9.0 The map — what's in this chapter
9 · Syntax — putting words in order · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
| topic | the one thing to remember | sample | see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Word order | flexible; the verb already carries who-does-what, so order is about emphasis | malka khdile "the king rejoiced" | Word order |
| Wh-questions | the question word jumps to the front | mu vedle? "what did he do?" | "Wh-" questions |
| Yes/no questions | no reordering — same as a statement, just a rising tone | aha gorakh-le? "is this your husband?" | Yes/no questions |
| The linker | one particle (-et / kat / t-) = "who / which / that / so that" | nasha kat-nuyne zabunele "the man who sells fish" | The linker |
| "If" | en "if" + present for open conditions; add -va for unreal ones | en-ave khaya… "if he is alive…" | "If" |
| Loading a question | khu and magar tell the listener which answer you expect | khu-levet kpina? "you're not hungry, are you?" | Loading the question |
| Feelings | very often you are not the subject — the feeling is | shenti bitayela "I'm sleepy" (lit. my sleep is coming) | Saying how you feel |
| Topic first | name the thing, then say something about it | ana gna letli "I've done nothing wrong" | Naming the topic first |
| No "is" | background clauses drop the copula | tarra ptikha "the door (being) open" | Leaving the "is" out |
The joining words beyond kat ("when", "until", "as if", reporting what someone said) and the small words that carry a story along have a chapter of their own: Chapter 9B, "Linking sentences". The rest of Khan's syntax (information structure, focus, cleft sentences, regional subordinators) is deep reference material; the "Skipped" note at the end says what's there.
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