Outlander - Revision history

Lurker: edited conversion errors

2026-07-05T14:58:55Z

edited conversion errors

Lurker: fixed an error introduced when converting from md to mediawiki by Pandoc

2026-02-09T23:48:06Z

fixed an error introduced when converting from md to mediawiki by Pandoc

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:48, 9 February 2026
Line 9:		Line 9:
	Like all yinrih languages, Outlander possesses a very small phoneme inventory when analyzed from a human perspective. The language relies instead on subtle changes in pitch and volume to carry most of the meaning.		Like all yinrih languages, Outlander possesses a very small phoneme inventory when analyzed from a human perspective. The language relies instead on subtle changes in pitch and volume to carry most of the meaning.

	~~ItΓÇÖs~~ mostly a CTRL+C, CTRL+V of Commonthroat with the following changes:		It's mostly a CTRL+C, CTRL+V of Commonthroat with the following changes:

	* Gemination is allowed within morphemes, not just at morpheme boundaries. Yips may not be geminated.		* Gemination is allowed within morphemes, not just at morpheme boundaries. Yips may not be geminated.
Line 120:		Line 120:
	The Outlander term for this is <code>qghrh</code> /huff, short low strengthening growl; chuff, short low strong growl/, which means ''obligation'' or ''duty''. It conveys the social relationship between the speaker and the referent of the pronoun.		The Outlander term for this is <code>qghrh</code> /huff, short low strengthening growl; chuff, short low strong growl/, which means ''obligation'' or ''duty''. It conveys the social relationship between the speaker and the referent of the pronoun.

	The lowest form of obligation is ''transactional''. This is the default form you use when ~~youΓÇÖre~~ not sure what else to use.		The lowest form of obligation is ''transactional''. This is the default form you use when you're not sure what else to use.

	The next form is the ''amicable''. ~~ItΓÇÖs~~ used between friends. In some more pious corners of Moonlitter, and especially in the indipendent spacer city-state ~~WayfarersΓÇÖ~~ Haven, humans are always addressed with amicable pronouns even in situations where the transactional form would be appropriate. The transactional/amicable distinction is quickly evolving into a species distinction.		The next form is the ''amicable''. It's used between friends. In some more pious corners of Moonlitter, and especially in the indipendent spacer city-state Wayfarers' Haven, humans are always addressed with amicable pronouns even in situations where the transactional form would be appropriate. The transactional/amicable distinction is quickly evolving into a species distinction.

	The highest form is the ''familial'', which is used between parents and their pups and between litter mates. Some groups of very good friends may use familial pronouns among themselves, but this is not universal. It usually occurs when friends meet as pups and stay close into adulthood.		The highest form is the ''familial'', which is used between parents and their pups and between litter mates. Some groups of very good friends may use familial pronouns among themselves, but this is not universal. It usually occurs when friends meet as pups and stay close into adulthood.

	~~ItΓÇÖs~~ very important to note that obligation is seen as a reciprocal relationship. Addressing someone with familial pronouns ~~doesnΓÇÖt~~ jsut mean ΓÇ£I think of you as familyΓÇ¥ but also ΓÇ£I expect you to treat me like familyΓÇ¥. Using more familiar pronouns when a less familiar form is expected is often seen as rude or even vulgar in some contexts, especially when a customer addresses an employee, or when employees of a business address one another. ~~ItΓÇÖs~~ seen as burdening the listener with unwelcome obligations or implying a level of closeness that ~~hasnΓÇÖt~~ yet been earned.		It's very important to note that obligation is seen as a reciprocal relationship. Addressing someone with familial pronouns doesn't jsut mean ΓÇ£I think of you as familyΓÇ¥ but also ΓÇ£I expect you to treat me like familyΓÇ¥. Using more familiar pronouns when a less familiar form is expected is often seen as rude or even vulgar in some contexts, especially when a customer addresses an employee, or when employees of a business address one another. It's seen as burdening the listener with unwelcome obligations or implying a level of closeness that hasn't yet been earned.

