View source for Eruvite

'''Eruvite''' ([ɛruvitɛ]) is one of the primary spoken languages of [[Eluvatar]].
=Phonology=
Eruvite distinguishes 21 distinct phonemes, 16 consonants and 5 vowels to be specific.
==Consonants==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! &nbsp;
!bilabial
!labio-<br>dental
!dental
!alveolar
!velar
!labio-<br>velar
|-
|'''nasal'''
|m
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|n
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
|'''plosive'''
|p&nbsp;&nbsp;b
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|t&nbsp;d
|k&nbsp;g
| &nbsp;
|-
|'''fricative
|&nbsp;
|f&nbsp;&nbsp;v
|θ
|s
|x
| &nbsp;
|-
|'''trill'''
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|r
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
|'''approximant'''
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|w
|-
|'''lateral approximant'''
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|l 
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|}
==Vowels==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! &nbsp;
!front
!back
|-
| '''close'''
|i
|u
|-
| '''mid'''
|ɛ
|&nbsp;
|-
| '''open'''
|&nbsp;
|ɑ&nbsp;&nbsp;ɒ
|}
==Phonotactics==
Eruvite lacks any consonant clusters within the same syllable except for [nd], which appears as a syllable coda. Syllables may begin with any of the language's consonant sounds with the exception of [θ], which may only appear as a syllable coda. Syllable codas in addition to [θ] and [nd] are limited to [s], [m], [n], [l] and [r].

==Initial Consonant Lenition==
The '''lenition''', or "weakening", of the intitial consonants of roots that have been suffixed to another root is a common phonological phenomenon in Eruvite. Lenition in Eruvite takes the form of spirantization, with plosives and nasals mutating to fricates, approximants and trills. Consonants retain their voicing, and voiceless fricatives may be lost completely if the root to which they are being suffixed ends in a consonant.

{| align=center
!
|-
|p
|→
|f
|→
|∅
|-
|b<br>m
|→
|v
|→
|w
|-
|t
|→
|s
|→
|∅
|-
|d
|→
|r
|-
|k
|→
|x
|→
|∅
|-
|}

=Grammar=
Eruvite is a heavily inflected language. 
==Roots and Stems==
The language is based on '''root morphemes''' which are subsequently modified with '''stems''' to create nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Root morphemes fall into two distinct classes: noun-verb roots and adjective roots.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!root
!type
!noun
!verb
!adjective
!adverb
|-
|min<br>''city''
|noun-verb
|min'''as'''<br>''city''
|min'''u''', min'''i'''<br>''be urban, urbanize''
|min'''ende'''<br>''urban''
|min'''endeth'''<br>''urbanely''
|-
|mend<br>''go''
|noun-verb
|mend'''um'''<br>''departure''
|mend'''u''', mend'''i'''<br>''go, send''
|mend'''ende'''<br>''departing''
|mend'''endeth'''<br>''dynamically''
|-
|annu<br>''new''
|adjective
|ann'''um'''<br>''originality''
|ann'''u''', ann'''i'''<br>''be new, restore''
|annu<br>''new''
|ann'''ende'''<br>''newly''
|}

This system often results in single words which translate poorly into English and other languages, where they are instead expressed with multiple words. For example, where an English speaker would say "I am tall" a speaker of Eruvite would add to the  root for tall (''bano'') the stem necessary to create a verb and properly inflect it, resulting in simply "''banuvo''". Native speakers will often choose the combination of roots and stems when speaking which will result in the fewest words in everyday conversation (though these words will not necessarily always be short).

==Nouns==
===Number===
There are three grammatical numbers in Eruvite:

*The '''singular''' indicates that the subject is a single person or thing.
*The '''paucal''' indicates that the subject is a small collection of people or things, greater than two in number but usually no more than ten.
*The '''plural''' indicates that the subject is a collection of people or things greater than ten in number.
===Gender===
There are four grammatical genders in Eruvite. For nouns which can have genders, such as people and animals, gender in most cases will correspond to the actual gender of the noun, and can be altered to reflect this. For other nouns the gender is instead lexically and arbitrarily fixed. The four genders are '''male''', '''female''', '''common''' (possessing an indefinite gender) and '''neuter'''.
===Cases===
There are a number of cases in Eruvite which are used to convey information that would in English be presented using prepositions. Some of these cases can be subsequently modified with suffixes to provide a greater level of detail.

