Fvullhanhir Substantives


Taekhosir Nouns

Rihan nouns decline for case and number. There are two numbers, singular and plural, and three cases: Nominative-Accusative (also sometimes called 'common'), Genitive (possessive) and Dative (indirect object).

The Nominative-Accusative is used for both subject and direct object; the difference can be easily discerned by context, as Rihannsu has a fixed Verb-Object-Subject or Subject-Verb-Object word order; if no subject is present, the order is Verb-Object, and if no object is present, the order is Subject-Verb. An exception is the imperative: the object of the imperative always immediately precedes the imperative verb.

There are four regular declensions of nouns in Rihan, one for proper nouns and three for common nouns.

Proper nouns decline thusly:

 
  Singular Plural Example: Singular Plural
Nom-Acc (-ha) -su "a Romulan" Rihanha Rihannsu
Gen s'- ch'   s'Rihan ch'Rihan
Dat -(h)'ri -su'ri   Rihanh'ri Rihannsu'ri

Note, that before the -su or -su'ri suffix, a final 'n' or 'm' is doubled.

There are some special prefixes used only with proper nouns. These prefixes cannot be used with common nouns.

    e- : Common prefix indicating departure from one's hfihar (used in second name). For example, if a certain Galan i-Mhiessan tr'Khellian were to marry a t'Lhoell woman, his name would change to Galan e-Khellian tr'Lhoell - the married name generally replaces the locative second name. Optionally, the locative can remain (often used on formal documents or formal situations), giving a name such as Galan i-Mhiessan e-Khellian tr'Lhoell. However, if the male in question is hru'Hfirh of his hfihar, he does not take this name, because as hru'Hfirh, he cannot leave his hfihar. The case of a male hru'Hfirh marrying is one of the few cases where a woman would leave her hfihar, and in such a case it would be the woman who takes the "e-" second name. Marriage is the most common way of leaving one's house, but there are other situations in which a name such as this would be used. If Galan tr'Khellian were adopted or fostered into s'Lhoell, his name would be as described above - Galan e'Khellian tr'Lhoell. Although becoming outcast from one's hfihar is another way of leaving it, in that case the use of this name would be unacceptable, as this form of name refers to an honourable departure from one's hfihar. The outcast individual becomes an unperson in Romulan society, and would simply be called Galan, or in the unlikely event that clarification would be necessary, Galan i-Mhiessan, however this is unlikely to happen, either, as most Romulans would commit suicide almost immediately upon becoming outcast.
    ei- : If the person is from a specific part of a city, this is used; or, Common elder-name prefix (used in second name); also used when one changes names due to an important event. If Galan i-Mhiessan tr'Khellian was riov of a warship in a victorious battle in the Usubau system, for example, he may decide to change his name to Galan ei-Usubau tr'Khellian. In formal situations and on formal documents, his full name would be listed as Galan i-Mhiessan ei-Usubau tr'Khellian. One could have several "ei-" form names, in fact, but would generally use only the one most appropriate to a given situation.
    i- : This is a very common locative-name prefix indicating that the person was born in the city (not town or village) named.
    ir- : This is another very common locative-name prefix, differing from "i-" in that it indicates the person's origin as being from the district, province or planet indicated. If the person in question is from a town or village, he would use this prefix with the name of the district or province in which his town is located. If he is from an unincorporated area of a planet, he would use the planet name with this prefix.
    S'- : Male honorific prefix, used very commonly in older (Vulcan) firstnames.
    t'- : Female clan name prefix (used in third name).
    T'- : Female honorific prefix, used very commonly in older (Vulcan) firstnames.
    tr'-: Male clan name prefix (used in third name)

Common nouns - that is, everything besides proper names - fall into three groups, based on the ending of the root (Nom-Acc) form of the verb.

    Group I nouns are those which end in -i or -e;
    Group II nouns are those which end in -a, -o or -u;
    Group III nouns are those ending in a consonant sound.

Common nouns are declined as follows:

Group I

Case Singular Plural Example Singular Plural
Nom-Acc -- -in "arrival" oali oaliin
Gen -n -en   oalin oalien
Dat -vha -vher   oalivha oalivher

Group II

Case Singular Plural Example Singular Plural
Nom-Acc -- -r "device" aisha aishar
Gen -m -(')en   aisham aisha'en
Dat -vha -vher   aishavha aishavher

Group III

Case Singular Plural Example Singular Plural
Nom-Acc -- -ir "road, way" latas latasir
Gen -ai -en   latasai latasen
Dat -evha -evher   latasevha latasevher

    Taekhosir Emael Dyyh'kraiin Irregular Nouns

There are a small number of nouns in common use that decline irregularly. These are:

hfai, "servant"

Case Singular Plural
Nom-Acc hfai hfehan
Gen hfeham hfehen
Dat hfaevha hfaevher

hfihar, "house, clan"

Case Singular Plural
Nom-Acc hfihar hfihrnn
Gen hfirh hfirhin
Dat hfihevha hfihevher

ravsam, "sibling"

Case Singular Plural
Nom-Acc ravsam ravsai
Gen ravsem ravsen
Dat rasevha rasevher
Like this are also declined all nouns ending in -sam in their dictionary (Nom-Acc) form.

rhadam, "person"

Case Singular Plural
Nom-Acc rhadam rhadai
Gen rhadem rhaden
Dat rhaevha rhaevher
Like this are also declined all nouns ending in -am (but not -sam!!) in their dictionary (Nom-Acc) form.

