Arthurian is an inflected language with a free word order. Nouns, pronouns and adjectives are declined according to case while verbs are inflected for tense, finite mood and non-finite mood. Noun, pronoun and adjective declensions are signified by the addition of a suffix to a word, while verb cases are noted by the addition of a prefix or an auxiliary word prior to the root verb.
There are no genders, definite or indefinite articles, or numbers in Arthurian grammar. Articles are determined based on context, while plurals require the addition of number-words in order to take effect.
Although Arthurian employs a free word order, in modern usage it is most common to take a subject-verb-object approach and to position adjectives before nouns.
Verbs
Arthurian verbs represent three grammatical elements of a sentence.
Tense reflects whether an action takes place in the present, past or future and is determined by prefixes added to a verb's root. Verbs of the present tense are the root word. Verbs of the past tense take the prefix 'ge-'. Verbs of the future tense take the prefix 'va-'. Unlike other languages, there is no distinction in Arthurian between perfect, imperfect and pluperfect.
Present Tense
I read the book. | I am reading the book. | I have read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
Past Tense
I read the book. | I was reading the book. | I had read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Future Tense
I will read the book. | I will be reading the book | I will have read the book. | Jeg valæs boker.
I read the book. | I am reading the book. | I have read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
Past Tense
I read the book. | I was reading the book. | I had read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Future Tense
I will read the book. | I will be reading the book | I will have read the book. | Jeg valæs boker.
Finite Mood reflects whether a verb is real, abstract or a command, and is determined by an auxiliary word preceding the verb's root. The indicative demonstrates a statement of fact and takes the root word. The subjunctive reflects judgement and is preceded by the word 'skal' (the standalone word for 'shall'). The imperative is intended as a command, and is preceded by the word 'vær' (the standalone word for 'be'). If the subjunctive or imperative are used in the past or future tense, then it is their auxiliary verbs which take the prefixes of 'ge-' or 'va-'.
Indicative Mood (Present and Past)
I read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
I read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Subjunctive Mood (Present and Past)
I should read the book. | Jeg skal læs boker.
I should have read the book. | Jeg geskal læs boker.
Imperative Mood (Present and Future)
Read the book! | Deg vær læs boker.
You will read the book! | Deg vavær læs boker.
I read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
I read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Subjunctive Mood (Present and Past)
I should read the book. | Jeg skal læs boker.
I should have read the book. | Jeg geskal læs boker.
Imperative Mood (Present and Future)
Read the book! | Deg vær læs boker.
You will read the book! | Deg vavær læs boker.
Non-Finite Mood represents whether a verb is itself the subject of a sentence and is determined by the addition of auxiliary words to a root. The infinitive is used in Arthurian for verbs which reflect the actions of a subject on an object; it simply takes the verb's root. The gerund is used when a verb functions as a noun and therefore takes a non-verbal role in a sentence; it is preceded by the word 'at'. The gerundive is used for verbs which function as adjectives, and is preceded by the word 'benhof'. If the gerund and gerundive are used in the past and future tense, then it is the finite verb of the sentence or clause which takes the prefix 'ge-' or 'va-'.
Infinitive Mood (Present and Past)
I read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
I read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Gerund Mood (Present and Past)
Subject | Extraposed Subject | Subject Complement | Direct Object | Prepositional Object | Adverbial | Noun Phrase | Adjective Phrase | Preposition Complement
Reading books is enjoyable. | At læs boker vær skoven. | At læs boker gevær skoven.
It is enjoyable reading books. | Deg vær skoven at læs boker. | Deg gevær skoven at læs boker.
I look forward to reading books. | Jeg forvant at læs boker. | Jeg geforvant at læs boker.
I can't stop reading books. | Jeg iker halt at læs boker. | Jeg iker gehalt at læs boker.
I dream of reading books. | Jeg draum at læs boker. | Jeg gedraum at læs boker.
I sit in a chair reading books. | Jeg sit in stolir at læs boker. | Jeg gesit in stolir at læs boker.
