DOLMIC
A comprehensive guide to the Dolmic language.
Compiled from the Dolmic Language Master Guide, phonetic references, structural rules, and the evolving dictionary.
*table to be updated
1. The Dolmic Alphabet & Phonetic Structure
The Dolmic alphabet is phonetically consistent and utilizes grouped pronunciation rules. Each letter has a full, half (middle), and quarter form depending on its position in a group.
Phonetic Acceptions
The first phonetic acception in Dolmic is the letter ‘A’(ald). When pronouncing Dolmic words, the ‘half letter’ sound is often changed from ‘al’ to ‘ah’. For example;
[Akroa = alk-roa](Dolmic for across).
In this example the letter ‘a’ makes its half phonetic sound as expected, due to the letter following it. The word is broken down as such.
[AKR][OA] = [AL-K-RA][ON-AH].
When there is no letter following the ‘a’, it will always be pronounced ‘ah’. In the case of the letter ‘K’(kir), ‘a’ will always be pronounced ‘al’ when writing before ‘k’. The letter ‘a’ will be pronounced in its proper half form(‘al’) when written before these letters.
[K, G, L, S*, P, I]
(*some core Dolmic vocabulary is flexible with the letter ‘S’).
All other letters in the Dolmic Alphabet demand for the ‘a’ sound to be ‘ah’ when used before them.
Letter Grouping Rules
When reading a Dolmic word for pronunciation, the language follows a specific rule. This rule is known as ‘the rule of 2s and 3s’. The middle letter in a 3-group is pronounced in its ¼ form; first and last use their ½ sounds.
General Grouping Rules
|
Word Length |
Grouping Rule |
Example Word |
Phonetics |
| 3 letters | Single group of 3 |
Ada = [ada] (and) |
ah-dah |
| 4 letters | Split into 2 + 2 |
Suna = [su][na] (soon) |
soo-nah |
| 5 letters | Split into 3 + 2 |
Sawey = [saw][ey] (see) |
sahw-ey |
| 6 letters | Split into 3 + 3 |
Agaita = [aga][ita] (against) |
algal-ia-tah |
| 6+ letters | Split into 3 + 3 + largest possible group of 2 or 3 (leftover single letters are pronounced in half form) |
Aspektel = [asp][ekt][el] (aspectral) |
alsa-pehk-ti-eli |
Groups of 3 letters are always prioritised, but there is a consideration to be made when grouping the letters in a word. Double letters (ee, tt, pp, ll, ect.) are isolated and pronounced in full form. When a double letter is present in a word, the grouping is to be done before and after the double letter respectively. For example;
|
Dolmic Word |
Grouping Rules |
Phonetics |
| Akkota (account) |
[a][kk][ota] |
al-kir-onta |
| Makksona (mistake) |
[ma][kk][so][na] |
mal-kir-soh-nah |
Suffixes and prefixes are separated and pronounced in full.
Prefixes and Suffixes
In Dolmic, prefixes and suffixes are powerful tools used to modify the meaning of root words, allowing for flexible and precise expression. Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word and typically indicate time, negation, repetition, intensity, or relation. For example;
The prefix "noa-" means "not" or "opposite of," so applying it to a verb like asa (to be) yields noa-asa — “to not be.” Another example is "lon-", a temporal prefix meaning "before" or marking the past tense, as in lon gon (“went”).
Suffixes, on the other hand, are added to the end of words and often indicate state, action, role, or grammatical form. For instance;
The suffix "-ran" turns a verb into an agent noun — hon (to hunt) becomes hon-ran (hunter). The suffix "-inig" conveys an ongoing action, so mak-inig would mean “making” from mak (to make). Other suffixes like "-ka" indicate tools (e.g., a makka would be a "maker" or "tool for making"), and "-el" denotes smallness or a diminutive form.
Pronouns
Dolmic pronouns are precise and positionally sensitive, with each having both a formal and casual form. These forms are not interchangeable; their use is strictly determined by where the pronoun appears in the sentence. Dolmic maintains English sentence structure, but its pronouns follow Dolmic-specific rules of formality and syntax.
A formal pronoun must appear at the start of the sentence, and only when the pronoun is the primary subject. These formal versions signal clarity and structure. Casual pronouns, on the other hand, are acceptable only when the pronoun appears later in the sentence, whether as an object, indirect subject, or embedded clause reference. While the formal form can be used mid-sentence for emphasis, the casual form is generally preferred in those positions for flow and balance.
