[Printable (pdf) version of this lesson]
We’ve now seen all the cases used by Láadan. Case is nothing more nor less than the relation of a noun phrase to the verb—and sometimes to the Subject. However, if you are, perhaps, still uncomfortable with the idea of case, the following summary will illustrate and, hopefully, clarify:
who/what performs the action of the VERB
–Ø
Bíi wida omá wa.
The teacher carries.
bebáa
Báa wida bebáa?
Who carries?
radal, rawith
Bíi wida rawith wa.
No-one carries.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida hi wa.
This/that carries.
Bíi wida omá hi wa.
This/that teacher carries.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida beye wa.
Someone/something carries.
Bíi wida omá beye wa.
Some (one) teacher carries.
no VERB; identifies the SUBJECT as something
–m
Bíi omá hothulem wa.
The teacher is a grandparent.
bebáam
Báa omá bebáam?
Who/what is the teacher?
ram
Bíi omá ram wa.
The teacher is no-one/nothing.
Bíi omá hothul ram wa.
The teacher is anything but a grandparent.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi omá him wa.
The teacher is this/that.
Bíi omá hothulem hi wa.
The teacher is this/that grandparent.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi omá beyem wa.
The teacher is something/someone.
Bíi omá hothulem beye wa.
The teacher is some grandparent.
úmú
Bíi di omá úmú hothul wa.
The teacher tells who the grandparent is.
who/what receives the action of the VERB
–th
Bíi wida omá anath wa.
The teacher carries food.
bebáath
Báa wida omá bebáath?
The teacher carries what? What does the teacher carry?
radal, rawith
Bíi wida omá radaleth wa.
The teacher carries nothing.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá hith wa.
The teacher carries this.
Bíi wida omá anath hi wa.
The teacher carries this food.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá beyeth wa.
The teacher carries something/someone.
Bíi wida omá anath beye wa.
The teacher carries some food.
úthú
Bíi wida omá úthú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries what the boss requests.
how the VERB is done
–nal
Bíi wida omá anath dozhenal wa.
The teacher carries food easily.
bebáanal
Báa wida omá anath bebáanal?
How does the teacher carry food?
ranal
Bíi wida omá anath ranal wa.
The teacher carries food in no way.
Bíi wida omá anath dozh ranal wa.
The teacher carries food using otherwise than easily.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hinal wa.
The teacher carries food thus (in this/that way).
Bíi wida omá anath dozhenal hi wa.
The teacher carries food in this/that easy manner.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyenal wa.
The teacher carries food somehow.
Bíi wida omá anath dozhenal beye wa.
The teacher carries food in some easy manner.
únalú
Bíi wida omá anath únalú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food how (in the manner that) the boss requests.
what the SUBJECT uses in doing the VERB
–nan
Bíi wida omá anath dimodenan wa.
The teacher carries food with (using) a bag.
bebáanan
Báa wida omá anath bebáanan?
Using what does the teacher carry food?
ranan
Bíi wida omá anath ranan wa.
The teacher carries food using nothing.
Bíi wida omá anath dimod ranan wa.
The teacher carries food using something other than a bag.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hinan wa.
The teacher carries food using this/that.
Bíi wida omá anath dimodenan hi wa.
The teacher carries food using this/that bag.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyenan wa.
The teacher carries food using something/someone.
Bíi wida omá anath dimodenan beye wa.
The teacher carries food using some bag.
únanú
Bíi wida omá anath únanú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food using what the boss requests.
who/what accompanies the SUBJECT in doing the VERB
–den (neutral)
–dan (pleasure)
Bíi wida omá anath laneden wa.
The teacher carries food along with a friend.
Bíi wida omá anath lanedan wa.
The teacher carries food along with (pleasurably) a friend.
bebáaden
bebáadan
Báa wida omá anath bebáaden?
With whom/what does the teacher carry food?
Báa wida omá anath bebáadan?
With (pleasurably) whom/what does the teacher carry food?
raden
radan
Bíi wida omá anath raden wa.
The teacher carries food along with no-one/nothing.
Bíi wida omá anath lan raden wa.
The teacher carries food along with someone/something other than a friend.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hiden wa.
The teacher carries food along with this/that.
Bíi wida omá anath hidan wa.
The teacher carries food along with (pleasurably) this/that.
Bíi wida omá anath laneden hi wa.
The teacher carries food along with this/that friend.
Bíi wida omá anath lanedan hi wa.
The teacher carries food along with (pleasurably) this/that friend.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyeden wa.
The teacher carries food along with someone/something.
Bíi wida omá anath beyedan wa.
The teacher carries food along with (pleasurably) someone/something.
Bíi wida omá anath laneden beye wa.
