Neelan Grammar Reference

Neelan follows Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) word order with a distinctive dash binding system.

The dash (-) is a crucial grammatical element that binds the subject to the object:

• Regular dash (-): Used when object begins with consonant
• Extended dash (-l-): Used when object begins with vowel

The verb "to be" (bacp) has special properties and does not use the dash system. Note that it's often abbreviated to bac`, or informally, ba`.:

Forms: bacp (formal), bac' (neutral), bá (casual)

When both direct and indirect objects are present:

• Direct object takes the normal position after the dash
• Indirect object comes at the beginning, before the verb

Most verbs are formed by adding -ol to a noun stem:

Neelan has five primary tenses formed by changing the final vowel:

Form continuous tenses by elongating the vowel (except imperfect):

Change final 'l' to 'k' for passive voice:

Auxiliary verbs help express modality and are connected with a dash:

All nouns begin with a capital letter in Neelan:

Add -ith to make any noun plural:

Animate beings can be marked for gender with suffixes:

• -oq = masculine
• -úq = feminine

Neelan allows productive compounding to create new nouns:

Non-noun-based verbs become nouns with the prefix Bidu-:

Add -co to create adjectives:

Add xa- prefix to negate adjectives:

Comparative and superlative forms:

• Comparative: add -go
• Superlative: add -c*go

Add -con to create adverbs (adjective + n):

Adjectives follow the nouns they modify:

Add l- prefix to subject pronouns:

Possessive adjectives follow the nouns they modify:

Add -d to possessive adjectives:

Add fi at the beginning of any statement:

All question words begin with fí-:

Transform question words into conjunctions by changing fí- to sú-:

Compound numbers: Larger numbers are formed by combination:

Add -co to the last word in the number:

Add -il to the last word in the number:

Time hierarchy using the affix system:

Telling time:

Days of the week:

Sample date expression:

Neelan uses postpositions that follow nouns, connected by a colon (:):

Special cases: Postpositions become prepositions with pronouns and proper nouns:

Two main forms of negation:

• xawm - negates entire sentences
• xa- - prefix to negate individual words

Use the prefix tra- to emphasize any word:

Four levels of magnitude/importance:

Key conjunctions for complex sentences:

Neelan article system:

• No definite article - "the" is not expressed
• can - indefinite article "a/an" (used only when necessary)