Kpesfoian Language
The Language of Kpesfoian
Natively known as: kpesfo /k͡pesˈfo/
...and he stood holding his hat and turned his wet face to the wind...
kho d'u b'e yoyʻ pi kpofkhi kho b'e shejo kpuj per wawr kpil
Pronunciation: /xo ɗu ɓe jojʔ pi k͡pofˈxi xo ɓe ʃeˈʄo k͡puʄ peɾ wawɾ k͡piɬ/
Kpesfoian word order: and he his hat holding stood and his wet face the wind to turned
Spelling & Phonology
Consonant inventory: b d f g g͡b h j k k͡p n p s t w x ɓ ɗ ɬ ɾ ʃ ʄ ʔ
↓Manner/Place→ Labial-velar
Stop = k͡p g͡b
Approximant w
Vowel inventory: a e i o u
Front Back
High
Front: i
Back: u
High-mid
Front : e
Back: o
Low
Front: a
Syllable structure: (C)V(C)(C) ?
Stress pattern: Second — stress is on the second syllable ?
Spelling rules:
Pronunciation Spelling
ʔ = ʻ
g͡b = gb
j = y
k͡p = kp
x = kh
ɓ = b'
ɗ = d'
ʃ = sh
ɬ = l
ɾ = r
ʄ = j
Grammar
Main word order: Subject Object (Prepositional phrase) Verb. "Mary opened the door with a key" turns into Mary the door with a key opened.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: postpositions ?
Nouns
Nouns have four cases:
Nominative is the doer of a verb: dog bites man.
Accusative is the done-to of a verb: man bites dog.
Genitive is the possessor of something: dog's tail hits man.
Dative is the recipient of something: man gives ball to dog.
Singular Plural
Nominative No affix
khoys /xojs/
dog (when doing the verb)
Prefix u-
ukhoys /uˈxojs/
dogs (when doing the verb)
Accusative Prefix da-
dakhoys /daˈxojs/
(verb done to) dog
Prefix ʄe-
jekhoys /ʄeˈxojs/
(verb done to) dogs
Genitive Prefix i-
ikhoys /iˈxojs/
dogʼs
If starts with vowel: Prefix k͡p-
Else: Prefix k͡pi-
kpikhoys /k͡piˈxojs/
dogsʼ
Dative If starts with vowel: Prefix s-
Else: Prefix so-
sokhoys /soˈxojs/
to (the/a) dog
If starts with vowel: Prefix ɓ-
Else: Prefix ɓa-
b'akhoys /ɓaˈxojs/
to (the/some) dogs
Articles
Definite so /so/
the
Indefinite ji /ʄi/
a, some
Uses of definite article that differ from English:
Used to talk about countable nouns in general: English's 'I like cats' would translate to 'I like the cats'
Used for personal names in third person: 'The Maria has left for school'
Used for languages: 'The English'
Pronouns
Nominative Accusative Genitive Dative
1st singular
i /i/
I
wesh /weʃ/
me
b'i /ɓi/
mine
dish /diʃ/
to me
2nd singular
jar /ʄaɾ/
you
jekp /ʄek͡p/
you
sod /sod/
yours
khi /xi/
to you
3rd singular masc
d'u /ɗu/
he, it
u /u/
him, it
b'e /ɓe/
his, its
dugsh /dugʃ/
to him, at it
3rd singular fem
shir /ʃiɾ/
she, it
ho /ho/
her, it
pub' /puɓ/
hers, its
b'u /ɓu/
to her, at it
1st plural
b'uyf /ɓujf/
we
wu /wu/
us
nesh /neʃ/
ours
yu /ju/
to us
2nd plural
khind /xind/
you all
d'e /ɗe/
you all
gbu /g͡bu/
yours (pl)
so /so/
to you all
3rd plural siwr /siwɾ/
they
dik /dik/
them
ju /ʄu/
theirs
bo /bo/
to them
Possessive determiners
1st singular
b'i /ɓi/
my
2nd singular
sod /sod/
your
3rd singular masc
b'e /ɓe/
his
3rd singular fem
pub' /puɓ/
her
1st plural
nesh /neʃ/
our
2nd plural
gbu /g͡bu/
your (pl)
3rd plural
ju /ʄu/
their
Verbs
Present No affix
wenib'ik /weˈniɓik/
learn
Past:
If starts with vowel: Prefix p-
Else: Prefix pi-
piwenib'ik /piˈweniˌɓik/
learned
Remote past Prefix ɗa-
d'awenib'ik /ɗaˈweniˌɓik/
learned (long ago)
Future Prefix i-
iwenib'ik /iˈweniˌɓik/
will learn
Imperfective aspect
The 'imperfective' aspect refers to ongoing actions, such as I am learning and habitual actions, such as I learn (something new every day).