- For the first person singular, the formal pronoun is mayama, meaning “I” or “me.” It is used when leading a sentence as the subject:
→ Mayama mak tane flani — “I made the fire.
”If “I” appears later in the sentence, the casual form maya may be used:
→ Esu set maya wan — “That’s what I want.”
- The second person singular uses unama formally and una casually.
→ Unama gon lonfa daya — “You went before day.”
→ Beko una wan tane kah — “Because you want the food.”
- For the first person plural, Dolmic uses weiama as the formal “we” or “us”:
→ Weiama hi mak du flani — “We will make many fires.”
→ Esu maynoa set weia wan — “That’s not what we want.”
Here, weia is the casual form, used later in the sentence.
- The third person plural uses sohyama (formal) and sohya (casual):
→ Sohyama lon gon hidai — “They went tomorrow.”
→ Esu maynoa set sohya wan — “That’s not what they want.”
- In Dolmic, the pluralisation of second person pronouns is handled with the prefix du. This results in du unama for “you(several specific people/group)” in formal position, and du una in casual use:
→ Du unama hi mak du kah — “You(several specific people/group) will make the food.”
→ Esu set du una wan — “That’s what you(several specific people/group) want.”
Tense in Dolmic: Structured Temporal Prefixes
Dolmic handles tense not through verb conjugation, but through a clean and logical system of prefixes attached directly to the verb. These prefixes are used to express past, present, or future timeframes. This modular system preserves Dolmic’s consistent verb forms while allowing speakers to anchor actions in time with precision.
The three tense prefixes in Dolmic are:
- lon- → past ("before / earlier")
- mada- → present ("now / current")
- hii- → future ("after / later")
Each prefix is placed immediately before the verb, never separated by particles or objects.
---
Present Tense — “mada-” (optional)
Present tense is the default tense in Dolmic — when no tense prefix is used, the action is understood to be occurring now or in a general, habitual sense. However, the prefix “mada-” (pronounced mah-dah) exists as an optional marker for present actions. It is typically used in:
Complex sentences where multiple tenses are present
Cases where you want to emphasize that something is happening now
- Acceptable: → Mayama mak tane kah — “I make the food”
→ Mayama mada mak tane kah — “I am (specifically) making the food (right now)”
- Improper: → Mayama mada gon hidai — “I now go tomorrow”
(“mada” conflicts with hidai [tomorrow]; grammatically valid but stylistically incorrect)
---
Past Tense — “lon-”
The prefix “lon-” (from “before / earlier”) marks that the action occurred in the past. It is used clearly and directly, always attached to the verb it modifies.
- → Unama lon wan tane flani — “You wanted the fire”
- → Mayama lon gon lonfa daya — “I went before yesterday”
- → Du una lon makinig du kah — “You few were making the food”
This prefix allows clean differentiation in compound structures: → Weiama lon mak tane kah, sohya mada wan tane flani
→ “We made the food, they want the fire (now)”
---
Future Tense — “hii-”
The future tense prefix is “hii-” (pronounced hai), denoting actions that have yet to occur. It corresponds with “after / later” in Dolmic time logic.
- → Sohyama hii gon hifa daya — “They will go after day”
- → Weiama hii mak du kweyvo — “We will make much water”
- → Gi ita asa hii wan? — “Will it be wanted?”
"hii-" must not be mixed with present-tense time indicators like suna (“soon”) in a way that conflicts with natural flow. Use it instead to mark grammatical future tense independently.
---
Tense in Complex Clauses
Because each clause can carry its own tense prefix, Dolmic allows for precise, layered expression of time.
- → Mayama lon mak tane kah, unama hii mak tane flani
→ “I made the food, you will make the fire”
- → Ifa sohya lon gon, mayama mada hov tane sona
→ “If they went, I now have the person”
- → Weiama mada wan tane flani, sohya hii mak tane kweyvo
→ “We want the fire now, they will make the water”
Each prefix governs only the verb it’s attached to, creating clarity in multi-verb or conditional statements.
Interrogatives and Questions in Dolmic
Dolmic does not use a question mark or tonal inflection to indicate a question. Instead, it relies on the interrogative prefix gi- to grammatically mark any sentence or phrase as a question. This prefix is essential in all interrogative constructions. Without gi-, the sentence will be interpreted as a statement, regardless of context.
