08 Adjuncts

8.0 Adjuncts

Adjuncts were introduced in Sec. 2.5. They are placed adjacent to a formative to provide further grammatical or semantic information about the formative. There are six seven types of Adjuncts: Affixual, Modular, Register, Suppletive, Mood/Case-Scope,^[1] Bias, and the Parsing Adjunct, each explained in the sub-sections below.

8.1 Affixual Adjuncts

As an alternative to placing VxCs affixes within Slots V or VII of a formative, such affixes may instead by shown by means of adjuncts placed immediately preceding the formative with which they are associated (unless the formative would otherwise be the last word of a sentence, in which case the adjunct may be placed after the formative if desired). There are two types of affixual adjuncts: a single-affix adjunct and a multiple-affix adjunct, as explained below.

8.1.1 Single-Affix Adjunct

This adjunct associates a single VxCs affix to the following formative and provides scoping information over the formative’s other VxCs affixes. The tell-tale sign of this adjunct is the V-C-(V) form containing only one full consonant-form. Examples: ač, iakse, etra, usmú, aull.

ʼ + VxCs

Single standard VxCs affix

Vs

The following values ​​indicate the affix:

• (a) : applies to Stem only (not to its Ca) & has scope over all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if it were the last affix in Slot V)
• u : applies to Stem only (not to its Ca) & is subordinate to all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if it were the first affix in Slot V)
• e : applies to both Stem and Ca & has scope over all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if it were the last affix in Slot VII)
• i : applies to both Stem and Ca & is subordinate to all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if it were the first affix in Slot VII)
• o : has scope over the entire formative as a whole, including Valence, Mood or Case, Illocution/Validation, etc.
• ö : has scope over the entire formative as a whole as well as other adjacent adjuncts including a modular adjunct

Stress

• Penultimate stress : default
• Ultimate stress : affix applies to concatenated stem formative only

Example:

Adři

SBS₁/1-[Slot.VII/1st.position]

Wimžuowêi

[default Ca]-/CPT-“sexual.relations”-EPD-USP

muyum.

ma-IND+IND-ma

They had sex in a hurry.

8.1.2 Multiple-Affix Adjunct

This adjunct associates two or more affixes to a formative. The tell-tale sign is that the second consonant-form will consist of one of the non-root consonant forms h, ʼh, ʼhl, ʼhr, hw, or ʼhw.either of -h- or a non-root consonant preceded by a glottal-stop (ʼh, ʼw, ʼy, ʼhw, ʼhl, or ʼhr). Examples: dohast, stei’haikrastei’yaikra, ëjgi’hloftômëjgi’woftôm, via’hwobrigli.

(ë-) + CsVx

Single reversed CsVx affix.

Initial Cs may be preceded by ë- if phonotactically necessary

Cz

The following values ​​indicate the preceding affix:

• h : applies to stem (not to its Ca) & has scope over all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if it were the last affix in Slot V)
• ʼh : applies to stem (not to its Ca) & is subordinate to all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if it were the first affix in Slot V)
• ʼhl : applies to both Stem and Ca & has scope over all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if it were the last affix in Slot VII)
• ʼhr : applies to both Stem and Ca & is subordinate to all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if it were the first affix in Slot VII)
• hw : has scope over the entire formative as a whole, including Valence, Mood or Case, Illocution/Validation, etc.
• ʼhw : has scope over the entire formative as a whole as well as other adjacent adjuncts including a modular adjunct

VxCs …

Standard VxCs affix(es)

Vz

The following values ​​indicate the 2nd and subsequent affixes:

• a : apply to stem (not to its Ca) & have scope over all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if they were the last affix in Slot V)
• u : apply to stem (not to its Ca) & are subordinate to all Slot V affixes (i.e., as if they were the first affix in Slot V)
• e : apply to both Stem and Ca & have scope over all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if they were the last affix in Slot VII)
• i : apply to both Stem and Ca & are subordinate to all Slot VII affixes (i.e., as if they were the first affix in Slot VII)
• o : have scope over the entire formative as a whole, including Valence, Mood or Case, Illocution/Validation, etc.
• ö : have scope over the entire formative as a whole as well as other adjacent adjuncts including a modular adjunct
• (ai) : have the same scope as shown by Cz

Stress

• Penultimate stress : default
• Ultimate stress : affix applies to concatenated stem formative only

A Type-3 VxCs affix used in an affixual adjunct associates to the VxCs affix named by Vz, e.g., if Vz = a, it associates to the last affix in Slot V.

