Simple adjectivals

Any nominal in Qohenje can be qualified using the generalised structure

QUAL-NOM

The QUAL may be of any complexity, the simplest being a single lexeme (see also Complex adjectivals). Single lexeme nominal qualifiers or adjectivals come in two flavours. Either Attributive (ATT) forms, or else full aspect-bearing lexemes.

Attributive adjectivals

ATT adjectivals occur immediately before a bare nominal head. The qualified nominal takes no intervening case mark (unlike full lexeme adjectivals, see below). Usually, no cejhan is written between the two, and there is compelling reason to consider the ATT form to have been compounded with the aspectual head nominal:

 

 

 

When ATT adjectival formations such as these occur in larger constructions, they are case-marked with case affixes (further reason to consider them fused lexemes), e.g.

 

 

 

In the spoken language, one occasionally hears particularly TR formations with the casemark repeated on the head noun. E.g., repeating the last example: This kind of redundant repetition of the case mark is never written, however.

Aspectual adjectivals

Single lexemes do not have to be in the ATT form in order to qualify a nominal. Formations with fully aspectual lexemes are also possible, and here the head nominal usually retains case marking to show its relation to the adjectival. For example,

 

Such formations are commonly translated with relative clauses or participial phrases in English:

 

Note that, unlike the ATT adjectivals, aspectual adjectivals are marked off from their nominal head by a cejhan, and are commonly further distinguished by the persistence of case marking, although appositive versions are also possible, particularly with the COM aspect of a generic AN noun to show "the dead X", where the COM form of X alone does not imply physical extinction:

 

The difference in meaning between an AOR adjectival, and the corresponding ATT adjectival is often difficult to discern.

 

The AOR adjectival has the sense of actual events or instances of the relation, completed, current and potential, whereas the ATT adjectival has the sense of a permanent condition. Describing children as indicates that they have proven their ability through past actions, and will in all likelihood continue to do so, whereas describing them as implies more of a permanent, inviolable condition.

Compare also:

 

In fact the first example here could be expressed with a PT TR, with the sense that the girls' perceived beauty is the result of someone else's actions. This might be said of professional models, or children who were dressed and primped by their mother (for example)

 

In addition to being marked off by cejhan, and invoking case-marking on their head nominal, aspectual adjectival constructions in larger constructions take case clitics (like all poly-lexemic constituents),