Word building in Gevey

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Actions, objects and descriptions are all related to each other in complex ways. Gevey (like many languages) can form new objects, actions and descriptions by adding prefixes and suffixes to the root of existing words.

There are seven key methods of deriving a new word from a root, dependent on whether the root is classed as an object, action or modifier. These are:

Most of the derivations shown below can be achieved by more than one affix - in these cases there is no particular preference for which affix to use except for common usage rules. Some dialects prefer to use a particular affix, leading to regional lexical differences between dialects.

Deriving new object words from existing object roots

A range of object words can be derived from a single object root through the addition of suffixes (or more rarely prefixes) to the root.

Deriving new object words from action roots

A variety of object words can be formed from an action root by adding the appropriate affix:

Deriving new object words from modifier roots

Objectifying a description is a common occurance in Gevey, and is achieved in all cases by adding the prefix trha[t]- to the modifier. One very common use for object formation from descriptions is for a process known as synecdoche - where a part of a phrase (in this case the descriptive part of the phrase) is used to represent the whole phrase. For example:

Deriving new action words from object roots

Actions are formed from object roots by inserting the object root within a carrier verb:

The action that is formed from the object will often act as a metaphor, with the only relationship between the action and the object being that the object is a constituent player in the action. For example:

Deriving new action words from modifier roots

Actions are formed from modifier roots by inserting the modifier root within a carrier verb:

Deriving new modifier words from object roots

New modifiers are formed from an object root through the addition of the appropriate affix:

Deriving new modifier words from action roots

The commonest method of turning a verb into a modifier is to attach a modifier suffix to the subsidiary form (-al-, -el-) of the verb.

An action root can also act directly on an object, inserting iteslf between the object root/stem and the following suffixes. Where this produces unacceptable co0nsonant clusters a vowel can be added to the cluster to break it up - usually ue or ei placed before the verb stem:

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