Example:

Wütruöwá

[default Ca]-Stem.3/CPT-“go.away”-LIM-OBS

kru

pa+1m/BEN/IND

ëţcëuʼhlievče

EML₂/5-[Slot.VII/last.position]-AVS₃/2-[Slot.VII/last.position]

kšireö.

LIM“clown”-OBJ-G-RSL

We left just in time to avoid being turned into clowns.

8.2 Modular Adjuncts

This adjunct has two slots corresponding to formative Slot VIII (showing Valence, Phase, Level, or Effect, in combination with Mood/Case-Scope, or showing Aspect plus Mood/Case-Scope); it can also show a single lone Aspect. When used with concatenated formatives pair or chain, it normally applies to both the concatenated and parent stems formatives but can be marked to apply to either one separately. The tell-tale sign of this adjunct is the absence of any full consonant forms other than possibly a single -n- or -ň-; the only otherwise permissible consonants are -w-, -y-, or a form consisting of or beginning with -h-.

The structure of the adjunct is shown below. Slots 2 and 3 can be “mixed and matched” to show any combination of the Slot VIII categories, including differing iterations of the same category (e.g., to show multiple aspects). Slots 1 and 4 are mandatory; the other slots are optional. Default MNO-FAC/CCN Valence+Mood/Case-Scope is zero-marked in Slot 2. Information in each successive slot scopes over the previous slot, but the adjunct as a whole does not have scope beyond its default formative Slot VIII, unless the Vh value in Slot 4 of the adjunct indicates a different and specialized pattern of scoping.

Structure of a Modular Adjunct

1

ʼ / w- / y-

• ʼ = default
• w = adjunct applies to the parent formative only
• y = adjunct applies to the concatenated formative only

2

( VnCn

Valence/Phase/Level/Effect + Mood/Case-Scope

Cn = h / hl / hr / hm / hn / hň

Aspect + Mood/Case-Scope

Cn = w~y / hw / hrw / hmw / hnw / hňw

3

( VnCm ))

Vn for Valence/Phase/Level/Effect or Aspect

If Vn represents an Aspect, Cm = n, otherwise Cm = ň

4

Vn or Vh

Aspect or Valence/Phase/Level/Effect or Specialized Scope of the Adjunct

• If only Slots 1 and 4 are filled, then Slot 4 = Aspect;
• If Slot 2 or Slots 2 and 3 are filled and stress is penultimate, then Slot 4 = Valence or Phase or Level or Effect;
• If Slot 2 or Slots 2 and 3 are filled and stress is ultimate, then Slot 4 = Vh whose values are shown below.

Vh

• a = affixes in Slots 2, 3, and 4 have successive right-to-left scope order over each other (Slot 2 < Slot 3 < Slot 4) and have scope over Case/Mood and Validation + Illocution + Expectation
• e = affixes in Slots 2, 3, and 4 have successive right-to-left scope order over each other (Slot 2 < Slot 3 < Slot 4) and have scope over Case/Mood
• i/u = affixes in Slots 2, 3, and 4 have successive right-to-left scope order over each other (Slot 2 < Slot 3 < Slot 4) and have scope over the formative as a whole but not any adjacent affixual adjuncts (do not use if adjacent affixual adjunct’s Vs, Cz, or Vz values show scope over a modular adjunct)
• o = affixes in Slots 2, 3, and 4 have successive right-to-left scope order over each other (Slot 2 < Slot 3 < Slot 4) and have scope over the formative as a whole including any adjacent affixual adjuncts (do not use if adjacent affixual adjunct’s Vs, Cz, or Vz values show scope over a modular adjunct)

NOTE

If formative Slot VIII shows default Valence + Mood/Case-Scope (and no Aspect, Phase, Level, or Effect values are shown), then any VnCn values in a modular adjunct apply as if they were the Slot VIII values. If the formative shows a non-default Slot VIII value for a certain category, and a modular adjunct shows a different value for the same category (assuming it even makes semantic sense to do so), the modular adjunct value scopes over the Slot VIII value.

