A Quick Demonstration

Example 1.1. Six Sentences

Xutxu puhanxe pa.
Blue+part ink+whole belief.
Xutxu pa puhanxe.
Blue+part belief ink+whole.
Pa xutxu puhanxe.
Belief blue+part ink+whole.
Puhanxe xutxu pa.
Ink+whole blue+part belief.
Puhanxe pa xutxu.
Ink+whole belief blue+part.
Pa puhanxe xutxu.
Belief ink+whole blue+part.

Table 1.1. The Word Parts

xut-blue
-xu(part or aspect)
puhan-ink
-xe(whole)
pa(topic divider)

These six sentences can all be translated as "The ink is blue." Of course, they don't all mean exactly the same thing. Let's take it one step at a time.

Xutxu and puhanxe are inflected nouns. Each starts with a root which carries the meaning and ends with a suffix, the inflection, which gives the word's role in the sentence. Here, the roles are "part", in this case the aspect of being blue, and the "whole", in this case is the object, the ink, which has the aspect.

Pa is a topic divider. Words to the left of the divider are the "topic" and give information which the listener is expected to already know. Words to the right of the divider are new information. For example, if you think the listener has seen something blue and doesn't know what it is, then blue is in the topic and is to the left of the divider while the new information, that the blue is ink, is to the right. It's the opposite if you believe that the listener knows about the ink but doesn't yet know its color.

Since words are marked with suffixes for their roles in the sentence, as long as you respect the divider, you can put the words into any order. The rule is that whatever is most important or most salient goes last. If xutxu and puhanxe are on the same side of the divider, then xutxu second means that you're emphasizing the ink, while puhanxe second means that you're emphasizing the color.

Here I've tried to translate the six sentences in a way that captures some of the nuances. As always when translating between languages, the meanings don't correspond exactly—none of the translations is truly accurate. All of the sentences can be translated as "The ink is blue."

Table 1.2. Translating the Six

Xutxu puhanxe pa.The ink is blue (as you know).
Xutxu pa puhanxe.The blue color is ink.
Pa xutxu puhanxe.There was blue ink.
Puhanxe xutxu pa.Blue is the color of the ink (as you know).
Puhanxe pa xutxu.Blue is the color of the ink.
Pa puhanxe xutxu.There was ink that was blue.

More Blue Ink

Example 1.2. Six More Sentences

Puhana xuta pa.
Ink+same blue+same belief.
Puhana pa xuta.
Ink+same belief blue+same.
Pa puhana xuta.
Belief ink+same blue+same.
Puhana xuta pa.
Blue+same ink+same belief.
Xuta pa puhana.
Blue+same belief ink+same.
Pa xuta puhana.
Belief blue+same ink+same.

Table 1.3. Another Suffix

-a(same: these words represent the same thing)

These six sentences can also all be translated as "The ink is blue." You can see that the word orders are the same as in the first six sentences, but the suffixes are different. Two or more words with the suffix -a all describe the same thing, so the sentences are saying that something exists to which the terms "blue" and "ink" both apply.

The contrast should be suggestive: Instead of distinguishing the object from its property and treating the two differently, these sentences conflate the object and property. Neither is privileged by its grammatical role, only by the word order.

Here are some other ways to say "The ink is blue." All these are completely natural; none of them are made up just to add more.

Table 1.4. Even More Blue Ink

Pa xutso puhanpe.Belief blue+attribute ink+exist.There is blue ink.
Pa puhanso xutpe.Belief ink+attribute blue+exist.The blue is ink.
Puhana ohe xuta.Ink+same realis blue+same.The ink is blue (it really is).
Xutpuhanpe.Blue+ink+exist.There is blue ink. (using a compound word)

One More Example

Ouxu is of course not restricted to simple sentences. Can you imagine how many ways there are to say something complicated?

Example 1.3. A Slightly Longer Sentence

Agliluleoet ili ofta tanenaun heihfa.
Confident+too-much+only+cause immediate i+agent goal+not+change-to clause+very-very+event.
Overconfidence is the only thing that keeps me from giving up completely.
(From the Daily Whale, 13 March 2002.)