The gi- prefix is applied directly to the interrogative component of the sentence. This may include question words (such as “what” or “who”), verbs, or even nouns, depending on the structure and tone of the exchange.
Interrogative Words and Examples
The following are common interrogative constructions using gi-:
gi set/giset = what
- Gi set una wan → “What do you want”
- Gi set sohya makinig → “What are they making”
gi soka = who
- Gi soka lon mak tane flani → “Who made the fire”
- Gi soka hov tane sona → “Who has the person”
gi yoma = why
- Gi yoma mayama lon gon → “Why did I go”
- Gi yoma una wan tane wifa → “Why do you want the wife”
gi telka = where
- Gi telka sohya hi gon → “Where will they go”
- Gi telka weia hov tane famna → “Where do we have the family”
gi wanee = when
- Gi wanee mayama makinig tane kah → “When am I making the food”
- Gi wanee du una hi gon → “When will you few go”
---
When forming questions in Dolmic using gi-, the appropriate tense prefix must still be included before the verb to indicate the correct time context. The gi- prefix marks the sentence as a question, but it does not replace or override Dolmic’s tense structure. For example:
- Gi sohyama hov tane raka?
“Do they have the sword?”
- Gi sohyama lon hov tane raka?
“Did they have the sword?”
The tense prefix is required in all Dolmic questions where time reference is relevant. Omitting the tense marker would change the meaning or leave the sentence incomplete.
---
Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions also require the gi- prefix. Also placed at the start of the sentence.
- Gi unama wan kah → “Do you want food?”
- Gi weiama lon mak tane flani → “Did we make the fire?”
- Gi sohya hii gon hifa daya luniel → “Will they go after daylight?”
Conversational Interrogatives:
In conversational Dolmic, the gi- prefix may be used before a single noun or verb to convey a reactive or expressive question. These short-form questions do not require a full sentence to be understood.
Examples:
- Gi kah → “Food!?”
- Gi wan → “Want!?”
- Gi sona → “Person!?”
- Gi flani → “Fire!?”
- Gi hov → “Have!?”
These forms follow the same rule as full questions: gi- must be present at the start of the sentence or statement to indicate that a question is being asked.
Combined and Complex Interrogatives
Dolmic allows for compound interrogative sentences, and the gi- prefix continues to apply to the question components within each clause:
- Gi soka lon mak tane kweyvo ada gi fala sohya lon gon → “Who made the water, and when did they go”
- Gi set una wan ada gi yoma mayama noawan tane kah → “What do you want, and why don’t I want the food”
Note:
The presence of gi- is mandatory for forming any question in Dolmic. It must be used whether the sentence is a full inquiry, a yes/no question, or an expressive fragment.
Echo-Questions in Dolmic
Dolmic does not use auxiliary verbs or inversion to form tag-style questions like in English (e.g., “You’re coming, aren’t you?”). Instead, it achieves the same conversational effect using a two-part sentence structure: a declarative statement followed by a short interrogative clause.
The second clause always begins with the interrogative prefix gi-, followed by a casual pronoun. This tag-style structure is known as an echo-question.
This construction is typically used for:
- Confirming an assumption
- Seeking agreement
- Expressing disbelief or emphasis
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Structure
[Formal statement]. Gi [casual pronoun]?
If the verb or object remains clear from context, it does not need to be repeated in the echo.
---
Examples:
- Mayama hov tane sona. Gi maya?
→ “I have the person. Do I?”
- Unama wan ton mak flani. Gi una?
→ “You want to make fire. Do you?”
- Weiama lon gon hifa daya luniel. Gi lon weia?
→ “We went after daylight. Did we?”
- Sohyama lon mak tane kah. Gi lon sohya?
→ “They made the food. Did they?”
Conditional Structures
Dolmic uses three distinct conjunctions to express conditional meaning: ifa, ora, and eesa. These are used to create conditional, alternative, and fallback structures in speech and writing.
Each clause in a conditional structure must be grammatically complete and include the correct tense prefix. Dolmic generally follows English sentence order, but the tense and pronoun rules must be strictly observed.
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1. ifa – “if”
The conjunction ifa introduces a condition that causes or leads to another event. It always begins the conditional clause, which may appear at the start or end of a sentence.
Examples:
- Ifa unama hii gon tana, mayama hii stee.
