A Grammar of Bozh

Introduction

Scope and Purpose

This grammar provides a systematic description of the Bozh language (the 1945th one produced by the Language Creator), outlining its sound system, word formation and syntactic structure, with the aim of presenting a coherent account of the language as an integrated whole. Attention has been paid to both regular patterns and minor irregularities, as these together define the internal balance of the language.

The grammar is accompanied by a bilingual dictionary and a collection of illustrative texts, offering material for further study and comparison. The examples have been selected to demonstrate typical constructions and to give a sense of the language in extended use. The description is intended as a reference work for linguists and language enthusiasts alike, and as a foundation for any future research, teaching or creative adaptation of Bozh.

Typological Profile

It has four genders and a disproportionately large set of glottal and uvular consonants.

Phonology

Phoneme Inventory

Consonants

Bozh has an extremely large consonant inventory, totalling 91 phonemes. Such a system is exceptional in scale.

It has a disproportionately large set of glottal and uvular consonants, a wide range of approximant contrasts, a notably rich set of sibilant contrasts, a broad set of voiced–voiceless oppositions and a noticeable presence of pharyngealised phonemes.

The table below presents the full inventory of consonant phonemes in Bozh. The chart lists all places and manners of articulation attested in the language.

labialdentallab. dentalphar. dentalalveolarlab. alveolarphar. alveolarpostalveolarlateralpalatalretroflexvelarlab. velaruvularlab. uvularglottal
stopp b d t dʷ tʷ dˤ tˤ ɖ ʈ k ɡ kʷ ɡʷ q ɢ qʷ ɢʷ ʔ
ejective stoppʼ tʼ tʷʼ tˤʼ ʈʼ kʼ kʷʼ qʼ qʷʼ
nasalm n nʷ nˤ ɲ ɳ ŋ ŋʷ
trill/tap/flapr rʷ rˤ ɽ
fricativef s z sʷ zʷ sˤ zˤ ʃ ʒ ʂ ʐ h
approximantɥ ɹ ɹʷ ɹˤ l j ɻ
affricated͡z t͡s d͡zʷ t͡sʷ d͡zˤ t͡sˤ d͡ʒ t͡ʃ
implosiveɓ ɗ ɗʷ ɗˤ ᶑ ʄ
clickᵏǀ ᵏǀʷ ᵏǀˤ ᵏǁ
ejective clickᵏǀʼ ᵏǀʷʼ ᵏǀˤʼ ᵏǁʼ
click, nasalᵑǀ ᵑǀʷ ᵑǀˤ ᵑǁ
ejective click, nasalᵑǀʼ ᵑǀʷʼ ᵑǀˤʼ ᵑǁʼ

Vowels

Bozh has more than 14 vowel qualities. This constitutes an exceptionally rich vowel inventory, with numerous distinct categories represented in the chart.

It has a fully developed system of nasal vowels matching the oral height distinctions, phonologically distinctive back unrounded vowels, a regular pattern of underlying ghost nuclei that often delete, a maximally “square” vowel system balancing heights across backness and a fully three-way front–central–back distinction.

The table below presents the full inventory of vowel phonemes in Bozh. The system comprises the distinct vowel qualities listed in the chart.

frontcentralback unroundedback rounded
closei ĩ ɨ ɨ̃ ɯ ɯ̃ u ũ
close-mide ẽ o õ
midə ə̃ ɤ
opena ã ɑ ɑ̃

Stress and Tones

Bozh has phonemic stress and 2 lexical tones. Each lexical item carries a tonal specification associated with the first vowel of the root, which determines the overall tonal contour of the word.

Phonological Processes

Vowel Harmony

Vowel harmony does not exist in this language.

Writing System

Introduction

Bozh is normally written using the Latin alphabet, whose familiarity makes it straightforward for most readers. For clarity and precision, phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) are also provided throughout this grammar.

