Zumakhinian (Zumakhinian: Zumakh'i) is a language spoken on the remote island of Zumakh, and is not based on any language familiy.
Classification and Dialects
Zumakh'i is a remote language, and is not based on any language (family). Only one dialect is spoken, Northern Zumakh'i. In this dialect, people may use /ɣ/ instead of /g/.
Writing System
The writing system of Zumakh'i is the exact same as the English alfabet, although about 200 years a different alphabet was used. If you want to show respect, use this alphabet (foreigners who know it are considered more respectfull). When using this alphabet, remember to put the Greek letter "omega" after every verb!
Old Zumakh'i alphabet
In the current alphabet, the greek letter "omega" has been banned and instead you should use the cyrillic "soft sign" (which is not pronounced and is only added to understand sentences faster.)
Grammar
Nouns
In Zumakh'i, nouns are sorted in three genders: Feminine, masculine and neuter. Feminine nouns are declined with the First Declension, masculine nouns with the Second Declension and neuter nouns with the Third Declension.
First Declension
The first declension is used for feminine nouns, starting with the determiner "da" (definite singular), "oda" (definite plural), "eda" (indefinite singular) or "o'eda" (indefinite plural).
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Definite (da/oda) | eska | eskae |
| Indefinite (eda/o'eda) | eskao | eskaeo |
Second Declension
The second declension is used for masculine nouns, starting with the determiner "de" (definite singular), "ode" (definite plural), "ede" (indefinite singular) or "o'ede" (indefinite plural).
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Definite (de/ode) | skele | skeles |
| Indefinite (ede/o'ede) | skelem | skeles'm |
Third Declension
The third declension is used for neuter nouns, starting with the determiner "do" (definite singular), "odo" (definite plural), "edo" (indefinite singular) or "o'edo" (indefinite plural).
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Definite (do/odo) | khelt | kheltok |
| Indefinite (edo/o'edo) | kheltix | kheltokix |
Determiners
Zumakh'i uses 12 determiners: 4 feminine, 4 masculine and 4 neuter.
| Definite singular | Definite plural | Indefinite singular | Indefinite plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feminine | da | oda | eda | o'eda |
| Masculine | de | ode | ede | o'ede |
| Neuter | do | odo | edo | o'edo |
Examples:
Give me the pencil -> de, Give me the pencils -> ode
Give me 'a pencil -> ede, Give me (...') pencils -> o'ede
Verbs
Verbs have four ways of conjugating: feminine, masculine, neuter and irregular. Feminine verbs always end with -a (before the soft sign) and are conjugated like this:
| Whole verb (to play) |
ChpelaЪ
|
|---|---|
| Stem | Chpel |
| Eg (I) | ChpeloЪ
|
|
Gye (You) |
ChpelsЪ
|
| Hye (He) | ChpeltЪ
|
| Zye (She) | ChpelatЪ
|
| Ed (It) | ChpelitЪ
|
| Myen (One) | ChpelotЪ
|
| Wye (We) | ChpelmusЪ
|
| Vyos (You) | ChpeltisЪ
|
| Aftoi (They) | ChpelntЪ
|
Masculine verbs always end with -e (before the soft sign) and are conjugated like this:
| Whole verb (to arrive) | AkomehЪ
|
|---|---|
|
Stem |
Akom |
| Eg (I) | AkomeЪ
|
| Gye (You) | AkomiЪ
|
| Hye (He) | AkomesЪ
|
| Zye (She) | AkomasЪ
|
| Ed (It) | AkomisЪ
|
| Myen (One) | AkomosЪ
|
| Wye (We) | AkomzЪ
|
| Vyos (You) | AkompЪ
|
| Aftoi (They) | AkomtoiЪ
|
The neuter conjugations are very easy, just put f or 'f after every stem (<- depends on pronounciation).
The irregular verbs are the hardest and those should just be memorized. I'm sorry, there is no trick for this!
Pronouns
Personal
This is a list of the personal pronouns in Zumakh'i:
| Zumakh'i | English |
|---|---|
| Eg | I |
| Gye | You |
| Hye | He |
| Zye | She |
| Ed | It |
| Myen | One |
| Wye | We |
| Vyos | You |
| Aftoi | They |
Possesional
This is a list of the possesional pronouns in Zumakh'i
| Zumakh'i | English |
|---|---|
| Egis | My |
| Gye'is | Your |
| Hye'is | His |
| Zye'is | Her |
| Edis | It's |
| Myenis | One's |
| Wye'is | Our |
| Vyosis | Your |
| Aftoi'is | Their |
Adjectives
Adjectives are very easy and work like this: The word for "beauty" (noun) is myde, when making the adjective "beautiful" you just add -fe! So: myde -> mydefe! Note that adjectives are placed AFTER the nouns! For example: The beautiful school -> De skele mydefe
Syntax
The standard word order is SVO, but when asking a question you use SOV and you NEVER conjugate the verb! The independent verb in the sentence is always placed at the end, but auxiliary verbs are placed in SVO order.
Lexicon
To be added soon
Example text
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1
- All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
- Yelle mzen suentЪ vrye et gel'yk yf wradzeknyet et regt boréntЪ. Aftoi suentЪ weyt vrytsno et gohwjet gjéftЪ et xjoloiЪ treym yf eda gwesd ca brjeskop ednelЪ.
- All humans are free and equal in dignity and rights born. They are with reason and conscience gifted and should towards each other in a spirit of brotherhood act.