→ “If you go to the gate, I will stay.”
- Mayama lon mak tane kah, ifa una lon wan kah.
→ “I made the food, if you wanted food.”
- Ifa weia mada hov tane sona, sohya mada gon.
→ “If we have the person, they go.”
---
2. ora – “or”
The Dolmic word ora is used to offer alternatives, typically between nouns, verbs, or full clauses. It functions as a standard “or” in English.
Examples:
- Gi una wan kah, ora wan kweyvo?
→ “Do you want food, or want water?”
- Mayama wan kah, ora flani.
→ “I want food, or fire.”
---
3. eesa – “else”
The word eesa introduces a fallback or consequence if the original condition is not met. It always follows the primary clause and presents what will happen instead.
Examples:
- Mayama wan kah. Eesa, mayama hii gon.
→ “I want food. Else, I will go.”
- Ifa una wan kah, mayama hii mak ita. Eesa, maya stee.
→ “If you want food, I’ll make it. Else, I’ll stay.”
---
Notes:
Tense prefixes (lon-, mada-, hii-) must be used in each clause.
Clause order may be reversed for emphasis, but clarity is essential.
ifa sets the condition, ora presents options, and eesa introduces the fallback.
—
Affirmatives and Negations
Dolmic expresses affirmatives and negations through two main methods:
1. Using standalone words for affirmation or negation in conversational responses.
2. Using the noa- prefix attached directly to verbs for sentence-level negation.
Both forms are considered essential in Dolmic structure. Sentence-level negation and conversational affirmatives must not be mixed improperly. Each form applies in specific contexts according to Dolmic grammar.
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Standalone Affirmatives and Negatives
The Dolmic word for "yes" is dahi. It is used as a complete response to a question or as a standalone confirmation. The Dolmic word for "no" is noa. This standalone form is used in the same way as “no” in English, as a direct response.
Examples:
- Gi una wan tane kah? Dahi.
“Do you want the food? Yes.”
- Gi una wan tane kah? Noa.
“Do you want the food? No.”
- Gi weia makinig tane flani? Dahi.
“Are we making the fire? Yes.”
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Verb Negation with noa-
For full sentence negation, Dolmic uses the prefix noa- attached directly to the verb. This applies in all tenses. The tense prefix, if used, is placed before noa-. Pronoun forms follow standard Dolmic placement rules.
Examples:
- Mayama noa-mak tane kah.
“I do not make the food.”
- Unama hii noa-gon ton tane tana.
“You will not go to the gate.”
- Weiama lon noa-hov tane sona.
“We did not have the person.”
---
Echo-Questions with Negation
Echo-questions can use both forms of negation for conversational clarity. A sentence may be negated with noa- while the echo uses a standalone pronoun.
Examples:
- Mayama noa-wan tane kah. Gi maya?
“I do not want the food. Do I?”
- Unama noa-mak tane flani. Gi una?
“You do not make the fire. Do you?”
Notes:
The standalone word noa is only used as a direct reply or emphasis. Full sentence negation always uses noa- attached to the verb. The word dahi is used only for affirmation in conversation. It does not appear attached to other words. In formal writing, echo-questions and affirmative responses should match Dolmic sentence structure rather than relying on free-standing English-like phrases.
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Imperatives and Commands
Dolmic expresses commands and instructions through the use of bare verb forms with formal pronouns or through dropped pronouns where context is clear. There is no special imperative prefix recorded in the Dolmic Language. Imperative intent is conveyed entirely through sentence structure and pronoun usage.
Dolmic speakers typically use a formal pronoun at the start when giving a direct command to maintain clarity, especially in formal speech. In casual or rapid conversation, pronouns may be omitted if the subject is obvious from context.
Tense prefixes are generally not used with imperative forms unless the command specifies a future or immediate action. Present tense is implied in most cases.
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Structure
[Formal Pronoun] + [Verb] + [Object]
[Verb] + [Object] (pronoun dropped, casual)
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Examples
- Unama gon ton tane tana.
→ “You, go to the gate.”
- Mak tane flani!
→ “Make the fire!”
- Wan tane kah!
→ “Want the food!” (used as a push or encouragement)
- Unama hov tane sona.
→ “You, have the person.”
---
Future and Emphasised Commands
When a future action is specifically required or emphasised, hii- may be used:
- Unama hii gon ton tane tana!