    I'hhaemn'iut'hilledh Taekhosen Derivation of Nouns

Nouns can be derived from other words in several ways, notably

    from verbs, with the suffix -elh, to create a deverbal noun, e.g. plhere'elh, "entrance (place to enter)" from the verb plhere, "to enter";
    from verbs, with the suffix -sam, to create a deverbal noun, similar to -elh above;
    from verbs, with the suffix -(i)fv, to create a deverbal noun, similar to -elh and -sam above. The i is inserted if the verb-root ends in a consonant; from verbs, with the prefix tem-, to create an action noun, e.g. templhere, "entry, entrance (act of entering)";
    from verbs, with the suffix -lai, to create an action noun, similar to tem- above;
    from verbs, using the affix-set i- ... -edh, to create an "-tion"/"-sion" noun, e.g. ivuinedh, "permission" from the verb vhuin, "to permit, to allow";
    from verbs, using the suffix -nen, to create an agent - one who does the activity specified by the verb, e.g. kholhnen, "defender"; the same can be created with the suffix -asi (kholhasi), this is a more poetic form, however. Further rarely-used or poetic ways of forming the agent include the prefixes ra'-, ro- and la- or the suffix -an;
    from verbs, using the affix-set la- ... -(e)ri, to create a noun which is the object of the root verb, e.g. larhudheri, "employee", from the verb rhudh, "to employ, to use" (The e is dropped if the verb root ends in e or a. Meaning the same thing is the suffix -hai, but this is less-commonly encountered than the ra-...-eri affix set;
    from nouns, with the suffix -asi or -a, forming an agentive;
    from nouns, with the suffix -ma, which corresponds to the English suffix "-ship";
    from nouns, with the suffix -'dhenn, which corresponds to the English suffix "-y", as in "agent > agency";
    from nouns, with the prefix eir-, which corresponds to the English suffix "-ate";
    from adjectives, using the suffix -'le, corresponding to English "-ness", e.g. eiheu'le, "calm, calmness", from the adjective eiheu, "calm";
    from adjectives, using the suffix -sam, corresponding to English "-ance" and "-ism";
    from adjectives, using the suffix -no, corresponding to English "-ity", e.g. aledno, "ability", from the adjective aled, "able".

There are a number of other affixes that can be used to form new nouns; these are generally affixed to other nouns, but can be added to other words too, sometimes:

    al'- indicates an improvement in the root;
    d'- is an honorific, giving the meaning "grand, great" to the root;
    ehl'- indicates a loss, a lack, or a deficiency in the root;
    el'- indicates an increase in the root, or a more advanced or superior level of the root;
    ne- indicates a decrease in the root, or a less advanced or inferior level of the root;
    di'- indicates a male gender of the root (generally used only with nouns denoting living beings);
    ri'- indicates a female gender of the root;
    -al is a diminutive;
    -hwy indicates that the root is tamed, or in some way held or restrained.

Ssiun'taekhosir Pronouns

    Ssiun'taekhosir ih'rhademir Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Rihan are three in person and two in number. Additionally, the first person singular and the second person singular have three formal variations in addition to the normal one, these being superior to inferior, used when someone higher in rank, stature or seniority addresses someone who is their inferior in rank, position or seniority; inferior to superior, used in the reverse situation; and the nonmodal, used mainly between equals; if the distinction between rank and stature is not known, it is generally accepted to use the nonmodal form. Further, the third person has three genders in both singular and plural, referring in each case to natural gender. The exception to this is found in the third person plural neuter, which, in addition to being used to refer to multiple inanimate objects, is also used in referring to a group of people of mixed gender. All personal pronouns are declined for the same three cases as nouns.


  Nom-Acc Gen Dat
1st Sg, normal arhem arham arvha
1st Sg, formal nonmodal rhanne rhanam rhanvha
1st Sg, formal sup-to-inf rhhae rhham rhhaevha
1st Sg, formal inf-to-sup reh rham revvha
2nd Sg, normal hwi hwai hwavha
2nd Sg, formal nonmodal hwio hwaoi hwaovha
2nd Sg, formal sup-to-inf khia khaei khavha
2nd Sg, formal inf-to-sup nnearh nnerhai nnearvha
3rd Sg masc dii diam diivha
3rd Sg fem rii riam riivha
3rd Sg neuter aei aeim aeivha
1st plural mnean mnei mnevher
2nd plural hrian hraen hravher
3rd pl masc diin diien diivher
3rd pl fem riin riien riivher
3rd pl neuter lloann lloannen lloannvher

Though the Rihan language has no verb "to be", sometimes this must be expressed anyways. To express "you are x", such as in the phrase "you are a fool", the word hwiiy is used, e.g. hwiiy v'ruul, "you are a fool".

