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Causes & Conditions

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

jəcɪcɪ ⟨cɪ⟩ — bymarks the complement as an agentkwʊŋɪgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinersɪsɪ ⟨sɪ⟩ — and...gaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
jəcɪkwʊŋɪgɪsɪgaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
sɴsbymesʙᴊtheandis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“I destroyed the sand castle (intentionally).”

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

jəsləkwʊŋɪgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinersɪsɪ ⟨sɪ⟩ — and...gaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
jəsləkwʊŋɪgɪsɪgaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
sɴsbecause ofmesʙᴊtheandis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“The sand castle was destroyed because of me. (I destroyed the sand castle unintentionally.)”

A cause can also be inanimate.

jəsləgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinervucŋɪgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinersɪsɪ ⟨sɪ⟩ — and...gaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
jəsləgɪvucŋɪgɪsɪgaθqəkwontcehθɪfleh
sɴsbecause oftheseasʙᴊtheandis sandoffortifyingresultᴘғᴠdestroy
“The sea destroyed the sand castle.”

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

The causal-final (ғɪɴ) preposition tcɪ 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.

jətcɪtxətxə ⟨txə⟩ — notnotqexhonhɪm
jətcɪtxəqexhonhɪm
sɴssonothungerɢɴᴏeat
“One eats so that one doesn't hunger.”

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

xəgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinermɪllayŋɪkwʊrod
xəgɪmɪllayŋɪkwʊrod
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.

xəŋɪgɪgɪ ⟨gɪ⟩ — thedefinite determinermɪlrodlayŋɪkwʊrod
xəŋɪgɪmɪlrodlayŋɪkwʊrod
ᴄᴏɴᴅsʙᴊthepersonis on timeᴄᴍssʙᴊIam on time
“If that person is on time, then I will be on time.”