→ “You will go to the gate!” (strong or formal command)
---
Negating Commands
Dolmic negates commands by attaching noa- directly to the verb:
- Unama noa-gon ton tane tana!
→ “Do not go to the gate!”
- Noa-mak tane flani!
→ “Do not make the fire!”
---
Notes:
Commands can be softened by using conditional structures or affirmatives combined with verbs, but that falls under conversational tone rather than strict grammar.
In formal writing, the pronoun form should always be included to avoid confusion.
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Possessive Structures
Dolmic expresses possession through the use of standard pronouns placed directly before the possessed object. There are no separate possessive pronoun forms such as “my,” “your,” or “their.” Possession is conveyed structurally, following English sentence order with Dolmic pronouns.
In formal statements, the formal pronoun is placed before the object for clarity. In casual speech, casual pronouns may be used when the possessed object is not the primary subject.
There is no possessive suffix or marker attached to the object noun.
---
Structure
[Pronoun] + [Object]
If tense or action is involved, standard sentence structure applies with the pronoun used as the subject or object as needed.
---
Examples:
- Mayama kah.
“My food.”
- Unama kweyvo.
“Your water.”
- Weiama tana.
“Our gate.”
- Sohyama sona.
“Their person.”
- Una flani.
“Your fire.” (casual)
- Maya kah.
“My food.” (casual)
---
Possession with Action Verbs
When the object is possessed as part of a verb phrase, standard Dolmic structure applies:
- Mayama hov tane kah.
“I have the food.”
- Unama hov tane sona.
“You have the person.”
- Weiama hov tane kweyvo.
“We have the water.”
---
Notes:
No separate possessive pronoun forms exist in Dolmic.
Formal pronouns should be used at the start of a full sentence.
Casual pronouns may be used when possession is stated mid-sentence or in casual speech.
Tense markers and action verbs follow normal Dolmic rules and do not affect possessive structure.
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Prepositions and Directional Phrases
Dolmic uses prepositions to express direction, location, relation, and sequence between objects and actions. Prepositions appear as separate words, placed directly before the noun or object they modify.
Prepositions are only used when the verb requires them. Verbs such as gon (“go”) and hov (“have”) require prepositions to show direction or relation. Verbs like mak (“make”) and wan (“want”) take direct objects and do not use prepositions.
Dolmic does not stack prepositions. Each prepositional phrase stands alone and must follow standard sentence structure.
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Structure Rules
[Verb] + [Preposition] + [Object]
Prepositions are not combined or omitted when required.
Prepositions must never appear between a verb and its required direct object.
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Common Prepositions in Dolmic
Dolmic includes prepositions such as:
- ton → “to” (acts as both a conjunction, as well as a preposition)
- tane → “the” (acts as both a definite article, as well as a preposition)
- hifa → “after”
- lonfa → “before”
- telka → “where”
- nari → “near”
- betwa → “between”
- behii → “behind”
- abova → “above”
- akroa → “across”
- algon → “along”
- aroua → “around”
- agaita → “against”
This list reflects officially recorded Dolmic prepositions. Only confirmed words from the DLD are to be used.
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Examples:
- Unama gon ton tane tana.
“You go to the gate.”
- Weiama gon nari tane tana.
“We go near the gate.”
- Sohyama stee behii tane tana.
“They stay behind the gate.”
- Mayama mak tane kah.
“I make the food.”
(No preposition is used after mak.)
- Weiama hov tane raka.
“We have the sword.”
(No preposition is placed between hov and its object.)
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Notes:
Prepositions in Dolmic clarify direction, location, or relation only.
Prepositions do not replace or interrupt direct object structure.
When expressing time or sequence, such as “after” or “before,” use a separate clause if needed. For example:
Weiama hov tane kah. Hifa kah, unama gon ton tane tana.
→ “We have the food. After food, you go to the gate.”
The Dolmic word ton is treated as a preposition.
The concept of “without” is expressed structurally using noa- negation. Dolmic does not use a separate preposition for “without.”
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Adjective Placement and Description Structures
In Dolmic, adjectives describe the quality or condition of a noun. Adjective placement is flexible: adjectives can appear either before or after the noun they describe, following natural sentence flow. However, Dolmic sentence structure must always remain clear and orderly.
Use of yysa in Simple Descriptive Statements
When making a simple descriptive statement such as “The food is big,” Dolmic requires the conjunction yysa (“is”) placed between the noun and the adjective. This structure is essential for grammatical clarity.