It's a picture of a man reading books. | Deg vær mynder af maðurig at læs bokir. | Deg gevær mynder af maðurig at læs bokir.
I am busy reading books. | Jeg huptak at læs boker. | Jeg gehuptak at læs boker.
I take pleasure in reading books. | Jeg tak ønaðurer at læs bokir. | Jeg getaker ønaðurer at læs bokir.
Gerundive (Present and Past)
A book is something which must be read. | Bok vær benhof læs.
A book was something which should have been read. | Bok gevær benhof læs.
I read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
I read the book. | Jeg gelæs boker.
Gerund Mood (Present and Past)
Subject | Extraposed Subject | Subject Complement | Direct Object | Prepositional Object | Adverbial | Noun Phrase | Adjective Phrase | Preposition Complement
Reading books is enjoyable. | At læs boker vær skoven. | At læs boker gevær skoven.
It is enjoyable reading books. | Deg vær skoven at læs boker. | Deg gevær skoven at læs boker.
I look forward to reading books. | Jeg forvant at læs boker. | Jeg geforvant at læs boker.
I can't stop reading books. | Jeg iker halt at læs boker. | Jeg iker gehalt at læs boker.
I dream of reading books. | Jeg draum at læs boker. | Jeg gedraum at læs boker.
I sit in a chair reading books. | Jeg sit in stolir at læs boker. | Jeg gesit in stolir at læs boker.
It's a picture of a man reading books. | Deg vær mynder af maðurig at læs bokir. | Deg gevær mynder af maðurig at læs bokir.
I am busy reading books. | Jeg huptak at læs boker. | Jeg gehuptak at læs boker.
I take pleasure in reading books. | Jeg tak ønaðurer at læs bokir. | Jeg getaker ønaðurer at læs bokir.
Gerundive (Present and Past)
A book is something which must be read. | Bok vær benhof læs.
A book was something which should have been read. | Bok gevær benhof læs.
Nouns & Pronouns
Arthurian nouns represent grammatical case. Pronouns also take these cases, acting exactly like other nouns.
Nominative nouns mark the subject of a sentence and use the root of the noun with no additional suffixes. In Arthurian, the vocative case is included within the nominative and is, by convention, spoken or written as a separate sentence. For example, in the following sentence the name 'Miskel' is in the vocative and the word 'strætvagn' is in the nominative.
Michelle! The bus leaves now. | Miskel! Strætvagn far nynir.
Accusative nouns mark the direct object of a verb and take the suffix '-er'. For example, in the following sentence the word 'boker' is in the accusative.
I read the book. | Jeg læs boker.
Accusative nouns only apply if the object of a verb does not fall into any other category. For example, in the sentence "She goes to the shop." the noun 'shop' would take the dative rather than the accusative.
Genitive nouns mark possession, measurement or source and take the suffix '-ig'. For example, in the following sentence the word 'borgig' is in the genitive.
He is the city's mayor. | He is the mayor of the city | Deg vær storborgmaðurer borgig.
Dative nouns mark recipients or indirect objects of a verb, commonly attributed to the English words 'to' and 'from', and takes the suffix '-et'. For example, in the following sentence the word 'borget' is in the dative.
She goes to the city. | Deg gang borget.
Specifically, dative nouns can be used in the following cases:
- Purpose: You called for help. | Seg gekal hjælpet.
- Accommodation: I did this for you. | Jeg gegør deter seget.
- Possession: To the winners go the spoils. | Vinmaðuret spil gang.
- Opinion: She seems to me to be a good person. | Deg virdast jeget vær goten maðurer.
- Motion: He left (away from) the city. | Deg gefar borget. | The goats from the mountains. | Geit fjalet. | He freed them from fear. | Deg gefrel ðeger angstet.
Ablative nouns mark separation, indirect speech or the means by which a verb is performed. It is commonly attributed to the English words 'by', 'with', 'from', 'in' or 'on' and takes the suffix '-ir'. For example, in the following sentence the word 'strætvagnir' is in the ablative.
She goes to the city by bus. | Deg gang borget strætvagnir.
