3. Adjectives
3.1. Adjectives having the root in common with pronouns
3.2. Numerals and some quantifiers
3.3. Other adjectives
3.4. Compound nouns having an adjective as second constituent
3.5. Nominalized adjectives
3.6. Adjectives + -şi, -ş(i)
3.7. Comparative expression of adjectives
● Adjectives are invariable in Laz as well as adverbs. They are defined as follows in this study :
Adjective = invariable word, modifier of noun directly (attributive) or indirectly (predicative)
Adverb = invariable word, modifier of verb, adjective, other adverb or sentence.
A great number of words are concurrently adjective and adverb in Laz.
● See participles (→14.).
● See also derivational affixes that form adjectives and adverbs (→ 4.; 20.)。
● Adjectives can be nominalized in Laz. In this case, they take case suffixes and plural marker.
■ The accentuation rules of adjectives are identical with those of nouns. Some of numerals have a final consonant in all dialects (even in those having no noun with final consonant in absolutive case). The accent is on the final syllable of these numerals.
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●●● The “Altered document” presents as Laz terms coxoşi noçine (p. 63) and verbişi noçine (p. 71) respectively for equivalent of adjective and adverb. These expessions are not understood by any Laz except İsmail Avcı Bucaklişi who fabricated them. Coxoşi may mean “of noun”, and verbişi “of verb”. But the form noçine does not mean anything.
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3.1. Adjectives having the root in common with pronouns
3.1.1. √mi
3.1.2. √mu
3.1.3. (?)√mu + √ni [empty item]
3.1.4. √na
3.1.5. √ha ~ √a, √hi ~ √he ~ √e
3.1.6. (?) Adjectives derived from personal pronouns [empty item]
● Interrogative adjectives are used as indefinite adjectives in concessive clauses. (→ 16.2. Concessive clauses).
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3.1.1. √mi who
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umiteli (Centre, East) without anybody
< miti (no one) + circumfix {u-......-eli}(without ......)
● Umiteli is concurrently adjective and adverb (→ 4.1.1.).
● The circumfix {u-......-eli} exists in all Laz dialects. However, in western dialects, it is affixed only to nouns and never to pronouns (→ 3.3.3.5.).
There are two postpositions (→ 5.2.1. sure, suzi) and an ambiposition (1) (→ 5.4.1. dixo) having the same meaning as this circumfix.
(1) ambiposition : invariable particle that can be anteposed or postposed to noun and pronoun. The term is proposed by the author of this study.
Don’t confound “ambiposition” with “circumposition (*)” which is composed by an anteposed element and a postposed element. There is an example of circumpositive (*) phrase in French : « à ... près » (except). It should be classified among circumpositions if the constituents are not independent words.
(*) These terms are proposed also by the author of this study.
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3.1.2. √mu what
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muç’e (PZ)
muç’o[1] (ÇM)(AŞ)(Centre)
muç’o[1] ~ muç’oşi (East) [1] (attributive) what kind of [misuse ?]
[2] (predicative) in what health condition
●●● A number of Laz think as follows.
«Those who use the word “muç’o” as attributive adjective and think it is equivalent to the Turkish word “nasıl” (what kind of) commit a double error of language. The Laz word “muç’o” means “in what health condition” only as predicative adjective. There is a Laz word meaning “what kind of” i.e. “muper(i)”. It is absurd to make a wrong loan translation from Turkish instead of the right Laz word. »
[1] As attributive adjective [misuse ?]
Muç’e k’oçi on ? (PZ) What kind of man is he ?
Muç’o k’oçi on ? (ÇM)(AŞ)
Muç’o k’oçi ren ?
~ Muç’o k’oçi yen ? (FN)(AH)(HP)
[2] As predicative adjective
Muç’e ore ? (PZ) How are you ? (1)
Muç’ or ? (ÇM) (2)
Muç’ ore ? (AŞ)(FN)(AH) (2)
Muç’oşi ye ? (HP)(ÇX)
(1) Word-for-word translation : In what health condition are you ?
(2) Elision of the final vowel of muç’o before or ~ ore.
● In this study, provisionaly, muç’e ~ muç’o[1] ~ muç’oşi is considered as concurrently adjective and adverb even if the meanings as adjective (in what health condition; what kind of) and as adverb (how) are not quite parallel (→ 4.1.2.).
● There are two homonymous words with this adverb: a preposition (→ 5.1.1. muç’o[2] “as if”) and an anteposed conjunction (→ 6.1.1. muç’o[3] “as soon as”).
