copyright © 2026 Dennis Paul Himes
Stennan is a highly inflecting language. It's normally SOV (subject-object-verb), but, as with most highly inflecting languages, that's not strict. When a gerund takes a direct object, that object usually, but not always, follows the gerund.
Relative clauses are introduced with the pronoun dlo, usually, but not always, immediately after the referent. Dlo takes the gender and number of its referent, and the case of its role in the relative clause. If dlo is the subject of the relative clause, the verb agrees with the referent in person, as well as in gender and number.
A sentence may be used as a direct object or as the object of a preposition. In this case the subject of the sentence is put in the accusative, followed by the sentence with dlo, in the nominative and agreeing with the true subject in gender and number, as its grammatical subject.
If the main verb expresses uncertainty, the secondary verb will be in the subjunctive mood. If the main verb expresses desire, the secondary verb will be in the optative mood.
Conditional clauses are introduced with the conjunction bist, "if", or biddi "unless". A conditional clause will be in the subjunctive mood. If the main clause is also subjunctive, then it's a counterfactual.
Purpose clause are introduced with the cojunction bend. A purpose clause will be in the optative mood, even if it's not something which the speaker desires.
For all types of questions, the verb is in the subjunctive mood.
A yes/no question is introduced by the particle tla, usually as the first word of the sentence. There will be a rising intonation at the end of the sentence. Sometimes the tla is left off, and the question is indicated only by the subjunctive and the intonation.
The pronoun tlo is used for "who" or "what".
The adjective tenna is used for "which?". The adverb tennarond is used for "how?", The adverb tenno is used for "when?", The adverb tennafla is used for "where?",
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