*The '''nominative''' case denotes the subject of a sentence.
**''Din'''ar''' chunubu.''<br>The man sleeps.
*The '''accusative''' case denotes the direct object of a sentence.
**''Din'''am''' esibu.''<br>He sees the man.
*The '''genetive''' case indicates possession.
*The '''locative''' case indicates a location. Unmodified, the locative case carries the meaning of at the general location of the object. Additional suffixes provide greater specificity of location.
**''Ti'''en'''.''<br>At the house.
**''Ti'''en''ba'''''.''<br>In front of the house.
**''Ti'''en''su'''''.''<br>In back of the house.
**''Ti'''en''ae'''''.''<br>Over the house.
**''Ti'''en''is'''''.''<br>Under the house.
**''Ti'''en''im'''''.''<br>Inside of the house.
**''Ti'''en''eith'''''.''<br>Outside of the house.
**''Ti'''en''nes'''''.''<br>Next to the house.
**''Ti'''en''de'''''.''<br>To the left of the house.
**''Ti'''en''ar'''''.''<br>To the right of the house.
*The '''lative'''  case indicates motion towards, from or through a location. The same addition suffixes used to modify the locative can be used to modify the lative, with the same results except that motion rather than a static state through the location is indicated.
*The '''temporal''' case indicates a time. The same addition suffixes used to modify the locative can be used to modify the temporal, with the same results except in the context of time rather than physical location.
*The '''temporal lative'''  case indicates motion towards, from or through a time. The same addition suffixes used to modify the locative can be used to modify the temporal lative, with the same results except in the context of time rather than physical location and with motion rather than a static state indicated.
*The '''instrumental''' case denotes the means by which an action is performed.
**''Corl'''es''' senibu.''<br>He writes with a pen.
*The '''benefactive''' case indicates the object for which an action is performed.
**''Din'''ei''' rusui agorubu.''<br>He opens the door for the man.
*The '''comitative''' case indicates the object in whose company an action is carried out.
*The '''abessive''' case indicates the absence of an object.
**''Ari'''oe'''.''<br>Without money.
*The '''equative''' case  indicates a comparison or likening. The equative case can be modified with one of two suffixes if desired to indicate that another object is greater or less than in some respect to the modified object. Unmodified it most often represents a likening to the object.
**''Ad'''ete'''.''<br>Like a bird.
**''En'''ale''ma'''''.''<br>Greater than one.
**''En'''ale''lae'''''.''<br>Less than one.

==Verbs==
Eruvite verbs are a complex construction of up to six different components. Three of these components, the first, second and fifth components, must always be present in any verb.
===Root===
The very first component of any verb is the root, which carries the basic meaning.
===Transitivity, Voice and the Subjunctive, Conditional and Hypothetical Moods===
The second component of a  verb marks the '''transitivity''' of the verb. A verb may be either intransitive or transitive:

*An '''intransitive''' verb does not act upon an object.
*A '''transitive''' verb does act upon another object.

The second component also denotes voice. There are three possible voices:

*The '''active''' voice denotes that the subject of the sentence is acting.
*The '''passive''' voice denotes that the subject is being acted upon.
*The '''middle''' voice denotes that the subject is acting upon itself or for an intransitive verb which appears to be active but expresses a passive action or is the result of another agent.

Finally, the second component is used to denote the subjunctive, condition and hypothetical moods.

*The '''subjunctive''' mood denotes a condition.
*the '''conditional''' mood denotes something which is dependent on a condition.
*the '''hypothetical''' mood denotes a statement which is not true but potentially could be so, possibly based on a certain condition.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!
!indicative
!subjunctive
!conditional
!hypothetical
|-
|'''Intransitive<br>Active'''
| -u-: ann'''u'''vo<br>''I am new''
| -ui-: ann'''ui'''vo<br>''if I am new''
| -iu-: ann'''iu'''vo<br>''I would be new''
| -eo-: ann'''eo'''vo<br>''I could be new''
|-
|'''Transitive<br>Active'''
| -i-: ann'''i'''vo<br>''I renew''
| -e-: ann'''e'''vo<br>''if I renew''
| -ei-: ann'''ei'''vo<br>''I would renew''
| -ie-: ann'''ie'''vo<br>''I could renew''
|-
|'''Transitive<br>Passive'''
| -o-: ann'''o'''vo<br>''I am renewed''
| -oe-: ann'''oe'''vo<br>''if I am renewed''
| -io-: ann'''io'''vo<br>''I would be renewed''
| -uo-: ann'''uo'''vo<br>''I could be renewed''

|-
|'''Transitive<br>Middle'''
| -a-: ann'''a'''vo<br>''I renew myself''
| -ae-: ann'''ae'''vo<br>''if I renew myself''
| -ia-: ann'''ia'''vo<br>''I would renew myself''
| -ua-: ann'''ua'''vo<br>''I could renew myself''
|}

===The Affirmative, Negative and Dubitative Moods===
The second component expresses the affirmative, negative or dubitative mood. The same stems used to forum these moods when added by themselves to a root are also used to answer questions affirmatively, negatively or dubitatively, as Eruvite does not have words for "yes", "no" or "maybe" as English does.