Orthography

Here are the various components of the orthography:

Simple letters

a /a/b /b/c /ᵏǀ/c̣ /ᵏǀˤ/
d /d/ḍ /dˤ/e /ə/f /f/
g /ɡ/h /h/i /i/j /d͡ʒ/
k /k/l /l/m /m/n /n/
ṇ /nˤ/o /o/p /p/q /q/
r /r/ṛ /rˤ/s /s/ṣ /sˤ/
t /t/ṭ /tˤ/u /u/w /w/
x /ᵏǁ/y /j/z /z/ẓ /zˤ/
å /ɑ/é /e/ï /ɨ/ñ /ɲ/
ơ /ɤ/ư /ɯ/ɥ /ɥ/ɹ /ɹ/
ɹ̣ /ɹˤ/ɻ /ɻ/ẽ /ə̃/

Multi-letter combinations such as digraphs

aa /aː/ai /ai/an /ã/
anan /ãː/au /au/bb /ɓ/
bp /pʼ/ch /t͡ʃ/cw /ᵏǀʷ/
dd /ɗ/ddw /ɗʷ/dḍ /ɗˤ/
dt /tʼ/dtw /tʼʷ/dṭ /tʼˤ/
dw /dʷ/dz /d͡z/dzw /d͡zʷ/
dẓ /d͡zˤ/ee /əː/gk /kʼ/
gq /qʼ/gqu /kʼʷ/gqw /qʼʷ/
gw /ɡʷ/ii /iː/in /ĩ/
inin /ĩː/jj /ʄ/nc /ᵑǀ/
ncw /ᵑǀʷ/nc̣ /ᵑǀˤ/ng /ŋ/
ngw /ŋʷ/nw /nʷ/nx /ᵑǁ/
on /õ/onon /õː/oo /oː/
qu /kʷ/qw /qʷ/rd /ɖ/
rdd /ᶑ/rn /ɳ/rr /ɽ/
rs /ʂ/rt /ʈ/rw /rʷ/
rz /ʐ/sh /ʃ/sw /sʷ/
tw /tʷ/tz /t͡s/tzw /t͡sʷ/
tẓ /t͡sˤ/un /ũ/unun /ũː/
uu /uː/zh /ʒ/zw /zʷ/
ån /ɑ̃/ånån /ɑ̃ː/åå /ɑː/
én /ẽ/énén /ẽː/éé /eː/
ïn /ɨ̃/ïnïn /ɨ̃ː/ïï /ɨː/
ħg /ɢ/ħgw /ɢʷ/ơơ /ɤː/
ưn /ɯ̃/ưnưn /ɯ̃ː/ưư /ɯː/
ɔi /ɔi/ɹw /ɹʷ/ʈʼ /ʈʼ/
ᵏǀʼ /ᵏǀʼ/ᵏǀʼw /ᵏǀʼʷ/ᵏǀʼ̣ /ᵏǀʼˤ/
ᵏǁʼ /ᵏǁʼ/ᵑǀʼ /ᵑǀʼ/ᵑǀʼw /ᵑǀʼʷ/
ᵑǀʼ̣ /ᵑǀʼˤ/ᵑǁʼ /ᵑǁʼ/’ /ʔ/

Diacritics

◌̀ /̰ˈ/

Word Classes and Morphology

Number and Gender

Number

Bozh does not have grammatical number.

Gender

Bozh has the following genders:

Gender cl.1 – for instance: dtwừɥ ‘sun’, dzi’een ‘money’, dẓïswdṭờp ‘rope’, gkiiẓb ‘rain’, gqwirsdtïï̀rzgq ‘plain’, kaiɻ ‘ear’, nxiǹsqu ‘year’, ṇozhḍ ‘sea’, ṇïrdaàtẓ ‘sand’, rdunungqw ‘star’, rnïï̀zhgk ‘mother’, rrauṣʈʼ ‘earth’, rruùrdd ‘eye’, rzgquwưnưǹl ‘forest’, sbpadzw ‘woman’, sqiniǹh ‘daughter’, zgqwizgqu ‘fire’, ẓbpưừbb ‘time’, ñénéǹqw ‘water’, ɻìṛ ‘nose’.

Gender cl.2 – for instance: c̣ingéṛ ‘knee’, dwï̀gw ‘boy’, dưtwiǹrw ‘bosom’, gqưưrt ‘back’, qwach ‘husband’, rstwïdonrzgq ‘faeces’, rsårnanaǹdz ‘fingernail’, shïtưưtzw ‘penis’, sṭénéǹɥ ‘speech’, swgqwåå̀dtw ‘mouth’, twiddwozwrd ‘guts’, twéét ‘city’, zhħgwåḍaùẓ ‘vagina’, zhʈʼɔìzhdtw ‘son’, zwgwénéǹshṭ ‘language’, zwiǹṣdt ‘friend’, zwtwèrzt ‘heart’, ñatzarzk ‘hunter’, ɹapiìsdṭ ‘liver’, ᵑǀʼ̣utz ‘bone’.