	<span id="personal-pronouns"></span>		<span id="personal-pronouns"></span>
Line 244:		Line 244:
	=== Attributive and possessive postpositions. ===		=== Attributive and possessive postpositions. ===

	Ooutlander distinguishes possession and attribution. possession is marked with the postposition <code>n</code> /short high weak grunt/, and attribution is marked with the attributive postposition <code>g</code> /short low weak growl/. <code>g</code> covers situations such as composition and association, while <code>n</code> refers specifically to possession. As a rough rule, you use <code>n</code> whenever English would use -~~ΓÇÖs~~.		Ooutlander distinguishes possession and attribution. possession is marked with the postposition <code>n</code> /short high weak grunt/, and attribution is marked with the attributive postposition <code>g</code> /short low weak growl/. <code>g</code> covers situations such as composition and association, while <code>n</code> refers specifically to possession. As a rough rule, you use <code>n</code> whenever English would use -'s.

	<pre>sPL g mrrBqqb		<pre>sPL g mrrBqqb
Line 260:		Line 260:
	== Verbs ==		== Verbs ==

	Verbs inflect for the semantic role of the main noun in the clause, called the focus or the subject. This is different from its syntactic role. In the English sentence ''The dog bit the man'', the dog is the syntactic subject and the semantic agent, while the man is the syntactic object and the semantic patient. In English, we flip this relationship by using the passive voice. ''The man was bitten by the dog''. Here, The man is the syntactic subject but the semantic patient. The dog is now an optional oblique argument syntacticlaly, but ~~itΓÇÖs~~ still the semantic agent.		Verbs inflect for the semantic role of the main noun in the clause, called the focus or the subject. This is different from its syntactic role. In the English sentence ''The dog bit the man'', the dog is the syntactic subject and the semantic agent, while the man is the syntactic object and the semantic patient. In English, we flip this relationship by using the passive voice. ''The man was bitten by the dog''. Here, The man is the syntactic subject but the semantic patient. The dog is now an optional oblique argument syntacticlaly, but it's still the semantic agent.

	<span id="verb-paradigm"></span>		<span id="verb-paradigm"></span>
Line 342:		Line 342:
	= The order of arguments =		= The order of arguments =

	I ~~donΓÇÖt~~ think ~~IΓÇÖve~~ mentioned this before, but ~~hereΓÇÖs~~ how the different verb endings change syntax.		I don't think I've mentioned this before, but here's how the different verb endings change syntax.

	agent verb-ACT patient benefactor/indirect object patient verb-OBJ agent benefactor benefactor verb-BEN agent patient cause verb-CAU agent(?) patient benefactor		agent verb-ACT patient benefactor/indirect object patient verb-OBJ agent benefactor benefactor verb-BEN agent patient cause verb-CAU agent(?) patient benefactor
Line 349:		Line 349:
	= Marking Uncertainty =		= Marking Uncertainty =

	Outlander marks uncertainty, which covers both interrogatives and a mood similar to ~~CommonthroatΓÇÖs~~ nonauthoritative.		Outlander marks uncertainty, which covers both interrogatives and a mood similar to Commonthroat's nonauthoritative.

	Uncertainty is marked with a particle placed at the beginning of the sentence, it is a reduplicated and reduced form of the following syllable, phonologically separate from the following word.		Uncertainty is marked with a particle placed at the beginning of the sentence, it is a reduplicated and reduced form of the following syllable, phonologically separate from the following word.
Line 355:		Line 355:
	The particle consists of the onset consonant, if any, of the following syllable, followed by a single short plain vowel nearest to the start of the vowel of the following syllable. Rising strengthening vowels will become low weak, dipping weakening vowels will become high strong, and so on. When the following word is already a single short plain syllable, the particle is a reduplication of the whole word.		The particle consists of the onset consonant, if any, of the following syllable, followed by a single short plain vowel nearest to the start of the vowel of the following syllable. Rising strengthening vowels will become low weak, dipping weakening vowels will become high strong, and so on. When the following word is already a single short plain syllable, the particle is a reduplication of the whole word.