*The '''affirmative''', expressed by the lack of a stem, mood indicates that an action does occur.
**''Darlivo.''<br>I read.
**''Darle.''<br>Yes, I read.
*The '''negative''', expressed with the stem ''ni'', mood indicates that an action does not occur.
**''Darli'''ni'''vo.''<br>I do not read.
**''Darle'''ni'''.''<br>No, I do not read.
*The '''dubitative''', expressed with the stem ''sae'', mood indicates that an action may or may not occur.
**''Darli'''sae'''vo.''<br>I might read.
**''Darle'''sae'''.''<br>Maybe I read.

===Primary Mood===
The third component denotes the '''primary mood''' of the verb. There is no predetermined set of conjugations for the primary mood. Instead, any mood can be constructed by simply placing a root morpheme. The mood produced can be translated roughly as "[root] to [verb]" or "[root] [verb]ing". This can result in moods which have equivalents in other languages, but not always.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Root
!English
!Verb
!Translation
!Equivalent mood
|-
|''bodin''
|seem
|''mendu'''vodin'''vo''
|I seem to go
|inferential
|-
|''angen''
|want
|''mendu'''angen'''vo''
|I want to go
|optative
|-
|''casa''
|hate
|''mendu'''casa'''vo''
|I hate going
| -
|-
|''galu''
|be able
|''mendu'''galu'''vo''
|I am able to go
|modal
|}

===Aspect===
The fourth component denotes the grammatical '''aspect''' of the verb. Eruvite displays a number of uncommon aspects.
*The '''perfective''' aspect denotes an action which has been completed. There are two types of perfective aspects in Eruvite:
**The basic perfective aspect denotes that an action has been completed and that the results of that action still hold.
***''Mendude.''<br>I went.
**The '''experiential perfective''' denotes that an action has been completed, but the results of the action no longer or will no longer hold.
***''Mendu'''ma'''de.''<br>I went and returned.
*The '''perfect''' aspect denotes an action that has been completed with relevance to a certain temporal context.
**''Mendu'''pa'''vo.''<br>I have gone.
*The '''imperfective''' aspect denotes that an action is incomplete. There are three different imperfective aspects in Eruvite:
**The basic imperfective aspect denotes that an action is incomplete, and will not or may not be completed.
***''Mendu'''fe'''vo.''<br>I am going.
**The '''perfective imperfective''' denotes that an action is incomplete but will be completed and that the results of the action will hold.
***''Mendu'''ro'''vo.''<br>I am going and will not return.
**The '''experiential perfective imperfective''' denotes that an action is incomplete but will be completed and that the results of the action will not hold.
***''Mendu'''ri'''vo.''<br>I am going and will return.
*The '''habitual''' aspect denotes that an action is completed repeatedly. There are two different habitual aspects:
**The basic habitual aspect denotes an action which is completed continuously for an indefinite period.
***''Menduvo''.<br>I go.
***''Mendu'''go'''de''.<br>I used to go.
**The '''terminative habitual''' denotes an action which is completed continuously for only a certain period.
***''Mendu'''wo'''vo''.<br>I go for a while.
*The '''inceptive''' aspect denotes an action which is being initiated.
**''Mendu'''da'''vo''.<br>I am beginning to go.
*The '''terminative''' aspect denotes an action which is being ended.
**''Mendu'''ce'''vo''.<br>I am ceasing to go.
*The '''pausative''' aspect denotes that an action is temporarily suspended.
**''Mendu'''tu'''vo''.<br>I am ceasing to go for a while.
*The '''resumptive''' aspect denotes an action which is initiated again after a pause.
**''Mendu'''li'''vo''.<br>I am starting to go again.

===Tense, Person and Number===
The fifth component indicates the tense of the verb and the grammatical person and number of the verb's subject,. There are three possible tenses:

*The '''present''' tense denotes an action which is occurring currently.
*The '''past''' tense denotes an action which occurred at a previous time.
*The '''future''' tense denotes an action that will occur at a later time.

