Ákat objects: shards that shape the tool
Oblique object phrases help to clarify the action in a clause. They can be used to show where, when, why, how, with whom and for what purpose the direct objects are directing or receiving an action.
All oblique objects are introduced by an oblique particle. These are similar to the modifier particles discussed on the object phrases webpage. Unlike modifier particles, some oblique particles are expected to adapt to the word they cliticise to - either by modulating their vowel to harmonise with the first vowel of the concept root, or by reduplication of the first consonant of the concept root, or both.
These particles handle a range of relative movements and positions (both in time and space) between agent/patient objects and the oblique objects, and also relative movements and positions of the agent/patient and the current point of view. In Ákat, the current point of view is normally that of the speaker/writer, unless the speaker/writer has made it clear in the recent discourse that they are referring to someone else's point of view.
- xyl - the locative oblique (at, in, on, on top of, by, next to, before): indicating that the agent or patient has some form of contact with the oblique, either at the same level to it, or from above it; there is an assumption that the agent or patient is in reasonably clear view to the point of view
- o! - the antilocative oblique (apart from, not at, not in, not near): indicating that the agent or patient is not close to or near the oblique - use this rather than trying to negate a locative oblique with the negation particle xi-
- xyn[s|t][i|o] - the subessive oblique (below, beneath, underneath, behind, after): indicating that the agent or patient is either in close proximity to the oblique, or may be touching it; here the implication is that the agent or patient may be partially or entirely hidden from the point of view
- sin[s|t][i|o] - the adessive oblique (near, around about, between, in front of, during): indicating that the agent or patient has a (reasonably) close proximity to the oblique, either spatially or temporally, or that it is placed between the current point of view and the oblique - there is a clear implication that the agent/patient is not touching the oblique, and that it is in reasonably clear view to the point of view
- e! - the perlative oblique (through, by, along, via, before, circling, inbetween to-and-fro): indicating some movement in time or space by the agent or patient in relation to the oblique, but not supplying any directional information; if the oblique is modified using a conjunctive object, then the movement is between the two
- ki[i|o] - the allative oblique (to, towards, up): indicating that the agent or patient is moving towards the oblique object, or that the agent or patient is using the oblique to gain height relative to the point of view
- ti[i|o] - the ablative oblique (from, away from, down): indicating that the agent or patient is moving away from the oblique object, or that the agent or patient is using the oblique to lose height relative to the point of view
- mi[i|o] - the comitative oblique (with, using, out of, by): indicating that the oblique is being used by the agent or patient, or accompanies it, also the originator of an agent or patient; when the verb has motive or temporal properties, a movement out of the oblique is indicated
- myl - the privative oblique (without, not using, into): the opposite of the comitative oblique, above; for motive actions, indicates a movement into the oblique by the agent or patient
- nil - the benefactive oblique (for, on behalf of): indicating an oblique receiving a beneficial action, often the recipient of a ditransitive action; also an agent phrase which has been placed before the verb phrase rather than being incorporated into it
- fy - the partitive oblique (for, quantitative, by): where the oblique provides information to help quantify the value, volume or weight of an agent or patient; also used for comparisons
- cir[s|t]y - the equative oblique (like, as): where the oblique is used to provide information in the form of a simile or metaphor
Where vowel harmonisation occurs, the oblique particle will change to match the vowel of the core concept of the oblique's head object: y, o, u in the core concept require particles to use o; other vowels in the core concept (a, e, i) require the oblique particle to use i.
Consonant harmonisation is triggered by the core concept's lead consonant: where necessary, fricatives (f, s, x, c) require the oblique particle to use s, while stops (p, t, k, q) require it to use t.