Gender cl.3 – for instance: dtưqùṣdṭ ‘flower’, dṭirstwơzwqw ‘bank’, dẓashuɹw ‘court’, gqurwam ‘seed’, gwaizw’ ‘idea’, nazwgwé̀ṣṭ ‘horn’, qwirddib ‘net’, rddézoòp ‘feather’, rsgquừswp ‘north’, rsờswgqw ‘chair’, rzïrdaang ‘market’, swaḍék ‘religion’, swdtwbiizħg ‘ash’, swgkéɹèzhʈʼ ‘embrace’, sʈʼijïï̀rstw ‘breast’, ṣqwaurzd ‘house’, xṣìzhʈʼ ‘medicine’, ztwaɹ̣å̀gqu ‘jaguar’, ɹ̣ésdṭéérzṭ ‘student’, ʈʼơzhħg ‘west’.

Gender cl.4 – for instance: bbïnïǹzhħgw ‘fight’, bizhezhħgw ‘wild boar’, buʈʼòẓb ‘worm’, dzwoòrs ‘bird’, mẓestw ‘bark’, qwil ‘road’, rsgquinɹ̣ ‘animal’, rsṭiǹʈʼ ‘dog’, rsơngw ‘inside’, siħg ‘meat’, twinindḍ ‘fruit’, tẓiṣtìdd ‘mammal’, zwḍiirsq ‘fish’, zwgquìzhḍ ‘top’, zwtwobbé̀rsdtw ‘lamb’, ɹwaiw ‘people’, ɹwdtïẓt ‘box’, ɹwåṣ’èɻ ‘cheese’, ɹwåɹwé̀zwħgw ‘tiger’, ᵏǀʼwìb ‘human being’.

The Nominal Phrase

Nominal phrases in Bozh can be exemplified by the following example:

Sbpadzw zibbòrzp bbiħgå̀dtw zwħgiìrsʈʼ kèṣt rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk ᵑǁʼé̀zwʈʼ jï̀rzaqw.

[ˈspʼad͡zʷ ziɓo̰ˈʐp ɓiɢɑ̰ˈtʼʷ zʷɢiː̰ˈʂʈʼ kə̰ˈsˤt ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk ᵑǁʼḛˈzʷʈʼ d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐaqʷ]

ˈspʼad͡zʷ
woman
ziɓo̰ˈʐp
COMIT
ɓi-
cl.3
ɢɑ̰ˈtʼʷ
knife
zʷɢiː̰ˈʂʈʼ
blind
k-
NOM
ə̰ˈ
yon
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
ᵑǁʼḛˈzʷʈʼ
three
d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐ
catch
-aqʷ
PAST

“The woman with the knife caught those three blind mice.”

(1)

In the following, we shall look at the various components in more details.

There are no clitics in the nominal phrase.

The Noun

The noun in Bozh consists of first, an optional prefix expressing case, comprising ɹư- /ɹɯ-/ ‘GEN’, qwå- /qʷɑ-/ ‘DAT’, wé- /we-/ ‘INS’, rz’a- /ʐʔa-/ ‘VOC’, rz’- /ʐʔᵊ-/ ‘ALL’, rsgkï- /ʂkʼɨ-/ ‘LOC’, zhṭa- /ʒtˤa-/ ‘ABL’ and c̣i- /ᵏǀˤi-/ ‘PART’; second, an optional prefix expressing gender, comprising yå- /jɑ-/ ‘cl.2’, bbi- /ɓi-/ ‘cl.3’ and rzï- /ʐɨ-/ ‘cl.4’; and finally, third, the root.