Derived adverb muç’otiyen (FN) as it is
● The adverb muç’otiyen is formed by agglutination into one word of the concessive clause muç’o-ti yen (however it is). Some other examples of concessive clauses agglutinated into one word are observed in the dialects of Fındıklı : pronouns like mitiyen (anyone)(→ 2.1.2.4.) and mutuyen (anything) (→ 2.2.2.4.). See also the concessive clauses (→ 16.2.).
■ The accent is on the first syllable of this adverb. The morpheme {-ti-} is not accented and does not modify the place of accent in the word to which it is attached. ______________________________________________________________________
3.1.2.2. muper(i)(1) what kind of (form, colour, character, air)
Ex. : muper k’oçi what kind of man
muper k’oçepe what kind of men
(1) In the dialects of Pazar : muyaper(i).
● If the adjective muper(i) should be nominalized, its plural form should be muperepe. It is precisely this form which take the place of plural for the interrogative-indefinite pronoun mu (what; whatever) in the dialects of Çamlıhemşin, Ardeşen, Fındıklı and Arhavi.
● One of the plural forms of interrogative-indefinite pronoun mi (who; whoever) is miperepe, which is observed exclusively within the distribution area of muperepe. It is reasonable to presume that miperepe is formed on the analogy of the model “mu → muperepe” (→2.2.).
Derived adverb muperitiyen (FN) as it is
This word must be the agglutinated form of the concessive clause {muperi-ti yen} (whatever kind of thing it is).
■ The accent is on the second syllable {-pe-}. The morpheme {-ti-} is not accented and does not modify the place of accent in the word to which it is attached.
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3.1.2.3. umuteli (Centre, East) without anything
< mutu (not ..... anything) + circumfix{u-......-eli}(without)(1)
(1) → 3.1.1., 3.3.3.5.
● The word is concurrently adverb and adjective (→ 4.1.3.).
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3.1.2.4. muk’u (PZ) how many, how much
●●● Contrary to the assertion of the Altered document, i.e. « Laz Grammar » (1) with which the Laz joint author tampered heavily after the last controle done by Gôichi Kojima (→ Introduction [3] end), p.p. 63 ~ 64, nak’u ~ nak’o is used in all Laz dialects concerning time and all other things. The synonym muk’u is observed only in the dialects of Pazar in superposed distribution with nak’u. (→ 3.1.2.).
(1) original title : « Lazca Gramer – Lazuri Grameri – Laz Grammar » Gôichi Kojima & İsmail Avcı Bucaklişi, Istanbul 2003
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3.1.3. (?)√mu + √ni oneself [empty item]
●●● Ghost words
Personal adjectives with √mu and √ni are described in the Altered document, p. 65. Further research should be necessary in order to confirm - perhaps - the form, distribution and meaning of following words.
? muşeburi [all dialects] = [Turkish version] peculiar to himself (herself)
= [English version] peculiar to him (her)
? nişeburi [only in Hopa] = peculiar to them
? ninteşeburi [only in Fındıklı] = peculiar to themselves
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●●● The form “muşeburi” is not attested anywhere.
A word, phonetically close to it, muşebu(r)a, exists in central and eastern dialects. But it is an adverb meaning “by oneself, alone, without asking other’s opinion” (*)(→ 4.1.2.).
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●●● The form “nişeburi” is not attested anywhere. Neither in Hopa nor elsewhere. No word with √ni is observed in Arhavi, Hopa and Çxala.
The quasi-homonymous adverb nişebu(r)a, which is observed in the dialects of Fındıklı, means “by themselves, alone, without asking other’s opinion” (*)(→ 4.1.2.)。
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●●● There are “only” morphological and semantic problems for the word “ninteşeburi”.
A quasi-homonymous adverb, ninteşebu(r)a, is observed in the dialects of Fındıklı. It is synonym of nişebu(r)a (→ 4.1.2.).
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3.1.4. √na
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3.1.4.1. nam which
(Ex.: nam bere which child, nam berepe which children)
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3.1.4.2. nak’u ~ nak’o how many, how much
(Ex.: nak’u tuta ~ nak’o tuta how many months)
● nak’u : in western dialects ; nak’o in central and eastern dialects
●●● Contrary to the assertion in Altered document, p.p. 63 ~ 64, nak’u ~ nak’o is used in all Laz dialects concerning time and all other things. The synonym muk’u is observed only in the dialects of Pazar in superposed distribution with nak’u. (→ 3.1.2.).
● The word nak’u ~ nak’o is concurrently adjective and adverb (→ 4.1.2., 4.1.4.).
Derived adverb nak’us ~ nak’oz ~ nak’os how much (price)
● The final consonant of this adverb is identical with the dative case suffix of nouns.
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3.1.5. √ha ~ √a, √hi ~ √he ~ √e
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3.1.5.1.
ham ~ ha (~ a) ~ am this, these
ham bere ~ am bere : this child
ham berepe ~ am berepe : these children
him ~ hem ~ he ~ em that, those
● (West, Centre): Generally ham, him ~ hem. Variants without /h/ (a- and am-) are observed in some compound words. Often ha, he in some dialects of Arhavi.
andğa (West, AH) ~ handğa (FN): today
amser(i) : tonight
● (East): Generally am, em. (The phoneme /h/ is pronounced only in some interjections.) But ham, hem in the western part of Hopa.
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3.1.5.2.
hak’u ~ hak’o ~ ak’o this much
hik’u ~ hek’o ~ ek’o that much
These words are concurrently adverbs (→ 4.1.5.).
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3.1.5.3.
haşo ~ aşo this kind of, such
hişo ~ heşo ~ eşo that kind of, such
These words are concurrently adverbs (→ 4.1.5.).
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3.1.5.4. (AD-Ok’ordule etc)
haşi like this, this kind of
heşi like that, that kind of
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3.1.6. Adjectives (?) which are derived from personal pronouns [empty item]
Suffixe {-eburi} (West)
●●● Mistranslation ?
According to the Altered document (p. 65, article on the « personal adjectives »), following four words, which are on the right of an arrow, should be adjectives.
(West)
şk’imi → şk’imeburi ? peculiar to me
sk’ani → sk’aneburi ? peculiar to you (sg.)
şk’uni → şk’uneburi ? peculiar to us
t’k’vani → t’k’vaneburi ? peculiar to you (pl.)
It is greatly probable that there is mistranslation from Laz into Turkish because of confusion between adjectival and adverbial functions.
These words exist in the western laz dialects : they are adverbs meaning respectively « according to me », « according to you (sg.) », « according to us », « acording to you (pl.) » (→ 4.1.6.). But their adjectival use (as attributive or predicative) is not attested.
●●● According to the Altered document (article on the same page 65), there should be also « personal adjectives in the central and eastern dialects ». Far from the reality.
● See articles on the suffixs {-eburi} and {-ebura} (→ 4.1.3., 4.1.6., 4.6., 20.).
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3.2. Numerals and some other quantifiers
3.2.1. Cardinals
3.2.2. Ordinals
3.2.3. Some other quantifiers
3.2.4. Fraction [empty item]
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3.2.1. Cardinals
The Laz numeration is hybrid : it is decimal and vicesimal.
From 1 to 10 : simple words
From 11 to 19 : compound words of “10 + 1”, “10 + 2” pattern.
0 = ø (1) 10 = vit (*)
1 = ar ~ a (2) 11 = vit’oar ~ vit’var
2 = jur ~ cur (3) 12 = vit’ojur ~ vit’ocur (3)
3 = sum 13 = vit’osum
4 = otxo 14 = vit’otxo
5 = xut (*) 15 = vit’oxut (*)
6 = aşi 16 = vit’oaşi ~ vit’vaşi
7 = şk’it ~ şkit ~ şkvit (*) 17 = vit’oşk’it ~ vit’oşkit ~ vit’oşkvit (*)
8 = ovro ~ orvo 18 = vit’ovro ~ vit’orvo
9 = çxoro ~ nçxoro 19 = vit’oçxoro ~ vit’onçxoro
(1) There is no original Laz word meaning “zero”. Laz-Turkish bilingual Laz use the Turkish word sıfır (of Arabic origin like the English word zero).
(2) The word a(r) is also an indefinite adjective meaning “a (certain)”.
It is concurrently an adverb meaning “once, one time” (→ 4.3.).
(3) [jur ~ cur, vit’ojur ~ vit’ocur] The phoneme /c/ in the dialects of Çamlıhemşin and Ardeşen corresponds generally to two phonemes /j/ and /c/ in other dialects.
(*) In the dialects of Ardeşen, xuti, şk’iti, viti, vit’oxuti, vit’şk’iti etc before consonantal cluster: Ex. xuti ndğa = five days, vit’oxuti ndğa = fifteen days.
■ The cardinals 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 have consonant-final stem. At the end of compound numerals, they are accented even if they are monosyllabic.
