LAT notes

Part A
Things to notice:
Word order is variable, so subject and object will be probably be marked
through verb inflection
No distinction between definite and indefinite article in the language
Nouns:
The suffix -t is used to mark an object
Verbs:
-ar is the third person present declarative ending
-ehar is the third person present interrogative ending
So:
Tomu sekehar tashut
Does the/a footman seduce the/a diplomat?
Pantet tikar koche
The cook rebukes the scullery maid
o (Note the placement of subject/object is the reverse of English here
- must look carefully at the noun endings)
Does the daughter consult the dowager?
Maget sudehar duse
Part B
Possessives:
= suffix -l + the same vowel at the end of the possessed noun
e.g. claru = the earl
o The earl's nephew = clarulu(t) ronu(t)
The possessive ending must agree in case and number (though at this stage
we are just dealing with single nouns)
However, remember that you must add -t for objects (as seen with
clarulut farut - second sentence)
Verbs:
The suffix -omar signals negation
Nouns:
Nouns ending in -a seem to be invariable (no -t is added when it is the
object e.g. kita)
Tinela tapa retehar negu
Does the brother steal the maid's typewriter?
o Because tapa is invariable, one only knows it is the object because
negu lacks the -t.

Sudomar turut magele koche

The dowager's cook does not consult the visitor
Does the chauffeur read the chorus girl's book?
Faru susela kita perehar
Part C
Introduces the perfect tense
All verbs in the perfect tense have the prefix roThe ending varies depending on type of sentence:
For a declarative sentence (third person singular) the ending is -adu
For an interrogative the suffix is -ehadu
For a negative sentence the suffix is -omadu
For a negative interrogative sentence the suffix is - omehadu

You can work this out by finding a perfect tense sentence with a verb
you already know and compare it with the present tense form. E.g. retar
= [someone] steals) vs roretadu = [someone] has stolen
o So we see that ro- is a prefix and adu is the ending

Once you have established that ro- is a prefix - find examples where the
ending is not -adu and using the evidence work our what the different
endings mean

Rotikadu bichu pantelut negut

The butler the scullery maid's brother
Rokalehadu cola ronulu betsu
Has the nephew's valet bought the necklace?
Has the cousin not summoned the secretary?
Rorokomehadu kushu bakstut
o (rokar = [someone] summons]
Part D
Nouns:
Plurals:
Add -k + same vowel that preceded k (remember to add -t for objects!)
Tomu(t) = footman; tomuku(t) = footmen
Plural possessives:
Possessives agree in number with the possessed noun
Use the endings -leke(t) or -luku(t) depending on the last vowel of the noun
stem
Infinitives:
Prefix -la
Suffix -aner (plural); -ar (singular)

(this can be seen in sentences 1 and 3 of part D: lanemaner vs lanemar)

Negatives:
-omaner = negative ending for 3rd person plural present (vs. omar for
singular)
Can be gleaned by noting that in sentence 2 ronitadu = has tried, so
stem for try is "nit", which is seen again in sentence 5 as "nitomaner",
meaning [they] do not try
Plural perfect tense (third person) suffix = -anu
We know this from the last sentence "The visitors have tried" ronitanu
Roniksomadu masu laperar bakstula kita
The gardener has not refused to read the secretary's book
o Masu = gardener, nominative singular (compare with masuku - 2nd
sentence from bottom)
o niks = verb stem of refuse, with past tense prefix and suffix (the
latter of which also indicated negation)
o Laperar = infinitive (singular) of to read
Have the diplomats threatened to injure the earl's chauffeurs?
Tashuku rominehanu lamaraner clarukulut farakut
Diplomat (nominative) = tashu, so diplomats (nominative) = tashuku
We have established that -anu is the suffix for plural perfect, but what
about plural perfect interrogative?
o Note that the relationship between the singular perfect declarative
and the singular perfect interrogative is the addition of "eh" before
"adu" (so -adu vs. -ehadu") It therefore follows that we go from "anu" to "-ehanu" for the plural perfect interrogative form. Thus we
get: rominehanu

To injure - lamaraner (plual)

Chauffeurs (object) = farukut
So "Earl's" must agree = "clarulukut"