	Etymologically, this particle may have evolved out of a characteristic stutter when the speaker is unsure of what ~~theyΓÇÖre~~ saying.		Etymologically, this particle may have evolved out of a characteristic stutter when the speaker is unsure of what they're saying.

	<pre>rb sPsPqJ lum		<pre>rb sPsPqJ lum
Line 390:		Line 390:
	= Imperatives =		= Imperatives =

	The imperative is formed with a special imperative pronoun kr /short high strong growl, chuff/. It is in the 2nd person and does not reflect obligation or number in either the standard Moonlitter or Partisan dialects, but the dialect spoken at ~~PilgrimsΓÇÖ~~ Rest, and subsequently at ~~WayfarersΓÇÖ~~ Haven, has innovated a plural form <code>krql</code>.		The imperative is formed with a special imperative pronoun kr /short high strong growl, chuff/. It is in the 2nd person and does not reflect obligation or number in either the standard Moonlitter or Partisan dialects, but the dialect spoken at Pilgrims' Rest, and subsequently at Wayfarers' Haven, has innovated a plural form <code>krql</code>.

	<pre>kr qjK sg n rKGq		<pre>kr qjK sg n rKGq
Line 396:		Line 396:
	2.IMP wash-ACT 2sg.AMI POS paw-PL		2.IMP wash-ACT 2sg.AMI POS paw-PL
	Wash your paws.</pre>		Wash your paws.</pre>
	Verbs in imperative sentences can be in the past tense. In this case they carry the notion that something should have been done but ~~wasnΓÇÖt~~.		Verbs in imperative sentences can be in the past tense. In this case they carry the notion that something should have been done but wasn't.

	<pre>kr qjKqJ sg n rKGq		<pre>kr qjKqJ sg n rKGq
Line 444:		Line 444:
	== expressing inclination or desire ==		== expressing inclination or desire ==

	You can use the verb <code>qlem</code> ''to smell like, to feel an emotion'' in front of a subordinate verb to mean ''to be inclined to''. Unlike ~~CommonthroatΓÇÖs~~ serial verb constructions, the second verb is inflected in the subordinate state.		You can use the verb <code>qlem</code> ''to smell like, to feel an emotion'' in front of a subordinate verb to mean ''to be inclined to''. Unlike Commonthroat's serial verb constructions, the second verb is inflected in the subordinate state.

	<pre>lum qlem bqrMr sjGq		<pre>lum qlem bqrMr sjGq

Lurker at 18:50, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T18:50:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:50, 6 February 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
			''This article is about the language. For a resident of the [[Outer Belt]] or [[Moonlitter]], see [[The Outlands]]

	<span id="outlander-grammar"></span>		<span id="outlander-grammar"></span>
	= Outlander Grammar =		= Outlander Grammar =

Lurker: Created page with " = Outlander Grammar = == Phonology == Like all yinrih languages, Outlander possesses a very small phoneme inventory when analyzed from a human perspective. The language relies instead on subtle changes in pitch and volume to carry most of the meaning. ItΓÇÖs mostly a CTRL+C, CTRL+V of Commonthroat with the following changes: * Gemination is allowed within morphemes, not just at morpheme boundaries...."

2026-02-06T18:39:54Z

Created page with " = Outlander Grammar = == Phonology == Like all yinrih languages, Outlander possesses a very small phoneme inventory when analyzed from a human perspective. The language relies instead on subtle changes in pitch and volume to carry most of the meaning. ItΓÇÖs mostly a CTRL+C, CTRL+V of Commonthroat with the following changes: * Gemination is allowed within morphemes, not just at morpheme boundaries...."

New page

= Outlander Grammar =


== Phonology ==

Like all yinrih languages, Outlander possesses a very small phoneme inventory when analyzed from a human perspective. The language relies instead on subtle changes in pitch and volume to carry most of the meaning.

