 Return to Index VI. Prepositions
Words that are used to relate a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence are called prepositions. A preposition with a noun and its modifiers, or a pronoun, make up a prepositional phrase. The object of a preposition is always stated in the objective case, which is formed with the inflected ending of the objective case determiner. Thus, a prepositional phrase, minus modifiers, is always just two words, even though it includes a preposition, a determiner, and a noun. aan straumet = on the river The indirect object of a verb is normally introduced by a preposition in Adelic. Gï teed uuzspell de skraut bø kønet. = He read the letter to the girl. or He read the girl the letter. Return to Table of Contents VII. Modifiers
Modifiers are words that limit or qualify another word or words. Those that modify nouns are called adjectives, while those that modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or whole phrases are called adverbs. 1. AdjectivesIn Adelic, an adjective can be any word that modifies a noun. The adjective comes between the determiner and the noun in the subject or direct object, but after the noun in the indirect object or object of a prepositon.se paaz drewer = the bare trees
Sometimes pronouns can take on the function of adjectives. These are called pronominal adjectives. They act just as other adjectives in limiting nouns, but also act to some extent as determiners in that they indicate the noun's identity. (For instance, the English pronominal adjective that gives its noun a definite identity.) In Adelic this means the determiner must agree in identity with the pronoun. An example would be daaz (which means that) in the phrase de daaz mannu, or (the) that man. The definite determiner de agrees with the definite pronoun daaz. Here is an example in the indefinite: Ænne gwalke mannu ville jweem mitte richet? = (A) Which man will come with the king? And another in the common: Ævr gwaaz mannu volde bette de gimmes rich? = What(ever) man would fight his king? All possessive and demonstrative pronouns occur in the definite, as do the interrogative pronouns gwaas and gwaaz. Gwaaz also occurs in the common along with gwalke, while gwalke also occurs in the indefinite. Here is a clear breakdown of all pronouns used as pronominal adjectives:
2. AdverbsWhen an adverb modifies a single word it directly precedes that word. swä michl = so much If a verb phrase is being modified, the adverb always comes directly before the main verb. Dai teed bør kange. = They went far. To Lesson VIII: Word Order Return to Table of Contents Introduction | Grammar | Dictionary | Examples | Runes What's New | Rate this Page | Author's Home Page | Email Copyright © 1998-2000 S. A. MacLagan. All rights reserved.
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