In complex phrases or descriptive clauses—such as “I love soft food”—yysa is not used. Adjective placement remains flexible before or after the noun or object.
Dolmic applies tense prefixes to yysa to indicate past or future descriptions, just as it does with action verbs.
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Structure Rules:
Simple Descriptive Statement:
[Noun] + [Tense Prefix] + yysa + [Adjective]
Descriptive Phrase in Complex Sentence:
[Pronoun] + [Tense Prefix] + [Verb] + [Adjective] + [Object]
[Pronoun] + [Tense Prefix] + [Verb] + [Object] + [Adjective]
Echoed Declaration:
[Pronoun] + yysa (used as a standalone confirmation)
---
Examples
Simple Descriptive Statements:
- Tane kah yysa dorma.
→ “The food is big.”
- Tane kah lon yysa dorma.
→ “The food was big.”
- Tane sona yysa hiijo.
→ “The person is old.”
- Tane tana hii yysa lohjo.
→ “The gate will be young.”
---
Descriptive Phrases in Complex Sentences:
- Mayama lowe moli kah.
→ “I love soft food.”
- Mayama lowe kah moli.
→ “I love food soft.”
- Weiama mak grun flani.
→ “We make strong fire.”
- Weiama mak flani grun.
→ “We make fire strong.”
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Echoed Declaration Examples:
Person 1:
"Is that the bad man?"
"Gi yysa esu tane balda marn"
Person 2:
"It is"
"Ita yysa"
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Notes:
In simple descriptive statements, yysa must always be placed between the noun and adjective.
In complex phrases, yysa is not often used.
yysa may appear at the end of a sentence only in echoed declarations or emphatic replies.
Adjective placement is flexible: before or after the noun or object, provided sentence structure remains clear.
Tense prefixes apply directly to yysa in descriptive statements.
Adjective form does not change for number, pronoun, or tense.
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Here is a clean, formal Comparatives and Superlatives section for the Dolmic Grammar Database (DGD), formatted to match previous entries and using only confirmed Dolmic vocabulary from the DLD:
¶ Comparatives and Superlatives
In Dolmic, comparatives and superlatives are expressed using two primary methods:
- Suffixes attached to adjectives.
- Standalone comparative quantifier particles and conjunctions.
Both methods follow consistent placement and structure rules, ensuring clarity in both simple statements and complex sentence constructions.
¶ Suffix-Based Comparatives and Superlatives
Dolmic uses the following suffixes:
- -aka → Comparative form (stronger, bigger)
Example: grunaka = “stronger”
- -ara → Superlative form (strongest, biggest)
Example: grunara = “strongest”
Suffixes attach directly to Dolmic adjectives already recorded in the DLD.
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¶ Particle-Based Comparatives and Superlatives
For non-adjective comparisons or where emphasis is required, Dolmic uses standalone comparative words:
- droll → “more”
- sahll → “less”
- grom → “most”
- sadom → “least”
These appear directly before the noun or adjective they modify.
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¶ Comparative Conjunctions
Dolmic uses conjunctions to link comparative clauses:
- konel → “than”
- asa → “as”
These conjunctions function like their English equivalents and follow Dolmic sentence structure.
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¶ Structure Rules
- Suffix-Based:
- [Noun] + [Tense Prefix] + yysa + [Adjective + -aka/-ara]
- Particle-Based:
- [Pronoun] + [Tense Prefix] + [Verb] + [Particle] + [Noun/Adjective]
- Conjunction-Based:
- [Noun/Adjective] + konel + [Noun/Adjective]
- asa + [Adjective] + asa + [Adjective]
---
¶ Examples
Suffix-Based Comparisons:
- Tane kah yysa dormaka.
→ “The food is bigger.”
- Tane kah yysa dormara.
→ “The food is biggest.”
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Particle-Based Comparisons:
- Mayama wan droll kah.
→ “I want more food.”
- Una wan sahll kweyvo.
→ “You want less water.”
- Weiama hov tane grom sona.
→ “We have the most people.”
- Sohyama hov tane sadom sona.
→ “They have the least people.”
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Conjunction-Based Comparisons:
- Tane flani yysa grunaka konel tane flani yysa safa.
→ “The fire is stronger than the fire is weak.”
