Conjunctions
Keywords: conjunctions
In Classical Gluonic, conjunctions are black, and are either independent words or clitics. The function to join simple phrases into a more complex single proposition or to join sentences as discourse markers.
Joining Propositions
One function of conjunctions is to join elements into a single proposition, Adjectives can be optionally joined this way within a noun phrase, adverbs can be joined into more complex propositions like this, and noun phrases can be joined into a single verbal argument or object of a preposition.
Adjectives joined in this way necessarily agree in colour with their head.
When whole noun phrases are joined, however, they need not be of the same colour. The colour of the overall conjunct phrase for verbal and pronominal agreement purposes is the colour of the first element, referred to by Gluonicists and the "governor." Whichever element comes first, therefore, is considered to have greater focus, markedly more so than in English, and the only way to avoid this is make sure all of the elements are of the same colour as the governor. Elements of the same colour as the governor in a complex conjunct phrase are considered to have more focus than elements of a different colour.
Clitic Conjunctions
Clitic conjunctions can always be used to join adjectives and adverbs, and are sometimes used to join noun phrases when the phrases are relatively simple. They apply after colour clitics but before any relativising clitic in the case of whole noun phrases. Any relative clause will be interpreted to apply to the entire conjunct.
| Sanderson | Bourque | Gloss | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'pwe | -PWE | and | Applies to the second and further elements, can be chained. Asserts that the conjuncts apply with similar importance in a non-contrastive way |
| 'mee | -MÉ | xor | Applies to the second and further elements, can be chained. Presents options, with the implication that only one is true. |
| 'qaj | -QAj | or | Applies to the second and further elements, can be chained. Presents options, with the implication that at least one is true. In this way, Classical Gluonic betrays its artificial nature, as this xor/or contrast implements a distinction from formal logic. |
| 'lyn | -LYN | but, yet | Applies to the second element, generally cannot be chained. It is like 'pwe except that it expresses a contrast between the elements. It is only used to join adjectives. |
| 'trra | -TRA | then/and then | Applies to the second and further elements, can be chained. Somewhat like 'pwe except it implies a temporal or spatial alternation. |
| 'kki | -K'I | not, neither/nor | Applies to all elements, including the first. It has a non-conjunct use to form negative noun phrases. It is much more likely to be used to join noun phrases than adjectives - when used to join adjectives, they are usually the predicate of a copular expression. Two negative noun phrases with 'kki in a row are interpreted like "neither/nor." |
Examples:
These examples assume already-mentioned referents and omit colour clitics for simplicity.
Aalomu gawmo ivoono ofoono'pwe.
"The dog is white and black."It would be very common to front the subject, "gawmo," in a sentence like this. Because the predicate is an adjectival phrase, "ivoono ofoono'pwe," its colour is dictated by the subject.
Meetale gerane gajme'pwe.
"Child and the dog are sleeping."
In this case, the clitic "and" option was likely chosen
Meetale gerane'kki gajme'kki.
"Neither the child nor the dog is sleeping."
Where Classical Gluonic is not a negative concord language, the positive verb form is used with the negative argument. This could equally be expressed with a negative verb and positive arguments:
Kile meeta gerane gajme'pwe.
"The child and the dog are not sleeping."
Independent Conjunctions
There are a number of independent words that connect noun phrases or adverbs into single expression. They are placed between the items to be joined.
| Sanderson | Bourque | Gloss | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| jeen | JÉN | and | Can be chained. Asserts that the conjuncts apply with similar importance in a non-contrastive way |
| fwaj | FWAj | xor | Can be chained. Presents options, with the implication that only one is true. |
| jaq | JAQ | or | can be chained. Presents options, with the implication that at least one is true. |
| alyn | A-LYN | but/yet | Expresses a contrast between the elements. Typically used with negative clitic 'kki on the second element - x but not y. |
| atrra | A-TRA | then/and then | Can be chained. Somewhat like jeen except it implies a temporal or spatial alternation. |
Examples:
Meetale gerane jeen gajme iveene.
"Child and the white dog are sleeping."
Kwajsule gorano alyn gawmy'kki veppehe.
"The child but not the dog throws the ball."
Discursive Conjunctions
Discursive conjunctions are used to connect whole phrases or sentences in ways that form a cohesive discourse. In Classical Gluonic, discursive conjunctions are distinct from non-discursive conjunctions, and are independent, black words.
| Sanderson | Bourque | Gloss | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| pajo | PAj-O | and, and then, then | Expresses a sequence of events or a neutral string of statements which are related and simultaneously true. Can be chained. |
| menda | MEN-DA | but, however, yet | Expressed that the following statement contrasts in an unexpected way with the preceding statement, and is surprising because of the first statement, |
| diin | DÍN | so, therefore | Expresses that the following statement follows logically from the preceding statement |
| mekke | ME-K'E | despite | Like "menda," connects to contrasting ideas, but has the opposite emphasis, says that the preceding statement is surprising based on the following statement. |
| wawyn | WAw-YN | xor | One or the other of its arguments is true but not both. Can be chained. |
| gerre | GE-RE | or | At least one of its arguments is true, and both can be true, can be chained. |
| bessem | BE-S*EM | like, as, just as | States that the following statement is comparable or equivalent to the preceding. |
One thing missing from the conjunctions from the point of view of English speakers is any way to use conjunctions to construct an if/then type of statement. That is instead handled using modal verbs.
Discursive conjunctions can also express temporal relationships between clauses.
| Sanderson | Bourque | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| rruuki | RÚ-KI | before |
| genta | GEN-TA | after |
| banaq | BA-NAQ | while/during |
The dircursive conjunctions can also function more like adverbs and take a noun phrase as their argument.