ItΓÇÖs mostly a CTRL+C, CTRL+V of Commonthroat with the following changes:

* Gemination is allowed within morphemes, not just at morpheme boundaries. Yips may not be geminated.
* In addition to short, long, early, and late, there is an overlong timing. Overlong syllables occur in a few restricted environments.
* Two new tone contours: peaking (low high low) and dipping (high low high)
* Two new strength contours: cresting (weak strong weak) and troughing (strong weak strong)
* Overlong syllables may only occur alongside one of these new contours.


=== Vowels ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! short weak
! short strong
! long weak
! long strong
|-
| High Whines
| d
| f
| D
| F
|-
| Low Whines
| b
| c
| B
| C
|-
| High Growls
| j
| k
| J
| K
|-
| Low Growls
| g
| h
| G
| H
|-
| High Grunts
| n
| p
| N
| P
|-
| Low Grunts
| l
| m
| L
| M
|}


=== Contour Midpoints ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Sound
! Symbol
|-
| a
| low
|-
| e
| high
|-
| o
| weak
|-
| u
| strong
|}


=== Consonants ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Sound
! symbol
|-
| huff
| q
|-
| chuff
| r
|-
| yip
| s
|}


== Grammar ==

Outlander uses a symmetric voice system. Focus is marked by syntax, with the focus coming first in the sentence. Verbs are marked for the role of the focus, with actor, object, benefactor, reason, being indicated. Other possible forms include locative and instrumental.

Word order is FVA (focus verb arguments).

Order is Actor, Object, Benefactor,


== Pronouns ==

Much like Spanish or French, Outlander uses a politeness distinction in its pronouns. This distinction is used in the third person as well as the second person as is seen in Spanish or French.

The Outlander term for this is <code>qghrh</code> /huff, short low strengthening growl; chuff, short low strong growl/, which means ''obligation'' or ''duty''. It conveys the social relationship between the speaker and the referent of the pronoun.

The lowest form of obligation is ''transactional''. This is the default form you use when youΓÇÖre not sure what else to use.

The next form is the ''amicable''. ItΓÇÖs used between friends. In some more pious corners of Moonlitter, and especially in the indipendent spacer city-state WayfarersΓÇÖ Haven, humans are always addressed with amicable pronouns even in situations where the transactional form would be appropriate. The transactional/amicable distinction is quickly evolving into a species distinction.

The highest form is the ''familial'', which is used between parents and their pups and between litter mates. Some groups of very good friends may use familial pronouns among themselves, but this is not universal. It usually occurs when friends meet as pups and stay close into adulthood.

ItΓÇÖs very important to note that obligation is seen as a reciprocal relationship. Addressing someone with familial pronouns doesnΓÇÖt jsut mean ΓÇ£I think of you as familyΓÇ¥ but also ΓÇ£I expect you to treat me like familyΓÇ¥. Using more familiar pronouns when a less familiar form is expected is often seen as rude or even vulgar in some contexts, especially when a customer addresses an employee, or when employees of a business address one another. ItΓÇÖs seen as burdening the listener with unwelcome obligations or implying a level of closeness that hasnΓÇÖt yet been earned.


== Personal Pronouns ==


=== 1st person ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL INCLUSIVE
! PLURAL EXCLUSIVE (Moonlitter only)
|-
| lum
| pan
| lumq
|}


=== 2nd and 3rd person ===


==== Transactional ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Person
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL
|-
| 2ND PERSON
| rb
| rB
|-
| 3RD PERSON
| rc
| rC
|}


==== Amicable ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Person
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL
|-
| 2ND PERSON
| sg
| sG
|-
| 3RD PERSON
| sj
| sJ
|}


==== Familial ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Person
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL
|-
| 2ND PERSON
| qm
| qM
|-
| 3RD PERSON
| qp
| qP
|}


==== Reverential ====

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Person
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL
|-
| 2ND PERSON
| rgr
| rgr
|-
| 3RD PERSON
| rkr
| rkr
|}


== Demonstrative Pronouns ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! DEIXIS
! SINGULAR
! PLURAL
|-
| PROXIMAL
| Lr
| Lrl
|-
| DISTAL
| Mr
| Mrm
|}


== Nouns ==


=== Attributive and possessive postpositions. ===

Ooutlander distinguishes possession and attribution. possession is marked with the postposition <code>n</code> /short high weak grunt/, and attribution is marked with the attributive postposition <code>g</code> /short low weak growl/. <code>g</code> covers situations such as composition and association, while <code>n</code> refers specifically to possession. As a rough rule, you use <code>n</code> whenever English would use -ΓÇÖs.