The teacher carries food along with some friend.
Bíi wida omá anath lanedan beye wa.
The teacher carries food along with (pleasurably) some friend.
údenú
Bíi wida omá anath údenú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food along with whom/what the boss requests.
where the VERB is done to, at or toward
–dim
Bíi wida omá anath áathamedim wa.
The teacher carries food to church.
bebáadim
Báa wida omá anath bebáadim?
Whither carries the teacher food?
Where does the teacher carry food to?
radim
Bíi wida omá anath radim wa.
The teacher carries food to nowhere.
Bíi wida omá anath áatham radim wa.
The teacher carries food to elsewhere than church.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hidim wa.
The teacher carries food to this/that place.
Bíi wida omá anath áathamedim hi wa.
The teacher carries food to this/that church.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyedim wa.
The teacher carries food to somewhere/someplace.
Bíi wida omá anath áathamedim beye wa.
The teacher carries food to some church.
údimú
Bíi wida omá anath údimú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food to where the boss requests.
where the VERB is done from
–de
Bíi wida omá anath bethede wa.
The teacher carries food from home.
bebáade
Báa wida omá anath bebáade?
Whence carries the teacher food?
Where does the teacher carry food from?
rade
Bíi wida omá anath rade wa.
The teacher carries food from nowhere.
Bíi wida omá anath beth rade wa.
The teacher carries food from elsewhere than home.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hide wa.
The teacher carries food from this/that place.
Bíi wida omá anath bethede hi wa.
The teacher carries food from this/that home.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyede wa.
The teacher carries food from somewhere/someplace.
Bíi wida omá anath bethede beye wa.
he teacher carries food from some home.
údehú
Bíi wida omá anath údehú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food whence (from where) the boss requests.
where the VERB is done
–sha
Bíi wida omá anath wethesha óobe wa.
The teacher carries food along the road.
bebáasha
Báa wida omá anath bebáasha?
Where does the teacher carry food?
rasha
Bíi wida omá anath rasha wa.
The teacher carries food (at) nowhere.
Bíi wida omá anath weth rasha óobe wa.
The teacher carries food elsewhere than along the road.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hisha wa.
The teacher carries food at this/that place.
Bíi wida omá anath wethesha hi óobe wa.
The teacher carries food along this/that road.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyesha wa.
The teacher carries food (at) somewhere/someplace.
Bíi wida omá anath wethesha beye óobe wa.
The teacher carries food along some road.
úshahú
Bíi wida omá anath úshahú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food where the boss requests.
when the VERB is done
–ya
Bíi wida omá anath náaleya wa.
The teacher carries food at night.
bebáaya
Báa wida omá anath bebáaya?
When does the teacher carry food?
raya
Bíi wida omá anath raya wa.
The teacher carries food nowhen. The teacher never carries food.
Bíi wida omá anath náal raya wa.
The teacher carries food elsewhen than at night.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hiya wa.
The teacher carries food at this/that time.
Bíi wida omá anath náaleya hi wa.
The teacher carries food on this/that night.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyeya wa.
The teacher carries food somewhen/sometime.
Bíi wida omá anath náaleya beye wa.
The teacher carries food on some night.
úyahú
Bíi wida omá anath úyahú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food when the boss requests.
on whose/what’s behalf the VERB is done
–da (neutral)
–daá (accident)
–dá (coercion)
–dáa (duty)
Bíi wida omá anath wíithameda wa.
The teacher carries food for (neutral/voluntary) the clergy.
Bíi wida omá anath wíithamedaá wa.
The teacher carries food for (accident) the clergy.
Bíi wida omá anath wíithamedá wa.
The teacher carries food for (coercion) the clergy.
Bíi wida omá anath wíithamedáa wa.
The teacher carries food for (duty/obligation) the clergy.
bebáada
Báa wida omá anath bebáada?
For whom (on whose behalf) does the teacher carry food?
rada
Bíi wida omá anath rada wa.
The teacher carries food for no-one/nothing in particular.
Bíi wida omá anath wíitham rada wa.
The teacher carries food against (opposed to the interests of) the clergy.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hida wa.
The teacher carries food for this/that.
Bíi wida omá anath wíithameda hi wa.
The teacher carries food for this/that clergy.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyeda wa.
The teacher carries food for someone/something.
Bíi wida omá anath wíithameda beye wa.
The teacher carries food for some clergy.
údahú
Bíi wida omá anath údahú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food for whom/what the boss requests.
purpose for which the VERB is done
–wan
Bíi wida omá anath duthawan wa.
The teacher carries food in order to heal.
bebáawan
Báa wida omá anath bebáawan?
Why (for what purpose) does the teacher carry food?
rawan
Bíi wida omá anath rawan wa.