    Ssiun'taekhosir Chaerhelhir Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns decline in the same way as nouns, divided into the same groups. The following are the demonstrative pronouns in common use:

    all - oiuu'n, qiuu, qiuu'n, qiu;
    everyone, everything - qiuu, qiuu'n, qiu;
    last one (among several) - heith;
    nothing, none - lliu;
    that - rrhaar;
    that one - aneha;
    that one over there - aou;
    this (concrete thing) - tivh;
    this (intangible event, situation) - elet;
    this is - aihr'- (prefix);
    this one (among several) - kaeha;
    this one over here - kaou.

    Ssiun'taekhosir oielhir Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns decline in the same way as nouns, divided into the same groups. The following are the relative pronouns in common use:

    another, (the) other (one) - koemae. The plural form is used in the sense of "others", "the others".
    any - ehrr;
    anybody, anyone - rilhta;
    anything - siufve, khru;
    somebody, someone - isaeha;
    someone else, anyone else - anehore;
    something - siufve;
    something else, anything else - aeura;
    which, who - vaeha;
    whatever - vafann;
    whichever - ehrr;
    whoever - vehann.

    Ssiun'taekhosir Umaere'elhir Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns decline in the same way as nouns, divided into the same groups. The following are the interrogative pronouns in common use:

    what? which (thing)? - fvah?;
    who? which (person)? - vaeha?.

Hra'taekhosir Adjectives

Adjectives in standard Rihan follow the noun they modify, and agree with the for number and case. Case, however, in a substantive phrase, is represented only on the last adjective of the substantive phrase, though all nouns and adjectives in the substantive phrase agree in number. Adjectives decline in the same way as common nouns, divided into the same groups.

    Veisoi'hrenanh Hra'taekhosen Comparison of Adjectives

Adjectives are compared both in positive and negative forms through the use of suffixes as follows:

    negative superlative (least): -im, e.g., aekeaim, "least tight";
    negative comparative (less): -il, e.g. aekeail, "less tight";
    negative: emael ..., e.g. emael aekea, "not tight";
    positive: (no affix), e.g. aekea, "tight";
    comparative (more): -e, e.g. aekea'e, "tighter" (note insertion of ' after word-final vowel);
    superlative (most): -ha, e.g. aekeaha, "tightest".

There also exists a formal (polite) form of comparison, used when describing someone superior to the speaker, or describing something under the direct control of someone superior to one's equal, e.g. the situation said superior may be in or a book said superior may have written. It can be heard in use amongst equals as a courtesy, though it is generally not used amongst equals who are close or intimate acquaintances. Sometimes, a given social situation may require their use to avoid accidental disrespect. These suffixes are:

    negative superlative (least): -'mri, e.g., aekea'mri, "least tight";
    negative comparative (less): -'nil, e.g. aekea'nil, "less tight";
    negative: emael -'re, e.g. emael aekea're, "not tight";
    positive: -'re, e.g. aekea're, "tight";
    comparative (more): -'ne, e.g. aekea'ne, "tighter";
    superlative (most): -'nra, e.g. aekea'nra, "tightest".

    I'hhaemn'iut'hilledh Hra'taekhosen Derivation of Adjectives

Adjectives can be derived from other words in several ways, notably

    from nouns or verbs, with the suffix -lho, corresponding to English "-able", e.g. ssuaj'lho, "understandable", from the verb ssuaj, "to understand";
    from nouns, with the prefix ih'-, e.g. ih'rawn, "slowness", from the adjective rawn, "slow". This is probably the most common method of deriving adjectives from nouns; from nouns, with the prefix lli-, corresponding to English "-less";
    from nouns, with the suffix -ey if the root noun ends in a vowel (final i, if part of a word-final diphthong, is lost before this suffix), and with the suffix -hkh, -e or -emh if the root noun ends in a consonant (the root noun loses its final consonant/consonant cluster before this suffix), corresponding to the English suffix "-y";
    from nouns, with the suffix -ai or -kha, corresponding to the English "-ous" suffix;
    from nouns, with the suffixes -nhe, -n, -aes and -ahi, corresponding to the English "-ful";
    from verbs, with the suffix -eri, corresponding to English "-ed", e.g. umaere, "compared";
    from verbs, with the suffix -akhe, corresponding to the English "dis-/un- -ed" affix set, e.g. umaere'akhe, "uncompared";
    from verbs, with the suffix -enh, corresponding to the English "-ing" suffix, e.g. umaere'enh, "comparing" (very rarely, -anh can be encountered as a variation of this suffix);
    from verbs, with the suffix -ukhi, corresponding to the English "un-...-ing" affix-set, e.g. umaereukhi, "uncomparing";
    from verbs, with the suffix -asi, or more rarely the suffix -olh, corresponding to the English "-tory" and "-ant" suffixes;
    from verbs, with the suffix -elh, corresponding to English "-ive", e.g. umaere'elh, "comparative", from the verb umaere, "to compare".