Example:

Wähňainui

[Scope:PARENT]-PRL-HYP-RSM-FLC

hlešvie-ellyulû

CONCATENATED/[default Ca]:Stem.2/PRC-“self-involved.leisure.activity”-PUR+PARENT:[default Ca]-Stem.2/PRC-“sing.a.song”-DYN-ITU

praʼi.

ma/BEN+1m/BEN-ACT

She and I might’ve resumed randomly bursting into snippets of song for fun.

8.3 Register Adjuncts

The category of Register indicates the mode of personal communication of a word or sentence, the default unmarked value being a general NARRATIVE. Marked registers indicate intra-sentence or intra-NARRATIVE changes in the mode of personal communication to a mode other than a general NARRATIVE. These alternative modes of communication (i.e., non-NARRATIVE registers) include direct speech, a parenthetical “aside”, one’s personal cogitation/deliberation, or an unwilled or subjective impression.

Register is indicated by a specialized adjunct placed at the start of the word or phrase constituting the registered speech, followed by a counterpart adjunct placed immediately afterward to indicate the end of the registered speech. These adjuncts constitute a single vowel-form preceded by h-. A non-NARRATIVE register clause may be pronounced with low pitch on the last word of the clause, in which case the register clause does not require the end-register final adjunct listed below. If the word/phrase within the register is a proper name or foreign word/phrase, indicate this by ending the register clause using END the CARRIER-END register adjunct hü.

Register	Definition	Initial Adjunct	Final Adjunct
NARRATIVE DRR	default register	—	—
DISCURSIVE DSV	direct speech	ha	(hai)
PARENTHETICAL PNT	parenthetical aside	he	(hei)
SPECIFICATIVE SPF	proper name of preceding referent[2]	hi	(hiu)
EXEMPLIFICATIVE EXM	‘for example, ...’	ho	(hoi)
COGITANT CGT	silent/subjective thoughts	hu	(hui)
CARRIER-END END	end of term/phrase governed by carrier stem/adjunct[3]	∅	(hü)

Note

Since Sec. 1.5 external juncture rules do not apply to foreign names/words, insert a pause after uttering the name/words prior to the END adjunct hü or SPF final adjunct hiu, or pronounce the last word of the proper name/phrase with low tone.

The Registers are explained in further detail below:

8.3.1 NRR Narrative

The default register, indicating a general narrative statement. Also used for formal narration, as when telling the events a story from an omniscient narrator’s perspective. Unmarked.

8.3.2 DSV Discursive

Indicates a phrase/statement represents direct speech, as in His wife turned to him and said You’ve forgotten your hat.

8.3.3 PNT Parenthetical

Indicates a phrase/statement is a parenthetical aside, or the equivalent to an in-line footnote, as in

• All equine species in Eurasia (we needn’t bother with those in the Americas) can be shown to be quadrupeds
• I generally prefer coffee to tea on summer afternoons – over ice, of course – but sometimes only a beer will do
• That artist’s landscapes (you should see his portraits!) are simply sublime.

8.3.4 SPF Specificative

Indicates the proper name of the immediately preceding referent. Note that if the identification of the preceding referent is not a proper name, use PNT register instead.

8.3.5 EXM Exemplificative

Indicates the word/phrase constitutes an illustrative example for the preceding formative or phrase. Translates a clause in English beginning with ‘for example, ...’.

8.3.6 COG Cogitant

Indicates a phrase/statement represents silent thoughts or beliefs. Equivalent to various devices in natural languages for indicating silent thoughts/beliefs within a narrative, as in the use of italics within a written paragraph, or the sudden interjection of a character’s disembodied voice on the soundtrack of a film/video while the character visually doesn’t open their mouth.

Revisor’s Additional Info

The IMPRESSIONISTIC register in Ithkuil 2011 IPR has been merged with the COGITANT.

