Seribaasagi Sekekishe Amshuushin (SSA) Vilani Grammar and Glossary (“SSA”) 4.4 Traveller Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far Future Far Future Enterprises CREDITS Marc Miller Contributors: Many people have contributed to this grammar and its setting of use. Particular thanks go to G. “Kashkanun” Andersen, Rob Day, Rob Eaglestone, Eric Evans, Jo Grant, Rob Miracle, and Jeff Zeitlin, not to mention our Vilani scribe Kenji Schwartz. Shalena in bagaan. Vilani Grammar and Glossary Traveller Copyright@ 2016, by Far Future Enterprises All Rights Reserved. Printed in United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. This booklet is a supplement to Traveller, FFE's science-fiction role-playing game set in the far future. Traveller is FFE's trademark for its science-fiction role playing game materials. Far Future Enterprises 1418 N Clinton Blvd Bloomington, IL 61701 USA A service of the Seribaasagi Sekekishe Amshuushin (SSA) under the auspices of the Surakhidigi Lamaska Kiiregamukdapin/Anginuurgi Durmezide (SLK/AD). Far Future Enterprises The SSA owes the deepest debt of gratitude to Estate of the Archduke of Vland Biilurashashshishiishe Sishishe Guzulakhidi Bilanidin (The Official Vilani Bureau for the Enforcement of Approved Language Consistency) Akhabiilursirurkhinegi Silase Guzulakhidi Bilanidin (The Official Vilani Bureau for the Creation of Approved Vocabulary Additions). Special thanks to Surasishiishe Lamaska Sisekhe Kaari (The Society for the Preservation of Old High Vilani) DISCLAIMER The publisher is released from all harm coming from misuse of this document; also from any legal entanglements from misunderstandings caused by misusing the Vilani language. Table of Contents The Vilani Alphabet ................................................................................................................................... 6 Syntax ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Sentence Structure ............................................................................................................................... 7 Topicalization ................................................................................................................................... 8 Passives ............................................................................................................................................. 8 Subordinate Clauses ......................................................................................................................... 9 Copulas and Copular Sentences ................................................................................................... 11 Verbs .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Subordination Suffixes ................................................................................................................... 20 Auxiliary Verbs ............................................................................................................................... 23 Nouns .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Number ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Adjectival Fusion ............................................................................................................................ 27 Affective Suffixes ............................................................................................................................ 28 Noun Case ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Pronouns ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Discourse Participant Deixis ............................................................................................................ 32 Demonstrative Deixis ....................................................................................................................... 33 Free Anaphoric Pronoun RUU ..................................................................................................... 33 Adjectives ............................................................................................................................................ 34 Far Future Enterprises Adjectival Formant Suffixes ............................................................................................................ 34 Taste/Smell Terms ........................................................................................................................... 35 Color Terminology ........................................................................................................................... 35 Numbers .............................................................................................................................................. 36 Semantics ................................................................................................................................................ 37 Verb Semantics ................................................................................................................................... 37 Semantically Empty and Register Verbs ......................................................................................... 37 Transactional Verbs ......................................................................................................................... 37 Verb Suppletion ............................................................................................................................... 37 Motion Verb Semantics ................................................................................................................... 38 Verbs of Affect and Experience ....................................................................................................... 40 Noun Semantics ................................................................................................................................... 41 Noun Metaphors ............................................................................................................................... 41 Noun Classification .......................................................................................................................... 42 Day Names Deixis ........................................................................................................................... 42 “Leftovers” ....................................................................................................................................... 42 Conjunctions ....................................................................................................................................... 43 Discourse Style ................................................................................................................................... 43 Appropriateness .................................................................................................................................. 44 Knowledge .......................................................................................................................................... 44 Glosssary .................................................................................................................................................. 47 Far Future Enterprises Introduction Vilani (more formally known as Standard Vilani, or SV for short) is the language of the Vilani people, and the descendant of Old High Vilani, the language of the First Imperium. Possessed by a grand sense of purpose, grammarians in the Ziru Sirka codified its language, removing or absorbing grammatical differences into the language of the First Imperium, now known as Old High Vilani. Standard Vilani is the formal commercial language of the Vilani worlds and megacorporations. In the Third Imperium, its status is second only to Anglic. This document describes Vilani grammar in detail. General Characteristics. Vilani is agglutinative1, with some synthetic aspects. The basic word order is Verb – Subject – Object (VSO). Vilani is ergative2 in its surface structure as well as its underlying syntax structure. Overview of Grammatical Categories in Nominals and Pronominals • Number (singular, plural, etc.) is not distinguished in pronouns, and only optionally in nouns. · Person is not clearly distinguished in most affixed3 pronoun forms. • Participation in discourse (i.e., “I” and “you” vs. “he/she/it/they”) is grammaticalized. • Demonstrative and personal pronouns distinguish between definite and/or proximal forms vs. indefinite and/or distal forms. · Pronouns further distinguish an obviative4 (”fourth person”) form within the indefinite/distal set, used to mark less relevant or less topical third person referents in contrast to more relevant or topical ones; Pronouns also distinguish between unmarked and honorific forms for human referents not in discourse; Gender versus Animacy. Vilani grammar does not distinguish among male, female, or neuter “gender”. It does,