To quickly find a particular word, phrase, or concept, use your browser's search function. If you still can't find what you're looking for, use the Contact page to ask for information, as I likely either haven't gotten around to writing out an explanation or haven't considered it yet.
A a
À à
Á á
Å å
D d
dàłsètsìn vs. sètsìn + dàł
Dàłsètsìn (literally: 'to afterlive') is a verb with the meaning 'to survive', 'to endure', or 'to outlive'. However, dàłsètsìn can only be used when no object is specified, as in 'Dàłsètsaisa.' -- 'I survived.'
When there is an object included, one must use sètsìn, 'to live', with the preposition dàł preceding the object: 'Sètsaisa dàł hrènvìn.' -- 'I survived the fire.'
When there is an object included, one must use sètsìn, 'to live', with the preposition dàł preceding the object: 'Sètsaisa dàł hrènvìn.' -- 'I survived the fire.'
direction
In Kaitè, there is no direct translation of the relative directions 'right', 'left', 'forwards', or 'backwards'. Instead, the cardinal directions are used: tshétt (north), hàþam (east), nónn (south), and kilam (west).
Thus, if one is facing the north, their right hand/foot is their hàþfèsin, or 'east hand/foot' and their left their kiłfèsin. If one then walks forward, they would be described as walking tshéò, or 'northly'. If one turns to the east, their right hand/foot would then be their nónfèsin and their left their tshéfèsin; walking forwards would then mean walking hàþamò, 'eastly', etc.
To indicate 'northeast', 'northwest', 'southeast', or 'southwest', a compound is formed from the two words, with the nearest direction placed first, followed by the second prefixed with fie-, as in:
tshét-fiehàþam = northeast (more north than east)
hàþam-fietshét = northeast (more east than north)
Thus, if one is facing the north, their right hand/foot is their hàþfèsin, or 'east hand/foot' and their left their kiłfèsin. If one then walks forward, they would be described as walking tshéò, or 'northly'. If one turns to the east, their right hand/foot would then be their nónfèsin and their left their tshéfèsin; walking forwards would then mean walking hàþamò, 'eastly', etc.
To indicate 'northeast', 'northwest', 'southeast', or 'southwest', a compound is formed from the two words, with the nearest direction placed first, followed by the second prefixed with fie-, as in:
tshét-fiehàþam = northeast (more north than east)
hàþam-fietshét = northeast (more east than north)
diu
Diu is a copula equivalent to the English 'to be'. Although it is officially classified as a verb, diu is only conjugated as one in sentences where the subject is not stated. When the sentence includes a subject, diu is used in its infinitive or past/future form. In sentences where the meaning is clear from context, diu can be omitted altogether.
dumanìn
Kaitè has no word expressing the same meaning as the English word 'name'; the closest equivalent is lómòkar, with the meaning of 'designation' or 'title'. When indicating or referring to one's name, the verb dumanìn is typically used:
Dumasił silávìn Schuyler. = My name is Schuyler. (Schuyler refers to me.)
Tåmé yiłv dumat? = What is your name? (How does one refer to you?)
Dumasił silávìn Schuyler. = My name is Schuyler. (Schuyler refers to me.)
Tåmé yiłv dumat? = What is your name? (How does one refer to you?)
E e
È è
É é
F f
fiernn
Fiernn is usually used in its full form only when speaking slowly or writing formally: most often it is abbreviated to the prefix fi- (before vowels) or fie- (before consonants) and attached to the following word.
finènnìn, kiuvén, nàntiłn; finał, kiuvé, nàntał
Finènnìn, kiuvén, and nàntiłn, along with their noun forms finał, kiuvé, and nàntał, are all words used to mean 'love'.
Finènnìn and finał refer to a love between close friends or family members, carrying a strong sense of intimacy with the implication that the relationship does not involve any romantic or sexual attraction. Kiuvén and kiuvé refer to an intimate love between romantic partners. Nàntiłn and nàntał in the normal sense indicate a fondness or enjoyment of the same level as that expressed by 'to like'; they are also used when expressing a love for an inanimate object or an abstract idea, or for an individual one feels a strong fondness or attraction towards but with whom one does not share a close personal relationship (such as fan love.)