The noun displays the following derivational morphology: 20 prefixes, namely di- /di-/ ‘little’, dzwé- /d͡zʷe-/ ‘big’, rzṭa- /ʐtˤa-/ ‘old’, ᵑǁʼo- /ᵑǁʼo-/ ‘new’, nwu- /nʷu-/ ‘good’, zo- /zo-/ ‘bad’, swqw- /sʷqʷᵊ-/ ‘have’, ɥå- /ɥɑ-/ ‘use’, zwu- /zʷu-/ ‘see’, ᵏǀʼï- /ᵏǀʼɨ-/ ‘make’, ngwé- /ŋʷe-/ ‘break’, dwư- /dʷɯ-/ ‘eat’, lï- /lɨ-/ ‘drink’, rtï- /ʈɨ-/ ‘wear’, sï- /sɨ-/ ‘own’, rsgqwa- /ʂqʼʷa-/ ‘contain’, ᵏǀʼå- /ᵏǀʼɑ-/ ‘hold’, qué- /kʷe-/ ‘lack’, co- /ᵏǀo-/ ‘touch’ and ṣta- /sˤta-/ ‘carry’

The Adjective

In Bozh, the adjective has the following structure: first, an obligatory prefix expressing gender, comprising h- /h-/ ‘cl.1’, swp- /sʷp-/ ‘cl.2’, ħgw- /ɢʷ-/ ‘cl.3’ and zwp- /zʷp-/ ‘cl.4’; second, the root; and finally, third, an optional suffix expressing case, comprising -usw’ /-usʷʔ/ ‘GEN’, -ådẓ /-ɑd͡zˤ/ ‘DAT’, -uzwgw /-uzʷɡʷ/ ‘INS’, -éh /-eh/ ‘VOC’, -ubb /-uɓ/ ‘ALL’, -åsdṭ /-ɑstʼˤ/ ‘LOC’, -åɹw /-ɑɹʷ/ ‘ABL’ and -usdtw /-ustʼʷ/ ‘PART’.

Numerals

The numeral in Bozh stands alone without any prefixes or suffixes attached to it.

Determiners

In Bozh, the determiner has the following structure: first, an obligatory prefix expressing case, comprising k- /k-/ ‘NOM’, ṣʈʼ- /sˤʈʼ-/ ‘GEN’, shqw- /ʃqʷ-/ ‘DAT’, ħgw- /ɢʷ-/ ‘INS’, nc- /ᵑǀ-/ ‘VOC’, sgqw- /sqʼʷ-/ ‘ALL’, zwq- /zʷq-/ ‘LOC’, ᵑǀʼw- /ᵑǀʼʷ-/ ‘ABL’ and ẓgqw- /zˤqʼʷ-/ ‘PART’; second, the root; and finally, third, an obligatory suffix expressing gender, comprising -zwp /-zʷp/ ‘cl.1’, -zwḍ /-zʷdˤ/ ‘cl.2’, -ṣdtw /-sˤtʼʷ/ ‘cl.3’ and -ṣt /-sˤt/ ‘cl.4’.

Pronouns

The pronoun in Bozh stands alone without any prefixes or suffixes attached to it.

In Bozh, subject pronouns (but not object pronouns ones) are dropped unless they are stressed. Here is an example where neither of the pronouns are stressed:

Ẓgonzṭ ᵏǀʼwonṣp.

[ˈzˤɡõztˤ ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp]

ˈzˤɡõztˤ
3.cl.1
ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp
love

“He (the boy) loves her (the girl).”

(2)

But here, the word corresponding to he (i.e., the subject) is stressed:

Zhbuẓdtw ẓgonzṭ ᵏǀʼwonṣp.

[ˈʒbuzˤtʼʷ ˈzˤɡõztˤ ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp]

ˈʒbuzˤtʼʷ
3.cl.2
ˈzˤɡõztˤ
3.cl.1
ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp
love

“He loves her.”

(3)

Proper Nouns

YåTaẓưnzhp Nwgquesʈʼ zħgogqåå̀zwħg.

[jɑtaˈzˤɯ̃ʒp nʷᵊˈkʼʷəsʈʼ zɢoqʼɑː̰ˈzʷɢ]

jɑ-
cl.2
taˈzˤɯ̃ʒp
Tazuzahp
nʷᵊˈkʼʷəsʈʼ
Nkast
zɢoqʼɑː̰ˈzʷɢ
hate

“Tazuzahp hates Nkast.”

(4)

Possession

ɹưyådwï̀gw rzïswṭẽshédw

[ɹɯjɑdʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ ʐɨsʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ]

ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
dʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ
boy
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ
apple

“the boy’s apple”

(5)
zhbuẓdtw rzïswṭẽshédw

[ˈʒbuzˤtʼʷ ʐɨsʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ]

ˈʒbuzˤtʼʷ
3.cl.2
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ
apple

“his (the boy’s) apple”

(6)
zwgqaaswgqu rzïswṭẽshédw

[ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ ʐɨsʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ]

ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ
1excl
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ
apple

“my apple”

(7)
ɹưyåñatzarzk sqiniǹh ᵏǁʼìrzbp ɹưyåncwéswqwoòʈʼ yåzhʈʼɔìzhdtw ncwrnunuǹzhkaqw.

