Hrmitt reference grammar

6.2. Getting Acquainted

This section describes the standard way the Hrmitt introduce themselves. Due to the particular idiom with which this is expressed, a distinction is drawn between Hrmitt and non-Hrmitt parties.

6.2.1. The Components of a Hrmitt Name

A full Hrmitt name consists of up to 4 parts:

The hrufshai, the personal name, is the first component of a Hrmitt name. This name identifies a specific individual within a particular social circle, tribe, or place of origin.

The barshai, or nursery name, sometimes called the tushai, is the second component of a Hrmitt name, and identifies the barich, the communal childcare institution, that one was raised in. This component is always in the dative case, and in many cases the dative ending -tu has fused to become an inseparable part of the barich's name. In the cases where it has not fused, the -tu is nevertheless always supplied when stating one's name.

The third component, the hrufatt, is usually optional, and consists of a place name in the ablative case. This component states where one is from, and is usually used when one's current place of residence differs from the locale implied by the barshai and/or the eŋatt (the last component of a name). Some Hrmitt place this as the fourth component and state their eŋatt as the third component instead. This tends to be more commonly done among the Hrmitt that are hatched off-world (fitkah).

The final component is the eŋatt, the tribe or locale name. This component is usually strongly associated with a specific locale on the Hrmitt homeworld of Pyak, if not an outright cognate of that locale's name. Where it is not cognate with a locale, it refers to a Hrmitt tribe that almost always has a well-known place of origin. The scope of the referent is generally larger than the barshai, so it serves as a general indicator of place of origin, whereas the barshai pinpoints a specific place of upbringing. With few exceptions, this component always has one of the common endings -eŋ, -att, or -uŋ; hence it is known as the eŋatt.

6.2.2. Introducing Oneself

When taking the initiative to introduce oneself, a native speaker would use the form:

The form is most often used when addressing a crowd, or giving a speech.

6.2.3. Asking a Hrmitt Their Name

The standard way to ask a Hrmitt their name is:

In informal situations, the reply will be their personal name (hrufshai):

In formal situations, or when one wishes to make one's identity completely unambiguous, one would state all the parts of one's full name (hrufshai, barshai, and eŋatt):

Note that the predicative -i follows the hrufshai, the first component of the name, not the remaining components.

Stating one's full name in this way is rare, however. Usually one would only state those components that would be sufficient to differentiate them from any other individuals in the group who share some components of their name.

For instance, if two individuals happen to have the personal name enett, and one was raised in the nursery ihautu and the other in the nursery moblaktu, then they would simply introduce themselves as enett ihautu and enett moblaktu, respectively. Generally, the barich name is sufficient to distinguish between homonymous individuals, since the personal name is given in the barich, and one almost never encounters homonyms within a single barich.

Sometimes, however, two barich's in two different cities may have the same name. This often happens with certain very popular barich names like ihautu. In this case, there would likely be homonyms between them. Then if the individuals from the respective barich's would meet, they would use their eŋatt to distinguish themselves. For example, one individual may be sebt ihautu no'ipf and another may be sebt ihautu bramshatt; then they would introduce themselves respectively as sebt no'ipf and sebt bramshatt.

6.2.4. Asking a non-Hrmitt Their Name

When the Hrmitt speak to a non-Hrmitt, their question is worded differently:

The reply is expected to be in the following format, which parallels the format used by native speakers:

If one wishes to state one's full name, note that the predicative -i is expected to follow the first component of the name, not the last.

Note that it is considered rude for a non-Hrmitt to use ipfen if the Hrmitt interlocutor posed the question using buftek. The Hrmitt consider multi-eyed creatures as monstrous beings, or at the very least foreign beings, and will always address them with buf rather than ipf. Answering with ipfen instead of bufen contradicts this perception, and generally will be poorly received.

In exceptional situations, some non-Hrmitt individuals have been known to have earned enough respect among the Hrmitt to be addressed with ipf instead of buf. Nevertheless, this level of respect only extends to limited situations. Strangers among the Hrmitt will still address them with buf, and expect them to refer to themselves in the same way.

6.2.5. Asking Multiple Interlocutors Their Name

As is expected, asking multiple interlocutors their name uses the same format, except with a plural pronominal affix:

The addressees would generally take turns to introduce themselves in response.

When speaking with non-Hrmitt, buf is used instead:

though this form is rarely used, as the Hrmitt generally regard non-Hrmitt with disgust or suspicion, and would rarely extend such friendly invitations to them. They also do not expect non-Hrmitt to know what is expected in response.

6.2.6. tutk sahruŋgatt

The jocular, often derogatory pseudonym tutk sahruŋgatt is sometimes applied to social outcasts or despised Hrmitt. The pseudo-tribe name sahruŋgatt derives from sahruŋ "Sahrung", a large sea of the tar-like substance sahr on Pyak. Toxic, uninhabitable, and dangerous, the Sahrung is a place where nobody lives and nobody would go to, much less hail from; so sahruŋgatt is roughly equivalent to "Nobody" or "McNobody". The derogatory name tutk means "simpleton" or "country bumpkin"; so the combination tutk sahruŋgatt has the overall effect of "Bumpkin McNobody". It is often used in a derisive way.

6.2.7. Stating One's Place of Origin

The verb nefhrmi is used for stating one's place of origin: