Other Verbal Forms

Σουρή Αδρείμ Χαριήν

11.1 Derived Tenses

Standard Alashian also has three derived tenses. These can be formed from any verb in any case, whether regular or irregular, by adding regular affixes to one of the basic forms.

However, the addition of these suffixes can create some irregularities in some verbs, since a consonant that was once word-final may suddenly find itself in intervocalic position. More often that not, however, these adjustments that have to be made to the base form when a derived form is created actually serve to make them more regular, such as (for example) by eliminating the need for monophthongization in C3 = Y/W roots.

11.1.1 The Imperfective Subjunctive

11.1.1.1 Regular Formation

The imperfective subjunctive, though logically the counterpart of the perfective subjunctive, is instead a derived form of the present tense. There are two variants in common usage, one used in the northern dialects and one in the southern.

In the northern dialects (and standard Alashian), the imperfective subjunctive is formed by taking the present tense, lengthening the vowel between C2 and C3 if it is not already long, and adding the suffix *-a. This is unproblematic in the for the forms that are unsuffixed in the present tense, but if the base form is suffixed, the two endings merge, with the feminine marker *-ī + *-a becoming *-iya and the plural marker *-ū + *-a becoming *-uwa.

In the southern dialect zone, the imperfect subjunctive is formed similarly, except that the feminine and plural markers drop entirely before adding the imperfective subjunctive marker *-a. This means that the second and third persons do not distinguish gender or number at all, much like in the perfective subjunctive.

Shown below are the imperfect subjunctive forms of κάταβ katab “write” as seen in the northern dialects and southern dialects, along with the present tense for reference:

Northern
Impf. Subj.
Southern
Impf. Subj.
Present
1st Sg ακτώβα
'aktāba
ακτώβα
'aktāba
ακτώβ
'aktāb
2nd Sg Masc τικτώβα
tiktāba
τικτώβα
tiktāba
τικτώβ
tiktāb
2nd Sg Fem τικτώβια
tiktābiya
τικτώβα
tiktāba
τικταβεί
tiktabī
3rd Sg Masc ικτώβα
yiktāba
ικτώβα
yiktāba
ικτώβ
yiktāb
3rd Sg Fem ικτώβια
yiktābiya
ικτώβα
yiktāba
ικταβεί
yiktabī
1st Pl νικτώβυα
niktābuwa
νικτώβα
niktāba
νικταβού
niktabū
2nd Pl τικτώβυα
tiktābuwa
τικτώβα
tiktāba
τικταβού
tiktabū
3rd Pl ικτώβυα
yiktābuwa
ικτώβα
yiktāba
ικταβού
yiktabū

11.1.1.2 Geminate Roots

One apparent exception to these rules applies to geminate roots when behaving in a biconsonantal manner. These verbs do not show lengthening of the stem vowel since this vowel is integral (as in true biconsonantal roots), and gemination will surface in all forms, not just the forms with gemination in the present tense.

The table below demonstrates the Scale VI geminate verb στάσαβ stasab “come into being, appear, turn up”.

Northern
Impf. Subj.
Southern
Impf. Subj.
Present
1st Sg αστάσαββα
'astasabba
αστάσαββα
'astasabba
άστασαβ
'astasab
2nd Sg Masc τιστάσαββα
tistasabba
τιστάσαββα
tistasabba
τίστασαβ
tistasab
2nd Sg Fem τιστασάββια
tistasabbiya
τιστάσαββα
tistasabba
τιστασαββεί
tistasabbī
3rd Sg Masc ιστάσαββα
yistasabba
ιστάσαββα
yistasabba
ίστασαβ
yistasab
3rd Sg Fem ιστασάββια
yistasabbiya
ιστάσαββα
yistasabba
ιστασαββεί
yistasabbī
1st Pl νιστασάββυα
nistasabbuwa
νιστάσαββα
nistasabba
νιστασαββού
nistasabbū
2nd Pl τιστασάββυα
tistasabbuwa
τιστάσαββα
tistasabba
τιστασαββού
tistasabbū
3rd Pl ιστασάββυα
yistasabbuwa
ιστάσαββα
yistasabba
ιστασαββού
yistasabbū

If the present tense form conjugates as a triconsonantal verb, however, vowel lengthening will once again take place, since stem integrity is less of an issue with triconsonantal roots.

