word classes

Every lexical word in Kawaba carries an obligatory word class prefix, a single vowel attached to the front of the word that marks which grammatical category the word belongs to.

The class of a word is fluid in Kawaba, and is determined by the prefix it carries in a given context. A word can accept any prefix that produces a coherent meaning.

nouns

Nouns take a- and denote entities: a thing, person, place, state, or concept viewed as an object. Nouns are not marked for number, definiteness, gender, or case. They occupy the subject and object positions, and any other role requires a preposition.

pronouns

Pronouns are used in place of other nouns and similarly take a-.

There is no number distinction and the same pronoun can be used for both the singular and plural. Where number must be specified, pronouns can be compounded with other roots.

If needed, compound reflexive and reciprocal pronouns can be created by attaching the dependents se and we respectively.

qualifiers

Qualifiers take e- and denote properties, covering what English splits into adjectives and adverbs of manner. A qualifier follows the word it is modifying, including nouns, verbs, circumstantials, and other qualifiers.

possessive pronouns

Pronouns can be used qualifiers to form possessives.

verbs

Verbs take i- and predicate a state or event. Every finite clause contains exactly one verb, and a verb is all that's needed to form a sentence. Verbs are not marked for tense, aspect, mood, person, or number. The form of a verb is the same in every context.

the copula

The verb prefix i can be used alone with no stem as the copula, the equivalent to the English verb "to be". It can be used to predicate both nouns and qualifiers.

operators

Operators take o- and quantify a phrase, rather than describing it. They cover quantifiers, determiners, numerals, degree words, and negation. An operator precedes the constituent it scopes over, drawing a distinction between content and logical vocabulary.

distinguishing operators

Qualifiers and operators both act on nouns, but only qualifiers can occur as a predicate.

circumstantials

Circumstantials take u- and situate a phrase in time or space, expressing relations that English typically conveys with prepositions. They usually follow the object, but they may occur at the front of the clause for emphasis.

interjections

Interjections are the one class of word that doesn't take any prefix. They stand outside the clause and are used to express emotion, manage communication, or address someone.