Specifically, ablative nouns can be used in the following cases:
- Duration: I read (for) every day. | Jeg læs til hveren dagir. | She lived for two hundred years. | Deg gelif til tveirhundraðen arir.
- Indirect Statements: He said that you were good. | Deg getal segir gevær goten.
- Agency in the Gerundive: A book is something which must be read by me. | Bok vær benhof læs jegir.
- Agency: He was warned by the police officer. | Deg gevarið logreglanmaðurir.
- Comparison: It is bigger than that. | Deg mer stor danir.
- Cause: I jumped for joy. | Jeg gehop fra gledir.
- Instrument: I saw him with my eyes. | Jeg gesa deger med jegen augir.
- Manner: She performed with care. | Deg geleik med nærgætir.
- Attendant Circumstances: They performed to the applause of the crowd. | Ðeg geleik til handklapir throngig.
- Accompaniment: They performed with friends. | Ðeg geleik med vrendir.
- Degree of Difference: A few years earlier. | (Earlier by a few years.) | Mer skjoten til noken arir.
- Specification: He was older by birth. | Deg vær mer gamelen ved fæðingir.
- Place Where: It happened in the garden. | Et gehænd in gardir.
- Time When: In the summer. | In somardir.
- Absolute: With the alcohol gone, the party finished. | Med afengir faren, parðil gefuldend.
Pronouns in Arthurian are as follows. They take the same suffixes as nouns when declined. Unlike many languages, there are two forms of the first person plural, one representing inclusivity of all involved, and one excluding the audience from the speaker's group. There are also two different forms of the second person, distinguishing singular from plural forms:
Jeg | I (My, Mine)
Seg | You (Your, Yours) - Singular
Deg | He/She (His/Her)
Veg | We (Our, Ours) - Inclusive
Teg | We (Our, Ours) - Exclusive
Reg | You (Your, Yours) - Plural
Ðeg | They (Their, Theirs)
Det | This (These)
Dan | That (Those)
Et | It
Seg | You (Your, Yours) - Singular
Deg | He/She (His/Her)
Veg | We (Our, Ours) - Inclusive
Teg | We (Our, Ours) - Exclusive
Reg | You (Your, Yours) - Plural
Ðeg | They (Their, Theirs)
Det | This (These)
Dan | That (Those)
Et | It
Adjectives
Arthurian adjectives do not have a grammatical case, unlike nouns. They therefore do not have to agree with their nouns. They are identified by the suffix '-en'. In the following sentence, 'hugreken' is the adjective.
She is a brave person. | Deg vær hugreken maðurer.
Comparative adjectives are preceded by the word 'mer' and their noun is followed by the word 'til' (the equivalent to the English "more...than"). The following noun then takes the ablative, in keeping with the 'degree of difference' rule.
She is (a) braver (person) than him. | Deg vær mer hugreken maðurer til degir.
Comparative adjectives of the whole are preceded by the word 'mer' but are followed by a genitive noun, as in the following sentence.
She is the braver of the crowd. | Deg vær mer hugreken throngig.
Superlative adjectives are preceded by the word 'mest' and, if compared to something else, are followed by the genitive noun.
She is the bravest. | Deg vær mest hugreken.
She is the bravest of the group. | Deg vær mest hugreken throngig.
She is the bravest of the group. | Deg vær mest hugreken throngig.
Adverbs
Arthurian adverbs do not have a grammatical case. They are represented by the suffix '-un'. Adjectives which are turned into adverbs must first shed their adjectival suffix ('-en'). The rules for forming comparative and superlative adverbs are identical to those governing adjectives.
Prepositions
Arthurian prepositions are governed by the noun and pronoun cases. They take either the dative or ablative, depending on the circumstances.
Numerals
Numerals decline as with nouns and pronouns:
One | Ein (Nominative)
First or Single | Einen (Adjective)
Once | Einun (Adverb)
Of One | Einig (Genitive)
First or Single | Einen (Adjective)
Once | Einun (Adverb)
Of One | Einig (Genitive)