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20 : simple word
From 21 to 30 : compound words of “20 + 1”, “20 + 2”, “20 + 10” pattern
From 31 to 39 : compound words of “20 + 10 + 1”, “20 + 10 + 2” pattern
(For the conjunction do → 7.1.)
20 = eçi 30 = eçi do vit
21 = eçi do ar 31 = eçi do vit’oar ~ eçi do vit’var
22 = eçi do jur ~ eçi do cur 32 = eçi do vit’ojur ~ eçi do vit’ocur
23 = eçi do sum 33 = eçi do vit’osum
24 = eçi do otxo 34 = eçi do vit’otxo
25 = eçi do xut 35 = eçi do vit’oxut
26 = eçi do aşi 36 = eçi do vit’oaşi ~ eçi do vit’vaşi
27 = eçi do şk’it ~ eçi do şkit 37 = eçi do vit’oşk’it ~ eçi do vit’oşkit
~ eçi do şkvit ~ eçi do vit’oşkvit
28 = eçi do ovro ~ eçi do orvo 38 = eçi do vit’ovro ~ eçi do vit’orvo
29 = eçi do çxoro ~ eçi do nçxoro 39 = eçi do vit’o(n)çxoro
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40 = 2 x 20, 41 = 2 x 20 + 1, ...... 50 = 2 x 20 + 10, ......60 = 3 x 20, ...... 70 = 3 x 20 + 10, ...... 80 = 4 x 20, ...... 90 = 4 x 20 + 10, ..... 99 = 4 x 20 + 10 + 9
40 = jureneçi ~ cureneçi,
41 = jureneçi do ar ~ cureneçi do ar, ......
50 = jureneçi do vit ~ cureneçi do vit,
52 = jureneçi do vit’ojur ~ cureneçi do vit’ocur, ......
60 = sumeneçi, ......
70 = sumeneçi do vit, ......
80 = otxoneçi, ......
90 = otxoneçi do vit, ......
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100 : simple word
100 = oşi, 200 = jur oşi ~ cur oşi, 300 = sum oşi, 400 = otxo oşi, ......
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1000 : There are two terms for “thousand”: a compound word vit’oşi (= 10 x 100) and a simple word şilya (1).
4835 = otxo şilya do ovro oşi do eçi do vit’oxut
(1) The word şilya is very similar to the Greek word χίλια.
◘◘◘
The Greeks and the Laz were neighbours until the time of population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1923.
(Greek Moslems stayed in Turkey. There are many language islands where the Greek is still spoken in the province of Trabzon : districts of Çaykara, Of etc. On the other hand Orthodox Greeks stayed at Istanbul and in two islands of the Aegean Sea : Imroz = Gökçeada, Tenedos = Bozcaada.)
A certain number of words having nearly the same form and meaning are observed between Laz and Greek dialects of the Black Sea. But we have no possibility to know the history of phonetic, phonemic, morphological, grammatical and lexical evolution of the Laz language which has not been written till quite recently. A given Laz word can be borrowed from Greek. The reverse is also possible. Both Laz and Greek words can be borrowed from a third language. They can also resemble by accident. All kinds of hypotheses are possible. Few of them can be convincing.
Most of Laz vocabulary concerning the marine activities seem to be similar to Greek or Turkish words. Two examples are shown below.
Modern Greek καράβι [kará:vi] ship = Laz (HP) k’aravi ship
Laz vapur(i) “ship” < Turkish vapur “motorboat” < French vapeur “steam; steamer”
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1 000 000 = milyon(i) (1)
1 000 000 000 = milyar(i) (2)
1 000 000 000 000 = trilyon(i) (3)
(1) < Turkish milyon < French million
(2) < Turkish milyar < French milliard
(3) < Turkish trilyon < French trillion (*)
(*) according to the meaning of the word before 1948 = 1012.
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3.2.2. Ordinals
Laz ordinals derive from cardinals by adding circumfixes {ma-......-a} ~ {ma-......-ani} ~ {ma-......-tani} ~ {ma-......-oni} or suffixes {-oni},{-tani}, {-(i)neri}. The ordinals meaning “sixth”, “seventh”, “eighth” etc are not in use in most of Laz dialects spoken in Turkey where they are replaced by Turkish words.
