logical language - Developers

Segmentation and amalgamated componential structure are further configurative principles which distinguish related words in English.
The relationships between car versus convoy, hanger versus rack, chess piece versus chess set, sentry versus blockade, piece of
paper versus sheaf, girder versus (structural) framework, and coin versus roll of coins all exemplify these principles.
Another type of contextual grouping of nouns occurs in binary sets, particularly in regard to body parts. These binary sets can comprise
two identical referents as in a pair of eyes, however they are more often opposed or “mirror-image” (i.e., complementary) sets as in
limbs, ears, hands, wings, etc.
In Ithkuil, the semantic distinctions implied by the above examples as they relate to varying assortments of trees or persons would be
accomplished by inflecting the word-stem for ‘tree’ or ‘person’ into one of nine configurations. Additional semantic distinctions on the
basis of purpose or function between individual members of a set could then be made by means of Affiliation (see Section 3.2 below)
and by the use of specific suffixes. For example, once the words for ‘forest’ or ‘crowd’ were derived from ‘tree’ and ‘person’ via
Configuration, the Ithkuil words for ‘orchard,’ ‘copse,’ ‘team’ or ‘mob’ could easily be derived via affiliation and affixes. (Such
derivations into new words using suffixes are explored in detail in Chapter 7: Suffixes.)
Ithkuil words indicate Configuration via a synthetic consonantal affix immediately following the C+V stem which also indicates the
Affiliation, Perspective, Extension and Essence of the stem. This is the Ca affix discussed in Section 2.1.1.
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV
(((Cv) VL) Cg/Cs) Vr (Cx/Cv Vp/VL) Cr Vc Ci +Vi Ca VxC (Vf (’Cb))[tone] [stress]
Phase +
Sanction (+
Illocution)
Valence Validation
OR
Aspect
(+ Mood)
Pattern +
Stem +
Function
Incorp.Root
OR
Phase +
Sanction (+
Illocution)
Pattern + Stem +
Designation of Incorp.
Root
OR
Valence
Root Case Illocution
+
Mood
Configuration +
Affiliation +
Perspective +
Extension +
Essence
Deriv.
Suffix
Context +
Format
Bias Version Designation
+
Relation
The actual values of these Ca affixes are shown later in Table 5 in Section 3.5.3 below, following the explanation of Essence.
The nine configurations are the UNIPLEX, DUPLEX, DISCRETE, AGGREGATIVE, SEGMENTATIVE, COMPONENTIAL,
COHERENT, COMPOSITE, and MULTIFORM. The function and morphology of these categories are explained below along with
examples of the various configurations applied to four different stems: ap h -, eq-, el-, and upšá-.
3.1.1 UNI The Uniplex
The UNIPLEX configuration indicates a single, contextual embodiment of the stem concept, i.e., one whole contextual unit of the basic
nominal stem, e.g., a tree, a person, a screwdriver, a grape, a hammer blow, a hole. With verbs the UNIPLEX signifies a single,
holistic act, state, or event, e.g., to be a tree, to become a person, to use a screwdriver, to eat a grape, to strike (once) with a
hammer, to dig a hole. Examples: LISTEN
p h al ‘a tree’
elal ‘an utterance; a spoken word’
eqal‘a person’
upšál ‘an incident’
For the set of affixes which mark this configuration, see Table 5 in Section 3.5.3 below.