Adjective Types
- Adjectives, which are words that modify nouns, can be of the following types and subcategories:
-
- qualitative, like iva (happy), fia (good), oga (small)
- denominal ( ~ noun-derived), like doma (urban) < dom (city) or teaba (ocular) < teab (eye)
- deverbal ( ~ verb-derived), (participles) like tejea (living) < tejer (to live) or twa (known) < ter (to know)
- preposition-derived, like aba (upper) < ab....on top of or zoa (posterior) < zo (behind)
- deictic ( ~ demonstrative, indefinite), like hia (this), huyena (such), haewa (both)
- numeric, like awa (one), ea (second), iona (triple)
- quantitative, like ga (more), glo (few), gra (too much)
- pronominal ( ~ possessive), like ata (my), duhota? (whose?), hyeta (anyone's)
- Descriptive adjectives are the main focus of this section. Determinative adjectives (determiners) behave differently and are discussed under Determiners. Deverbal adjectives, usually referred to as participles, are treated in the section on Verbs, since they are formed from verbs. Pronominal determiners (i.e. possessive adjectives) are treated under both the section on Determiners and the section on Pronouns.
Descriptive Adjectives
- All descriptive adjectives end in the adjectival marker vowel a.
Adjective-marking suffix
| Stem |
Meaning |
Adjective
|
| fi- |
qualitative root base word |
fia....good
|
| pur |
noun meaning vehicle |
pura....vehicular
|
| dalw- |
passive stem of the verb speak |
dalwa....spoken
|
| ab |
preposition meaning on |
aba....superior
|
- Such adjectives precede the noun or noun phrase they modify:
- aga tam....a big house
- ha fia toyb....the good woman
- ata boka twed....my sick father
- fia ilzyebi bi vifil.....good bottles of wine
- yata dooba doof....our national flag
- Adjectives do not agree in number or gender with the noun they modify.
- doba xeut....state agent can also be expressed as the noun compound dobxeut. Dob means a state.
- pata bok....avian illness can be compounded as patbok, literally bird illness.
- Note: Compounded nouns often have an idiomatic meaning not exactly equal to their separate parts. More about this in the later section on vocabulary-building.
Comparing Adjectives by Degree
- As in English, descriptive adjectives can be compared by degree. To do this, a quantitative determiner of degree (ga, ge, etc.) is placed before the adjective, producing positive / negative comparative, equalitative, superlative, and other degree expressions as in the following table. The quantitative determiners themselves that are used in these comparative expressions are discussed in detail in a later section on Quantitative Determiners.
Modification of Adjectives by Degree
| Quantitative Determiner |
Modification By Degree
|
| ga....more |
ga fia (vyel)....better (than)
|
| ge....as, equally |
ge fia (vyel)....as good (as)
|
| go....less |
go fia (vyel)....less good (than)
|
| gao....more or less |
gao fia....good more or less
|
| gla....very |
gla fia....very good
|
| glay....so |
glay fia....so good
|
| gle....rather/quite |
gle fia....rather/quite good
|
| glo....not very |
glo fia....not very/slightly/barely good
|
| gra....too |
gra fia....too good
|
| gre....enough |
gre fia....good enough
|
| gro....not enough |
gro fia....not good enough
|
| gwa....most |
gwa fia (bi, be)....best (of, in)
|
| gwe....just, merely |
gwe fia....merely good
|
| gwo....least |
gwo fia (bi, be)....least good (of, in)
|
- The relative conjunction vyel is used to translate English as in an equalitative comparison or than in a non-equalitative comparison. Examples:
- Ata tam se ga aga vyel etas.....My house is bigger than yours.
- Hia tam voy se ge aga vyel atas.....This house is not as big as mine.
- His se ha gwa aga tam bi yata yubem.....This is the biggest house in our neighborhood.
- The expression be kum bi (beside) can be substituted for vyel.
