Lexemes - Introduction

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There are just two main word classes in Qohenje: lexemes and syntagms.

Syntagms are all the grammatical function words which do not have a definable semantic content (in the traditional sense of "definable")., and which, in Qohenje, do not exhibit Aspectual forms (see below).
Lexemes are characterized as words with definable denotative content.

Note: Qohenje does not divide its lexicon into functional word classes (noun/verb/adjective/adverb). All lexemes can move freely between these roles (sense permitting). As such, many grammatical / morphological categories that are traditionally associated with just one word class in English are in fact general lexical phenomena in Qohenje. Throughout these pages therefore, the terms "verb", "noun" etc. will be replaced by the forms verbals, nominals, adjectivals etc, as abbreviations for "verbally employed lexemes", "nominally employed lexemes", etc.

Animacy

All lexemes have an inherent animacy, linked to their core semantics. There are three animacy types:

LEXEMES	ABSTRACT		[AB]	Denotata lacking spatial instantiation. This category includes all relational concepts, as well as abstract notions such as emotions, thoughts and concepts.
	CONCRETE	ANIMATE	[AN]	All living things. Generally animals and plants are only considered animate when complete. Most body parts have inanimate lexemes. Humans, conversely are considered animate both in toto and in parts, with the exception of some lexemes for hair, teeth, and nails).
	CONCRETE	INANIMATE	[IN]	All non-living concrete things, objects, artifacts

Although these three animacy categories reappear throughout the grammar of the language, there is no requirement of "agreement" for animacy, and crossing animacy categories is a productive way of shading meaning. (see Nominals, Verbals)

Orientation

The section on Lexemes contains the following sub-sections. These sections are best read in the order presented...

Aspect: All Qohenje lexemes vary for seven aspects (regardles of their incidental grammatical role).
The Attributive form: In addition to its seven aspect forms, all Qohenje lexemes have an eighth form, called the Attributive, which can be used as a kind of qualifier/modifier (adjectival or adverbial).
Declensions: Lexemes fall into one of five morphological groups that define the phonological forms in their aspectual paradigm.
Negation: Negative morphology applies to the whole lexemic category in Qohenje, (not only verbals).