11.1.1.3 C3 = Ř

Root-final *Ř is only irregular in the northern/standard imperfective subjunctive, where the merged feminine/imperfect subjunctive ending is *-eya rather than *-iya: τιφτώρ̄εια tiftāřeya “[that] you (f) open” (cf. present τιφταρ̄ήι tiftařēyi).

11.1.1.4 C3 = '

In the present tense final glottal stops are lost. In the imperfective subjunctive these reemerge: αβρώα 'abrā'a “[that] I make” (cf. present αβρώ 'abrā).

11.1.1.5 C3 = H

In the imperfective subjunctive of katab verbs, root-final *h is reinserted where it is lost in the present tense: τισμώηα tismāha “[that] you (m) hear” (cf. present τισμώ tismā).

The imperfect subjunctive of other scales are regular, since C3 = H verbs in these scales conjugate biconsonantally.

11.1.1.6 C3 = Y/W

Root-final glides are a little trickier. In scales where the glide simply drops in the present tense, it will be restored: αβνώια 'abnāya “[that] I build” (cf. present 'abnā). In scales where monophthongization takes place, the glide will be restored and the vowel will return to its previous unmonophthongized quality: τιβάδδαυα tibəddawa “[that] you (m) empty” (cf. present τιβαδδού tibəddū).

11.1.1.7 C3 = PH/TH/KH/TSH/ČH

Root-final aspirates that surface in an unaspirated form in the present become aspirated: ιαρμείτζζα yarmīčha “[that] it (m) shines” (cf. present ιαρμείτζ yarmīč).

11.1.2 The Volitive

11.1.2.1 Regular Formation

The volitive mood is also derived from the present tense by suffixation, and corresponds to a number of English modals such as 'may', 'let', and 'should'. It is typically formed by adding the suffix *-anna to the present tense if it ends in a consonant and *-na if it ends in a vowel.

Volitive Present
1st Sg ακτώβαννα
'aktābanna
ακτώβ
'aktāb
2nd Sg Masc τικτώβαννα
tiktābanna
τικτώβ
tiktāb
2nd Sg Fem τικταβείνα
tiktabīna
τικταβεί
tiktabī
3rd Sg Masc ικτώβαννα
yiktābanna
ικτώβ
yiktāb
3rd Sg Fem ικταβείνα
yiktabīna
ικταβεί
yiktabī
1st Pl νικταβούνα
niktabūna
νικταβού
niktabū
2nd Pl τικταβούνα
tiktabūna
τικταβού
tiktabū
3rd Pl ικταβούνα
yiktabūna
ικταβού
yiktabū

11.1.2.2 Geminate Roots

Gemination is restored in forms with the suffix -anna: αστασάββαννα 'astasabbanna “may I turn” (cf. present άστασαβ 'astasab).

11.1.2.3 C3 = Ř

The feminine suffix *-ēyi of the present tense contracts to just *-ē: τιφταρ̄ήνα tiftařēna “may you (f) open” (cf. present τιφταρ̄ήι tiftařēyi).

11.1.2.4 C3 = '

The final glottal stop is not restored to verb forms that lose it in the present tense; these conjugate as though they were vowel-final: αβρώνα 'abrāna “may I make” (cf. present αβρώ 'abrā).

11.1.2.5 C3 = H

The final *H is not restored to verb forms that lose it in the present tense; these conjugate as though they were vowel-final: τισμώνα tismāna “may you (m) hear” (cf. present τισμώ tismā).

Verb forms where C3 = H roots are treated biconsonantally are regular.

11.1.2.6 C3 = Y/W

Root final *Y and *W are not restored, whether they are simply dropped in the present tense or undergo monophthongization. Any vowel changes remain: αβνώνα 'abnāna “may I build” (cf. present αβνώ 'abnā), τιβάδδουνα tibəddūna “may you (m) empty” (cf. present τίβαδδου tibəddū).

11.1.2.7 C3 = PH/TH/KH/TSH/ČH

Root-final aspirates always appear in their aspirated form: ιαρμείτζζαννα yarmīčhanna “may it (m) shine” (cf. present ιαρμείτζ yarmīč).

