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Demonstratives

Arcadia has three bound deixis elements, that are never used alone. Instead, they attach to interrogatives to add spatial or temporal deixis, specifying proximity or distance.

The three levels of deixis are:

  • est: Close (near the speaker).
  • ess: Far (visible but distant).
  • tis: Very far or invisible (out of sight, abstract, or distant in time).

Since est, ess, and tis are dependent modifiers, they cannot appear independently in speech or writing. They always require an interrogative base to function correctly.

Interrogative Demonstratives

Deixis elements are combined with interrogatives to form precise demonstratives:

  • ce: (who/what)

    • Close: este → "This"
    • Far: esse → "That"
    • Very far/invisible: tise → "The one that's out of my sight"

  • cuál: (which)

    • Close: estuál → "This one"
    • Far: essuál → "That one"
    • Very far/invisible: tisuál → "The one that's out of my sight"

  • cove: (where)

    • Close: estove → "Here"
    • Far: essove → "There"
    • Very far/invisible: tisove → "The place that's out of sight"

  • cuando: (when)

    • Close: estuando → "Now"
    • Far: essuando → "The other time"
    • Very far/invisible: tisuando → "In a distant time"

  • cuót: (how much/how many)

    • Close: estuót → "This much"
    • Far: essuót → "That much"
    • Very far/invisible: tisuót → "That much"

  • cume: (how)

    • Close: estume → "This way"
    • Far: essume → "That way"
    • Very far/invisible: tisume → "That way"

Deictic Expressions

"-ove", "-uando", and "-ume" are not true demonstratives, but are included here due to their close relationship with deictic expressions.

Agreement Rules

  • When combined with a noun, the demonstrative must agree in number.
  • Demonstratives do not take case markings when used with a noun (to avoid redundancy).
  • When used independently, case marking is mandatory.

"ess" vs. "tis" in Temporal Contexts

  • "essando" → Used when referring to a time within a lifetime.
  • "tisando" → Used when referring to a more distant time or an abstract concept.

Examples

  • Demonstrative with a noun → No case marking required:

    • este pomos → "This apple"
    • estes pomosis → "These apples"
    • estuál pomos → "This one apple" (choosing among apples)
    • estót aguas → "This much water"

  • Demonstrative as a standalone pronoun → Requires case marking:

    • volavo esseon. → "I want that." (Case marking required)
    • volavo tiseon. → "I want the one that's out of sight."