Chrol

Sample Text

Chrol

г^рыч^ћ ккаккач-ккаккач гч^ћан ѓеен ж^рыылг^рыж ч^џыккык^р. нган кч^ролк^џях г^рыч^ћ к^рк^џък^ћ кган чкък. к^рч^рыл к^џык^џач к^рч^рыл к^џык^џач гч^ћан ѓеен, кыыл к^џык^џач гч^ћан кч^ролк^џях ж^рыылчыг чкък. ж^рыылчыг г^ћег^ћлок^џ гоол к^џык^џач џяч^ћ, нган жююџ ч^џакќнен к^рч^рыл ч^ћкюк кган ѓеен, к^рч^рыл г^ћег^ћлок^џ. ч^ряч^ряч^р чкък к^рч^рыл џаггаал гч^ћан кч^ролк^џях ж^рыылќын ггяклал. кыыл ххех, к^рч^рыл к^рк^џък^ћ кган ѓеен ж^рыылчыг ччючлал, нган гг^рыж кч^ролк^џях ж^рыылг^рыж ччючлал-ччючлал кыыл к^рк^џък^ћ џяч^ћ гч^ћан чкък. нган ѓеен к^рч^рыл ч^ряќ г^рхак кган гг^рыж кч^ролк^џях. ггооѓъџ ѓеен к^рч^рыл жлюкчоч к^ћюк^рол ч^џакќнен к^ћюк^рол ч^џакќнен.

нган ч^џакќнен к^рч^рыл ч^ряќ-ч^ряќ-гчоч гоол нлаж^ргог кган чоч^рлюќ лелгыг гаџлаџ кган ккеџ лелгыг гаџлаџ. нган нлъъл џѓок^ћч^ћеч^ћ гоол к^рк^џък^ћ гч^ћан ѓеен, нган ч^џакќнен к^ћюк^рол ггач ч^ћкюк кыыл ч^ћкюк, нган џѓок^ћч^ћееч^ћ к^ћюк^рол гг^рыж к^рч^рыл г^ркяѓ џяч^ћ кган ѓеен. нлъъл-нлъъл к^ръл ч^џък^џ гч^ћан џѓок^ћч^ћееч^ћ!

Semi-literal Translation

One of our trolls was leg-legging in a field. He eyed a fire-demon. Our troll runs, he runs, fire-demon is running after him. Ran up to a cliff, our troll arms a long branch, falling. The fire-demon is throating from above at him. Trembles, our troll eyes downward, he eyes another fire-demon, down-down. That fire-demon is wanting to tooth our troll. For our troll, was saving with the branch! But starting-trying-toothing the branch, a small white animal, a small black animal. Our troll eyed a tonguey mushroom, with one hand, handling the branch, our troll claws the mushroom up with the other hand. Wow, it is tonguey-tonguey mushroom!

Interlinear

г^рыч^ћ

ккаккач

гч^ћан

ѓеен

ж^рыылг^рыж

ч^џыккык^р

PAST.NARR

walk

CONT

NOM

troll.same.clan

LOC

field

A troll was walking in a field.

нган

кч^ролк^џях

г^рыч^ћ

к^рк^џък^ћ

кган

чкък

ACC

fire.demon

PAST.NARR

see

ERG

3RD

He saw a fire-demon.

к^рч^рыл

к^џык^џач

к^рч^рыл

к^џык^џач

гч^ћан

ѓеен

PRES.NARR

run

PRES.NARR

run

NOM

troll

He started running,

кыыл

к^џык^џач

гч^ћан

кч^ролк^џях

ж^рыылчыг

чкък

PRES.REL

run

NOM

fire.demon

ALL

3RD

the demon chasing.

ж^рыылчыг

г^ћег^ћлок^џ

гоол

к^џык^џач

џяч^ћ

ALL

cliff

PAST.REL

run

SUCCESS

Running up to a cliff,

нган

жююџ

ч^џакќнен

к^рч^рыл

ч^ћкюк

кган

ѓеен,

к^рч^рыл

г^ћег^ћлок^џ

ACC

long

branch

PRES.NARR

grasp

ERG

troll,

PRES.NARR

fall

the troll grabbed a vine and fell.

ч^ряч^ряч^р

чкък

к^рч^рыл

џаггаал

гч^ћан

кч^ролк^џях

ж^рыылќын

ггяклал

MAL

3RD

PRES.NARR

growl

NOM

demon

ELL

above

The demon was growling at him from above.

