Mingrelian grammar
Introduction '''Mingrelian''' is a Kartvelian language that is mainly spoken in the Western Georgian regions Samegrelo and Abkhazia. In Abkhazia the number of Mingrelian speakers declined dramatically in the 1990s as a result of heavy ethnic cleansing of ethnic Georgians, the overwhelming majority of which were Mingrelians.Mingrelian has two dialects: Zugdidi-Samurzakano (northwestern) and Senaki-Martvili (southeastern). The dialects are extremely close to each other.
Grammatical cases Mingrelian has nine grammatical cases. For pluralization the suffix ''-ep'' is used, which is inserted between stem and case marker.Case Singular Plural Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan nominative -i  -i/-e  -i -i   -ep-i  -ep-e  -eb-i -är ergative -k  -k  -ma/m  -d   -ep-k  -epe-k  -eb-ma  -är-d dative -s  -s  -s  -s   -ep-s  -epe-s  -eb-s  -är-s genitive -iş  -iş  -is  -iš   -ep-iş  -epe-ş  -eb-is  -are-š lative -işa  -işa  n/a  n/a   -ep-işa  -epe-şa  n/a  n/a ablative -işe  -işe  n/a  n/a   -ep-işe  -epe-şe  n/a  n/a instrumental -it  -ite  -it   -ep-it  -epe-te  -eb-it  -är-šw adverbial -o(t)  -ot  -ad  -d   -ep-o(t)  n/a  -eb-ad  -är-d benefactive -işo(t)  n/a  -istvis  -išd   -ep-işo(t)  n/a  -eb-istvis  -är-išd
Nouns Mingrelian shares a noun classification scheme with other Kartvelian languages and classifies objects as:* 'Intelligent' entities (question ''mi?'' "who? ")* 'Non-intelligent' entities (question ''mu?'' "what? )===Noun classification scheme ===''Concrete''''Abstract'''''Animate''''''Inanimate'''''Human and "human-like" beings (e.g. God, deities, angels)''''Animals''''Inanimate physical entities''''Abstract objects'''''Intelligent''''''Non-Intelligent'''mi? ("who?")mu? ("what? ")===Noun declension===Declension of noun stem ''ǩoç'' ("man") in comparison to corresponding Laz ''ǩoç'' (id. ), Georgian ''ḳac'' (id.) and Svan ''č'äš'' (husband) forms:Case Singular Plural Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan Nominative ǩoç-'''i'''  ǩoç-'''i'''  ḳac-'''i''' č'äš    ǩoç-'''ep-i'''  ǩoç-'''ep-e'''  ḳac-'''eb-i''' č'äš-är Ergative ǩoç-'''k'''  ǩoç-i-'''k'''  ḳac-'''ma'''  č'äš-'''d'''   ǩoç-'''ep-k'''  ǩoç-'''epe-k'''  ḳac-'''eb-ma'''  č'äš-'''är-d''' Dative ǩoç-'''s'''  ǩoç-i-'''s'''  ḳac-'''s'''  č'äš-'''s'''   ǩoç-'''ep-s'''  ǩoç-'''epe-s'''  ḳac-'''eb-s'''  č'äš-'''är-s''' Genitive ǩoç-'''iş'''  ǩoç-'''iş'''  ḳac-'''is'''  č'äš-'''iš'''   ǩoç-'''ep-iş'''  ǩoç-'''epe-ş'''  ḳac-'''eb-is'''  č'äš-'''är-iš''' Lative ǩoş-'''işa'''  ǩoç-'''işa'''  n/a n/a   ǩoç-'''ep-işa'''  ǩoç-'''epe-şa'''  n/a n/a Ablative ǩoç-'''işe'''  ǩoç-'''işe'''  n/a  n/a   ǩoç-'''ep-işe'''  ǩoç-'''epe-şe'''  n/a  n/a Instrumental ǩoç-'''it'''  ǩoç-'''ite'''  ḳac-'''it'''  č'äš-'''šw'''   ǩoç-'''ep-it'''  ǩoç-'''epe-te'''  ḳac-'''eb-it'''  č'äš-'''är-šw''' Adverbial ǩoç-'''o'''  n/a  ḳac-'''ad'''  č'äš-'''d'''   ǩoç-'''ep-o'''  n/a  ḳac-'''eb-ad'''  č'äš-'''är-d''' Benefactive ǩoç-'''išo'''  n/a  ḳac-'''istvis'''  č'äš-'''išd'''   ǩoç-'''ep-işo'''  n/a  ḳac-'''eb-istvis'''  č'äš-'''är-išd'''