[ɹɯjɑɲaˈt͡saʐk sqĩː̰ˈh ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ ɹɯjɑᵑǀʷesʷqʷoː̰ˈʈʼ jɑʒʈʼɔḭˈʒtʼʷ ᵑǀʷᵊɳũː̰ˈʒkaqʷ]

ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
ɲaˈt͡saʐk
hunter
sqĩː̰ˈh
daughter
ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ
2
ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
ᵑǀʷesʷqʷoː̰ˈʈʼ
neighbour
jɑ-
cl.2
ʒʈʼɔḭˈʒtʼʷ
son
ᵑǀʷᵊɳũː̰ˈʒk
kiss
-aqʷ
PAST

“The hunter’s daughter kissed your neighbour’s son.”

(8)

Derivation

kưnṣt rzïzwtwobbé̀rsdtw

[ˈkɯ̃sˤt ʐɨzʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ]

k-
NOM
ˈɯ̃
a
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
zʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ
lamb

“a lamb”

(9)
kưnṣt rzïdizwtwobbé̀rsdtw

[ˈkɯ̃sˤt ʐɨdizʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ]

k-
NOM
ˈɯ̃
a
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
di-
little
zʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ
lamb

“a little lamb”

(10)
Kưnṣt rzïdizwtwobbé̀rsdtw swbpénéǹzwquaqw.

[ˈkɯ̃sˤt ʐɨdizʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ sʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷaqʷ]

k-
NOM
ˈɯ̃
a
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
di-
little
zʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ
lamb
sʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷ
have
-aqʷ
PAST

“She had a little lamb.”

(11)
Ṇaswbpénéǹzwquaqw.

[nˤasʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷaqʷ]

nˤa-
want
sʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷ
have
-aqʷ
PAST

“She wanted to have a little lamb.”

(12)
Kưnṣt rzïdizwtwobbé̀rsdtw swbpénéǹzwquaqw wïzhdaqw stwonoǹzhṭ.

[ˈkɯ̃sˤt ʐɨdizʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ sʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷaqʷ ˈwɨʒdaqʷ stʷõː̰ˈʒtˤ]

k-
NOM
ˈɯ̃
a
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
di-
little
zʷtʷoɓḛˈʂtʼʷ
lamb
sʷpʼẽː̰ˈzʷkʷ
have
-aqʷ
PAST
ˈwɨʒd
want
-aqʷ
PAST
stʷõː̰ˈʒtˤ
often

“She often wanted to have a little lamb.”

(13)

Compounding

Verbs

Inflectional Categories

There is one type of clitic in the verbal phrase, namely a proclitic (placed initially), expressing mode. a clitic expressing mode, comprising sïr /sɨr/ ‘imperative’, wor /wor/ ‘conditional’ and xanw /ᵏǁanʷ/ ‘optative’.

In addition, the verb is structured like this: first, an optional prefix expressing voice, comprising fư- /fɯ-/ ‘passive’; second, the root; third, an optional suffix expressing ta, comprising -aqw /-aqʷ/ ‘PAST’; fourth, an optional suffix expressing negation, comprising -åzgw /-ɑzɡʷ/ ‘NEG’; and finally, fifth, an optional suffix expressing question, comprising -ïh /-ɨh/ ‘Q’.

The verb displays the following derivational morphology: 12 prefixes, namely tzwa- /t͡sʷa-/ ‘begin’, zhtw- /ʒtʷᵊ-/ ‘stop’, sgqwé- /sqʼʷe-/ ‘continue’, zgké- /zkʼe-/ ‘try’, ᵑǀʼwi- /ᵑǀʼʷi-/ ‘start’, ṇa- /nˤa-/ ‘want’, lu- /lu-/ ‘can’, ’ư- /ʔɯ-/ ‘finish’, ᵑǀʼwa- /ᵑǀʼʷa-/ ‘need’, zwgwư- /zʷɡʷɯ-/ ‘decide’, ncw- /ᵑǀʷᵊ-/ ‘fail’ and zwdté- /zʷtʼe-/ ‘hope’

ᵏǁʼìrzbp ᵏǀʼwonṣp.

[ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp]

ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ
2
ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp
love

“I love you.”

(14)

Adverbs Minor Classes

Adpositions

There is one type of clitic in the adpositional phrase, namely an enclitic (placed finally), expressing root.

ddưǹrsgq yårddauzwqu rzïnxiìzwdt

[ɗɯ̰̃ˈʂqʼ jɑˈᶑauzʷkʷ ʐɨᵑǁiː̰ˈzʷtʼ]

ɗɯ̰̃ˈʂqʼ
in
jɑ-
cl.2
ˈᶑauzʷkʷ
table
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ᵑǁiː̰ˈzʷtʼ
surface

“on the table”

(15)
qwåǹk rzïɹwdtïẓt rzïrsơngw

[qʷɑ̰̃ˈk ʐɨɹʷᵊˈtʼɨzˤt ʐɨˈʂɤŋʷ]

qʷɑ̰̃ˈk
to
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ɹʷᵊˈtʼɨzˤt
box
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ˈʂɤŋʷ
inside

“into the box”

(16)
zibbòrzp zwgqaaswgqu

[ziɓo̰ˈʐp ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ]

ziɓo̰ˈʐp
COMIT
ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ
1excl

“with me”

(17)

Syntax

Basic Clause Structure

Constituent Order

Constituent order describes the typical arrangement of the subject (S), verb (V) and object (O) in simple declarative clauses. It is a fundamental parameter in grammatical description and forms one of the clearest ways of characterising the overall structure of a language’s clause system.

Bozh has basic Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) word order. The subject precedes the object, and the verb appears at the end of the clause. This is one of the most frequent patterns cross-linguistically.

The following examples illustrate the basic, unmarked, constituent order in Bozh.

Bbiztwaɹ̣å̀gqu yåñatzarzk gqwòrraqw.

[ɓiztʷaɹˤɑ̰ˈkʼʷ jɑɲaˈt͡saʐk qʼʷo̰ˈɽaqʷ]

ɓi-
cl.3
ztʷaɹˤɑ̰ˈkʼʷ
jaguar
jɑ-
cl.2
ɲaˈt͡saʐk
hunter
qʼʷo̰ˈɽ
kill
-aqʷ
PAST

“The jaguar killed the hunter.”

(18)
Rzïħgaṣṭéǹẓgqu ɹưyåñatzarzk ɹưsqiniǹh rzïrsṭiǹʈʼ ṣpånzhtaqw.

[ʐɨɢasˤtˤḛ̃ˈzˤkʼʷ ɹɯjɑɲaˈt͡saʐk ɹɯsqĩː̰ˈh ʐɨʂtˤḭ̃ˈʈʼ ˈsˤpɑ̃ʒtaqʷ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ɢasˤtˤḛ̃ˈzˤkʼʷ
lion
ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
ɲaˈt͡saʐk
hunter
ɹɯ-
GEN
sqĩː̰ˈh
daughter
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʂtˤḭ̃ˈʈʼ
dog
ˈsˤpɑ̃ʒt
eat
-aqʷ
PAST

“The lion ate the hunter’s daughter’s dog.”

(19)

The language has a fixed constituent order, and major phrases normally appear in a predictable position in the clause. Movement for discourse reasons is highly restricted: topics and foci are expressed not by rearranging elements, but through dedicated constructions such as clefts, focus clauses or topic–comment frames. Constituents remain continuous, and both the relative order of phrases and the internal structure of each phrase are stable. As a result, significant deviations from the basic word order are ungrammatical, and discourse structure is managed through these specialised constructions rather than through word-order variation.

Noun Phrases

Structure and Order

The internal structure of noun phrases in Bozh reveals typologically significant preferences in the ordering of nominal constituents. This includes the position of adjectives, numerals, and possessors relative to the noun, each of which can offer clues to the overall headedness of the language.

Possessive constructions are head-final: the possessor precedes the possessed noun. For example, Bozh expresses “the child’s toy” with the equivalent of “child toy”. This ordering is found in many SOV and postpositional languages and aligns with a broader tendency towards modifier-first structures.

