A basic Ithkuil noun consists of a consonantal root, its surrounding vowels, a “CA complex”, and a final case vowel.
acňäla
a pin 📍
Varying the vowels around the root selects a different lexeme from that root:
ucňäla
a staple
(different “stem”)
acňila
something pinned
(different “specification”)
Varying the case vowel changes the noun case:
acňälä
using a pin
(instrumental case)
acňälöa
without a pin
(conversive case)
Vary the CA complex to pluralize, arrange, and quantify:
acňäva
pins, in general
acňäda
(part of) a pin
acňälftra
some parts of groups of pins with a shared purpose
Use type-1 suffixes after CA to elaborate on root concepts.
acňäla
a pin
aggwala
a stone
acňälijpa
a pin as decoration
aggwaloxa
a large stone
Use type-2 suffixes to make new lexical concepts.
acňäleujpa
a brooch
aggwaloixa
a boulder
Meanwhile, prefixes come before CA, which is then geminated to identify it. Compare:
aggwaxezza
a bunch of small stones
prefix: each stone is small
aggwazoxa
a large bunch of stones
suffix: the CA aggregate is large
aggwaxeizzoxa
a large bunch of pebbles
Type-1 concatenation makes compound nouns. The case of the first noun marks its relation to the following "parent" noun.
enkava
thumbs in general
ecňäla
a tack
henkave-ecňäla
a tack for tacking down thumbs
henkavä-ecňäla
a tack handled using thumbs
Type-2 concatenation makes lexicalized compounds.
hwenkavä-ecňäla
a thumbtack
Verbs are just like nouns, but with final stress. Instead of case, the final vowel marks illocution and evidentiality.
acňalá
it pins (I perceive)
acňalú
it pins (I infer)
acňaléi
is it pinning?
Aspect is marked using V+w/y before the final vowel.
malá
says
malawá
has said
malouyá
is still saying
Valence, Phase, Effect, Level are marked using V+h.
malëihá
tells
(complementary valence)
malaihá
blurts out, yelps
(punctual phase)
maliahá
says (benefiting me)
(1-beneficial effect)
malöehá
says more than
(surpassive level)
Nest clauses using antepenultimate stress:
Amzalá li zëi.
I recall it.
Urçpalá tu aňfaröe.
You dance despite problems.
Amzalá li úrçpalëi tu aňfaröe.
I recall that you danced despite problems.
Mark the end of the framed clause with -an in the last word:
Amzalá li úrçpalëi tu aňfaranöe alkalö.
I'm reminded [that you danced despite problems] by the music.
You can "pull up" a clause head with -en. This is Ithkuil's equivalent of a relative phrase:
Amzalá li úrçpalëi tu aňfarenöe.
I recall the problems despite which you danced.