The nouns finèn and nìmał, both meaning 'friend', follow similar distinctions, with finèn referring to a close, intimate friend with whom one does not share romantic or sexual feelings, and nìmał to a more casual friend. To refer to a romantic partner, the word kiuya is used.
Finènnìn and finał refer to a love between close friends or family members, carrying a strong sense of intimacy with the implication that the relationship does not involve any romantic or sexual attraction. Kiuvén and kiuvé refer to an intimate love between romantic partners. Nàntiłn and nàntał in the normal sense indicate a fondness or enjoyment of the same level as that expressed by 'to like'; they are also used when expressing a love for an inanimate object or an abstract idea, or for an individual one feels a strong fondness or attraction towards but with whom one does not share a close personal relationship (such as fan love.)
The nouns finèn and nìmał, both meaning 'friend', follow similar distinctions, with finèn referring to a close, intimate friend with whom one does not share romantic or sexual feelings, and nìmał to a more casual friend. To refer to a romantic partner, the word kiuya is used.
G g
H h
hŕènn, hŕènhav, Hŕèn-Lòhinèks
Hŕènn is a term properly meaning 'sun', but which is commonly used for 'fire' or 'flame' as well. In situations where context does not make the meaning clear, the terms Hŕèn-Lòhinèks ('great sun') and hŕènhav ('child of sun') can instead be used to refer to 'the sun' and 'fire', respectively. However, Hŕèn-Lòhinèks cannot be used when speaking of a sun other than the sun: to speak of a different sun or of suns in general, hŕènn must be used.
I i
Ì ì
J j
jè
Jè can placed before another word to create a negative, in the same way as the English word 'not' before verbs and 'no' before nouns. When the following word begins with a vowel, jè can be abbreviated to j' and attached to the following word.
jìtåmèt
Jìtåmèt is a word expressing that something is or is believed to be impossible or highly improbable, either indefinitely or simply at the time of speaking. It is placed immediately after the verb or the noun it is describing. When used with verbs, jìtåmèt has a very similar meaning to 'can never' or 'am/is/are not (currently) able to' in English. When describing nouns, jìtåmèt expresses that the noun cannot, does not, or is not believed to exist, or that it cannot be such thing.
Jìtåmèt can also be used to intensify a negative response to a question or as a disbelieving, dismissive, or scornful interjection in the sense of 'Yeah, right!', indicating that one doubts what one has just heard.
Jìtåmèt can also be used to intensify a negative response to a question or as a disbelieving, dismissive, or scornful interjection in the sense of 'Yeah, right!', indicating that one doubts what one has just heard.
K k
L l
M m
male & female
Kaitè has no adjectives corresponding to 'male' or 'female'. To indicate whether someone or something is male, female, or neither/unknown, the suffixes -u, -á, or -a are attached to the root of the noun, respectively (positioned before any other morphemes.) These suffixes must be used even if one's gender is already indicated by the verb conjugation.
If it is not necessary to specify a gender, no gender suffix is used.
Diushu Shódásèð. = He is a human.
Diushu Shódásèðu. = He is a man / male human.
Kamanaisa nìmałsilìké tiufiya. = I spoke with my friend today.
Kamanaisa nìmalásilìké tiufiya. = I spoke with my female friend today.
If it is not necessary to specify a gender, no gender suffix is used.
Diushu Shódásèð. = He is a human.
Diushu Shódásèðu. = He is a man / male human.
Kamanaisa nìmałsilìké tiufiya. = I spoke with my friend today.
Kamanaisa nìmalásilìké tiufiya. = I spoke with my female friend today.
N n
O o
Ò ò
Ó ó
ó (conjunction)
Ó is a conjunction meaning 'and'. It differs from fiernn, however, in that it is used to connect two or more things that are directly related. It can therefore be more precisely translated as 'and also' or sometimes 'as well as'. Fiernn, on the other hand, does not carry this added meaning.