- Ata keson sa ga fia be kum bi hos at yaka.....My experience was better than (what) I expected.
- Yat sa nyoza be kum bi yata tudi.....We were poorer than our children.
- Mirad has no irregular comparative/superlative adjectives such as English "better/best.
Deriving Substantives from Adjectives
- Adjectives can be suffixed to derive various noun substantives:
- Abstract quality noun: -n
- Thing having a quality: -s
- Person having a quality: -t
Deriving Substantives from Adjectives
| Adjective |
Quality Noun |
Person Noun |
Thing Noun
|
| fia....good |
fian....goodness |
fiat....a good person |
fias....a good thing
|
| yeva....just |
yevan....justice |
yevat....a fair person |
yevas....a fair thing
|
| joga....young |
jogan....youth |
jogat....a youth |
jogas....something new
|
- The substantives ending in -s and -t can be referred to as deadjectival pronouns, because they act like pronouns but are derived from adjectives.
Reversing the Semantics of Adjectives
- Descriptive adjectives can be negated by prefixing o. If the adjective being semantically reversed already begins with the prefix o, then the first semantic reversing prefix becomes ol. This has the effect of English un- or non- in words like unlike, unhappy, and nonessential or the Greek privative prefix a(n)- in words like asymmetric or anomalous.
- Prefixing the syllable lyo or ov has an even stronger semantic effect. It denotes the polar opposite of the adjective and can mean "anti-".
- In cases where the o- creates an ambiguous word, lo- or -ol is substituted, depending on whether the base adjective begins with a consonant or a vowel, respectively. Note this in the last two words of the following chart:
Reversing the Semantics of Adjectives
| Normal |
Negated
|
| twa....known |
otwa....unknown
|
| ega....normal |
oega....abnormal
|
| eflawa....essential |
oeflawa....nonessential
|
| geyla....similar |
ogeyla....dissimilar
|
| iva....happy |
oiva....unhappy
|
| data....friendly |
odata....unfriendly
lyodata....inimical
ovdata....hostile
|
| dota....social |
odota....unsocial
lyodota....barbarian
ovdota....antisocial
|
| ifwa....loved |
oifwa....unloved
|
| fwa....wanted |
lofwa....unwanted
|
| ofwa....prohibited |
olofwa....unprohibited
|
Polarization of Base Word Adjectives
- Base word adjectives are polarized adjectives that fall into the following pattern categories:
- [iu]Ca (such as ifa, uja, ika, uka, etc.)
- C[iu]a (such as fia, fua, via, vua, etc.)
- [aeu]Ca (such as aja, eja, uja, yava, yeva, yova, etc.)
- C[aeu]a (such as vaa, vea, vua, etc.)
- In the case of the i/u vowel adjectives, those adjectives with i are positive and are contrasted with those with u, which are negative, eg.:
I/U Polarized Adjectives
| Positive |
Negative
|
| fia....good |
fua....bad
|
| iva....happy |
uva....sad
|
| via....beautiful |
vua....ugly
|
- In the case of the a/e/u vowel adjectives, those adjectives with a are positive; those with e are intermediate, and those with o are negative, eg.:
A/E/U-Polarized Adjectives
| Positive |
Intermediate |
Negative
|
| yava....innocent |
yeva....fair |
yova....guilty
|
| aja....past |
eja....present |
oja....future
|
| aga....big |
ega....normal |