- Asa grun asa safa.
→ “As strong as weak.”
(Used for balance statements.)
¶ ---
¶ Notes
- Both comparative methods are valid in Dolmic and may be used interchangeably depending on formality or emphasis.
- -aka and -ara apply only to adjectives.
- Particles like droll and grom apply to both nouns and adjectives.
- Conjunctions konel and asa function the same as in English sentence flow.
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Time and Sequence Markers
In Dolmic, all time markers follow the same usage rules as in English. These markers express when an action occurs and behave as standalone adverbs or prepositional phrases.
The only structural difference in Dolmic is that tense prefixes must be used on the verb for grammatical clarity. Time markers do not replace tense prefixes; both must appear together for a complete and correct sentence.
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Common Time Markers in Dolmic:
- mada → “now”
- madadai → “today”
- lodai → “yesterday”
- hidai → “tomorrow”
- suna → “soon”
- hifa → “after”
- lonfa → “before”
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Structure Rules:
Time markers appear before or after the main sentence clause, following natural English-like placement.
Tense prefixes must always appear directly before the verb to clearly indicate past, present, or future time.
Temporal nouns such as naya follow normal noun rules and may combine with prepositions or additional markers.
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Examples
Sentence-Initial Position:
- Hidai, unama hii gon ton tane tana.
→ “Tomorrow, you will go to the gate.”
- Lodai, mayama lon hov tane sona.
→ “Yesterday, I had the person.”
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Sentence-Final Position:
- Mayama hov tane sona madadai.
→ “I have the person today.”
- Weiama mak flani suna.
→ “We make fire soon.”
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Complex Example Using "Before," "After," "Because," and "Night"
- Gi unama wan mayama hii gon lonfa ora hifa tane naya? Esoni mayama wan hii gon hidai.
→ “Do you want me to go before or after the night? Because I would like to go tomorrow.”
This example shows:
lonfa (“before”), hifa (“after”), and naya (“night”) functioning in natural Dolmic sentence structure.
- Proper tense prefix usage with hii for future reference alongside hidai.
- Correct use of esoni (“because”) as a sentence-linking conjunction.
- English-equivalent flow while maintaining Dolmic structure rules.
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Notes:
Tense prefixes must always be included in Dolmic sentences, even when a time marker is present.
Time marker placement follows English patterns exactly: sentence-initial, sentence-final, or mid-sentence.
Numbers and Roman Numerals in Dolmic
Dolmic uses a base-10 counting system. In speech and formal writing, numbers are expressed using Dolmic number words. In Dolmic written form, numbers are visually depicted using Roman numerals. Dolmic number words function both as adjectives when describing quantity and as standalone nouns when used without a subject.
The Dolmic number words from zero to nine are:
- Zero: noka
- One: nomii
- Two: nodu
- Three: noth
- Four: noqu
- Five: nokk
- Six: nodan
- Seven: nosa
- Eight: noqq
- Nine: nobb
When forming multiples of ten, Dolmic uses the suffix ta. This suffix is attached directly to the number root:
nodu-ta = twenty
noth-ta = thirty
To express hundreds, Dolmic uses the suffix ron:
nodu-ron = two hundred
These multipliers can be combined with number roots and the ta suffix to express larger numbers:
noth-ta nokk = thirty-five
There are no Dolmic-specific words for higher magnitude numbers such as thousands or millions. In such cases, Roman numerals are used exclusively in writing.
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Roman Numerals in Dolmic Writing
In Dolmic writing, Roman numerals represent all written numbers. The format mirrors standard Roman numeral rules:
0 = zero
I = one
II = two
III = three
IV = four
V = five
X = ten
L = fifty
C = one hundred
D = five hundred
M = one thousand
Zero is visually represented as 0, as traditional Roman numerals do not include a symbol for zero.
---
Ordinal Numbers in Dolmic
Ordinal numbers in Dolmic are formed using the suffix eja. This suffix is attached to the Dolmic number root to indicate order or rank:
nomii-eja = first
nodu-eja = second
The eja suffix is always placed directly after the number root without any additional connectors.
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Pluralisation and Number Structure Rules
When numbers are used in Dolmic sentences, the plural marker du- is not applied. Using a number already implies plurality when the quantity is greater than one.
Additionally, when using number structures with descriptive statements:
"Tane" always precedes the full number phrase.
"Yysa" is used when the subject is singular.