IMPRESSIONISTIC (subjective impressions of the party referred to)

Description: Indicates a phrase/statement represents the imagination, subjective impressions, or unwilled “wandering” thoughts of the party being referenced in the phrase/statement. Equivalent in natural languages to a narrator suddenly interjecting a subjective description within a statement, as in The little girl ran down the hillside, a feeling of joy in her heart, then leaped into the arms of her father.

8.3.7 END Carrier-End

Indicates the end of a term or phrase governed either by the carrier stem or a carrier adjunct. Use the Carrier-End adjunct marker for any register where the referent within the register clause is a proper name or a foreign word/phrase. (See Sec. 10.2 regarding the Carrier Stem and Sec. 8.4.1 regarding the Carrier Adjunct).

8.4 Suppletive Adjuncts

These are a series of adjuncts of the form Cp + Vc where Cp is a bi-consonantal form beginning with h- specifying the nature of the adjunct, while Vc is the case-marker from Formative Slot IX. The tell-tale sign of these adjuncts is the initial h + consonant with no subsequent consonant forms. The last word of the word, phrase or name identified by the adjunct can be indicated by the adjunct form hü if necessary, or by pronouncing that word/phrase/name with low tone.

Use of these adjuncts implies CCN Case-scope (CCP/CCV when in any Appositive/Associative/Relational case and unmarked with Case-scope); if the case-framed word/phrase/name has non-default Case-scope, use either a full carrier-stem or a preceding affixual adjunct to show the case-scope.

The Cp affix of these adjuncts may be used in the C₁ Slot of a Single-, Dual-, or Combination Referential (see Sec. 9.5). When so used, the Cp affix must be preceded by a word-initial epenthetic vowel to avoid the adjunct being mistaken for a modular adjunct or a concatenated formative. See Sec. 9.6 for the specific rules involved.

8.4.1 CAR Carrier Adjunct

This is a “shortcut” for a full carrier stem, providing Case information only. It is used when the identity/nature of the foreign word(s) or proper name following the adjunct is already known to the addressee.

Cp

hl

Vc

Same as Formative Slot IX

Examples: hla, hlei, hloa, hleʼe, hlaʼu, hliʼa

8.4.2 QUO Quotative Adjunct

This adjunct combines the Carrier Adjunct with the DISCURSIVE Register Adjunct to allow direct quotes to be placed within a case-frame, useful for translating imbedded quotes within sentences such as He told meget out of the house!

Cp

hm

Vc

Same as Formative Slot IX

Examples: hma, hmei, hmoa, hmeʼe, hmaʼu, hmiʼa

8.4.3 NAM Naming Adjunct

Naming Adjunct He saidEmily as opposed to the sentence He saidtell Emily which would use the Quotative adjunct, or He said to tell Emily which would use the Carrier adjunct.

Cp

hn

Vc

Same as Formative Slot IX

Examples: hna, hnei, hnoa, hneʼe, hnaʼu, hniʼa

8.4.4 PHR Phrasal Adjunct

This adjunct is essentially a specialized form of the carrier adjunct above to apply meta-level grammatical information to an entire subsequent phrase as a whole. This is similar to a case-frame, except that where case-frames function solely as an equivalent to subordinate clauses in Western languages, this adjunct causes the subsequent phrase to become a conventionalized, (quasi-)lexicalized gestalt. It thus serves as an equivalent to English phrasal gestalts (often hyphenated), as in the following examples:

• Hey, shit-for-brains! Stop your stumbling-around-in-the-dark behavior and watch how the know-how-to-get-things-done guy gets it done!
• “Let the kid try, he’s from the neighborhood.” “O-oh! “He’s from the neighborhood!””
• Is that the actor who starred in that aliens-invade-but-die-after-discovering-chocolate movie?

Cp

hň

Vc

Same as Formative Slot IX

Examples: hňa, hňei, hňoa, hňeʼe, hňaʼu, hňiʼa

8.5 Bias Adjuncts

Bias adjuncts operate much like English “supra-segmental” interjections such as ‘Phew!’, ‘Damn!’, ‘tsk-tsk’, ‘Pssshhh’, ‘huh?’, ‘meh’, ‘hmmm’, etc. to establish a subjective “tone” or attitude toward a sentence as a whole. Unlike other adjuncts which function as substitutions for the morphological Slots within formatives, Bias adjuncts function independently from formatives and have semantic scope over the entire sentence when sentence-initially (again, much like Interjections in natural languages).