oga....small
|
Deintensifying the Sense of Adjectives
- The semantic strength of qualitative adjectives can often be deintensified by following the ordinal vowel or stem vowel with the glide y. Examples follow:
Mitigated Adjectives
| Normal |
Deintensified
|
| oma....cold |
oyma....cool
|
| ama....hot |
ayma....warm
|
| yufa....afraid |
yuyfa....shy
|
| yiva....free |
yiyva....loose
|
| via....beautiful |
viya....pretty
|
| ifwa....loved |
iyfwa....liked
|
| yefwa....obligatory |
yeyfwa....due
|
| ufwa....hated |
uyfwa....disliked
|
Intensifying the Sense of Adjectives
- The letters l and r can be used to intensify the sense of adjectives, r being the more intense. One of these letters is inserted just before the final suffix -a. Here are some examples:
- ama....hot vs. amra....burning hot, ardent
- yika....difficult vs. yikra....arduous
- yiga....hard vs. yigla....brusk vs. yigra....brutish, violent
- yifa....brave vs. yifla....audacious vs. yifra....valorous, heroic
- yafa....able vs. yafla....mighty
- iga....fast vs. igla....hasty vs. igra....frenetic, harried
- iva....happy vs. ivra....delighted, jubilant
- yuka....easy vs. yukla....simple
- yiva....free vs. yivla....loose
- yuva....bound vs. yuvla....dependent vs. yuvra....captive
- yuga....soft vs. yugla....tender vs. yugra....delicate
- yufa....afraid vs. yufla....frightened vs. yufra....horrified
Adjectival Derivational Endings
- All descriptive adjectives end in at least the suffix a. Many adjectives are derived from other parts of speech, using one of more of the following derivational endings.
Adjectival Derivative Endings
| Ending |
Transition Type |
Meaning |
Base Word |
Derived Adjective
|
| -a |
N->ADJ |
relating to, of |
tot....god
tob....man
dom....city |
tota....divine
toba....human
doma....urban
|
| -aya |
N->ADJ |
full of, -ful, -ous |
mil....water
yazmel....mountain
tes....meaning |
milaya....watery, aquaous
yazmelaya....mountainous
tesaya....meaningful
|
| -ika |
N->ADJ |
full of, -ful, -ous |
mil....water
yazmel....mountain
tes....meaning |
milika....watery, aquaous
yazmelika....mountainous
tesika....meaningful
|
| -oya |
N->ADJ |
empty of, -less, -free |
teb....head
level....sugar
tes....meaning |
teboya....headless
leveloya....sugar-free
tesoya....meaningless
|
| -uka |
N->ADJ |
empty of, -less, -free |
teb....head
level....sugar
tes....meaning |
tebuka....headless
leveluka....sugar-free
tesuka....meaningless
|
| -yena |
N->ADJ |
like, -ish, -y |
tot....god
tob....man
dom....city |
totyena....godly, godlike
tobyena....manly, virile
domyena....urbane
|
| -ea |
V->ADJ |
-ing, -ent, -ant |
ags-....grow
tej-....live
kyas-....change |
agsea....growing, crescent
tejea....living, alive
kyasea....changing, variant
|
| -yea |
V->ADJ |
-ive, tending to |
dal-....talk
tox-....forget
vad-....affirm |
dalyea....talkative
toxyea....forgetful
vadyea....affirmative
|
| -wa |
V->ADJ |
-ed |
dal-....talk
tox-....forget
vad-....affirm |
dalwa....spoken
toxwa....forgotten
vadwa....affirmed
|
| -oa |
V->ADJ |
-about to, apt to |
toj-....die
kyes-....happen
tajb-....give birth |
tojoa....moribund
kyesoa....imminent
tajboa....about to deliver
|
| -ua |
V->ADJ |
-able, potentially V |
tojb-....kill