maaroni (PZ), maroni/ aroni (ÇM), aroni/ artani (FN-Ç’anapet), maarani (AH-Borğola) : first (*)
majura/ majurani/ mancura/ mancurani; juroni (FN-Ç’anapet) : second
masuma/ masumani; sumoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : third
maotxani/ mayotxani; otxoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : fourth
maxutani; xutineri (PZ), xutoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : fifth
maaşani/ maaşineri/ aşineri (PZ), maşitani (ÇM), aşitani/ aşoni (FN-Ç’anapet); maaşani (AH-Borğola) : sixth
maşk’itani/ şk’itineri (PZ); maşk’itani/ maşkitani; şkitani/ şkitoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : seventh
maovrani/ ovroneri (PZ), movroni/ maovroni (ÇM), ovrotani/ ovroni (FN-Ç’anapet), maovroni (AH-Borğola) : eighth
çxovroni/ çxoroni (ÇM), çxoroni/ nçxoroni (FN-Ç’anapet), mançxoroni (AH-Borğola) : ninth
mavit’ani/ vit’ineri (PZ), mavit’oni (ÇM), vitani/ vitoni (FN-Ç’anapet); mavit’ani (AH-Borğola); mavitani (AK) : tenth
vit’o-aroni (PZ)(ÇM), vit’varoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : eleventh
maeçoni (ÇM), eçoni (FN-Ç’anapet) : twentieth
(*) The adjectives sift’eneri (PZ-Cigetore), emogindeni (ÇM), moç’k’a (FN)(AH), iptineri (FN)(AH), iftineri (AK), signifying “initial”, are used also in the meaning of “first”.
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3.2.3. Some quantifiers
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3.2.3.1.
gverdi half
do gveri ~ do gveyi (1) and half
ar do gveri ~ ar do gveyi one and half
jur do gveri ~ cur do gveri ~ jur do gveyi two and half
(1) do gverdi in the dialects of Ardeşen : Ex. ar do gverdi (one and half).
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3.2.3.2.
tito one for each
tito tito (adverbial phrase) one by one
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3.2.3.3.
jur jur ~ cur cur (adj.) two for each ; (adv.) two by two
sum sum (adj.) three for each ; (adv.) three by three
otxo otxo (adj.) four for each ; (adv.) four by four
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3.2.3.4. Suffixe {-ti}
arti the other
artik’arti ~ artikarti each other
ju(r)i-ti ~ curi-ti both
sumi-ti all three
otxi-ti ~ otxo-ti all four
xu-ti ~ xuti-ti all five
vi-ti ~ viti-ti all ten
● See the suffixal conjunction {-ti} (→ 7.2.).
■ The suffix {-ti} does not change the place of accent in the word to which it is attached. The accent is on the penultimate in the word artik’arti ~ artikarti, and on the first syllable in all other words of this subject.
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3.2.4. Fraction [empty item]
●●● Ghost affixes
According to the Altered document (p. 68), there should be « in the dialects of Fındıklı, a circumfix {na- ... -ari} which form fractional numerals. Ex. : najurari (half), nasumari (third), naotxari (quarter), naxutari (fifth) .......... naoşari (hundredth) ».
This assertion is groundless : the affix is invented.
There are descriptions close to this assertion in the “Laz-Turkish Dictionary” (1) (Istanbul, 1999) jointly written by İsmail Avcı Bucaklişi and Hasan Uzunhasanoğlu : « nasumari (third), naotxali (quarter), naxutali (fıfth) »
(1) original title: “Lazca-Türkçe Sözlük”
However none of my Laz acquaintance, except the authors of this dictionnary, never heard of these words.
I put one day the imperative question to Hasan Uzunhasanoğlu who gave me the following reply by e-mail : « We did not find any Laz expression for the fractions. We took the words “nasumori, naotxali, naxutali” from Mingrelian. They are mentionned in a Mingrelian-Georgian dictionary that I made send from Georgia. There is a misprint in the word “nasumari”; the right spelling is “nasumori” »
Unthinkable but true ...... The original text (in Turkish) is as follows :
《... Nasumori ve naotxali kelimelerini Megrelceden aldık. Zira Lazcada kesir sayılarını ifade edecek bir ifade kalıbına şimdiye dek rastlamadık. Ayrıca, “nasumari” değil nasumori” olacak, doğrusu. Ben bunu ikinci baskı için tashih (düzelti) yaparken düzelttim. Bu iki kelimeyi OGNİ dergisinin 4. sayısından aldım. (......) Benzer biçimde “naxutali” kelimesi de sözlükte yer alıyor. Elimde Gürcistan’dan getirttiğim ve akademisyenlerin hazırladığı üç ciltlik bir Megrelce-Gürcüce sözlük var. Her üçü de sözlükte mevcut. ...... 》
They will be able to take all Bulgarian words from a Bulgarian-Slovene dictionary and put them as Polish words in a Polish-French dictionary !!!!!
