Limqefa
Phonology & Orthography
- m n f t k q/kʷ/ s sh/ʃ/ w l lh/ɬ/ y/j/
- i o e a
- cvc or cv(v+)
- no(t many) consonant clusters within morphemes
TODO put this in a table
Alphabet
(TODO put a picture of the alphabet here)
Syntax
basic syntax is SUBJECT (sa/eka) VERB [e OBJECT] [aq INDIRECT_OBJECT]
- le sa naqje e lhoni kishoshek aq yashaflek: i get rid of the broken computer using my container
Indirect Object
the indirect object (introduced with aq can be a location, tool, or any additional context about the sentece's action. if you know toki pona, aq generalizes kepeken, lon, tawa, etc; limqefa has no other prepositions.
Aspect: sa/eka
the choice of word between subject and verb indicates the aspect of the sentence
- sa indicates an imperfective aspect, for continuous processes or ongoing events
- le sa ko e komis: i'm making food/ i was making food
- eka indicates a perfective aspect, for instantaneous events or changes of state, or focusing more on the outcome than the process
- le eka ko e komis: i've made food/ dinner's ready
Suffixes
when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word that ends in a vowel, remove the final vowel of that word first.
-ek: adjectivizor
-ek turns a noun N into an adjective meaning "like or pertaining to N". it also turns a transitive verb V into an adjective meaning "having had V done to it", similar to a detransitivizor or participle.
- komis: food → komisek: pertaining to food, foodlike
- kishosh: break, destroy → kishoshek: broken, destroyed
- le eka kishosh e lhoni: i destroyed the computer → lhoni kishoshek sa qo: the destroyed computer is good
-is: patientivizor
-is turns a transitive verb V into a noun meaning "patient/object of V", similar to -ee in english or Rey in vötgil.
- koma: to eat → komis: food
- qoye: to improve (sth) → qoyis: improved thing
-alh: gerundizor
-alh turns a verb V into a noun meaning "action, process, state, or result of V happening", similar to -ing or -tion in english.
- lim: talk → limalh: conversation, communication
- le eka qoy'e lhoni. qoyelhte sa qo: i fixed the computer. this fixing is good
-ye: verbalizor
-ye turns an adjective A into a verb meaning "cause (sth) to become A".
- qo: good → qoye: make sth good; improve; help; heal
-te: definite article
appending -te to a noun N indicates that this N is the same N as the one we are already talking about, or is salient to the conversation.
-o-: object incorporation
for a verb V and a noun-phrase N, NoV is a verb meaning "to do V to N" (or "to do V in a way associated with/pertaining to N? maybe?). it is often used with -alh.
- efonolimalh: saying numbers
- efonolimalh sa qo aq le: i like saying numbers
- maeshleoqoyalh: improvement of one's sensory environment
(TODO this feature is still a little half baked and i may yet change or remove it. i want to have a way to make lexicalized compounds seem distinctive from ad-hoc juxtapositions but i don't know how much i want this)
Vocabulary
the most TODO part of the language becuase i need to actually make some words
ilesh,naq: verbs of motion
ilesh and naq are intransitive verbs meaning "come (towards sth)" and "go (away from sth)" respectively. therefore ileshye and naqye are transitive verbs meaning "bring/get/fetch" and "throw away/get rid of/weka" respectively.
(TODO: need examples, including sa/eka)
Numbers
limqefa uses a seximal (base six) numerical system by default, but there is an option to use a decimal (base ten) system with a pentimal (base 5) sub-base.
| value (base six) | word |
|---|---|
| 1 | ak |
| 2 | siw |
| 3 | fom |
| 4 | mis |
| 5 | lok |
| 10 | kef |
| 11 | kef ak |
| ... | ... |
| 15 | kef lok |
| 20 | siw kef |
| 23 | siw kef fom |
| 55 | lok kef lok |
| 100 | nif |
| 2354 | siw kef fom nif lok kef mis |
| value (base ten) | word |
|---|---|
| 6 | lokak |
| 7 | loksiw |
| ... | ... |
| 10 | silok |
| 100 | shifalo |
| 7896 | loksiw silok lokfom shifalo lokmis silok lokak |
TODO
- verbal prefixes to switch round the function of S, O and IO, and to impart more specific meanings upon IO