bukx-....harm
akuj-....succeed |
tojbua....lethal
bukxua....dangerous
akujua....potentially successful
|
| -efa |
N->ADJ |
-in need of N |
til....drink
tel....food |
tilefa....thirsty
telefa....hungry
|
| -yafa |
V->ADJ |
-able |
test-....understand |
testyafa....able to understand
|
| -yafwa |
V-ADJ |
-able, possible to X |
test-....understand |
testyafwa....understandable
|
| -yofa |
V->ADJ |
unable to |
teat-....see |
teatyofa....blind
|
| -yofwa |
V->ADJ |
impossible to, un-X-able |
teat-....see |
teatyofwa....invisible
|
| -yuka |
V->ADJ |
comfortable Xing |
pes-....wait |
pesyuka....patient
|
| -yukwa |
V->ADJ |
easy to X |
test-....understand |
testyukwa....clear
|
| -yika |
V->ADJ |
hard of Xing |
teet-....hear |
teetyika....hard of hearing
|
| -yikwa |
V->ADJ |
hard to X |
teet-....hear |
teetyikwa....hard to hear
|
| -ifa |
V->ADJ |
fond of Xing, -phile/-ic |
t-....know
dyes....book |
tifa....curious
dyesifa....bibliophilic
|
| -ifwa |
V->ADJ |
loved by |
tyod-....people |
tyodifwa....popular
|
| -ufa |
V->ADJ |
X-hating, -phobic, averse |
tob-....man
yex....work |
toybufa....anthrophobic
yexufa....lazy, work-averse
|
| -ufwa |
V->ADJ |
hated by |
hyat....everyone |
hyatufwa....universally hated
|
| -yifa |
V->ADJ |
brave |
toj....death |
tojyifa....brave in the face of death
|
| -yufa |
V-ADJ |
afraid of X |
tot....god |
totyufa....god-fearing
|
| -yufwa |
V->ADJ |
feared by X |
gla....much |
glayufwa....much-feared
|
| -yefa |
V->ADJ |
due to X |
dud-....answer |
dudyefa....answerable, responsible
|
| -yeyfa |
V->ADJ |
liable to X |
fyuzi-....get punished |
fyuziyeyfa....liable to be punished
|
| -yefwa |
V->ADJ |
X-worthy |
fid-....praise |
fidyefa....praiseworthy
|
| -yakwa |
V->ADJ |
expected to X |
mamil-....rain |
mamilyakwa....likely to rain
|
| -valka |
N->ADJ |
-safe, -proof |
mil....water |
milvalka....waterproof
|
| -ava |
N->ADJ |
pro-X |
tej....life |
tejava....pro-life
|
| -eva |
N->ADJ |
-neutral |
toob....gender |
toobeva....gender-neutral
|
| -ova |
N->ADJ |
anti-X |
dropek....war |
dropekova....anti-war
|
| -yiva |
N->ADJ |
-free |
yef....debt |
yefyiva....debt-free
|
| -yuva |
N->ADJ |
-bound |
yef....duty
vya-....truth
dofin....moral |
yefyuva....duty-bound
vyayuva....loyal
dofinyuva....scrupulous
|
| -aza |
N->ADJ |
strong-Xed |
fon....will
tip....temperament |
fonaza....strong-willed
tipaza....stern
|
| -oza |
N->ADJ |
weak-Xed |
tip....temperament |
tipoza....weak-hearted
|
| -iza |
N->ADJ |
straight-Xed |
tep....mind
dal....speech |
tepiza....logical
daliza....frank
|
| -uza |
N->ADJ |
crooked-Xed |
tep....mind
dal....speech |
tepuza....illogical
daluza....devious
|
| -okya |
N->ADJ |
absent-Xed |
tad....spouse
ted....parent |
tadokya....widowed
tedokya....orphaned
|
| -iga |
N->ADJ |
fast-Xed |
tuyub....finger |
tuyubiga....nimble
|
| -uga |
N->ADJ |
slow-Xed |
tep....mind |
tepuga....slow-witted, dull
|
| -aga |
N->ADJ |
big-Xed |
tiib....heart |
tiibaga....big-hearted, generous
|
| -oga |
N->ADJ |
small-Xed |
tep....mind |
tepoga....small-minded
|
| -yiga |
N->ADJ |
hard-Xed |
tip....temperament |
tipyiga....stern, strict
|
| -yuga |
N->ADJ |
soft-Xed |
tip....temperament |
tipyuga....lax, lenient
|