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3.3. Other adjectives
3.3.1. Simple words
3.3.2. Adjectives being derived from adjective
3.3.3. Adjectives being derived from noun
● See the chapter of adverbs for adjectives which are derived from adverbs (→ 4.1., 4.2., 4.4.).
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3.3.1. Simple words
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kçe white
uça black
mç’ita red
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m3ik’a ~ m3ika few, little
a(r) m3ik’a ~ a(r) m3ika a few, a little
opşa (PZ)(1) many, much
zade (ÇM)(AŞ) (2)
dido (Centre)
iyo (East)
● These words are concurrently adjective and adverb.
● (1) In the dialects of Çamlıhemşin and Ardeşen: opşa = full.
■ (2) In the word zade, the accent is exceptionally on the final syllable.
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didi big
3’ulu (West) ~3’ut’a (FN) small
~ ç’ut’a (AH) ~ ç’it’a (East)
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gunz*e (West)(FN)(AH) ~ ginz*e (East) long
mk’ule short
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mçxu thick
mç’ipe thin; fine
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mçxvapa ~ çxvapa hot; warm (air)
t’u3a hot (liquid or solid matter)
ini (West, centre) ~ x’ini (*)(East) cold
(*) The consonant which is at the initial of the word x’ini is an uvular fricative ejective. Fahri Lazoğlu used for this phoneme the letter Q (q) without diacritical mark that he uses for all other ejective consonants. Thus it is not easy to guess that this naked letter corresponds to a fricative and ejective consonant.
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vorsi (PZ) ~ vrossi (ÇM)(AŞ) good
k’a(y)i (Centre, East)
ğvari
(West) wet
şu
(FN) ~ şuvi
(AH)
msk’va ~ mskva pretty, beautiful
ir(i) each, every
bit’um(i) (West) ~ mtel(i) (Centre, East) all, whole
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3.3.2. Adjectives being derived from adjective
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3.3.2.1. Diminutive
3’ulu → 3’ulut’ina (PZ)(ÇM) very small
~ 3’ulup’ina (AŞ)
ç’uta → ç’uç’uta (AH)
ç’ita → ç’iç’ita (East)
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3.3.2.2. Suffix {-on(i)}(Centre, East)
kçe → kçoni coloured with predominance of white
mç’ita → mç’itoni coloured with predominance of red
uça → uçoni coloured with predominance of black
● The words shown above are not observed in western dialects. Adnominal clauses like kçe na-on, mç’ita na-on, uça na-on express the equivalent colorations. See the chapter of adnominal clauses for the profix (1) na- (→ 17.).
● The suffix {-on(i)} is observed in all Laz dialects as derivational affix of adjectives from nouns (→ 3.3.3.1.).
● If the original adjective has vowel-final stem, the final vowel is lost before this suffix.
(1) Profix : Prefix which occupies always the initial position in a succession of prefixes. There are four affirmation profixes (→ 11.8.) in Laz besides the profix introducing adnominal clauses.
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3.3.2.3. Suffix{-(l)ya(y)i}(PZ)
mç’ita → mç’italya(y)i reddish
uça → uçalya(y)i blackish
● This suffix is attached also to nouns. (→ 3.3.3.2.)
●●● The letter (y) between parentheses represents an almost inaudible semivowel [j] and the lengthening of the preceding vowel. It causes some difficulty for those who want to propose a Laz orthography.
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3.3.2.4. Suffix{-onya(y)i}(FN)
kçe → kçoniya(y)i coloured with predominance of white
mç’ita → mç’itonya(y)i coloured with predominance of red
uça → uçonya(y)i coloured with predominance of black
● If the original adjective has vowel-final stem, the final vowel is lost before this suffix.
● This suffix is attached also to nouns. (→ 3.3.3.3.)
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3.3.2.5. Suffixe{-ş(i)} (→ 3.6.)
