Introduction
2 min read · 389 words
Part of Speech, Clitics and Affixes
Chílanoth is an omni-predicative, noun based language, where clitics have an integral syntactic role. The word order is best described as a strict Object-Subject-Predicate. Instead of having adjectives and verbs, words from other classes, commonly nouns or pronouns, host predication clitics. In formal speech (where the subject is defined) the predication clitic is always subject-hosted.
The two most common predication clitics are em (em) and en (en).
In formal speech, the enclitic em (em) is hosted by the subject, and is followed by the predicate, when the predicate describes an action or event.
When in casual speech, clitic em (em) is predicate-hosted, and the subject is emitted.
When predicative, the enclitic en (en) is always subject-hosted.
If not predicative, en (en) is typically hosted by the word being described, not the descriptive word.
If en (en) is hosted by the descriptive word, it sound poetic. (Think "sky blue" instead of "the blue sky".)
Aside from clitics, Chílanoth uses affixes frequently. Most words can be used as affixes as long as there is a root.
List of affixes and clitics
(including some belonging to multiple word classes)
en (en) – predication enclitic when describing a state
em (em) – predication enclitic when describing an action or event
um (um) – past tense enclitic
ae (ae) – imperative enclitic or future tense in compounds
len (len) – plural suffix
an (an) – possessive enclitic, superlative in compounds
oe (oe) – declarative enclitic
on (on) – negation suffix
ne (ne) – definite article, definite prefix
na (na) – interrogative, interrogative prefix
ír (ír) - noun, suffix
ím (ím) – noun, adverb, suffix
in (in) – predicative enclitic when describing ownership
am (am) – predicative enclitic when describing transmission
rú (rú) – noun, quantifier proclitic
nír (nír) - noun, quantifier proclitic
síl (síl) – counting word, quantifier prefix
Etc...
Compounds
Compounds of clitics/affixes creates new clitics/affixes.
enoe/emoe (enoe/emoe) – Present Continuous enclitic
emae (emae) – Imperative enclitic
aem (aem) – Future Simple enclitic
Compounds can be stacked.
emonae (emonae) – “Don't do ... ”
enonae (enonae) - "Don't be..."
OBSERVE
Past tense cliticum (um) can cancel out en (en) or em (em) leaving the dinstinction between event and state contextual. If the meaning is uncertain, one may keep both clitics, "um" being placed first.