Adjectives Adjectives in Mingrelian are declined like nouns.===Example of adjective declension===Declension of stem ''ǯveş'' ("old") in comparison to corresponding Laz (''mǯveş''), Georgian (''ʒvel'') and Svan (''ǯwinel'') forms:Case Singular Plural Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan Nominative ǯveş-'''i'''  mǯveş-'''i'''  ʒvel-'''i''' ǯwinel    ǯveş-'''ep-i'''  mǯveş-'''ep-e'''  ʒvel-'''eb-i''' ǯwinel-är Ergative ǯveş-'''k'''  mǯveş-i-'''k'''  ʒvel-'''ma'''  ǯwinel-'''d'''   ǯveş-'''ep-k'''  mǯveş-'''epe-k'''  ʒvel-'''eb-ma'''  ǯwinel-'''är-d''' Dative ǯveş-'''s'''  mǯveş-i-'''s'''  ʒvel-'''s'''  ǯwinel-'''s'''   ǯveş-'''ep-s'''  mǯveş-'''epe-s'''  ʒvel-'''eb-s'''  ǯwinel-'''är-s''' Genitive ǯveş-'''iş'''  mǯveş-'''iş'''  ʒvel-'''is'''  ǯwinl-'''iš'''   ǯveş-'''ep-iş'''  mǯveş-'''epe-ş'''  ʒvel-'''eb-is'''  ǯwinel-'''är-iš''' Lative ǯveş-'''işa'''  mǯveş-'''işa'''  n/a n/a   ǯveş-'''ep-işa'''  mǯveş-'''epe-şa'''  n/a n/a Ablative ǯveş-'''işe'''  mǯveş-'''işe'''  n/a  n/a   ǯveş-'''ep-işe'''  mǯveş-'''epe-şe'''  n/a  n/a Instrumental ǯveş-'''it'''  mǯveş-'''ite'''  ʒvel-'''it'''  ǯwinel-'''šw'''   ǯveş-'''ep-it'''  mǯveş-'''epe-te'''  ʒvel-'''eb-it'''  ǯwinel-'''är-šw''' Adverbial ǯveş-'''o'''  mǯveş-'''ot'''  ʒvel-'''ad'''  ǯwinel-'''d'''   ǯveş-'''ep-o'''  n/a  ʒvel-'''eb-ad'''  ǯwinel-'''är-d''' Benefactive ǯveş-'''işo'''  n/a  ʒvel-'''istvis'''  ǯwinel-'''išd'''   ǯveş-'''ep-işo'''  n/a  ʒvel-'''eb-istvis'''  ǯwinel-'''är-išd'''
Numerals The Mingrelian numerals are almost identical to Laz with minor phonetic differences. The number system is vigesimal like in Georgian.===Cardinal numbers===Most of the Mingrelian cardinal numbers are inherited from Proto-Kartvelian language, except ''arti'' (one) and ''eçi'' (twenty), which are considered as a Karto-Zan heritage, since there are no regular equivalents in Svan.+ Cardinal numbers' tableMingrelianLazGeorgianSvan 1 arti ar(t) erti ešxu 2 zhiri/zhƨri zhur/jur ori yori 3 sumi sum sami semi 4 otxi otxo otxi woštxw 5 xuti xut xuti woxušd 6 amşvi anşi ekvsi usgwa 7 şkviti şkvit švidi išgwid 8 bruo/ruo ovro rva ara 9 çxoro çxoro cxra čxara 10 viti vit ati yešd 11 vitaarti vitoar tertmeṭi ešdešxu 12 vitozhiri vitojur tormeṭi ešdori 13 vitosumi vitosum cameṭi ešdsemi 14 vitaantxi vitotxo totxmeṭi ešdoštx 15 vitoxuti vitoxut txutmeṭi ešdoxušd 20 eçi eçi oci yerwešd 21 eçdoarti eçdoar ocdaerti yerwešdiešxu 30 eçdoviti eçdovit ocdaati semešd 40 zhaarneçi jurneçi ormoci woštxuešd 50 zhaarneçidoviti jurneçdovit ormocdaati woxušdešd 60 sumoneçi sumeneçi samoci usgwašd 70 sumoneçdoviti sumeneçidovit samocdaati išgvidašd 80 otxoneçi otxoneçi otxmoci arašd 90 otxoneçdovit otxoneçidovit otxmocdaati chxarašd 100 oşi oşi asi ašir 101 oşarti oşi do ar aserti ašir