o yis     Conjunctions

Each O Yis clause is usually introduced with a conjunction. The purpose of the conjunction is to set the clause scope - in other words what the clause is about: location, timeframe, person, process, scanario, etc. Other conjunctions are used as narrative devices, to let the listener or reader know how the clause sits in relation to previous clauses.

Some conjunctions have, over time, merged with the verbal articles; these articles handle the sequencing of clauses - whether the action in the current clause occurs before, after or during the action in the previous clause. When a clause is used without a conjunction or sequence article, the clause's action is assumed to follow that of the previous clause, building on what has gone before.

Conjunction use is deeply ingrained in the language: conjunctions are rarely omitted, even in the most informal of circumstances.

Conjunction syntax

Conjunctions can take a restricted set of quantifiers which, dependent on the mood of the speaker, can be placed ahead of the conjunction (as a syllabic particle) or can directly follow the conjunction as a word in its own right. No more than two quantifiers can be associated with a conjunction at any one time, in which case one of them must be cast as a particle.

• (PART)'CONJ (QUANT)

The commonest quantifiers used with conjunctions are the interrogator and negator quantifiers (f'/fal and u/utz respectively). When they are both associated with a conjunction the negator quantifier is always used as a particle.

Referencing conjunctions

These conjunctions are used to indicate the substance of the clause: what is it about, what is its purpose?

• roto   roto - location, sets out details about a location (translations: where, where?)
• rib   rib - timeframe, sets out details of the contemporary timeframe (translations: when, when?)
• ao   ao - person, introduces a person, or changes the focus onto another person (translations: who, who?)
• gan   gan - object, introduces an object, or changes the focus onto an object (translations: that, what, what? which?)
• jon   jon - process, sets out details of a process or method (translations: how, how?)
• jonne   jonne - alternate process, sets out details of an alternative process or method (translations: how, however)
• jyir   jyir - purpose, sets out details of a process (translations: why, why?)
• jyirre   jyirre - alternate process, sets out details of an alternative process (translations: why, why else)
• jas   jas - reason, sets out details of a reason for preceding actions (translations: because, why?)
• jacce   jacce - alternate reason, sets out details of an alternative reason (translations: or because)
• jea   jea - scenario, sets out a possible scenario or question (translations: if, if?)
• jeamo   jeamo - alternate scenario, sets out an alternative scenario (translations: or if)
• jeto   jeto - result, sets out the likely consequence of a previous clause's action (translations: then)
• jelte   jelte - alternate result, sets out an alternative consequence of a previous action (translations: else, otherwise, or then)

Narrative conjunctions

Narrative conjunctions are used to set out the broad sequence of actions within a clause chain.

• gaar   gár - initial, sets out the initial scene or introduces a new topic of conversation (translations: so, anyway)
• ø - developing, a clause with no conjunction or sequencing article builds on the action described in previous clauses (translations: and, so, then)
• Te   tze - dependent, similar to the developing clause, this conjunction allows the clause to drop the subject of the verb as long as the subject was the nominitive phrase in the previous clause (translations: and, so, then)
• nyg   nyg - disjunct, highlights a disjunction between this clause and the previous clause (translations: but, though)
• oek   oek - constraint, indicates a constraint on the previous clause (translations: yet, though)
• aNg   aŋg - concluding, sets out the conclusion to the actions in the previous clauses (translations: thus, therefore)

Using verbal articles to sequence action between clauses

Rather than using conjunctions to describe whether the action in a clause happens before, after, while or at the same time as the action in the previous clause, O Yis relies on the verbal article (taking the prior, concurrent or post case as appropriate) to provide this detail. More information on using verbal articles can be found on the verb tense page of this website.