Kpesfoian uses a standalone particle word for imperfective:
Imperfective
Particle before the verb: ɓu -
b'u wenib'ik /ɓu weˈniɓik/
learns/is learning
Numbers
Kpesfoian has a base-10 number system:
1 - si
2 - nupsh
3 - gba
4 - serba
5 - jiti
6 - wi
7 - sutsh
8 - yug
9 - ashpa
10 - kpi
11 - kpisi "ten-one"
100 - seyge "hundred"
101 - seyge kho si "hundred and one"
200 - nupsh seyge
1000 - sunw "thousand"
Derivational morphology
Adjective → adverb = Suffix -a
Adjective → noun (the quality of being [adj]) = Suffix -i
Adjective → verb (to make something [adj]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -k
Else: Suffix -ik
Noun → adjective (having the quality of [noun]) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ps
Else: Suffix -aps
Noun → adjective relating to noun (e.g. economy → economic) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -w
Else: Suffix -uw
Noun to verb = Suffix -i
Verb → adjective (result of doing [verb]) = Suffix -i
Tending to = Suffix -e
Verb → noun (the act of [verb]) = Suffix -i
Verb → noun that verb produces (e.g. know → knowledge) = Suffix -e
One who [verb]s (e.g. paint → painter) = If ends with vowel: Suffix -w
Else: Suffix -ow
Place of (e.g. wine → winery) = Suffix -u
Diminutive = Suffix -u
Augmentative = If ends with vowel: Suffix -ɾg
Else: Suffix -aɾg
Kpesfoian - 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. sit
ashpa /aʃˈpa/ num. nine
b'agb /ɓag͡b/ n. cake
b'arb /ɓaɾb/ n. week
b'awaysi /ɓaˈwajsi/ n. hearing
b'ekp /ɓek͡p/ n. fiction
b'i /ɓi/ det. my
b'iknehyaps /ɓikˈnehjaps/ v. play (have fun), compete
b'isfo /ɓisˈfo/ n. life (living organism)
b'itsh /ɓitʃ/ n. doll, puppet
b'ogb /ɓog͡b/ n. guess
b'ot /ɓot/ n. air, gas
b'ubya /ɓuˈbja/ n. stone
b'ukp /ɓuk͡p/ num. billion
b'utsho /ɓutˈʃo/ interj. welcome
bahwukhi /baˈhwuxi/ n. strength
batfekh /batˈfex/ pron. everybody
bedi /beˈdi/ n. flight
beyu /beˈju/ prep. out, outside
bik /bik/ n. key
birbaw /biɾˈbaw/ n. hunter
bitse /bitˈse/ n. trial
bokp /bok͡p/ n. horse
bu pakne /bu pakˈne/ v. boil
bunlan /bunˈɬan/ n. shrine, religion
bushe /buˈʃe/ n. police
d'agakh /ɗaˈgax/ n. well, reservoir
d'apsh /ɗapʃ/ pron. anything
d'e /ɗe/ n. time, tense
d'end /ɗend/ n. weapon
d'il /ɗiɬ/ v. cause, induce, provoke
d'irt /ɗiɾt/ n. ink
d'ob' /ɗoɓ/ adj. firm
d'onnid' /ɗonˈniɗ/ n. game
d'ugs /ɗugs/ adv. behind, back
d'uw /ɗuw/ n. wound
dae /daˈe/ v. start, begin
dakh /dax/ n. cat
de /de/ adj. different, other, distinct, various
dej /deʄ/ n. company, business, enterprise, commerce
