o yis Noun quantifiers
Noun quantifiers are a closed class of words which are most often used to measure counts and quantities. Quantifier can also be used to indicate noun comparisons, noun tense, intensity, negation and interrogation.
All Istran languages routinely place quantifier words between a noun and its classifier; it is a peculiarity of O Yis that some of these quantifiers will, if given the opportunity, move from between the article (the O Yis equivalent to a classifier word) and the noun to before the article and, in many cases, become reduced to a vowel or syllabic consonant - a nominal particle - that can cliticise to the front of the article.
A noun will only allow one quantifier to be placed ahead of its article - and only if the space is not occupied by a conjunction such as the relative particle m'. When more than one quantifier appears with a noun, a hierarchy of precedence is used to determine which quantifier can go ahead of the article:
- The comparison quantifier (k') will always go ahead of the article; this is because it never modifies a head noun, only listed nouns following the head noun
- Tense quantifiers (g'/galo, t'/tea, e/eten) routinely go ahead of the article
- Wherever possible, the intensifier quantifiers (n'/né, dz'/dzé) will go ahead of the article
- The negator (u/utz) and interrogator (f'/fal) can go ahead of the article - this is sometimes done for emphasis
- Quantity and count quantifiers never go ahead of the article
Examples
Intensity quantifiers are used to show diminution (less, little, -ling, -ette, quite) and intensification (more, great, very, just):
- Xni reeNg D'doc tvel
- ni réŋg dz'doc tvel
- ni ɾəˑŋg ʤ'ðɔs twəl
- the very red ball
- Xni sul n'ac kanoo
- ni sul n'ac kanó
- ni ʦul n'æs kænɔˑ
- the quite large boat
Both intensity quantifiers (and the negation quantifier) can also prefix to a range of postpositions:
- Xni kjap m'ni zlek Dil
- ni kjap m'ni zlek dzil
- ni kjæp m'ni ʒlək ʤil
- the chair very close to the table
- Xni kjap m'ni zlek nil
- ni kjap m'ni zlek nil
- ni kjæp m'ni ʒlək nil
- the chair a little distant from the table
- Xni kjap m'ni zlek uil
- ni kjap m'ni zlek uil
- ni kjæp m'ni ʒlək uil
- the chair that's not close to the table
Tense quantifiers allow the noun to be given a place in a person's lifeline:
- Xg'in harf em cmas
- g'in harf em cmas
- g'in hæɾf əm smæʦ
- the woman's old dog (presumably dead)
- Xt'ni sul uram
- t'ni sul uram
- t'ni ʦul uɾæm
- my current boat (the one I own at the moment)
- Xe o riant em Deo Don
- e o riant em dzeo dzon
- ə ɔ ɾiænt əm ʤəɔ ʤɔn
- John's next house (the one he's going to buy)
When used with complement articles the tense quantifiers take on the meaning 'is no longer', 'is still', 'is becoming':
- Xni reeNg e do tvel
- ni réŋg e do tvel
- ni ɾəˑŋg ə ðɔ twəl
- the ball is turning red
- Xni reeNg t'do tvel
- ni réŋg t'do tvel
- ni ɾəˑŋg t'ðɔ twəl
- the ball is still red
- Xni reeNg t'do Dee tvel
- ni réŋg t'do dzé tvel
- ni ɾəˑŋg t'ðɔ ʤəˑ twəl
- the ball is still very red
- Xni reeNg g'do tvel
- ni réŋg g'do tvel
- ni ɾəˑŋg g'ðɔ twəl
- the ball is not red any more
The comparison of qualities of two (or more) objects is regularly handled in a single noun phrase where the reference object, to which the head noun is being compared, takes the comparator quantifier:
- Xde Don y kvixac
- de dzon y kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn ɐ kwixæs
- John is tall
- Xde Don y mein kvixac
- de dzon y mein kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn ɐ məin kwixæs
- John is the taller
- Xde Don y loor kvixac
- de dzon y lór kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn ɐ lɔˑɾ kwixæs
- John is the tallest
- Xde Don y diDer kvixac
- de dzon y didzer kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn ɐ ðiʤəɾ kwixæs
- John is the tallest of all
- Xde Don k'de petyr D'y kvixac
- de dzon k'de petyr dz'y kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn k'ðə pətɐɾ ʤ'ɐ kwixæs
- John is taller than Peter
- Xde Don k'de petyr D'y uT kvixac
- de dzon k'de petyr dz'y utz kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn k'ðə pətɐɾ ʤ'ɐ uʧ kwixæs
- John is not as tall as Peter
- Xde Don k'de petyr n'y kvixac
- de dzon k'de petyr n'y kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn k'ðə pətɐɾ n'ɐ kwixæs
- John is shorter than Peter
The negation quantifier indicates opposition or denial; it should not be confused with the null quantifier (ýtz) which indicates absence. Repetition adds emphasis:
- Xde Don u y kvixac
- de dzon u y kvixac
- ðə ʤɔn u ɐ kwixæs
- John is not tall
- Xu roN maav
- u roŋ máv
- u ɾɔŋ mæˑw
- that is not a cat
- Xu roN uT maav
- u roŋ utz máv
- u ɾɔŋ uʧ mæˑw
- that is definitely not a cat
The interrogation quantifier can be used for asking quick, closed questions:
- Xf'roN maav
- f'roŋ máv
- f'ɾɔŋ mæˑw
- is that a cat?