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Thoya

Thoya conlang: Multiple predicates

Thoya sentences are allowed to have multiple predicates, in the pattern "subject verb1 object1 verb2 object2". For example, this is how we communicate "by means of" by means of the verb "use" (ze):

"reŋ di na ze (scissors)." Literally, "I do it use scissors"; hence "I do it with ('using') scissors".

Note the difference between this and "I do it *and* use scissors". *And* makes them two separate actions; the double-predicate syntax implies that they're the same action. To do X "with" scissors is to do a single act that is both doing X and using the scissors.

You see a similar pattern in English with phrases like "come help me". That doesn't mean the same thing though; it means "come *in order to* help me", rather than "help me *by* coming".

You can extend this to more complicated uses too: "reŋ se du ke no di na ze ɪxu tizu" = "I prevented them from doing it by hiding the tool".

Another good example is "so that". Spem does this with the verb "try" (vo):

"reŋ qe vo de doy." Literally "I go try can help"; hence "I go so that I can help". It means this because it means I do one action that is both going and trying to be able to help.