====== Hearthsider ======


===== Phonology =====

==== vowels ====

^  ^  ^Weak ^ ^Strong^ ^
^  ^  ^Short^Long^Short^Long^
^Whines^Low|b|B|c|C|
^:::   ^High|d|D|f|F|
^Growls^Low|g|G|h|H|
^:::   ^High|j|J|k|K|
^Grunts^Low|l|L|m|M|
^:::   ^High|n|N|p|P|
^Hisses^Plain|t|T|v|V|
^:::   ^Trilled|w|W|x|X|

==== Consonants ====

^Sound       ^Symbol^
|huff        |q     |
|chuff       |r     |
|yip         |s     |
|plain hiss  |y     |
|trilled hiss|z     |

===== phonetactics =====

similar to CT, but with the addition of plain and trilled hisses

hisses can act as vowels or semivowels

hisses do not carry tone, only length and strength

hiss semivowels cannot coexist with hiss vowels in the same syllable

plain and trilled hisses cannot occur in the same syllable

syllable is (C)V

===== Grammar =====

verbs are a closed class

word order is SVOC

where C (compliment?) is a noun or determiner phrase that specifies the verb

Most common verb can be translated //do//, with a transitive and intransitive form. There's also a copula used to form predicate adjectives.

Attributive adjectives may not exist

<code>
rMl   t  qb  b  sBsb    zGK
Light do you a  shine  friend
</code>

==== Pluractionality ====

You can indicate that an action occurred multiple times by making the compliment noun phrase plural. You mark plurality in the articles.

<code>
rc  t  b   qMqm  B      dqDb 
1sg do IND human IND.PL see
</code>

The sentence above could have several meanings depending on context or modifiers elsewhere in the sentence.

//I see a human several times.//

//I see a human often.//

//I see a human regularly.//

==== Compliment Nouns ====

The compliment nouns, such as ''%%dqDb%%'' //see// and ''%%sBsb%%'' //shine// can be used as regular nouns, in which case they mean an act or event described by the noun, or the abstract concept defined by the noun. So more literally they mean //seeing// and //shining//.

==== Articles ====

There are definite and indefinite articles, and possibly a gnomic article

^Article   ^Singular^Plural^
|indefinite|b       |B     |
|definite  |m       |M     |
|gnomic?    |g       |G     |

==== True Verbs ====

There are only a few syntactic verbs.

^Verb^Meaning          ^
|t   |do (transitive)  |
|w   |do (intransitive)|
|st  |be (forms predicate nominatives|
|zh  |have/possess (forms predicate adjectives)|

<code>
m   sMsm w       m   sBsb
DEF sun  do.INTR DEF shine
</code>

//The sun shines//

==== Pronouns ====

^Person^singular^Plural^
|1st   |rc      |crc   |
|2nd   |qb      |bqb   |
|3rd   |rl      |lrl   |
|interogative/relative|ym|mym|

<code>
qb  t  rl  B      jygj-x   Mzm
2sg do 3sg IND.PL hold-CON wrong
</code>

//You're holding it wrong//

==== The Construct State ====

The construct state indicates that a noun is being modified by another noun. This usually means the noun in the construct state is possessed by a following noun, but it's also one way Hearthsider expresses attributive adjectives.

You put a noun in the construct state with the suffix -x /short trilled strong hiss/. The suffix was originally a preposition governing the following noun, but gradually decayed to become a suffix on the preceeding noun.

<code>
M      Lmsl-x   m   qHKqk zh   b   ybF
DEF.PL claw-CON DEF man   have IND sharpness
</code>

The man's claws are sharp

==== Prepositions ====

Hearthsider uses prepositions in a similar way to the construct state.

<code>
m   sCFsf rT          M     sCqg
DEF woman covered_in DEF.PL bald_spot
</code>

The balding woman (novice healer)

==== Adjectives ====

Hearthsider does have a few true adjectives, but only for expressing quantity and comparison.

<code>
zG      qb   rc  zh   X    qMP 
against 2sg  1sg have more greatness
</code>

I'm bigger than you

==== Relative Clauses ====

Relative clauses use the relative pronouns ''ym'' /trilled hiss, short low strong grunt/ and ''mym'' /short low strong grunt; trilled hiss, short low strong grunt/, which mean "who", "what", or "that".

  rc  t  b   qMqm  ym  w      JH-x          JqH      b  dqDb
  1sg do IND human who do.INT quickness-CON walking IND seeing

//I see a human walking quickly.//

Relative pronouns even double as interrogative pronouns. 

  qb  t  ym  b   dqDb?
  2sg do who IND seeing
  
//Who did you see//