The teacher carries food purposelessly.
Bíi wida omá anath dutha rawan wa.
The teacher carries food for some purpose other than healing.
The teacher carries food to hinder healing.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hiwan wa.
The teacher carries food for this/that purpose.
Bíi wida omá anath duthawan hi wa.
The teacher carries food for this/that healing.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyewan wa.
The teacher carries food for some purpose.
Bíi wida omá anath duthawan beye wa.
The teacher carries food for the purpose of some healing.
úwanú
Bíi wida omá anath úwanú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food for the purpose the boss requests.
because of what the VERB is done
–wáan
Bíi wida omá anath éeyawáan wa.
The teacher carries food due to illness.
bebáawáan
Báa wida omá anath bebáawáan?
Why (because of what) does the teacher carry food?
rawáan
Bíi wida omá anath rawáan wa.
The teacher carries food from no cause.
Bíi wida omá anath éeya rawáan wa.
The teacher carries food because of something other than illness.
The teacher carries food despite illness.
hi, hizh, hin
Bíi wida omá anath hiwáan wa.
The teacher carries food because of this/that.
Bíi wida omá anath éeyawáan hi wa.
The teacher carries food because of this/that illness.
beye, beyezh, beyen
Bíi wida omá anath beyewáan wa.
The teacher carries food because of something/someone.
Bíi wida omá anath éeyawáan beye wa.
The teacher carries food because of some illness.
úwáanú
Bíi wida omá anath úwáanú dibóo hu wa.
The teacher carries food because the boss requests.
The foregoing, taken together, shows that it is possible to have a simple sentence with many case phrases. Taking all the cases as presented, the following is perfectly reasonable.
Bíi wida omá anath dozhenal dimodenan lanedan áathamedim bethede wethesha óobe náaleya wíithamedáa duthawan éeyawáan wa.
The teacher carries food easily with (using) a bag with (pleasurably) a friend to the church from home along the road at night out of duty to the clergy to promote healing because of illness.
You may notice that the order of the case phrases in the English feels awkward. The standard word order in Láadan is different than that in English, but it seemed more transparent to transpose the Láadan case elements in order, despite the awkwardness of the English.
Regarding the Láadan standard word order in active sentences (Passive construction in Láadan is different and has its own future lesson) is as follows:
• Type-of-Sentence Word. May have Mood Suffix applied.
• Verb Phrase
∘ optional Auxiliary
∘ (plural) Verb
OR (plural) Verb Complex
OR Identifier’s Ø-Verb
∘ optional Negative
• Case Phrases. It is axiomatic that any Case Phrase:
− may be expanded into a possessive phrase,
− may be expanded into an embedded relative clause,
− may contain a relativized verb as appropriate, and/or
− may include a following quantifier, demonstrative, indefinite, and/or other postposition as needed.
∘ Subject
∘ Identifier
OR ∘ Object
∘ Manner
∘ Instrument
∘ Associate
∘ Goal
∘ Source
∘ Place
∘ Time
∘ Beneficiary
∘ Purpose
∘ Cause
• Evidential
The above is the standard order of Case Phrases (linguist-speak: the “unmarked order”). In natural case-languages, the order of case phrases is quite fluid. When, as we hope, Láadan goes out into the world and becomes a living language, the native speaker will have reasons—ranging from emphasizing one Case Phrase over another to poetic needs such as meter or rhyme, and so on—to reorder the Case Phrases. This grammar is in no way sufficiently advanced to cover these eventualities.
You may have noticed some groupings of similar cases in the above list. Since almost all cases relate to the expression of the Verb (with the remainder relating to the Subject), the broad groups are:
1) Subject, Identifier/Object;
2) Manner (the case most purely related to the Verb);
3) Instrument, Associate (the English “with” pair);
4) Goal, Source, Place, Time (the four “locatory” cases);
5) Beneficiary, Purpose, Cause (the “motivational” set)
Quantifiers—like “woho” (#All), “waha” (#Any), “menedebe” (#>5), “nedebe” (#2-5)—and numbers—like “raho” (#0), “nede” (#1), “shin” (#2), “thab” (#10), “thabeshin” (#20)—do not formally take case suffixes. However, informally, it would be perfectly understood to say “wohosha” (everywhere), “menedebedim” (to many— ambiguous as to whether to many places or to many people), “nedebedá” (for the benefit of few, by coercion), “nedenal” (singly; one-by-one), or any of a number of other cased quantifier formations. With the exception of “nedenal”, all of these are shorthand for longer phrases involving “with” (person) or “dal” (thing) or “hath” (time) or “hoth” (place). If there should be any confusion, the more fully-expressed phrase would likely be necessary to resolve the ambiguity.
top