Adjectives

Adjectives in Rihan follow the noun they modify and agree with it in number and case. They decline in the same way as common nouns, divided into the same groups.

dræs dændle
the lucky man

dræsevha dændlevha
(to) the lucky man

dræsir dændlein
the lucky men

Case, however, in a substantive phrase, is represented only on the last adjective, though all nouns and adjectives in the phrase agree in number. A substantive phrase, sometimes also called a noun phrase, is a group of words that represents the subject of a sentence.

dræs dændle nihhs
the short, lucky man (N-A, singular)

dræsevha dændle nihhsevha
the short, lucky man (Dat, singular)

dræsir dændlein nihhsir
the short, lucky men (N-A, plural)

dræsevher dændlein nihhsevher
the short, lucky men (Dat, plural)


Comparison of Adjectives

Adjectives are compared both in positive and negative forms through the use of suffixes. There are both normal (nonmodal) and formal (polite) forms of comparison.

The formal form of comparison is used when describing someone superior to the speaker or describing something under the direct control of someone superior, e.g. a situation the superior may be involved in or a book the superior may have written. It can be heard in use between equals as a courtesy, though it is generally not used between those who are close or intimate acquaintances. Sometimes, a given social situation may require the use of the polite form to avoid accidental disrespect.

Example: ækea (tight) Normal Polite
positve (normal)
tight
ækea -'re
ækea're
negative
not tight
emæl ...
emæl ækea
emæl ... -'re
emæl ækea're
superlative
most tight, tightest
-ha
ækeaeha
-'nra
ækea'nra
negative superlative
least tight
-im
ækeaim
'mri
ækea'mri
comparative
more tight, tighter
-(')e
ækeae
-'ne
ækea'ne
negative comparative
less tight
-il
ækeail
'nil
ækea'nil

Derivation of Adjectives

New adjectives can be created from existing words in a variety of manners. Rihan is a very flexible language that makes use of numerous prefixes and suffixes to change a word's meaning.

From Verbs
-lho corresponding to the English "-able"
e.g. ssuajlho, "understandable," from the verb ssuaj, "to understand."
-'eri corresponding to the English "-ed"
e.g. ikhau'eri, "captured," from the verb ikhau, "to capture."
-'akhe corresponding to the English "dis-/un-...-ed"
e.g. ikhau'akhe, "uncaptured," from the verb ikhau, "to capture."
-'enh corresponding to the English "-ing"
e.g. ikhau'enh, "capturing," from the verb ikhau, "to capture."
-'ukhi corresponding to the English "un-...-ing"
e.g. sahhæ'ukhi, "unending," from the verb sahhæ, "to end."
-'asi corresponding to the English "-tory" and "-ant"
e.g. mos'dyyhkrai'asi, "regulatory," from the verb mos'dyyhkrai, "to regulate."
Words formed by this construction can also be used as an agent noun.
-'elh corresponding to the English "-ive"
e.g. thoi'elh, "descriptive," from the verb thoi, "to describe."
From Nouns
-lho corresponding to the English "-able"
e.g. teillhlho, "charitable," from the noun teillh, "charity."
ih'- general purpose use, the most common means of creating adjectives
e.g. ih'swæt, "central," from the noun swæt, "center."
lli'- corresponding to the English "-less"
e.g. lli'ecurai, "hopeless," from the noun ecurai, "hope."
-'anh corresponding to the English "-ing"
e.g. diæ'anh, "caring," from the noun diæ, "care."
-'ey corresponding to the English "-y," used only if root noun ends in a vowel
e.g. khaa'ey, "sandy," from the noun khaa, "sand."
If the root noun ends in a final "i," the "i" is dropped before added the suffix.
-hkh, -e, -emh corresponding to the English "-y," used only if root noun ends in a consonant
e.g. dhiamne, "roomy," from the noun dhiamn, "room."
-ai, -kha corresponding to the English "-ous"
e.g. anahosai, "vigorous," from the noun anahos, "vigor."
-nhe, -n, -aes, -ahi corresponding to the English "-ful"
e.g. heieun, "restful," from the noun heieu, "rest."