i ešxu 102 oşzhiri oşi do jur asori ašir i yori 110 oşviti oşi do vit asati ašir i ešd 200 zhiroşi juroşi orasi yorašir 500 xutoşi xutoşi xutasi woxušdaršir 1000 antasi şilya/vitoşi atasi atas 1999 antas çxoroşotxoneçdovitoçxoro şilya çxoroşotxoneçdoviťoçxoro atas cxraasotxmocdacxrameṭi atas čxara aširchxarašd chxara 2000 zhiri antasi jurşilya ori atasi yori atas 10000 viti antasi vit şilya ati atasi ešd atas===Ordinal numbers===In Mingrelian the circumfix ''ma-...-a'' produces ordinal numbers, which is a Common-Kartvelian heritage, since it has regular phonetical equivalents in Svan and Georgian (''me-...-e'' in both)+ ''Ordinal numbers' derivation rule''MingrelianLazGeorgianSvan '''ma'''-NUMBER-'''a''' '''ma'''-NUMBER-'''a'''(''ni'') '''me'''-NUMBER-'''e''' '''me'''-NUMBER-'''e'''+ ''Ordinal number's table'' MingrelianLazGeorgianSvan 1st p̌irveli maartani ṗirveli manḳwi 2nd mazhira majura meore merme 3rd masuma masuma mesame meseme 4th maotxa/mantxa maotxa meotxe meuštxwe 5th maxuta maxuta mexute meuxušde 6th maamşva maanşa meekvse meusgwe 7th maşkvita maşkvita mešvide meyšgwide 8th maruo maovra merve meare 9th maçxora maçxora mecxre meyčxre 10th mavita mavita meate meyšde 11th mavitaarta mavitoarta metertmeṭe meyšdešxue 12th mavitozhira mavitojura metormeṭe meyšdore 20th maeça maeça meoce meyerwešde 21st eçdomaarta eçdomaarta ocdameerte 30th eçdomavita eçdomavita ocdameate mesemešde 100th maoşa maoşa mease meašire 101st oşmaarta oşmaarta asmeerte 102nd oşmazhira oşmazhura asmeore 110th oşmavita oşmavita asmeate 200th mazhiroşa majuroşa meorase meyorašire 500th maxutoşa maxutoşa mexutase meuxušdašire 1000th maantasa mavitoşa meatase meatase===Fractional numbers===The fractional numbers derivation rule in Mingrelian is akin to Old Georgian and Svan.+ ''Fractional numbers' derivation rule'' Mingrelian/Laz Georgian Svan ''Old'' ''New'' '''na'''-NUMBER-'''al/or''' '''na'''-NUMBER-'''al''' '''me'''-NUMBER-'''ed''' '''na'''-NUMBER-'''al/ul'''+ ''Fractional numbers' table''   Mingrelian/Laz Georgian Svan Old New whole teli (m)mteli (l) mrteli mteli tel half gverdi naxevari naxevari xənsga 1/3 nasumori nasamali mesamedi nasemal 1/4 naotxali (m–l)naantxali (m) naotxali meotxedi naoštxul 1/5 naxutali naxutali mexutedi naxušdal 1/6 naamşvali (m)naanşali (l) naekvsali meekvsedi nausgwul 1/7 naşkvitali našvidali mešvidedi nayšgwidal 1/8 naruali (m)naovrali (l) narvali mervedi naaral 1/9 naçxorali nacxrali mecxredi načxaral 1/10 navitali naatali meatedi naešdal 1/11 navitaartali (m)navitoartali (l) natertmeṭali metertmeṭedi naešdešxul 1/12 navitozhirali (m)navitojurali (l) natormeṭali metormeṭedi naešdoral 1/20 naeçali naocali meocedi nayerwešdal 1/100 naoşali naasali measedi naaširal 1/1000 naantasali (m)navitoşali (l) naatasali meatasedi naatasal
Pronouns ===Personal pronouns=== '''Mingrelian''''''Laz''''''Georgian''''''Svan''' I ma ma me mi You (sing.) si si šen si That (close to speaker) ena aya es ala This ina ia is eǯa We çki/çkƨ çki čven näy You (pl.) tkva tkvan tkven sgäy Those (t)inepi entepe isini eǯyär These (t)enepi antepe eseni alyär===Possessive pronouns===  Mingrelian Laz Georgian Svan 1st person singular çkimi/çkƨmi çkimi čemi mišgu plural çkini/çkƨni çkini čveni gwišgwey 2nd person singular skani skani šeni isgu plural tkvani tkvani tkveni isgwey 3rd person singular muşi muşi misi miča plural inepiş mutepeşi mati mine
Verbs The Mingrelian verb has the categories of person, number, version, tense, mood, aspect, voice, and verbal focus.===Personality and number===In Mingrelian the verbs can be monovalent, bivalent or trivalent. This feature is also shared with other Kartvelian languages. *Monovalent verbs are represented only by subjective person and are always intransitive. *Bivalent verbs together with subject have also one object (''direct'' or ''indirect''). They are:**transitive in the case of ''direct'' object**intransitive if the object is ''indirect''*Trivalent verbs have one subject and always both, ''direct'' and ''indirect'' objects and are ditransitive.====Table of verb personality==== Unipersonal Bipersonal Tripersonal ''intransitive'' ''transitive'' ''intransitive'' ''ditransitive'' Subject + + + + Direct Object + + Indirect Object + +The person may be singular or plural.Subject and object markers in Mingrelian are roughly the same as in Laz.====Subject markers====   '''Singular''' '''Plural''' '''S1''' v- v-...-t '''S2''' ∅- ∅-...-t '''S3''' ∅-...-∅/-s/-u ∅-...-na/-es====Object markers====   '''Singular''' '''Plural''' '''O1''' m- m-...-na/-es/-t '''O2''' g- g-...-na/-es/-t '''O3''' ∅- ∅-...-na/-esIn pre-consonant position the markers ''v-'' and ''g-'' may change phonetically:*''v- → b-'' (in Zugdidi-Samurzakano dialect)*''g- → r-'' (in both dialects)===Version===In Mingrelian there are four types of version marking like in other Kartvelian languages:*subjective – shows that the action is intended for oneself,*objective – action is intended for another person,*objective-passive – the action is intended for another person and at the same time indicating the passiveness of subject,*neutral – neutral with respect to intention.+ ''Version markers'' '''Version''' '''Mingrelian''' '''Laz''' '''Georgian''' '''Svan''' ''Subjective'' ''-i-'' ''-i-'' ''-i-'' ''-i-'' ''Objective'' ''-u-'' ''-u-'' ''-u-'' ''-o-'' ''Objective-passive'' ''-a-'' ''-a-'' ''-e-'' ''-e-'' ''Neutral'' ''-o-/-a'' ''-o-'' ''-a-'' ''-a-''===Tenses===In total there are 20 screeves in Mingrelian. They are grouped in four series.