Syntax
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Asteran Basic Syntax
Asteran is a verb-final language.
Default word order:
Subject + Object / Complements / Adjuncts + Verb
The finite verb normally stands at the end of the clause.
Example:
astor malgam calei
= The cantor binds the fracture.
Literally: cantor fracture-ACC binds
1. Basic Clause Order
The normal transitive sentence order is:
Subject + Direct Object + Verb
Examples:
astor malgam calei
= The cantor binds the fracture.
astorī malgās caleis
= The cantors bind the fractures.
nan malgam cala
= I bind the fracture.
Because verbs mark person and number, subject pronouns may be omitted when clear:
malgam cala
= I bind the fracture.
2. Subject
The subject is normally in the nominative case.
The nominative singular has no ending.
Examples:
astor calei
= The cantor binds / acts.
malc caleit
= The fracture is bound.
astorī caleis
= The cantors bind / act.
3. Direct Object
The direct object takes the accusative case.
Examples:
astor malgam calei
= The cantor binds the fracture.
astorī malgās caleis
= The cantors bind the fractures.
nan leinam cala
= I bind him/her/it.
4. Dative Objects and Recipients
The dative marks to, for, toward, into, or the recipient/beneficiary of an action.
When a sentence has both a dative and an accusative object, the usual order is:
Subject + Dative + Accusative + Verb
Example:
astor leinai malgam caltei
= The cantor will bind the fracture for him/her/it.
Literally:
cantor to-him/her/it fracture-ACC will-bind
Another example:
nan astorai cordam cala
= I bind the chord for the cantor.
5. Ablative and Locative Complements
The ablative marks from, away from, by means of, with.
The locative marks in, at, on, within.
These complements usually come before the verb, after the main object.
Examples:
astor malgam cordō calei
= The cantor binds the fracture by means of the chord.
astor malgam farenul calei
= The cantor binds the fracture in the room.
With prepositions:
astor malgam mel farenul calei
= The cantor binds the fracture inside the room.
astor malgam lun cordō calei
= The cantor binds the fracture using the chord.
6. Passive Syntax
In the passive, the patient becomes the nominative subject.
Active:
astor malgam calei
= The cantor binds the fracture.
Passive:
malc caleit
= The fracture is bound.
To express the agent in a passive sentence, Asteran uses ol + ablative.
malc ol astorō caleit
= The fracture is bound by the cantor / by the authority of the cantor.
Instrument is expressed with lun + ablative.
malc lun cordō caleit
= The fracture is bound by means of the chord.
So:
ol + ablative = by the agent/authority
lun + ablative = by means of the instrument
7. Noun Phrase Order
The basic noun phrase order is:
Degree Marker + Adjective + Noun + Genitive Possessor
Examples:
sacrau astor
= sacred cantor
tser sacrau astor
= more sacred cantor
tson sacrau astor
= most sacred cantor
sacrau astor nanēn
= my sacred cantor
Literally: sacred cantor of me
calaut malc leinēn
= his/her/its bound fracture
Literally: bound fracture of him/her/it
8. Adjective Agreement
Adjectives stand before nouns and agree with the noun in case and number.
Examples:
sacrau astor
= sacred cantor
sacrawam astoram
= sacred cantor as object
sacrawī astorī
= sacred cantors
sacrawōn astorōn
= of the sacred cantors
If the noun is accusative, the adjective is accusative.
If the noun is plural, the adjective is plural.
9. Possession
Asteran has no possessive determiners like my, your, his, her, our, their.
Possession is expressed with the genitive case.
The possessor comes after the possessed noun.
Structure:
possessed noun + genitive possessor
Examples:
astor nanēn
= my cantor / cantor of me
malc leinēn
= his/her/its fracture / fracture of him/her/it
corda nainōn
= our chord / chord of us
With adjectives:
sacrau astor nanēn
= my sacred cantor
calaut malc leinēn
= his/her/its bound fracture
10. Copula Sentences
Asteran uses the copula an- for predicate statements.
There is no zero-copula sentence in standard Asteran.
Structure:
Subject + Predicate + Copula
Examples:
astor sacrau anei
= The cantor is sacred.
malc calaut anei
= The fracture is bound.
astorī sacrawī aneis
= The cantors are sacred.
Predicate adjectives agree with the subject in case and number.
So:
astor sacrau anei
= The cantor is sacred.
astorī sacrawī aneis
= The cantors are sacred.
Predicate possession also requires the copula:
astor nanēn anei
= The cantor is mine.
astorī nainōn aneis
= The cantors are ours.
11. Negation
The negative particle is nac.
It stands immediately before the word it negates.
Verbal Negation
astor malgam nac calei
= The cantor does not bind the fracture.
malc nac caleit
= The fracture is not bound.
Adjective Negation
astor nac sacrau anei
= The cantor is not sacred.
nac sacrau astor
= not-sacred cantor / unsacred cantor
Negative Commands
nac calā
= Do not bind!
nac calūts
= Do not bind, you all!
12. Prepositional Phrases
Prepositions stand before the noun phrase.
The noun phrase takes the case required by the preposition.
Examples:
mel farenul
= inside the room
mel farenai
= into the room
mel farenō
= out of/from inside the room
ham farenīl
= among the rooms
fer farenam
= through the room
lar farenam
= across the room
sel farenam
= along the room
Prepositional phrases usually come before the verb, after the main object.
Example:
astor malgam mel farenul calei
= The cantor binds the fracture inside the room.
13. Questions
Yes/no questions use han at the beginning of the clause.
han astor malgam calei?
= Does the cantor bind the fracture?
Content questions keep the question word in the place where the answer would stand.
tsan malgam calei?
= Who binds the fracture?
astor tsamam calei?
= What does the cantor bind?
astor malgam tsorul calei?
= Where does the cantor bind the fracture?
Asteran does not normally front question words.
14. Imperatives
Imperatives usually omit the subject.
calā
= Bind!
calūts
= Bind, you all!
calīn
= Let us bind!
With an object:
malgam calā
= Bind the fracture!
With vocative address:
astore, malgam calā
= O cantor, bind the fracture!
15. Ritual or Emphatic Word Order
Because Asteran has case marking, ritual language may sometimes move an important word earlier for emphasis.
Normal order:
astor malgam calei
= The cantor binds the fracture.
Emphatic object-first ritual order:
malgam astor calei
= The fracture, the cantor binds.
This is marked and ceremonial. The ordinary order remains Subject + Object + Verb.