кыыл

ххех,

к^рч^рыл

к^рк^џък^ћ

кган

ѓеен

ж^рыылчыг

ччючлал

PRES.REL

tremble,

PRES.NARR

look

ERG

troll

ALL

down

Trembling, the troll looked down,

нган

гг^рыж

кч^ролк^џях

ж^рыылг^рыж

ччючлал

кыыл

к^рк^џък^ћ

џяч^ћ

гч^ћан

чкък

ACC

another

demon

LOC

down

PRES.REL

see

SUCC

NOM

3RD

where he saw another demon far below.

нган

ѓеен

к^рч^рыл

ч^ряќ

г^рхак

кган

гг^рыж

кч^ролк^џях

ACC

troll

PRES.NARR

eat

WANTING

ERG

other

demon

The other demon was waiting to consume the troll.

ггооѓъџ

ѓеен

к^рч^рыл

жлюкчоч

к^ћюк^рол

ч^џакќнен

к^ћюк^рол

ч^џакќнен

BEN

troll

PRES.NARR

save

INSTR

branch

INSTR

branch

Only the vine was sustaining the troll.

нган

ч^џакќнен

к^рч^рыл

ч^ряќ

гчоч

гоол

нлаж^ргог

кган

чоч^рлюќ

лелгыг

гаџлаџ

кган

ккеџ

гаџлаџ

ACC

branch

PRES.NARR

chew

CONT

TRYING

PAST.REL

start

ERG

white

small

cat

ERG

black

cat

A white mouse and a black mouse started gnawing bit-by-bit through the vine.

нган

нлъъл

џѓок^ћч^ћеч^ћ

гоол

к^рк^џък^ћ

гч^ћан

ѓеен

ACC

tasty

mushroom

PAST.REL

see

NOM

troll

The troll saw a tasty mushroom,

нган

ч^џакќнен

к^ћюк^рол

ггач

ч^ћкюк

кыыл

ч^ћкюк

ACC

branch

INSTR

one

hand

PRES.REL

hold

Holding the branch with one hand,

нган

џѓок^ћч^ћееч^ћ

к^ћюк^рол

гг^рыж

к^рч^рыл

г^ркяѓ

џяч^ћ

кган

ѓеен

ACC

mushroom

INSTR

other

PRES.NARR

pick

SUCC

ERG

troll

the troll picked the mushroom with his other hand.

нлъъл

к^ръл

ч^џък^џ

гч^ћан

џѓок^ћч^ћееч^ћ

tasty

NARR.PRES

SURPRISING

NOM

mushroom

It was so very tasty!

I. Phonology

I.1 Vowels

Practical Orthography

X-Sampa

	Front			Back
High			ы	ю
Mid	е		ъ		о
Low		я		а

	Front			Back
High			1	M
Mid	E		@		O
Low		a		Q

Vowels can occur short or long. Long vowels are written by repeating the vowel.

I.2 Consonants

In the tables below, where appropriate, pairs are given of voiceless and voiced.

Practical Orthography

X-Sampa

	Palatal Affricate	Velar Stop	Uvular Stop
Voiced	ж	г	ѓ
Voiceless	ч	к	ќ

	Palatal Affricate	Velar Stop	Uvular Stop
Voiced	d-\Z	g	G\
Voiceless	t-\S	k	q

Each of the above consonants can occur: Plain (c), Aspirated (c^ћ), Ejective (c^џ), or Rhoticized (c^р).
There are also three uvular non-obstruents, and one fricative:

л /L\/
џ /R/
н /N\/
х /x\/

I.3 Remarks

Syllable canon is C(C)V(C) or CV:(L), where L denotes one of л,џ,н,х.
All word-final syllables must be closed.
Note that geminate consonants have double release. (For example, in ккал, there are two distinct releases for the к.)
Stress is on the initial syllable.

II. Nominal Morphology

III.1 Case Marking

Case is marked on nouns via preposed particles:

Case	Particle
Ergative	кган
Accusative	нган
Nominative	гч^ћан
Dative	к^џъгын
Benefactive	ггооѓъџ
Malefactive	ч^ряч^ряч^р
Instrumental	к^ћюк^рол
Locative	ж^рыылг^рыж
Allative	ж^рыылчыж
Ellative	ж^рыылќыж
Vocative	ччочок

There is no grammatical number marking on nominals (except for pronouns). To stress the number, ѓџаж (one) is used. To show plurality, either the exact number or many may be used, or one can topicalize the nominal and indicate number on the corresponding pronoun, (e.g. "troll, they are ..." for "trolls are...").