ᵏǁʼìrzbp ɹưyåzhʈʼɔìzhdtw ɹưyåzwiǹṣdt bbirsi’oo’

[ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ ɹɯjɑʒʈʼɔḭˈʒtʼʷ ɹɯjɑzʷḭ̃ˈsˤtʼ ɓiʂiʔoːʔ]

ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ
2
ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
ʒʈʼɔḭˈʒtʼʷ
son
ɹɯ-
GEN
jɑ-
cl.2
zʷḭ̃ˈsˤtʼ
friend
ɓi-
cl.3
ʂiʔoːʔ
book

“your son’s friend’s book”

(20)

Case Marking

Bozh does not use case marking to distinguish the core participants of the clause. There is therefore no regular nominative, accusative, ergative, active or stative marking on subjects and objects. Instead, the roles of the participants are identified by other means, cf. the examples below.

Rzïrzḍonoǹf ṣ’ashtw.

[ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ˈsˤʔaʃtʷ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ˈsˤʔaʃtʷ
sleep

“The cat is sleeping.”

(21)
Rzïrzḍonoǹf swrtuǹrt.

[ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf sʷʈṵ̃ˈʈ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
sʷʈṵ̃ˈʈ
run

“The cat is running.”

(22)
Rzïrzḍonoǹf rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk kirzrdaǹm.

[ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk kiʐɖã̰ˈm]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
kiʐɖã̰ˈm
chase

“The cat is chasing the mouse.”

(23)
Rzïrzḍonoǹf rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk jï̀rzaqw.

[ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐaqʷ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐ
catch
-aqʷ
PAST

“The cat caught the mouse.”

(24)

Conjunctions

Here is an example of a conjunction.

Yåñatzarzk bbiztwaɹ̣å̀gqu ᵏǀʼwansw rzïɹwåɹwé̀zwħgw ᵏǀʼwansw rzïħgaṣṭéǹẓgqu gqwòrraqw.

[jɑɲaˈt͡saʐk ɓiztʷaɹˤɑ̰ˈkʼʷ ˈᵏǀʼʷãsʷ ʐɨɹʷɑɹʷḛˈzʷɢʷ ˈᵏǀʼʷãsʷ ʐɨɢasˤtˤḛ̃ˈzˤkʼʷ qʼʷo̰ˈɽaqʷ]

jɑ-
cl.2
ɲaˈt͡saʐk
hunter
ɓi-
cl.3
ztʷaɹˤɑ̰ˈkʼʷ
jaguar
ˈᵏǀʼʷãsʷ
and
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ɹʷɑɹʷḛˈzʷɢʷ
tiger
ˈᵏǀʼʷãsʷ
and
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ɢasˤtˤḛ̃ˈzˤkʼʷ
lion
qʼʷo̰ˈɽ
kill
-aqʷ
PAST

“The hunter killed the jaguars, the tigers and the lions.”

(25)

Modifiers and Determiners

The ordering of demonstratives, articles (if present), and other modifiers in Bozh provides further insight into the structure of the noun phrase. These elements frequently exhibit fixed positions and may reveal whether the language favours head-initial or head-final patterns.

Complex Sentences

Relative Clauses

Bozh forms relative clauses by placing them before the noun they modify. The modifier takes the form of a finite clause that precedes the head noun without any relative pronoun. The clause shows ordinary clausal structure, with the role of the head noun recoverable from the syntactic position inside the clause.

To illustrate how relative clauses work, let us begin with a simple sentence:

Rzïrzḍonoǹf shérsgkừquaqw.

[ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷaqʷ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷ
pat
-aqʷ
PAST

“I patted the cat.”

(26)

We can now add a relative clause modifying the noun:

Rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk jï̀rzaqw rzïrzḍonoǹf shérsgkừquaqw.

[ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐaqʷ ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷaqʷ]

ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐ
catch
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷ
pat
-aqʷ
PAST

“I patted the cat that caught the mouse.”

(27)

Relative clauses may themselves contain other relative clauses:

Dwưɹwåṣ’èɻaqw rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk jï̀rzaqw rzïrzḍonoǹf shérsgkừquaqw.

[dʷɯɹʷɑsˤʔə̰ˈɻaqʷ ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐaqʷ ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷaqʷ]

dʷɯ-
eat
ɹʷɑsˤʔə̰ˈɻ
cheese
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐ
catch
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷ
pat
-aqʷ
PAST

“I patted the cat that caught the mouse that ate the cheese.”

(28)

Finally, here is an example containing several layers of embedding:

Zwgqaaswgqu s’ååzgqaqw rzïɹwåṣ’èɻ ṣpånzhtaqw rzïṣ’ïrsʈʼiǹṣk jï̀rzaqw rzïrzḍonoǹf shérsgkừquaqw.

[ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ ˈsʔɑːzqʼaqʷ ʐɨɹʷɑsˤʔə̰ˈɻ ˈsˤpɑ̃ʒtaqʷ ʐɨsˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐaqʷ ʐɨʐdˤõː̰ˈf ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷaqʷ]

ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ
1excl
ˈsʔɑːzqʼ
buy
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ɹʷɑsˤʔə̰ˈɻ
cheese
ˈsˤpɑ̃ʒt
eat
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sˤʔɨʂʈʼḭ̃ˈsˤk
mouse
d͡ʒɨ̰ˈʐ
catch
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
ʐdˤõː̰ˈf
cat
ʃeʂkʼɯ̰ˈkʷ
pat
-aqʷ
PAST

“I patted the cat that caught the mouse that ate the cheese that I bought.”

(29)

Complementation Strategies

Bozh forms complement clauses by nominalising the embedded verb. The nominalised form lacks finite verbal categories and behaves as a noun phrase. Subjects of nominalised clauses occur in the genitive case, and the nominalised verb establishes the semantic content of the complement.

The following example illustrate how complement clauses function:

Yådwï̀gw ᵑǀʼ̣aarw kưnṣt rzïswṭẽshédw dzưừfaqw rzïsérsaang gquddinswdṭaqw.

[jɑdʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ ˈᵑǀʼˤaːrʷ ˈkɯ̃sˤt ʐɨsʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ d͡zɯː̰ˈfaqʷ ʐɨseʂaːŋ kʼʷᵊˈɗĩsʷtʼˤaqʷ]

jɑ-
cl.2
dʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ
boy
ˈᵑǀʼˤaːrʷ
girl
k-
NOM
ˈɯ̃
a
-sˤt
cl.4
ʐɨ-
cl.4
sʷtˤə̃ˈʃedʷ
apple
d͡zɯː̰ˈf
give
-aqʷ
PAST
ʐɨ-
cl.4
seʂaːŋ
teacher
kʼʷᵊˈɗĩsʷtʼˤ
surprise
-aqʷ
PAST

“It surprised the teacher that the boy had given the girl an apple.”

(30)

Quotes

Bozh employs a quotative particle to mark direct and indirect speech. The quotative follows the reported phrase and identifies the preceding expression as quoted or reported. The same construction is also used to express reported thoughts.

Here is an example of how quotations are expressed:

Yådwï̀gw ᵑǀʼ̣aarw zwgqaaswgqu ᵏǁʼìrzbp ᵏǀʼwonṣp ħgwìgaqw.

[jɑdʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ ˈᵑǀʼˤaːrʷ ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp ɢʷḭˈɡaqʷ]

jɑ-
cl.2
dʷɨ̰ˈɡʷ
boy
ˈᵑǀʼˤaːrʷ
girl
ˈzʷqʼaːsʷkʼʷ
1excl
ᵏǁʼḭˈʐpʼ
2
ˈᵏǀʼʷõsˤp
love
ɢʷḭˈɡ
tell
-aqʷ
PAST

“The boy told the girl that he loved her.”

(31)

How to cite this grammar

Language Creator. 2026. A Grammar of Bozh. Generated by the Language Creator, version 0.92, on 3 November 2026. https://languagecreator.org/grammar/6HHAX

In BibTeX format:

@misc{LC-6HHAX,
  year         = 2026,
  author       = {{Language Creator}},
  title        = {A Grammar of {Bozh}},
  howpublished = {\url{https://languagecreator.org/grammar/6HHAX}},
  note         = {Generated by the Language Creator, version 0.92, on 3 November 2026}
}

Supplementary Materials

A collection of illustrative texts and a bilingual dictionary (English–Bozh / Bozh–English) accompany this grammar. The complete work – comprising the grammar, dictionary and texts – may also be downloaded in ODT or DOCX format.

Readers are encouraged to share observations or corrections via the feedback form. The present page may be accessed directly at:

https://languagecreator.org/grammar/6HHAX

Behind the scenes, the Language Creator stores the generated language in a JSON-based format known as ELD. The corresponding ELD file may be downloaded, edited as required, and reuploaded in order to regenerate the grammar, dictionary and texts.

To revisit the questionnaire settings used to generate this language, .

Language creation took 0.04 seconds; writing the grammar 0.06 seconds.