Revisor’s Additional Info

During development, the grammar design document describes its scoping as follows:

Sentence-initial Bias adjuncts scope over the entire sentence. Otherwise, they scope over the preceding formative. They should be pronounced with a preceding and following pause.

Another unique quality of Bias adjuncts is that they violate the standard phonotactic rules of the language (again like the supera-segmental interjections of natural languages) by being purely consonantal in their phonetic make-up. They should be pronounced with a preceding and following pause. Each Bias adjunct has the same consonant-form as an associated lexico-semantic root phonologically structured to contain continuant and sonorant consonants so that when used as autonomous adjuncts, they may be pronounced in an exaggerated, prolonged fashion. Additionally, those ending in a voiceless stop or voiceless affricate may aspirate or even ejectivize the consonant. The Bias Adjuncts are listed below along with their meanings.

• ACC ACCIDENTAL: lf
  • As luck would have it...Fate has decided that...What luck!
• ACH ARCHETYPAL: mçt
  • what (a) ...!; how . . .! ; Boy! Did (does) X ever …
• ADS ADMISSIVE : lļ
  • Mm-hmUh-huh
    (said as mere acknowledgement of a statement without any implied agreement with or assent to the statement)
• ANN ANNUNCIATIVE: drr
  • Guess what! or Wait till you hear this!
• ANP ANTICIPATIVE: lst
  • Iʼm looking foward to this!
• APB APPROBATIVE: řs
  • (That’s) OK(That’s) alright(That’s) good(That’s) fineVery wellSure
• APH APPREHENSIVE: vvz
  • Iʼm worried...I’ve got a bad feeling about this...
• ARB ARBITRARY: xtļ
  • ..Yeah, whatever......Ah, what the hell, Iʼm going ahead and....
• ATE ATTENTIVE: ňj
  • Well, whaddya know...Well, will you look at that...!Well, go figure...Who would’ve thought...?Well I’ll be!
• CMD COMEDIC: pļļ
  • Funny!LOL
• CNV CONTENSIVE: rrj
  • Iʼm telling you...I told you so!You see?!
• COI COINCIDENTAL: ššč
  • What a coincidence!
• CRP CORRUPTIVE: gžž
  • How corrupt!What corruption!
• CRR CORRECTIVE: ňţ
  • that is to say…,What I mean(t) to say is…I mean….
• CTP CONTEMPTIVE: kšš
  • What nonsense! or What bullshit!
• CTV CONTEMPLATIVE: gvv
  • I wonder how…,that’s odd…,I don’t get it…, or a quizzical hmmmm.
• DCC DISCONCERTIVE: gzj
  • Iʼm not sure about this.I don’t feel comfortable about this.Iʼm feeling out of my element here.
• DEJ DEJECTIVE: žžg
  • (sigh)
    [of dejection/disillusionment]
• DES DESPERATIVE: mřř
  • I don’t know how to say this, but…Iʼm afraid that….Iʼm sorry to have to tell you, but...
• DFD DIFFIDENT: cč
  • sorry, but…It’s nothing. It’s just…
• DIS DISMISSIVE: kff
  • Is that it?Big deal!So what!?
• DLC DELECTATIVE: ẓmm
  • Whee!
• DOL DOLOROUS: řřx
  • Ow!Ouch!
• DPB DISAPPROBATIVE: ffx
  • I dont like the fact that…It bothers me that….Unacceptable!I hate it!
• DRS DERISIVE: pfc
  • How foolish!How silly!Look at how foolish/silly/ridiculous this is!
• DUB DUBITATIVE: mmf
  • Hmm, not likely.I doubt it.Sounds fishy to meI don’t trust this/it/him/her/them...
• EUH EUPHORIC: gzz
  • (Sigh) What bliss!
• EUP EUPHEMISTIC: vvt
  • Let’s just say that…. or Well, let me put it this way….
• EXA EXASPERATIVE: kçç
  • Dammit!Look, don’t you get it?…Look, Iʼm trying to tell you….
• EXG EXIGENT: rrs
  • It’s now or never!
• FOR FORTUITOUS: lzp
