Causes & Conditions

An agent (cim) of a verb, marked by the preposition cici ⟨ci⟩ — bymarks the complement as an agent, is its animate, voluntary cause.

jecici ⟨ci⟩ — bymarks the complement as an agentkoŋɪgigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinernʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
jecikoŋɪginʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
sɴsbymesʙᴊthethatis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“I destroyed the sand castle (intentionally).”

In contrast to an agent, a cause (slon) is involuntary. The preposition slo translates to because of.

jeslokoŋɪgigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinernʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
jeslokoŋɪginʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
sɴsbecause ofmesʙᴊthethatis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“The sand castle was destroyed because of me. (I destroyed the sand castle unintentionally.)”

A cause can also be inanimate.

jeslogigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinervucŋɪgigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinernʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
jeslogivucŋɪginʊganθqakwontcehθefleh
sɴsbecause oftheseasʙᴊthethatis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“The sea destroyed the sand castle.”

When the complement of a causal argument is a verb phrase, slo functions like the English subordinating conjunction because.

The causal-final (ғɪɴ) preposition tce identifies a final cause: a purpose, outcome, or product of some state. It can translate to for or so that. A final cause may be a verb phrase or noun phrase.

jetcetxaqexhonhɪm
jetcetxaqexhonhɪm
sɴssonothungerɢɴᴏeat
“One eats so that one doesn't hunger.”

The conditional preposition xo specifies a condition or dependency required in order for the modified expression to apply. It most closely translates to depending on.

xogigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinermɪllayŋɪkorod
xogimɪllayŋɪkorod
ᴄᴏɴᴅthepersonᴄᴍssʙᴊIam on time
“Depending on that person, I will be on time.”

When the complement is a verb phrase, the conditional functions like the English subordinating conjunction if.

xoŋɪgigi ⟨gi⟩ — thedefinite determinermɪlrodlayŋɪkorod
xoŋɪgimɪlrodlayŋɪkorod
ᴄᴏɴᴅsʙᴊthepersonis on timeᴄᴍssʙᴊIam on time
“If that person is on time, then I will be on time.”