<pre>sPL g mrrBqqb
animal ATT healer
veterinarian

Jh g sFb
grass ATT sea
steppe

Mr khqkh n gqqgh
that guy POS tail
That guy's tail</pre>

== Verbs ==

Verbs inflect for the semantic role of the main noun in the clause, called the focus or the subject. This is different from its syntactic role. In the English sentence ''The dog bit the man'', the dog is the syntactic subject and the semantic agent, while the man is the syntactic object and the semantic patient. In English, we flip this relationship by using the passive voice. ''The man was bitten by the dog''. Here, The man is the syntactic subject but the semantic patient. The dog is now an optional oblique argument syntacticlaly, but itΓÇÖs still the semantic agent.


= verb paradigm =

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Focus
! NON-PAST
! PAST
|-
| Actor
| -
| -qJ
|-
| Object
| -sd
| -sD
|-
| Benefactor
| -rn
| -rN
|-
| Reason
| -qln
| -qLN
|-
| Locative
| -sfb
| -sFB
|-
| Instrumental
| -rjk
| -rJK
|}


= Nonpast Tense Actor Focus =

<pre>bfb gkg lpl
bfb gkg-0 lpl
pup climb-ACT tree
The pup climbs the tree</pre>

= Past Tense Actor Focus =

<pre>bfb gkgqJ lpl
bfb gkg-qJ lpl
pup climb-ACT.P tree
The pup climbed the tree.
The pup was climbing the tree.</pre>

= Nonpast Tense Object Focus =

<pre>lpl gkgsd bfb
lpl gkg-sd bfb
tree climb-OBJ pup
the tree is climbed by the pup.</pre>

= Past Tense Object Focus =

<pre>lpl gkgsD bfb
lpl gkgsD bfb
tree climb-OBJ.P pup
The tree was climbed by the pup.</pre>

= Nonpast Tense Benefactor Focus =

<pre>lpl gkgrn bfb
lpl gkg-rn bfb
tree climb-BEN.NP pup
For the tree, the pup climbs [something].</pre>

= Past Tense Benefactor Focus =

<pre>lpl gkgrN bfb
lpl gkg-rN bfb
tree climb-BEN.P pup
For the tree, the pup climbed [something]</pre>

= The order of arguments =

I donΓÇÖt think IΓÇÖve mentioned this before, but hereΓÇÖs how the different verb endings change syntax.

agent verb-ACT patient benefactor/indirect object patient verb-OBJ agent benefactor benefactor verb-BEN agent patient cause verb-CAU agent(?) patient benefactor


= Marking Uncertainty =

Outlander marks uncertainty, which covers both interrogatives and a mood similar to CommonthroatΓÇÖs nonauthoritative.

Uncertainty is marked with a particle placed at the beginning of the sentence, it is a reduplicated and reduced form of the following syllable, phonologically separate from the following word.

The particle consists of the onset consonant, if any, of the following syllable, followed by a single short plain vowel nearest to the start of the vowel of the following syllable. Rising strengthening vowels will become low weak, dipping weakening vowels will become high strong, and so on. When the following word is already a single short plain syllable, the particle is a reduplication of the whole word.

Etymologically, this particle may have evolved out of a characteristic stutter when the speaker is unsure of what theyΓÇÖre saying.

<pre>rb sPsPqJ lum
rb sPsP-qJ lum
2sg.TR seek-ACT.P 1sg
You were looking for me.</pre>
<pre>rb rb sPsPqJ lum
rb rb sPsP-qJ lum
UNC 2sg.TR seek-ACT.P 1sg
Were you looking for me?
You were looking for me?</pre>
<pre>l lum sPsPsD rb?
l lum sPsP-sD rb
UNC 1sg seek-OBJ.P 2sg.TR
You were looking for ME?</pre>

= Reflexive phrases =

A reflexive meaning can be given to a noun phrase by using the word <code>beb</code> /overlong peaking weak whine/ which means ''self'' or ''soul'' along with the possessive postposition <code>n</code>.

<pre>rb n beb
2sg.TR POS self
yourself</pre>

= Yip Stems =

Yips cannot end a syllable, but some words and affixes end in an implied yip that manifests in different ways when an affix is added.

For example the word <code>rgug(s)</code> (''mud volcano'', ''geyser'') is pronounced and written <code>rgug</code> when in the singular (which is unfortunately identical to the word for ''cloaca'', which many pups and pups at heart find amusing.) In the plural, we would expect <code>*rgugq</code>, but because of the implied yip, the word takes the form of the plural suffix used for words ending in a consonant, <code>-ql</code>, yielding <code>rgugqql</code>.

So for yip stems, if a following suffix ends in a vowel, the yip is pronounced. If the suffix begins with a huff or chuff, the huff or chuff is geminated.


= Imperatives =

The imperative is formed with a special imperative pronoun kr /short high strong growl, chuff/. It is in the 2nd person and does not reflect obligation or number in either the standard Moonlitter or Partisan dialects, but the dialect spoken at PilgrimsΓÇÖ Rest, and subsequently at WayfarersΓÇÖ Haven, has innovated a plural form <code>krql</code>.

<pre>kr qjK sg n rKGq
kr qjK-0 sg n rKG-q
2.IMP wash-ACT 2sg.AMI POS paw-PL
Wash your paws.</pre>
Verbs in imperative sentences can be in the past tense. In this case they carry the notion that something should have been done but wasnΓÇÖt.

<pre>kr qjKqJ sg n rKGq
kr qjK-qJ sg n rKG-q
2.IMP wash-ACT.P 2sg.AMI POS paw-PL
You should have washed your paws.</pre>
Verbs can also be inflected for other focuses besides the actor focus.

<pre>sg n rKGq qjKsd kr
sg n rKG-q qjK-sd kr
2sg.AMI POS paw-PL wash-OBJ 2.IMP
Your paws must be washed.
Your paws, wash them.

sg n rKGq qjKsD kr
sg n rKG-q qjK-sD kr
2sg.AMI POS paw-PL wash-OBJ 2.IMP
Your paws should have been washed.
Your paws, you should have washed them.</pre>

= Expressing similes =

<code>mlem</code> /short low strong grunt; overlong peaking strengthening grunt/ means ''likeness'' or ''image'' or ΓÇ£something similar to something elseΓÇ¥. To express similes, you follow a noun phrase with <code>g mlem</code> eg <code>mrBqqb g mlem</code> literally ΓÇ£healer likenessΓÇ¥ means ΓÇ£like a healerΓÇ¥.

To say ΓÇ£X is like YΓÇ¥ you use the copula <code>sb</code>, which per an earlier post is actually transitive. It means that the actor is among the set of entities denoted by the object.

<pre>mqgrrgsdq sb rgugq g mlem
mqgrrgsd-q sb-0 rgug-q g mlem
opinion-PL COP-ACT cloaca-PL ATT likeness
Opinions are like Cloacas.</pre>
<code>g mlem</code> may have fossilized into a postpositive that can be appended to whole sentences and not just noun phrases to simply mean ΓÇ£likeΓÇ¥


= More uses for the attributive postposition =


= The locative focus may be used with time phrases =



= verb-verb compounds =


== expressing inclination or desire ==

You can use the verb <code>qlem</code> ''to smell like, to feel an emotion'' in front of a subordinate verb to mean ''to be inclined to''. Unlike CommonthroatΓÇÖs serial verb constructions, the second verb is inflected in the subordinate state.