+ ''Verb screeves (sample conjugation)'' '''I series''' '''Screeve''' '''Stem: ç̌ar- "to write"''' '''Translation''' ''present'' ç̌aruns s/he writes ''imperfect'' ç̌arundu s/he was writing ''imperfective optative'' ç̌arundas s/he were writing ''imperfective conditional'' ç̌arundu-ǩon if s/he were writing ''future imperfect'' ç̌arundasiʔuapu(n)/iʔii(n) s/he will be writing ''conditional of future imperfect in the past'' ç̌arundu-ǩoniɣuapudu/iɣiidu if s/he were writing ''future'' doç̌aruns s/he will write ''future in the past'' doç̌arundu s/he would write ''future optative'' doç̌arundas '''II series''' ''aorist'' ç̌aru s/he wrote ''aorist optative'' ç̌aras should s/he write ''aorist conditional'' ç̌aru-ǩon if s/he wrote '''III series''' ''inferential I'' uç̌aru(n) (it seems) s/he has written ''inferential II'' uç̌arudu (it seems) s/he had written ''inferential optative I'' uç̌arudas may s/he have written ''inferential conditional II'' uç̌arudu-ǩon if s/he have written '''IV series''' ''inferential III'' noç̌arue(n) (it seems) s/he has written ''inferential IV'' noç̌aruedu (it seems) s/he had written ''inferential optative III'' noç̌aruedas may s/he have written ''Inferential conditional IV'' noç̌aruedu-ǩon if s/he have written===Mood==='''Indicative'''Indicative statement claims that the proposition should be taken as an apparent fact. '''Interrogative'''There are two ways to express interrogative mood:*with interrogative words, e.g. ''mi?'' (who? ), ''mu?'' (what? ), ''so?'' (where? ), ''muzhams?'' (when? ), ''muç̌o?'' (how?) etc. This rule is shared with other Kartvelian languages. *by attaching an interrogative particle ''-o'' to the end of a verb. Cf. the interrogative particles in Laz ''-i'', Old Georgian ''-a'' and Svan ''-ma/-mo/-mu''. '''Imperative'''Indicates a command or request. The aorist form is used when addressing 2nd person (singular/plural) and aorist optative in all other cases. '''Subjunctive'''Expresses possibility, wish, desire. The subjunctive mood in Mingrelian is provided by optative screeves. '''Conditional'''Indicates condition in contrary to a fact. It is produced by adding a verbal suffix ''-ǩo(ni)'' to the end of a verb.===Aspect===In Mingrelian the verbs may have two aspects depending on the completeness of action (''perfective aspect'') or the lack of it (''imperfective aspect''). The ''perfective aspect'' is derived by adding a preverb to the verb.In 2nd, 3rd, 4th series the verbs equally have both aspect forms, while in the 1st series the screeves are distributed between two aspects.+ ''Aspect distribution in the 1st series'' ''Imperfective Aspect'' '''Screeve''' '''Stem: ç̌ar- "to write"''' '''Translation''' ''present'' ç̌aruns s/he writes ''imperfect'' ç̌arundu s/he was writing ''imperfective optative'' ç̌arundas s/he were writing ''imperfective conditional'' ç̌arundu-ǩon if s/he were writing ''future imperfect'' ç̌arundasiʔuapu(n)/iʔii(n) s/he will be writing ''conditional of future imperfect in the past'' ç̌arundu ǩoniʔuapudu/iʔiidu if s/he were writing ''Perfective Aspect'' ''future'' doç̌aruns s/he will write ''future in the past'' doç̌arundu s/he would write ''future optative'' doç̌arundas
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