There are also three possible persons:

*The '''first''' person indicates that the subject is the speaker or includes the speaker. For the paucal and plural numbers, there are two different first persons:
**The '''inclusive''' first person indicates that the one being addressed as well as the speaker is included in the subject. For the paucal number, this is taken to mean "you and I" and for the plural "you, others and I".
**The '''exclusive''' first person indicates that the one being addressed is not included in the subject.
*The '''second''' person indicates that the subject is the one or ones being addressed.
*The '''third''' person indicates that the subject is neither the speaker or the one being addressed.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Present<br>Tense
!colspan=2|1st Person
!rowspan=2|2nd Person
!rowspan=2|3rd Person
|-
|''Inclusive''
|''Exclusive''
|-
|'''Singular'''
|colspan=2| -vo-: seni'''vo'''<br>''I write''
| -va-: seni'''va'''<br>''you write''
| -bu-: seni'''bu'''<br>''he/she/it writes''
|-
|'''Paucal'''
| -mo-: seni'''mo'''<br>''you and I write''
| -ve-: seni'''ve'''<br>''them and I write''
| -vae-: seni'''vae'''<br>''you few write
| -ba-: seni'''ba'''<br>''they write''
|-
|'''Plural'''
| -me-: seni'''me'''<br>''you, them and I write''
| -vi-: seni'''vi'''<br>''them and I write''
| -fae-: seni'''fae'''<br>''you all write''
| -bui-: seni'''bui'''<br>''they write''
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Past<br>Tense
!colspan=2|1st Person
!rowspan=2|2nd Person
!rowspan=2|3rd Person
|-
|''Inclusive''
|''Exclusive''
|-
|'''Singular'''
|colspan=2| -de-: seni'''de'''<br>''I wrote''
| -sa-: seni'''sa'''<br>''you wrote''
| -su-: seni'''su'''<br>''he/she/it wrote''
|-
|'''Paucal'''
| -do-: seni'''do'''<br>''you and I wrote''
| -se-: seni'''se'''<br>''them and I wrote''
| -so-: seni'''so'''<br>''you few wrote''
| -ta-: seni'''ta'''<br>''they wrote''
|-
|'''Plural'''
| -te-: seni'''te'''<br>''you, them and I wrote''
| -di-: seni'''di'''<br>''them and I wrote''
| -sae-: seni'''sae'''<br>''you all wrote''
| -tui-: seni'''tui'''<br>''they wrote''
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Future<br>Tense
!colspan=2|1st Person
!rowspan=2|2nd Person
!rowspan=2|3rd Person
|-
|''Inclusive''
|''Exclusive''
|-
|'''Singular'''
|colspan=2| -co-: seni'''co'''<br>''I will write''
| -la-: seni'''la'''<br>''you will write''
| -lu-: seni'''lu'''<br>''he/she/it will write''
|-
|'''Paucal'''
| -lo-: seni'''lo'''<br>''you and I will write''
| -che-: seni'''che'''<br>''them and I will write''
| -lae-: seni'''lae'''<br>''you few will write''
| -ra-: seni'''ra'''<br>''they will write''
|-
|'''Plural'''
| -le-: seni'''le'''<br>''you, them and I will write''
| -chi-: seni'''chi'''<br>''them and I will write''
| -rae-: seni'''rae'''<br>''you all will write''
| -lui-: seni'''lui'''<br>''they will write''
|}

===Final Mood===
The sixth component of any verb construction is the '''final mood'''. Unlike the primary mood, there is a set number of final moods with which a verb can be modified.

*The '''inquisitive''' mood indicates that the statement is a question.
**''Senivo'''m'''?''<br>Do I write?
*The '''causal''' mood indicates that the statement is the cause of something.
**''Senivo'''n'''.''<br>Because I write.
*The '''energetic''' mood indicates that the statement is strongly felt.
**''Senivo'''r'''!''<br>I ''really'' write!
*The '''royal''' mood is used when addressing or referring to royalty of nobility.
**''Senivo'''l'''.''<br>I write, your majesty.

==Adjectives==
Adjectives fall into two distinct groups in Eruvite: those constructed from noun-verb roots and those constructed from adjective roots. The way in which the two are constructed and their placement relative to the verb that they modify
===Noun-verb Root Adjectives===
===Adjective Root Adjectives===
Adjectives formed from adjective roots are simply the roots themselves, and are placed before the word which they modify.

==Adverbs==

=Orthography=
Eruvite is written with the [[Eruwar]], a featural abugida, and the Sindarin '''Cirth''' alphabet for Sindarin loanwords.
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