Íywatè

Compositions

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Íywatè is a strongly analytic language of ergeative/absolutive alignment. In inflection and derivation, head-initial constructions predominate. Syntactically, there is no clear preference. There are four tones. The word order can be either SOV or VSO for declaratives, while VOS and OSV are reserved for interrogatives (S-O inversion).

Tones

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The four tonemes of Íywatè are Unaccented, Stressed High, Stressed Low, and Checked. The Unaccented and Checked tones are both considered "short" (monomoraic) and the two Stressed tones are considered "long" (bimoraic).

• Unaccented - just how it sounds.
• Stressed High - Long, Stressed, and High. From the loss of coda nasals, unvoiced plosives.
• Stressed Low - Long, Stressed, and Low. From the loss of /w, j/-final diphthongs, voiced plosives.
• Checked - nearly entirely syncopated, reduced vowel. Preceeding consonant devoices. From the loss of voiceless glottal consonant in coda.

Verbs

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The Main Verb

The Tenses

There is an unmarked Present tense as well as a Past and Future tense that are each marked with post-verbal particles.

The Aspects

Íywatè has an unmarked Perfective. The Habitual and Progressive/Continuous aspects are marked with pre-verbal particles.

Mood, Voice, and Valency

Nouns

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The Noun

The noun itself receives no marking, but the article is marked for definiteness, plurality, and case.

The Case Marking

The Article

There is both a definite and indefinite article in Íywatè, each with a singular and plural form, and case-marking.

Pronouns

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Íywatè has free pronouns, with case-marked forms.

Adjectives and Adverbs

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Íywatè

Adpositions

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Íywatè