III.2 Pronouns

Plurality is indicated on pronouns by reduplication. (For example, чкък-чкък they.)

Person	Pronoun
1st	лыќ
2nd	ѓаџ
3rd	чкък

Notice also that forms such as лыќ-ѓаџ, лыќ-чкък, лыќ-лыќ-ѓаџ, лыќ-ѓаџ-ѓаџ, лыќ-лыќ-ѓаџ-ѓаџ, etc. are also used sometimes.

III. Verbal Morphology

Verb Tense-Mood preverbal particles:

	Absolute	Narrative	Relative	Hypothetical
Past	гюч	г^рыч^ћ	гоол	к^џеќ
Present	кчъл	к^рч^рыл	кыыл	ќъж
Future	ѓож	ѓ^рыж^ћ	ѓяял	ж^рог

Copula forms:

	Absolute	Narrative	Relative	Hypothetical
Past	-юч	-к^рюч	-ючол	-юч^џеќ
Present	-ъл	-к^ръл	-ълык	-ълъг
Future	-ож	-к^рож	-ожял	-ож^рог

Postverbals:

Negative	ч^џяях
Imperative/Hortative	нќяк^џ
Success	џяч^ћ
Trying	гчоч
Wanting	г^рхак
Surprising	ч^џък^џ
Often	(Reduplicate Tense-Mood Particle)
Continuous	(Reduplicate Verb)
Question (see below)	џончон

The Negative marker is also used with nouns and other word elements, to which it is appended.

Sentence-final evidentials:

General knowledge лѓюккък^џ

First-hand, visual лѓоккок^ћ

First-hand, nonvisual лѓычкък^ћ

Hearsay лѓекчак

Inference лѓеччек

Maybe лѓеќ^џък^р

Doubtful нѓяжгяк^р

General knowledge	лѓюккък^џ
First-hand, visual	лѓоккок^ћ
First-hand, nonvisual	лѓычкък^ћ
Hearsay	лѓекчак
Inference	лѓеччек
Maybe	лѓеќ^џък^р
Doubtful	нѓяжгяк^р

IV. Syntax

IV.1. Misc.

Basic OVS word order.

Comparatives are formed by full-word reduplication.
Superlatives are formed by appending к^ркюч to the comparative form.
To say that X is A-er than Y, use the form: X is A-er, Y is not A.
For the Equative (X is as A as Y is), use the form: Y is A-er, X is A-er

IV.2. Questions

The basic question word/particle is џончон, with proclitic form -чоон.

Sentence-initially it behaves as a general (yes/no) question former. The sentence is then often marked with the "Maybe" evidential.
It can appear as a noun, case-marked, in which case it is acts as a "Wh"-word, e.g. who/what/etc.
It can occur in the post-verbal slot, indicating "How".
It can appear as the verb, forming a general question.

IV.3. Correlatives

Question: џончон/-чоон
Negative (no: 67): ч^џяях
Universal (every): џонк^рж^ран/-ж^раан
Indefinite (any: 589): лонхеен/-хеен
Indefinite (some: 123): лонќююн/-ќююн
Indefinite (what: 345): џлонччон/-чоон

V. Examples

Extensive example:

Orthography	нган	чкък	гюч	г^ркяѓ	гчоч	кган	лыќ-лыќ	лѓоккок^џ
Interlinear	ACC	3RD	ABS.PAST	claw	TRYING	ERG	1ST.PL	VIS.WITNESS
Free Translation	We tried to claw him, (I was there).
X-SAMPA	N\gQN\ tSk@k gMtS gr\kaG\ gtSOtS kgQN\ L\1q-L\1q L\G\OkkOk_>
IPA

нган чкък гюч г^ркяѓ - г^ркяѓ гчоч кган лыќ-лыќ лѓоккок^џ .

ACC 3RD PAST.ABS claw - claw TRYING ERG 1ST.PL 1STHAND.VIS .

We were trying to claw him.
нган чкък гюч - гюч г^ркяѓ гчоч кган лыќ-лыќ лѓоккок^џ .

ACC 3RD PAST.ABS - PAST.ABS claw TRYING ERG 1ST.PL 1STHAND.VIS .