P p
R r
Ŕ ŕ
S s
sił-, nił-, shaf-, shìf-
Sił-, nił-, shaf-, and shìf- are prefixes attached to nouns to denote 'this'/'those' (sił-, shaf-) and 'that'/'those' (nił-, shìf-). Sił- and nił- are used to describe something that is physically beside or in view of the speaker, ie. where the speaker could indicate the object with a gesture:
siłhad = this tree (over here)
niłhad = that tree (over there)
Shaf- and shìf- are used to describe something that is not physically in the same location as the speaker, or that is intangible:
shafviyáł = this year
shìfhad = that tree (somewhere else)
The same distinction is applied to the pronouns sił, nił, shaf, and shìf.
siłhad = this tree (over here)
niłhad = that tree (over there)
Shaf- and shìf- are used to describe something that is not physically in the same location as the speaker, or that is intangible:
shafviyáł = this year
shìfhad = that tree (somewhere else)
The same distinction is applied to the pronouns sił, nił, shaf, and shìf.
sił, yił, nił
In the subject case, the pronouns 'I'/'me', 'you', 'he'/'him', etc. are represented through the conjugation of the verb.
In the other cases, the pronouns siłv/siłvín, yiłv/yiłvín, and niłv/niłvín are used alone or with the relevant preposition to express 'me', 'you', and 'him/her/it' in the non-subject and prepositional cases, respectively.
The infixes -nił-, -sił-, and -yił- (approximately corresponding to 'his'/'hers'/'its', 'my'/'mine', and 'your'/'yours') are combined with the possessed noun to show possession.
Sił/siłvín and nił/niłvín can also be used with the same meaning as the English phrases 'this (one)' and 'that (one)'. To avoid confusion, one can instead prefix sił-/nił- to the noun to express 'this (one)' / 'that (one)'. Alternatively, siłkvín, yiłkvín, or niłkvín can be used to clarify that one means 'me', 'you', or 'him/her/it'.
In the other cases, the pronouns siłv/siłvín, yiłv/yiłvín, and niłv/niłvín are used alone or with the relevant preposition to express 'me', 'you', and 'him/her/it' in the non-subject and prepositional cases, respectively.
The infixes -nił-, -sił-, and -yił- (approximately corresponding to 'his'/'hers'/'its', 'my'/'mine', and 'your'/'yours') are combined with the possessed noun to show possession.
Sił/siłvín and nił/niłvín can also be used with the same meaning as the English phrases 'this (one)' and 'that (one)'. To avoid confusion, one can instead prefix sił-/nił- to the noun to express 'this (one)' / 'that (one)'. Alternatively, siłkvín, yiłkvín, or niłkvín can be used to clarify that one means 'me', 'you', or 'him/her/it'.
shánn: there is/are
To express the phrase 'there is/are ...' in Kaitè, one must say 'Diu shánn ...', literally meaning '___ is existing / in existence'. For example:
Diusha shánn hadètvìn zaza-få. = There are many birds in the tree. (Many birds
are existing in the tree.)
Dil ìnèndavìnoł kàluta. = There is peace in the world. (Peace is existing throughout the
world.)
Diusha shánn hadètvìn zaza-få. = There are many birds in the tree. (Many birds
are existing in the tree.)
Dil ìnèndavìnoł kàluta. = There is peace in the world. (Peace is existing throughout the
world.)
T t
U u
Ù ù
V v
vinitèn
Vinitèn is a verb with the primary meaning of 'to do' or 'to (passively) make'. It is also used in certain situations as a placeholder with no exact meaning, as in the construction of the Desiderative II and Necessitative II moods, and as a shortening of a longer phrase, equivalent 'do it' or 'do this/that' in English:
Jè vinsałyu nilávìnò lesètniláv tiufiya? = Have you given her her food yet today?
Jè vinsałsu, sètt vinaimsu ŕènn. = I have not, but I will (do it) right now.
Jè vinsałyu nilávìnò lesètniláv tiufiya? = Have you given her her food yet today?
Jè vinsałsu, sètt vinaimsu ŕènn. = I have not, but I will (do it) right now.
Y y
Z z
Ð ð
Þ þ