dew /dew/ n. excrement, sewage
dind /dind/ n. mass
diskash /disˈkaʃ/ adj. native
dol /doɬ/ v. investigate, inquire, examine, audit
dugs /dugs/ n. detail
dut /dut/ v. blink
ehyakh /eˈhjax/ v. wonder
esh /eʃ/ v. prepare, train
gbad /g͡bad/ adj. curious
gbaokh /g͡baˈox/ v. fit, apply
gbekh /g͡bex/ n. iron
gbij /g͡biʄ/ adv. why
gbipsh /g͡bipʃ/ adj. fat, big, obese
gbith /g͡bith/ adv. either
gbob'i /g͡boˈɓi/ v. have sex
gbokow /g͡boˈkow/ n. worker, employee
gbud /g͡bud/ n. picture
hab /hab/ adv. off
hapteyo /hapˈtejo/ v. experience
hed /hed/ n. parent
hejoyof /heˈʄojof/ v. try (test out), test
heth /heth/ n. text
hika /hiˈka/ v. choose, select
his /his/ n. dress, skirt
hob /hob/ n. chicken
hoyy /hojj/ v. know (be acquainted with)
hups /hups/ adj. hot (attractive)
ikh /ix/ n. poison, venom
ips netsho /ips netˈʃo/ n. navy
iyʻoj /ijˈʔoʄ/ adj. healthy
janbi /ʄanˈbi/ n. human
jays /ʄajs/ n. prostitute
jekp /ʄek͡p/ pron. you
jib /ʄib/ v. crush, grind, squash, smash, ruffle
jir /ʄiɾ/ n. student
job /ʄob/ v. surprise, astonish, startle
ju /ʄu/ det. their
jutsh /ʄutʃ/ v. crawl
khakhyilo /xaˈxjiɬo/ n. comb, brush (for hair), broom
khe /xe/ v. ask (request), request, ask (invite)
khed' /xeɗ/ v. drive, chase, ride, steer
khesh /xeʃ/ n. message, note
khid'ab' /xiˈɗaɓ/ v. wave (salutation)
khinfu /xinˈfu/ v. bite
khit /xit/ v. like
khob' /xoɓ/ n. pump
khops /xops/ v. chase
khoys /xojs/ n. dog
khudsu /xudˈsu/ n. half
kpabyo /k͡paˈbjo/ v. pray
kpapi buyʻ /k͡paˈpi bujʔ/ n. footprint
kpeps /k͡peps/ n. look, appearance (looks)
kpid /k͡pid/ v. return, go back
kpiʻuw /k͡piˈʔuw/ adj. oral
kpo /k͡po/ n. state (condition), condition (state), mood, situation
kpu /k͡pu/ prep. by (using the means of), by (using a route)
kpukh /k͡pux/ n. stump, root, log
nadsogb /nadˈsog͡b/ adv. only, merely, hardly
nakp /nak͡p/ num. million
napsu /napˈsu/ v. open
nayu /naˈju/ v. sort, arrange
nediyfe /neˈdijfe/ adj. critical
nesh /neʃ/ det. our
neyʻ /nejʔ/ pron. everything
nijew /niˈʄew/ n. employer
nish /niʃ/ v. catch, grab
nishewed /niˈʃewed/ v. try (strive), struggle, work
niyfi /nijˈfi/ n. division
nosh /noʃ/ n. salt, spice
nunru /nuˈnɾu/ n. tax, tariff
nuyy /nujj/ v. teach, instruct, educate, coach, train
okh /ox/ n. horn
pab' /paɓ/ v. drink
pak /pak/ n. language
panral /paˈnɾaɬ/ n. ticket, receipt
pawow /paˈwow/ n. dancer
ped /ped/ n. impulse
pend /pend/ n. show
pesh /peʃ/ conj. if, when
piddi /pidˈdi/ n. riot
pik /pik/ n. party
pishit /piˈʃit/ v. grow
piwsh /piwʃ/ adv. forward
pohi /poˈhi/ n. style, grace