"Area" is used when the subject is plural.
For example:
"The person is old." → Tane sona yysa hiijo.
"The thirty-five people are old." → Tane noth-ta nokk sona area hiijo.
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Example Sentences
Spoken Dolmic:
"Tane noth-ta nokk sona area hiijo."
Translation: "The thirty-five people are old."
Written Dolmic:
"XXXV tane sona area hiijo."
Translation: "The thirty-five people are old."
---
Notes:
Dolmic number words are always used in speech and formal descriptions.
Roman numerals are only used in writing.
The suffixes ta and ron provide clear structure for forming larger numbers.
The ordinal suffix eja is used exclusively for describing rank or sequence.
The plural marker du- is not used when a number phrase is present.
Sentence structure often but not always places tane before the number phrase, and uses yysa or area based on whether the subject is singular or plural. Tane is not required when context of the subject is already apparent.
---
Sentence Linking and Complex Clauses in Dolmic
Dolmic uses specific conjunctions to link clauses and form complex sentences. These conjunctions follow the same functional patterns as in English but must be placed according to Dolmic sentence structure rules.
Conjunctions are used to:
Link two or more descriptive statements.
Link questions and conditions.
Provide logical connectors such as reason, contrast, or choice.
Common Linking Conjunctions in Dolmic:
ada → and
buta → but
esoni → because
ifa → if
ora → or
eesa → else
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Structure Rules
Conjunctions are placed between two complete sentence clauses.
Tense prefixes and other grammar rules are still applied within each clause individually.
Conjunctions do not replace or remove the need for pronouns or tense prefixes.
Dolmic sentence structure does not stack multiple conjunctions unnecessarily. Each conjunction links only two active clauses at a time.
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Examples
Linking Two Declarative Statements:
Mayama hov tane sona, ada unama mak flani.
→ “I have the person, and you make fire.”
Sohyama mak flani, buta weia wan kah.
→ “They make fire, but we want food.”
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Linking Conditional Clauses:
Ifa unama wan kah, mayama hov tane kah.
→ “If you want food, I have the food.”
Ifa unama lon gon ton tane tana, mayama hii gon ton tane sona.
→ “If you went to the gate, I will go to the person.”
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Linking Choices:
Gi unama wan kah ora kweyvo?
→ “Do you want food or water?”
Weiama hov kah ora hov kweyvo.
→ “We have food or have water.”
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Linking Reasons:
Unama wan kah, esoni unama yysa kahgi.
→ “You want food because you are hungry.”
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Linking with Else:
Mayama wan kah, eesa mayama lon gon.
→ “I want food, else I go.”
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Notes
Conjunctions such as ada, buta, esoni, ifa, ora, and eesa are all confirmed in the DLD.
Conjunction placement in Dolmic follows English logic but always respects Dolmic tense prefix and sentence order rules.
Even in linked sentences, each clause must remain grammatically complete. Pronouns, tense prefixes, and required determiners like tane must still be present in each linked clause.
Dolmic does not use implied subjects or verbs across clauses unless very casual speech is intended, which is not considered proper grammar in formal writing.
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¶ Reflexive Pronouns in Dolmic
Dolmic uses dedicated reflexive pronouns to express actions performed by the subject upon itself. Reflexive pronouns are treated as standalone pronouns and follow standard Dolmic sentence structure.
¶ Reflexive Pronouns
- soha → self
- mayha → myself
- unha → yourself
- weiha → ourselves
- dusoha → themselves
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¶ Structure Rules
- Reflexive pronouns are placed after the verb or after the full object phrase if present.
- Reflexive pronouns never combine with formal or casual subject pronouns—they are used on their own.
- Tense prefixes are applied as normal to the verb.
- Reflexive pronouns always match the subject in person and number.
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¶ Example Sentences:
"I hurt myself."
- Mayama lon kata mayha.
"You hurt yourself."
- Unama lon kata unha.
"We hurt ourselves."
- Weiama lon kata weiha.
"They hurt themselves."
- Sohyama lon kata dusoha.
--
¶ Notes
- Reflexive pronouns are treated as full pronouns and follow the same placement rules as standard Dolmic pronouns.
- No casual or formal pronoun forms are used alongside reflexive pronouns.
- The plural marker du- is not used with reflexive pronouns.
- Reflexive pronouns must be present in full in formal Dolmic speech and writing.