  • It’s just as well that... or All’s well that ends well...
• FSC FASCINATIVE: žžj
  • Cool!Wow!Awesome!
• GRT GRATIFICATIVE: mmh
  • Ah! What bliss...!Oh, there’s nothing like….
    [physical pleasure only]
• IDG INDIGNATIVE: pšš
  • The nerve! or How dare…!?
• IFT INFATUATIVE: vvr
  • Praise be to...!Oh, thank God for...!There’s nothing more sacred/holy/important than...!
• IPL IMPLICATIVE: vll
  • of course,after all,needless to say.
• IPT IMPATIENT: žžv
  • Cʼmon!,What’re you waiting for?so…already! as in the sentence So dance already!
• IRO IRONIC: mmž
  • Oh, nice!Just great!Well, now, isn’t this lovely!
• ISP INSIPID: lçp
  • Meh... (said due to lack of interest)How boring/tedious/dull!
• IVD INVIDIOUS: řřn
  • Why does he/she/they get to... and I don’t?!How unfair (that I don’t get to...)!
• MAN MANDATORY: msk
  • take it or leave it,this is your last chance,
• MNF MANIFESTIVE: pss
  • Ah!Well, now!So!
    [Italian Allora!]
• OPT OPTIMAL: ççk
  • prolonged so or totally as in I so don’t care! or That is totally not what I meant.
• PES PESSIMISTIC: ksp
  • Yeah, like it really matters that...Pfft! What’s it to me?
• PPT PROPITIOUS: mll
  • it’s a wonder that as in It’s a wonder he didn’t break a bone in that fall.
• PPX PERPLEXIVE: llh
  • Huh? What do you mean…? What the hell? WTF!?You gotta be kidding me!
• PPV PROPOSITIVE: sl
  • what if…It could be that….Consider this: …Posit the following: …Assume for the sake of argument that….
• PSC PROSAIC: žžt
  • Meh... (said in disappointment)How ordinary!
• PSM PRESUMPTIVE: nnţ
  • It can only mean one thing…,and that’s that!and that’s all there is to it! or There’s no two ways about it,….
• RAC REACTIVE: kll
  • My goodness! Wow!Amazing!
• RFL REFLECTIVE: llm
  • Look at it this way…As I see it,…In my opinion…From my point of view…
• RSG RESIGNATIVE: msf
  • So much for...!There goes...!
• RPU REPULSIVE: šštļ
  • Yuck! Ew! How gross!
• RVL REVELATIVE: mmļ
  • No wonder…! or So that’s why…!A-ha!….Well, well, well!….
• SAT SATIATIVE: ļţ vļ
  • How satisfying...!At last, the pleasue of knowing/being/seeing/doing….
    [psychological/emotional pleasure/satiety only]
• SGS SUGGESTIVE: ltç
  • How about...We could...Might I suggest...
• SKP SKEPTICAL: rnž
  • Yeah, right!Oh, sure! Like anyone’s supposed to believe that!
• SOL SOLICITATIVE: ňňs
  • please
• STU STUPEFACTIVE: ļļč
  • Woah!Holy, bejeezus!What the...!Jeez, Louise...!
• TRP TREPIDATIVE: llč
  • Oh, God…Oh, no!….Oh, dear!
    [fear-based]
• VEX VEXATIVE: ksk
  • How annoying!What a bother!What a pain!

Revisor’s Additional Info

Deprecated biases:

• Literal LTL is replaced by the affix HG1/1 or HG1/4
• Cynical CYN is replaced by IRO or SKP Bias
• For expressions as in a manner of speaking, so to speak, and for all intents and purposes, see HG1 and HG2 affixes
• Ithkuil 2011’s INDIGNATIVE IDG usage of the non-intensive form is replaced by SOL

8.6 PSG The Parsing Adjunct

The parsing adjunct has already been explained in Sec. 2.7, Paragraph No. 5.

---

1. In fact, it has been withdrawn and replaced by Modular and Affixual Adjuncts. ↩︎

2. If the identification of the preceding referent is not a proper name, use PNT register instead. ↩︎

3. Use the END adjunct marker for any register where the referent within the register clause is a proper name or a foreign word/phrase. ↩︎