ num. two

• pamba /ˈpaᵐba/ n.energy

• pãwa /ˈpãwa/ n.neighbor

• pechuu /ˈpeʧuː/ v.place

• pëkhu /ˈpëxu/ n. nose, nostril

• pẽsi /ˈpẽsi/ n. spring (season)

• pï /pï/ adv. far

• piiyi /ˈpiːji/ n. text, document

• pituug̀ii /piˈtuːɣiː/ n.settlement

• pogõ /ˈpogõ/ v. ban, prohibit, veto

• põto /ˈpõto/ v. starve

• pug̀og̀ii /puˈɣoɣiː/ n.movement, motion

• puuche /ˈpuːʧe/ prep.onto

• sag̀igi /saˈɣigi/ det.every, each

• sapimbe /saˈpiᵐbe/ n.bow (weapon)

• së /së/ n. query

• sï /sï/ v. stop, stay, halt

• siigii /ˈsiːgiː/ v. clean

• so /so/ n. ear, attention

• su /su/ adv. yet

• suuʻẽ /ˈsuːʔẽ/ n. kid

• tabe /ˈtabe/ v. shop

• tawẽ /ˈtawẽ/ n. battle, combat

• teda /ˈteda/ n.machine, engine, motor

• tẽndo /ˈtẽⁿdo/ n. ink

• teyuujï /teˈjuːʤï/ n.life (living organism)

• tiikhuu /ˈtiːxuː/ adv.behind, back

• timbu /ˈtiᵐbu/ v.stretch

• tiwuug̀ii /tiˈwuːɣiː/ n.discussion

• tõi /ˈtõi/ n. salt

• tuu /tuː/ v. look, read, peer

• uchã /ˈuʧã/ n. dog

• ugã /ˈugã/ pron.everything

• ujï /ˈuʤï/ n. example, prototype

• uunge /ˈuːᵑge/ v. warn

• uzhi /ˈuʒi/ n. lip

• uzhõ /ˈuʒõ/ n. cat

• wãme /ˈwãme/ n.neck

• wë ho /wë ho/ n. tear

• wẽni /ˈwẽni/ n. item

• wiika /ˈwiːka/ n.brush, beard, brush (for hair), broom, mane

• woʻẽjï /woˈʔẽʤï/ n.knowledge

• wupepu /wuˈpepu/ n.branch (tree part)

• yãchõ /ˈjãʧõ/ n.company, business

• yahã /ˈjahã/ n. lizard

• yasha /ˈjaʃa/ n.distance

• yë /jë/ pron. you, yours

• yẽkiikuu yumo /jẽˈkiːkuː ˈjumo/ n.dagger

• yẽowï /jẽˈowï/ n. arm

• yï /jï/ n. fact

• yii /jiː/ det. any

• yiikuu /ˈjiːkuː/ v.steal, rob

• yïkhu /ˈjïxu/ n. kettle

• yisii /ˈjisiː/ adj. safe

• yokha /ˈjoxa/ v. learn

• yoyi /ˈjoji/ adj.curious

• yudẽbe /juˈdẽbe/ v.read

• yumba /ˈjuᵐba/ n.resident

• yuugu /ˈjuːgu/ v. blink

• yuuwi /ˈjuːwi/ conj.unless

• za /za/ v. cook (heat food), cook (prepare food)

• zatõgẽg̀ii /ˌzatõˈgẽɣiː/n. flight

• zebeo /zeˈbeo/ n.market

• zewuhë /zeˈwuhë/adj. equal, equivalent

• zhaii /ˈʒaiː/ n. advice

• zhãpa /ˈʒãpa/ n.picture, image

• zhẽg̀ii /ˈʒẽɣiː/ n. start, beginning

• zhii /ʒiː/ v. say, express

• zhõ /ʒõ/ v. need (require), need (lack)

• zhu /ʒu/ n. human

• zhupaʻï /ʒuˈpaʔï/ v.assassinate

• zïg̀ii /ˈzïɣiː/ n.question

• zïmo /ˈzïmo/ n.excuse

• zube /ˈzube/ n. hole, ditch, gap, cavity

• zuwii /ˈzuwiː/ v. lend, loan