We often tried to claw him.
ччочок (к^рк^џък^ћ)! Hey!/Ho!/Hullo!/Hello! (standard greeting)
ччочок к^рк^џък^ћ! кчъл гъгжаан к^џъгын лыќ! Hey! That's my gold!
кчъл г^ћег^ћлок^џ нќяк^џ кган ѓаџ, нган ѓаџ ж^рог ч^ряќ-г^ркяѓ-ч^ћкюк џяч^ћ кган лыќ! Put it down or I'll bite, claw, and rend you!

кчъл

ѓлъќ

гч^ћан

лыќ

кчъл

ч^џяях

ѓлъќ

гч^ћан

ѓаџ

лѓюккък^џ

PRES.ABS

strong

NOM

1ST

PRES.ABS

NEG

strong

NOM

2ND

GEN.KNWLDGE

I am stronger than you.

кчъл ѓлъќ - ѓлъќ - к^ркюч гч^ћан лыќ .

PRES.ABS strong - strong - -EST NOM 1ST .

I am the strongest.
џончон нган чкък гюч г^ркяѓ кган ѓаџ (лѓеќ^џък^р)? Did you claw him?
нган-чоон чкък гюч г^ркяѓ кган ѓаџ? Who did you claw?
нган чкък гюч г^ркяѓ џончон кган ѓаџ? How did your clawing of him go?
ж^рыылг^рыж ч^роол-юч гч^ћан чкък лѓекчак He was on fire, they say.
кчъл гъгжаан к^џъгын лыќ .

PRES.ABS gold DAT 1ST .

The gold is mine.
г^рыч^ћ ќ^џюќ^р ч^џък^џ гч^ћан ѓџажжг^рыжѓџаж ч^ћкюк ж^рыылг^рыж чкък !

PAST.NARR be.attached SURPRISING NOM three arm LOC 3RD !

He had 3 arms! (telling a story)
нган *к^рын* кчъл нлъъл-г^рхак кган гаџлаџ лѓюккък^џ Cats enjoy eating cream. (к^рын for "cream" is a borrowing)
лелгыг-ъл гч^ћан гаџлаџ лѓоккок^ћ. нган ч^џяях ќъж ч^ряќ-ч^џяях кган гаџлаџ лѓеччек. нган *к^рын* ќъж ч^ряќ-ч^џяях-ч^џяях лѓеччек. This cat is thin, so he must not have eaten much of anything, much less cream.

VI. Sample Lexicon

ѓ^ћлаалаан: lips; to talk/argue/think
г^ркяѓ: claw; to claw/pick
ч^ряќ: tooth; to bite/chew/eat
ч^ћкюк: arm; to rend/hold/grasp
к^рк^џък^ћ: eye; to see/look
г^ћег^ћлок^џ: cliff; to drop/fall
џаггаал: throat; to growl/yell
лаалг^рлан: ear; to hear/listen
нлаж^ргог: nose; to start/begin
нлъъл: tongue; tasty; to lick
г^рхакжжел: stomach; to want
ккаккач: leg/foot; to walk/kick
жлюкчоч: comrade/friend; to save/help/aid
гъгжаан: gold
к^џычкын: hole/cave/dwelling
ѓлъќ: big/large/strong/good
чяяѓ: sword/dagger/knive
ч^роол: fire
: acid (lit. "cold fire")
чыылъж: armor/shield
ќ^џюќ^р: to be attached
ххех: to tremble/shake
чоч^рлюќ: day/white/light
ккеџ: night/black/dark
гг^рыж: another/other
ќќач: this (contrasting with гг^рыж)
лелгыг: small
гаџлаџ: cat/dog/etc. ("small гаџлаџ" = mouse/rat/etc.)
ггяклал: up/above/sky
ччючлал: down/below/ground/earth
к^џык^џач: to run
ѓеен: troll, same clan, adult
ѓенџък: troll, different clan, adult
ч^џяѓен: troll, exiled
ќ^џч^рюн: troll, same clan, non-adult
ќ^џч^рюнџък: troll, different clan, non-adult
кч^ролк^џях: fire-demon
ч^џыккык^р: field/etc.
ч^џакќнен: tree/branch (vine=long branch)
жююџ: long
џѓок^ћч^ћеч^ћ: mushroom

Numerals:

ѓџаж: 1
г^ргенѓаж: 2
ѓџажжг^рыжѓџаж: 3
г^ргенѓажг^рыжѓџаж: 4
г^ргенѓажг^рыжг^ргенѓаж: more than 4

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