porb /poɾb/ n. tin
pu /pu/ pron. which
pugb /pug͡b/ v. warn, alert
purt /puɾt/ n. sorrow
sab' /saɓ/ adj. recent
sagiyʻi /saˈgijʔi/ n. death
sapi /saˈpi/ v. exercise
sash /saʃ/ v. tear, rip
se /se/ pron. who
segga /segˈga/ n. opinion
sek /sek/ n. chemical
sen /sen/ v. might
sesbaw /sesˈbaw/ n. criminal
seyf wusu /sejf wuˈsu/ n. maid
shak /ʃak/ adv. ago
shath /ʃath/ adj. busy
shek /ʃek/ n. space, room (space)
shet /ʃet/ v. miss (not hit)
shignettu /ʃigˈnettu/ n. paint
shil /ʃiɬ/ n. compliment
sho /ʃo/ v. can
shoshigtend /ʃoˈʃigtend/ n. dream
shude /ʃuˈde/ n. cut
si /si/ num. one
sigbow /sig͡bˈow/ n. tourist
sikya /siˈkja/ n. bathroom
sinri /siˈnɾi/ adj. big, great (very large), huge, massive, enormous
sippu /sipˈpu/ n. fashion
sirtuw /siɾˈtuw/ adj. academic
sishsi shipikpe /siʃˈsi ʃiˈpik͡pe/ n. middle class
siwr /siwɾ/ pron. they
siyyi /siˈjji/ n. response
soddawa /sodˈdawa/ n. interest
sokye /soˈkje/ n. boy
sort /soɾt/ n. shoe
sow /sow/ n. runner
sudsa pawsh /sudˈsa pawʃ/ n. triangle
sul /suɬ/ n. pillow, cushion
surg /suɾg/ n. degree
sutshof /sutˈʃof/ adj. hard, difficult
tajes /taˈʄes/ n. son
tatsh /tatʃ/ adj. significant
tefda /tefˈda/ n. energy
terg /teɾg/ n. buttocks, ass
ti /ti/ prep. down
tij /tiʄ/ adj. real, authentic
tis /tis/ n. edge, shore, limit, border, boundary
to /to/ v. be (exist), be (permanent state)
tol /toɬ/ n. armor
towri /toˈwɾi/ n. tension
tuk /tuk/ prep. onto
tutshuod /tutˈʃuod/ n. alphabet
uk /uk/ n. thing, matter, object
wad' /waɗ/ n. match (for fire)
wanind /waˈnind/ det. many
watsh /watʃ/ v. whistle
webbu /webˈbu/ adj. weak
weki /weˈki/ v. offend
wepe /weˈpe/ v. invite
wew /wew/ v. crack
wif /wif/ n. rain
wik /wik/ v. compare, contrast
wirad' /wiˈɾaɗ/ adv. up
wishkif /wiʃˈkif/ n. father
wiyy /wijj/ n. news
wok seyf /wok sejf/ n. tower
wot /wot/ n. book
wub /wub/ v. measure, calculate
wud' /wuɗ/ prep. like
wuj /wuʄ/ det. enough
wund /wund/ n. athlete
wuys /wujs/ n. job, task, role
yadbops /jadˈbops/ adj. skilled
yakhyub' /jaˈxjuɓ/ n. flesh
yapi /jaˈpi/ n. island
yatsei /jatˈsei/ n. control
yef /jef/ n. chief, boss
yekre /jeˈkɾe/ v. improve, refine
yersi /jeɾˈsi/ v. bid
yet /jet/ n. beauty
yib /jib/ n. age
yigbo /jig͡bˈo/ n. structure, system, network
yili /jiˈɬi/ adj. close, dense, intimate
yirid' /jiˈɾiɗ/ v. help, assist, treat
yiwr /jiwɾ/ v. sell
yo /jo/ v. call (request the attendance of)
yoje /joˈʄe/ adj. famous
yosh /joʃ/ adj. stubborn
yoyyi /joˈjji/ n. settlement
yuk /juk/ prep. around
yushai /juˈʃai/ n. entrance