Lozenge T.

The Asaxi language

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Asaxi Language Index

This is the Asaxi Language Index page. Here you will find general information on the language as well as links to useful pages.

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The Asaxi Wiki

Structural Sets - Elements of Asaxi

The Structure Sets Meta Document

Lexicon - The Dictionary of Asaxi

Nouns (List) Adjectives (List) Verbs (List) Asaxi Function Words (list)

Semantic Fields (categories)

01_Semantic Fields (Nouns, Adjectives)

Asaxi Language Meta

This conlang is intended for use mainly in wik_wav’s original songs and other creations related to his constructed world called „The Lozenge Tessellation”.

Abstract

Asaxi is a language which evolved not by way of historical developments within any culture, but by way of internal feedback loops and memory lapses. Its history cannot be reckoned with on a linear axis. Asaxi’s developments are cyclical. What you see here is just one of the many Arrangements that will come to be. That said, there’s a prevalent mythology present within the language itself, developed due to various unconscious biases of its speakers.

Mythology

Name

The name „Asaxi” /asaɦi/ is a reference to the Japanese word 朝日 /asaçi/, which means „morning sun”. The pronunciation lies somewhere between that word and 浅い /asai/, which means „shallow” or „superficial”.

Fuzzy Etymology

A lot of Asaxi words do not have a strictly logical etymology—some of them do, while others are vaguely related to one or more of the languages that live in the Dreamer’s memory. Often, the etymologies act as documentation of the many non-linear conflations stemming from a failing recollection of the real meaning of a word. They aren’t supposed to be a strict, chronological catalogue of all meanings and changes a word underwent as there’s no such thing as a clear chronology in the Lozenge T.

Culture

Inhabitants of the Lozenge T. live out their lives as anyone else, not aware of the (un)reality of their existence. As such, they are very curious about their environment. The language reflects this natural curiosity. Many constructions relate natural phenomena to everyday ideas, a lot are about physicality—for example, the senses are ingrained into the Verbal Derivation system.

Asaxi speakers must be aware of subjectivity and objectivity of what they say. There are ways to express things which make it clear if something is subjective or believed to be a “fact”.

Mechanisms of the Asaxi Language

1. Typological Classification

Asaxi is an Agglutinative, Head-Final language. Its default word order is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), though it is fundamentally Topic-Prominent, allowing for significant flexibility in argument order provided the verb remains at the end of the clause.

2. Noun Classification (Warm vs. Cold)

Every noun in Asaxi belongs to one of two semantic classes based on Animacy and Energy:

  • Warm: Living beings, high-energy phenomena (fire, light, stars), and active concepts (love, freedom).
  • Cold: Inanimate objects, abstract concepts, math, and static locations.

This classification governs grammatical agreement. It dictates which Determiner (onă vs. onýj) and which Adjectival Suffix (-nă vs. -nýj) must be used to modify the noun.

3. Syntactic Branching (Left-Branching Hierarchy)

Asaxi strictly follows a Modifier-Head structure. Information is built by placing descriptive elements before (to the left of) the core word they modify.

  • Noun Phrases: [Determiner] + [Relative Clause] + [Adjective] + [Head Noun].
  • Verbal Complexes: [Tense Prefix] + [Mood Prefix] + [Verb Root].

The Floating Elements (Bidirectional Scope)

Certain modifiers, particularly Time and Frequency, can “float” to the outer edges of the clause.

  • Sentence-Initial (Frame): Placed at the start to set the context ([Time], [Sentence]).
  • Sentence-Final (Tail): Placed at the end as an afterthought, clarification, or aspect marker ([Sentence] + [Time]).

Exception (The Particle Tail): Discourse Markers, Logical Connectors, and Modal Particles (kè, tte) are strictly Right-Branching, appearing at the very end to modify the preceding proposition.

4. The Relational Particle System (NPCP)

Case marking is handled by Noun-Preceding Case-Particles (NPCP). Unlike postpositions common in other SOV languages, Asaxi case markers appear before the noun.

  • Function: They define the role of the noun (Subject, Topic, Recipient, Location).
  • Fusion: If multiple particles appear together (e.g., “From” + “Inside”), they fuse into a single block before attaching to the noun.

5. Verbal Derivation (The -ů System)

Asaxi possesses a small closed class of Root Verbs (primitive actions like go, stop, see). The vast majority of verbs are constructed via Universal Verbalization.

  • Mechanism: A Noun or Concept is converted into a Verb using the suffix -ů.
  • Mode Infixes: A morphological bridge acts as an infix to define the logic of the conversion.
    • Performance (-n-): To use/function as X.
    • Semblance (-w-): To act like X.
    • Interaction (-x-): To apply X to an object.
    • Sensory (-j-, -s-, etc.): To look/sound/smell/feel-to-the-touch like X.

6. The Split Copula (Identity vs. Performance)

The concept of “To Be” is divided into two distinct grammatical functions:

  1. Static Validity (xiŕa): Defines essential identity, origin, or unchangeable facts. (X is Y).
    • Active Performance (ů / bů): Defines temporary states, roles, or behaviors. (X is acting as Y).

7. Subjectivity and Register

Grammar particles often have Objective and Subjective variants. The speaker can shift the register of a sentence from factual reporting to internal emotional experience by swapping the particle set.

  • Objective: to (Subject), zè- (Past), xiŕa (Fact).
  • Subjective: ă (Felt Subject), sỏ- (Memoric Past), toůchů (Impression).

8. Economy (Pro-Drop & Zero Copula)

Asaxi is a high-context language.

  • Pro-Drop: Pronouns and subjects are omitted if the referent is clear from context.
  • Zero Copula: In simple statements of existence or identity, the verb xiŕa is often dropped entirely, leaving two nouns juxtaposed to imply “is.”

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