Prepositions
Prepositions are used to introduce phrases. Prepositions link to a target (the most recent subject or verb) with an object (the noun that
immediately follows the preposition).
This lesson lists the prepositions. Preposition prefixes, and the use of phrases to modify nouns, are described in the Noun Phrases lesson. The use of phrases to modify verbs is described in the Verb Phrases lesson.
Prepositions may be enumerated, as described in the Numbers lesson.
This lesson lists the prepositions. Preposition prefixes, and the use of phrases to modify nouns, are described in the Noun Phrases lesson. The use of phrases to modify verbs is described in the Verb Phrases lesson.
Prepositions may be enumerated, as described in the Numbers lesson.
List of Prepositions
The verb prefix determines the tense and aspect of the verb. A verb may have only one verb prefix. Primal has three general verb prefixes:
| Preposition | Pronounced | Meaning | Preposition | Pronounced | Meaning | ||
| DIMENSIONAL | xy | (shee) | above | xyj | (sheech) | below | |
| Jr | (jur) | in-front | Jrj | (jurch) | in-back | ||
| Wu | (wuh) | left | Wuj | (wuhch) | right | ||
| hr | (hur) | before | hrj | (hurch) | after | ||
| PROXIMATE | hy | (hee) | overlapping | hyj | (heech) | separate | |
| ,lw | (looh) | within | ,lwj | (loohch) | surrounding | ||
| Ri | (rih) | near-to | Rij | (rihch) | far-apart | ||
| DIRECTIONAL | Yi | (yih) | around | Yij | (yihch) | by-way-of | |
| pw | (pooh) | to-target | pwj | (pooch) | from-source | ||
| CAUSAL | jw | (chooh) | to-help-with | jwj | (choohch) | to-be-against | |
| fw | (fooh) | therefore | fwj | (foohch) | because-of | ||
| POSSESSIVE | nw | (nooh) | controlling | nwj | (noohch) | controlled-by | |
| mw | (mooh) | owning | mwj | (moohch) | owned-by | ||
| su | (suh) | containing | suj | (suhch) | member-of | ||
| xuj | (shuhch) | phrase+member-of | Xuj | (zhuhch) | both+member-of | ||
| COMPARATIVE | Qw | (dthooh) | more-than | Qwj | (dthooch) | less-than | |
| QC | (dthauw) | similar-to | QCj | (dthauwch) | different-than | ||
| CONJUCTIVE | mu | (muh) | and | muj | (muhch) | neither-nor | |
| hw | (hooh) | if-only | hwj | (hoohch) | exclusive-or | ||
| dw | (dzooh) | whether | dw | (dzoohch) | whether-then | ||
| fi | (fih) | if | fij | (fihch) | if-then | ||
| Yu | (yuh) | and-or | Yuj | (yuhch) | not-both | ||
| SPECIAL | Wi | (wih) | verb-with | ||||
Location-Based Prepositions
The dimensional prepositions describe the location of the target relative to the object. For example, wy xy Yw.
(wee shee yooh, "me above you.") means, "I am above you." Prepositions hr (hur, "before") and
hrj (hurch, "after") refer specifically to time, not to location.
The proximal preposition describe "closeness". They may refer to proximity in space, time, or in a more abstract sense, such as in English, "we are near to an agreement".
The directional prepositions define aim and motion, rather than position. The preposition Yi (yih, "around") means "bypassing", "going around", or "circumventing". Its inverse, Yij (yihch, "by-way-of"), means "by way of" or "encountering". The preposition pw (pooh, "to-target") is a common preposition covered in detail in the Noun Phrases and Verb Phrases lessons. Its converse, pwj (poohch, "from-source"), is similar to English "from".
The proximal preposition describe "closeness". They may refer to proximity in space, time, or in a more abstract sense, such as in English, "we are near to an agreement".
The directional prepositions define aim and motion, rather than position. The preposition Yi (yih, "around") means "bypassing", "going around", or "circumventing". Its inverse, Yij (yihch, "by-way-of"), means "by way of" or "encountering". The preposition pw (pooh, "to-target") is a common preposition covered in detail in the Noun Phrases and Verb Phrases lessons. Its converse, pwj (poohch, "from-source"), is similar to English "from".
Other Prepositions
The causal prepositions describe intent and causation. The preposition jw (chooh, "to-help-with") is similar
to English "in accordance with". It indicates harmony or cooperation between target and object. Its inverse, jwj
(chooch, "to-be-against"), indicates disharmony or opposition.
The preposition fw (fooh, "therefore") indicates that the target causes the object to happen. For example:
The possessive prepositions define a ownership relationship between target and object, in varying degrees. The preposition nw (nooh, "controlling") indicates that the target has control over or access to the object. The preposition mw (mooh, "owning") indicates that the target has rightful ownership of the object. The preposition su (suh, "containing") indicates that the object is a characteristic, or a part of, the target. It is also the most common word in Primal. The preposition su (suh, "containing") and its converse suj (suhch, "member-of") are discussed in depth in both the Noun Phrases and Verb Phrases lessons.
The comparative prepositions are covered in the (advanced) Prepositions II lesson. Conjuctive prepositions and special preposition Wi (wih, "verb-with") are used with verbs, and are covered in the Verb Phrases lesson.
The preposition fw (fooh, "therefore") indicates that the target causes the object to happen. For example:
- People cause mistakes: nufr fw nuHuj. (n'fur fooh n'khhuhch, "indefinite person therefore indefinite error.")
The possessive prepositions define a ownership relationship between target and object, in varying degrees. The preposition nw (nooh, "controlling") indicates that the target has control over or access to the object. The preposition mw (mooh, "owning") indicates that the target has rightful ownership of the object. The preposition su (suh, "containing") indicates that the object is a characteristic, or a part of, the target. It is also the most common word in Primal. The preposition su (suh, "containing") and its converse suj (suhch, "member-of") are discussed in depth in both the Noun Phrases and Verb Phrases lessons.
The comparative prepositions are covered in the (advanced) Prepositions II lesson. Conjuctive prepositions and special preposition Wi (wih, "verb-with") are used with verbs, and are covered in the Verb Phrases lesson.
Compound Prepositions
Prepositions may be combined with each other or with unary suffixes to form compound prepositions. The meaning of a compound preposition is applied
from left to right (left being most significant). A list of common compoound prepositions appears in the (advanced)
Prepositions II lesson.