<pre>lum qlem bqrMr sjGq
lum qlem-0 SUB-rMr-0 sjGq
1sg smell_like-ACT bq-eat-ACT fruit
I smell like eating fruit.</pre>
The verb endings must match (for now).

<pre>sjGq qlemsd bqrMrsd lum
sjGq qlem-sd SUB-rMr-sd lum
fruit smell_like-OBJ bq-eat-OBJ 1sg
It's fruit a smell like eating.</pre>

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:58, 5 July 2026
Line 126:		Line 126:
	The highest form is the ''familial'', which is used between parents and their pups and between litter mates. Some groups of very good friends may use familial pronouns among themselves, but this is not universal. It usually occurs when friends meet as pups and stay close into adulthood.		The highest form is the ''familial'', which is used between parents and their pups and between litter mates. Some groups of very good friends may use familial pronouns among themselves, but this is not universal. It usually occurs when friends meet as pups and stay close into adulthood.

	It's very important to note that obligation is seen as a reciprocal relationship. Addressing someone with familial pronouns doesn't jsut mean ~~ΓÇ£I~~ think of you as ~~familyΓÇ¥~~ but also ~~ΓÇ£I~~ expect you to treat me like ~~familyΓÇ¥~~. Using more familiar pronouns when a less familiar form is expected is often seen as rude or even vulgar in some contexts, especially when a customer addresses an employee, or when employees of a business address one another. It's seen as burdening the listener with unwelcome obligations or implying a level of closeness that hasn't yet been earned.		It's very important to note that obligation is seen as a reciprocal relationship. Addressing someone with familial pronouns doesn't jsut mean "I think of you as family" but also "I expect you to treat me like family". Using more familiar pronouns when a less familiar form is expected is often seen as rude or even vulgar in some contexts, especially when a customer addresses an employee, or when employees of a business address one another. It's seen as burdening the listener with unwelcome obligations or implying a level of closeness that hasn't yet been earned.

	<span id="personal-pronouns"></span>		<span id="personal-pronouns"></span>
Line 418:		Line 418:
	= Expressing similes =		= Expressing similes =

	<code>mlem</code> /short low strong grunt; overlong peaking strengthening grunt/ means ''likeness'' or ''image'' or ~~ΓÇ£something~~ similar to something ~~elseΓÇ¥~~. To express similes, you follow a noun phrase with <code>g mlem</code> eg <code>mrBqqb g mlem</code> literally ~~ΓÇ£healer likenessΓÇ¥~~ means ~~ΓÇ£like~~ a ~~healerΓÇ¥~~.		<code>mlem</code> /short low strong grunt; overlong peaking strengthening grunt/ means ''likeness'' or ''image'' or "something similar to something else". To express similes, you follow a noun phrase with <code>g mlem</code> eg <code>mrBqqb g mlem</code> literally "healer likeness" means "like a healer".

	To say ~~ΓÇ£X~~ is like ~~YΓÇ¥~~ you use the copula <code>sb</code>, which per an earlier post is actually transitive. It means that the actor is among the set of entities denoted by the object.		To say "X is like Y" you use the copula <code>sb</code>, which per an earlier post is actually transitive. It means that the actor is among the set of entities denoted by the object.

	<pre>mqgrrgsdq sb rgugq g mlem		<pre>mqgrrgsdq sb rgugq g mlem
Line 426:		Line 426:
	opinion-PL COP-ACT cloaca-PL ATT likeness		opinion-PL COP-ACT cloaca-PL ATT likeness
	Opinions are like Cloacas.</pre>		Opinions are like Cloacas.</pre>
	<code>g mlem</code> may have fossilized into a postpositive that can be appended to whole sentences and not just noun phrases to simply mean ~~ΓÇ£likeΓÇ¥~~		<code>g mlem</code> may have fossilized into a postpositive that can be appended to whole sentences and not just noun phrases to simply mean "like".

	<span id="more-uses-for-the-attributive-postposition"></span>		<span id="more-uses-for-the-attributive-postposition"></span>