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3.3.3. Adjectives being derived from nouns
Among derivational suffixes shown below, those beginning by a vowel makes disappear the final vowel of the (vowel-final) stem in the original noun. _____________________________________________________________________________
3.3.3.1. Suffix {-(l)on(i)}
bere child → beroni having child(ren)
çilambri(West) tears → çilambroni (AŞ)(FN) in tears
~ çilambre (FN)
ili bone → iloni with bone (meat)
kva stone, rock → kvaloni stony, rocky, pebbly
k’apça anchovy → k’apçon(i) (West) with anchovy (cornbread)
~ kapça → ~ kapçon(i) (Centre, East)
mt’ut’a ash → mt’ut’oni (HP) covered with ash
upi sweat → uponi (AŞ, Centre, East) sweaty
●●● In the example shown below (dialect of Arhavi), this morpheme is suffixed to a phrase {adjective + noun} forming together an adjectival idiom.
k’ai toli good eye → k’ai toloni who does not overlook
anything
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3.3.3.2. Suffix {-(l)ya(y)i}(PZ)
let’a soil → let’alya(y)i covered with soil
mt’ut’a ash → mt’ut’alya(y)i covered with ash
oncğor(e) shame → oncğorya(y)i (1) shy
upi sweat → upya(y)i sweaty
(1) This word is also observed in central and eastern dialects.
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3.3.3.3. Suffix {-onya(y)i}(FN)
let’a soil → let’onya(y)i covered with soil
mt’ut’a ash → mt’ut’onya(y)i covered with ash
upi sweat → uponya(y)i sweaty
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3.3.3.4. Suffixe {West -(n)uri, Centre and East -o(y)i ~ -u(y)i ~ -a(y)i}
Atina Pazar → Atinuri ~ Atino(y)i from Pazar
ø [néant] (1) Çamlıhemşin → ø (1) from Çamlıhemşin
Art’aşeni Ardeşen → Art’aşenuri ~ Art’aşeno(y)i from Ardeşen
Vi3’e Fındıklı → Vi3’uri ~ Vi3’o(y)i from Fındıklı
Arkabi Arhavi → Arkaburi ~ Arkabo(y)i from Arhavi
Xopa Hopa → Xopuri ~ Xopu(y)i from Hopa
Çxala İçkale → Çxaluri ~ Çxalu(y)i from Borçka-İçkale
noğa shopping street→ noğanuri ~ noğa(y)i from shopping street
Orç’a villages in the south-west of Arhavi
→ Orç’a(y)i (Centre, East) from Orç’a
Ç’enneti Cennet → Ç’enneta(y)i (Centre, East) from Fındıklı-Cennet
(1) The Çamlıhemşin town, administrative centre of homonymous province, is inhabited by Turkish speaking people, named Hemşinli, who do not speak Laz. There is no Laz name of this town. The Laz living in the province of Çamlıhemşin indicate by the name “Vice ~ Vica” the part of the province where Laz is not spoken. “Vice ~ Vica” is the name of a hamlet close to the administrative centre of the province.
● The suffıx shown above should not be confound with suffixes {-uli} ~ {-uri} which are described in the following subject (→ 3.3.3.5.).
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●●● Imaginary place name
The province of Çamlıhemşin is called unintentionally “Vija” in the article, “Phonemic and morphological analysis of Laz dialects”, Gôichi Kojima, in Mjora, n° 2 (2000, spring).
It is Mister İAB (always the same !) who inserted the word “Vija” in the article without informing the author. He imagined that it was a Laz name of the province and its administrative centre. (He is yet to change his “opinion”. )
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3.3.3.5. Suffixes {-uli} ~ {-uri}
The suffixes shown here are very scarsely observed. One of them forms at least one word which is used by many Laz and understood by all Laz. The other one (*) forms at most one word which is used and understood by .... only a handful of Laz.
Lazi Laz → Lazuri spoken by Laz people
(Ex. : Lazuri nena : language spoken by Laz people)
Turki Turk → Turkuli (*) spoken by Turks
(Ex. : Turkuli nena : language spoken by Turks)
(*) The Laz-Turkish bilingual Laz borrow generally Turkish words in order to indicate ethnies and their language. A great number of Laz declare that they never heard of the word Turkuli.
● The word Lazuri is used also as adverb. (→ 4.6.)
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3.3.3.6. Circumfix {u-......-eli}
k’ibri (1) tooth → uk’ibreli (2) with no tooth
~ k’irbi ~ ç’irbi ~ uk’irbeli ~ uç’irbeli
k’udeli tail → uk’udeleli (West) tailless
mcumu salt → umcumeli saltless
nciri sleep → uncireli without sleep
nena tongue; language; → uneneli dumb; mute;
voice; sound voiceless; noiseless
3’ar(i) (West) water → u3’areli (West) without water
~3’k’a ~3’k’a(r)i (Centre, East) ~ u3’k’areli (Centre, East)
(1) k’irbi and k’ibri in western dialects (ç’irbi in Çamlıhemşin-Ğvant) ; k’ibri in Fındıklı.