11.1.3 The Precative

11.1.3.1 Regular Formation

The precative mood is a derivative of the imperative, and as such only exists for active half-scales plus nuktāb. It marks requests and supplications and is formed quite regularly by suffixing *-na to the imperative.

Precative Imperative
Masc. Sg. κτώβνα
ktābna
κτώβ
ktāb
Fem. Sg. κατβείνα
katbīna
κατβεί
katbī
Pl. κατβούνα
katbūna
κατβού
katbū

The precative for the most part is formed very regularly, so only a couple notes need to be made regarding irregular forms.

11.1.3.2 C3 = Ř

As in the volitive, the feminine ending *-ēyi contracts to just *-ē: φατρ̄ήνα fatřēna “please open! (f)” (cf. imperative φρατρ̄ήι fatřēyi).

11.1.3.3 S-Type Imperatives in Scale III

The s-type imperative seen in a handful of old Scale III verbs cannot be used to form precatives. For verbs that use them, the precative will be formed based off the regular imperative pattern *'aC1C2ēC3-/*aC1C2eC3- rather than the s-imperative *'isC1eC2ēC3-/*'isC1eC2C3-, even though the regular imperative form does not actually exist: ασκήβνα 'askēbna “please lay down (m)” (cf. imperative ισσεκήβ 'issekēb).

11.2 Complex Tenses

The complex tenses are those that must be formed periphrastically. Alashian has three complex tenses, all of which consist of either a defective verb or conjugating particle plus the perfective subjunctive. Both components must agree with their subject.

11.2.1 The Future Tense

The future tense consists of a form of the unstressed defective verb *lək plus the perfective subjunctive. This auxiliary verb only has present tense forms and is related to the extant Scale II verb ηαλλήκ hallēk “behave” (which originally meant “go, walk”). The following table shows the future tense forms of κάταβ katab “write”:

Scale I Future Tense: katab “write”
Person Singular Plural
1st αλακ в̄άκταβ
'alək vaktab
νιλκυ в̄άνακταβ
nilku vanaktab
2nd Masc τιλακ в̄άτακταβ
tilək vataktab
τιλκυ в̄άτακταβ
tilku vataktab
2nd Fem τιλκι в̄άτακταβ
tilki vataktab
τιλκυ в̄άτακταβ
tilku vataktab
3rd Masc ιλακ в̄ήκταβ
yilək vēktab
ιλκυ в̄ήκταβ
yilku vēktab
3rd Fem ιλκι в̄ήκταβ
yilki vēktab
ιλκυ в̄ήκταβ
yilku vēktab

11.2.2 The Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is formed with the conjugating preposition of possession λι- li- plus the perfective subjunctive. The use of this preposition elsewhere and the notion of conjugating prepositions will be discussed at a later point; for now these forms may be taken as-is.

Scale I Present Perfect Tense: katab “write”
Person Singular Plural
1st λιη в̄άκταβ
lie vaktab
λαν в̄άνακταβ
lan vanaktab
2nd Masc λακ в̄άτακταβ
lak vataktab
λακαν в̄άτακταβ
lakan vataktab
2nd Fem λατζ в̄άτακταβ
lač vataktab
λατζεν в̄άτακταβ
lačen vataktab
3rd Masc λου в̄ήκταβ
lū vēktab
λω в̄ήκταβ
lā vēktab
3rd Fem λων в̄ήκταβ
lān vēktab
λων в̄ήκταβ
lān vēktab

11.2.3 The Pluperfect Tense

The pluperfect tense is formed using the invariant word υή (the third person singular masculine imperfect form of “to be”) plus the conjugated form of λι- li- plus the perfective subjunctive:

Scale I Pluperfect Tense: katab “write”
Person Singular Plural
1st υή λιη в̄άκταβ
wē lie vaktab
υή λαν в̄άνακταβ
wē lan vanaktab
2nd Masc υή λακ в̄άτακταβ
wē lak vataktab
υή λακαν в̄άτακταβ
wē lakan vataktab
2nd Fem υή λατζ в̄άτακταβ
wē lač vataktab
υή λατζεν в̄άτακταβ
wē lačen vataktab
3rd Masc υή λου в̄ήκταβ
wē lū vēktab
υή λων в̄ήκταβ
wē lān vēktab
3rd Fem υή λων в̄ήκταβ
wē lān vēktab
υή λων в̄ήκταβ
wē lān vēktab