Sindarin grammar is actually evil. It involves mutations a-plenty,
along with vowel affectations (becoming more similar to /i/) for
plural marking (sort-of like umlaut). So if you've got a plural with
some sort of mutation applied, the word is essentially unrecognisable.
You might prefer to guess, based on the pattern of vowels and
consonants, which words a particular target might be from, then
eliminate them one by one based on applicable mutations. But only
initial consonants change for mutations, so that helps a lot. And
fortunately case is uninflected.
This is a pro-dropping, null copula language.
For verbs, all you need know is that both derived and basic verbs (the
types we're dealing with) take |-o| as their imperative markers, and
basic verbs (the only relevant type now) take -el as their present
(active) participle marker.
Adjectives agree with their nouns in number. Their plural formation is
identical to that of nouns. When they appear after the noun they
modify, they undergo the soft mutation.
The definite article (even in combined form as 'uin' "to the") causes
the soft mutation.
Soft mutation:
- Voiceless stops become voiced stops.
- Voiced stops become voiced fricatives. (|n| /n/ is excluded from this; |m| /m/ is not.)
- h -> ch ([h] -> [x])
- s -> h ([s] -> [h])
- All others (voiceless fricatives, liquids, vowels, and /n/) stay unchanged.
Vowel affectation patterns (ignoring length {|a| vs |â|} unless marked):
- A In final syllable, a -> ai. Elsewhere, a -> e.
- E In final syllable, e -> i. Elsewhere, e -> e.
- I No change. It's already /i/.
- O In final syllable, o -> y. Elsewhere, o -> e, usually; exceptions don't occur here.
- U In final syllable, u -> y, but û -> ui. Elsewhere, u -> y.
- Y No change.
- Diphthongs Don't matter here.
Adjectives form an intensifying / superlative meaning by appending -wain.
Syntax
The definite article directly precedes the word it modifies, and
adjectives (all adjuncts) follow. So you get a word order in a DP (NP)
of Article, Noun, Adjective.
Word order is SVO. Theme precedes Goal: you say "John gave the book to
Mary" rather than "John gave Mary the book". Neither Theme nor Goal is
marked, ever, with overt case, though some verbs require Goal to be
something other than a nominal element.
Genitive phrases are merely juxtaposed: "gond i aear" is a good
example. The possessor follows the possessed element--a regular
genitive rather than the odd Saxon genitive of English. The genitive
element receives no overt case.
Prepositions rather than postpositions are used.