(2) uk’irbeli and uk’ibreli in western dialects (uç’irbeli in Çamlıhemşin-Ğvant); uk’ibreli in Fındıklı. According to Hasan Uzunhasanoğlu, ak’ibreli in Fındıklı-Ç’urç’ava.
● This circumfix forms words which are concurrently adjective and adverb (→ 4.6.). See also postpositions and an ambiposition forming equivalent locutions (→ 5.2.1. sure, suzi ; → 5.4.1. dixo).
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3.3.3.7. Circumfix {u-......-e}
k’ibiri (AH, East) tooth → uk’ibire (AH, East) with no tooth
k’udeli tail → uk’udele (Centre, East) tailless
nosi wisdom → unose(PZ)(FN)(1) unwise
(1) unoseli in Ardeşen ; unose ~ ağnose in Fındıklı ; uğnose in Hopa. And, moreover, nosi suzi in all dialects.
● This circumfix is much less productive than the former. _____________________________________________________________________________
3.4. Compound nouns having an adjective as second constituent
Attributive adjective precedes always noun in Laz except when it forms compound word with the noun. This kind of compound nouns are observed mainly among place names and fruit names.
Examples of place names
Kva-m3’uli “Sharp-Rock” (PZ)
Let’a-mç’ita “Red-Clay, Red-Soil” (PZ)
Kva-nç’areri (1) “Rock-with-Writings-on” (AŞ)
(1) nç’areri is a participle (→ 14.1.).
Examples of fruit names
m3xul-3’aroni very juicy variety of pear
~ m3xul-3’k’a(r)oni
ombri-atinuri (West) Pazar plum
ombri-uça (West) blackplum
Other example
Ti-uça “Black-Head” (= pejorative appellation for Hemşinli)(2)
(2) Normal word for Hemşinli = Sumex(i) ~ Msumex(i).
The Hemşinli people living in Hopa speak “Hemşince” (“Xamşesq” in their own language) which forms dialect continuum with Armenian. The Hemşinli living in Pazar and Çamlıhemşin lost their own language and became Turkish speaking monolinguals. However a certain number of Xamşesq words remain in their Turkish dialect.
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3.5. Nominalized adjectives
Adjectives can be nominalized in Laz. In this case, they take plural marker and case suffixes. Some examples of nominalized adjectives are shown below with their three kinds of plural marker : {-epe ~ -lepe ~ -pe}
k’a(y)i (Centre, East) good → k’ayepe good things
mç’ita red → mç’italepe red things
mçxu thick → mçxupe thick things
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3.6. Adjectives + {-şi}, {-ş(i)}
Suffixes {-şi}(all dialects), {-ş(i)}(Centre, East)
The suffixes {-şi} and {-ş(i)}, which have the same morphology than the genitive case suffix, form two distinct kinds of words when they are attached to adjectives (other than numerals).
{-şi} forms nouns meaning “the one having such a quality among the same category of things”
{-ş(i)} forms adjectives meaning “of the variety having more or less such a quality”
In this study, they are considered as two different derivational suffixes having almost same morphology, because of two reasons : [1] their disribution areas are not identical; [2] the meaning of derived words are not parallel.
● There is another homonymous suffix {-şi} appearing on the final of certain adverbs (→ 4.1.2.).
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3.6.1. Suffix {-şi} forming derived nouns
kçe white → kçeşi the white one
mç’ita red → mç’itaşi the red one
mk’ule short → mk’uleşi the short one
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3.6.2. Suffix {-ş(i)}(Centre, East) forming derived adjectives
kçeşi luği white fig
kçeşi mbuli clear coloured cherry
kçeşi urz*eni white grapes
[In western dialects respectively : kçe luği, kçe mbuli, kçe urz*eni]
mçxuş(i) t’oroci big variety of wild pigeon
mç’ipeş(i) t’oroci small variety of wild pigeon
mç’ipeşi dulya delicate work, subtle work
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3.7. Comparative expression of adjectives
Adjectives are invariable in Laz. They have no comparative or superlative forms. The comparison is expressed by noun (or pronoun) in ablative case (or ambidirective case) that precedes the adjective.
Aşela’şe didi (PZ) bigger than Aşela
Aşela’şa didi (ÇM)(AŞ)
Aşela’şen didi (Centre, East)
Hamuşe3’ulu (PZ) smaller than this
Hamuşa3’ulu (ÇM)(AŞ)
Hayaşen3’ut’a (FN)
Hamuşen ç’ut’a (AH)
Amuşen ç’it’a (HP)(ÇX)