Optative mood

opt.

Pure irrealis

Objective marker: -饜尠饜尶

艒-grade: -饜崏-

膿-grade: -饜尨-


Optative mood is generally used for emotionally assumed non-real actions, most frequently hopes and wishes.

As an irrealis mood, optative is grammatically tenseless, while morphological present (I) and past (II) tenses express different submoods:

Optative I (present optative) expresses desired non-real actions that may actually occur in reality.

饜尭饜崏
"that"
饜崈饜尠 - that
irreg.
f. acc. sg.
饜尠饜尮饜崁饜尮饜崈饜崉饜尶
"letter"
饜尠饜尮饜崁饜尮饜崈饜崉饜尶饜崈 - letter
f. u-stem
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尲饜尨饜尰饜尠饜尵饜尠
"may he write"
饜尲饜尨饜尰饜尠饜尳 - write
S-VIId1-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 3pSG
路
May he write that letter.
饜尣饜尮饜崈饜崉饜崅饜尠饜尦饜尠饜尣饜尮饜崈
"tomorrow"
饜尣饜尮饜崈饜崉饜崅饜尠饜尦饜尠饜尣饜尮饜崈 - tomorrow
饜尳饜尮
"not"
饜尳饜尮 - not
饜崅饜尮饜尣饜尳饜尠饜尵饜尠
"may it rain"
饜崅饜尮饜尣饜尳饜尠饜尳 - to rain
S-III-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
I ag. opt. 3pSG
路
May it not rain tomorrow.
饜尫饜尮饜尪饜尠
"with this"
饜尫饜尮饜崈 - this
irreg.
f. instr. sg.
饜尳饜尠饜崌饜崉饜尠
"with night"
饜尳饜尠饜崌饜崉饜崈 - night
f. sc-stem
instr. sg.
饜崊饜尠虅饜尮饜尰饜尠
"well"
饜崊饜尠虅饜尮饜尰饜尠 - well
饜崈饜尰饜尨饜崁饜尠饜尮饜尳饜尠
"may they sleep"
饜崈饜尰饜尨饜崁饜尠饜尳 - to sleep
S-VIIe1-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
I ag. opt. 3pPL
路
May they sleep well tonight.

Optative II (past optative) expresses desired non-real that are either highly unlikely or impossible to happen.

饜尭饜尠
"that"
饜崈饜尠 - that
irreg.
nt. nom. sg.
饜崈饜尶饜尳饜尮
"true"
饜崈饜尶饜尳饜尵饜尮饜崈 - true
ja-stem
str. nt. nom. sg.
饜崊饜尨饜崈饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠
"would that it were"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
II ag. opt. 3pSG
!
Would that it were true!
饜尠饜尪
"a little"
饜尠饜尪 - a little
饜崈饜尳饜尶饜崉饜崅饜尮饜尪饜尠饜尳饜尮
"few more smart"
饜崈饜尳饜尶饜崉饜崅饜尮饜尪饜尠 - smarter
an-墨n-stem, no strong
m. pauc. nom.
饜崊饜尨饜崈饜尠虅饜尮饜尦饜尨饜尦饜尨饜尮饜尯饜尠
"would that you few generally were"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
S-V-饜尣饜尠 suppl.
Imp DUST
II ag. opt. 2pPA
路
Would that you were a bit smarter.
饜崊饜尠虅饜尮饜尳饜尨饜尮
"if only"
饜崊饜尠虅饜尮饜尳饜尨饜尮 - if only
饜尫饜尶饜尳饜尦饜崈
"dog"
饜尫饜尶饜尳饜尦饜崈 - dog
m. a-stem anim.
nom. sg.
饜尳饜尮
"not"
饜尳饜尮 - not
饜尶饜崈饜尣饜崏饜崊饜崅饜崏饜尦饜尨饜尦饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠
"would that it not repeatedly barked"
饜尣饜尠饜崊饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to bark
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
Imp ITER
II ag. opt. 3pSG
!
If only the dog didn't bark.

Bare optatives are used more frequently in Wistrish than mentioned English translations used above.

In complex sentences optative is often used over independent clauses that use verbs of volition, wishing or other emotions:

饜尡饜尠饜崉饜尮饜尪
"better"
饜尡饜尠饜崉饜尮饜尪 - better (adv.)
饜尨饜尮
"that"
饜尨饜尮 - generic conjunction
饜尣饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尮饜崅饜尭饜尠饜尵饜尠
"may it become"
饜崊饜尠饜尮饜崅饜尭饜尠饜尳 - to become
S-III-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 3pSG
,
饜尣饜尶饜尰饜尮饜尶饜尡饜尠虅
"I generally believe"
饜尣饜尶饜尰饜尮饜尶饜尡饜尠饜尳 - to believe
S-IIa-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 1pSG
路
I believe that it will get better.
饜崈饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尡
"exam"
饜崈饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尡饜崈 - exam
f. i-stem
acc. sg.
饜尨饜尮
"that"
饜尨饜尮 - generic conjunction
饜尭饜尠饜尮饜崅饜崌饜尣饜尠饜崈饜崉饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尠饜尮饜崉饜崈饜尠
"may they two pass"
饜尭饜尠饜尮饜崅饜崌饜崈饜崉饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尠饜尳 - to pass
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. ind. 3pDU
,
饜崊饜尨饜尳饜尠
"I am hoping"
饜崊饜尨饜尳饜尠饜尳 - to hope
S-VIId1-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
路
I hope they pass the exam.
饜尭饜崏
"that"
饜崈饜尠 - that
irreg.
f. acc. sg.
饜尰饜尠虅饜尶饜尯饜尮饜崈饜尳饜尶
"key"
饜尰饜尠虅饜尶饜尯饜尮饜崈饜尳饜尠 - key
f. 艒-stem
acc. sg.
饜尨饜尮
"that"
饜尨饜尮 - generic conjunction
饜尫饜崏饜尡饜尵饜尠饜崊饜尠
"would that I were having"
饜尫饜尠饜尡饜尠饜尳 - to have
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
II ag. opt. 1pSG
,
饜崊饜尮饜尳饜崈饜尯饜尠
"I am wishing"
饜崊饜尮饜尳饜崈饜尯饜尠饜尳 - to wish
S-III-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 1pSG
路
I wish I had that key.

In protasis of a conditional sentence, optatives display non-real condition which the speaker (or someone else) has an emotional affinity to.

饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜尲饜尠虅饜尮饜尪
"more"
饜尲饜尠虅饜尮饜尪 - more
饜崈饜尯饜尠饜崉饜崉饜尮饜崈
"money's"
饜崈饜尯饜尠饜崉饜崉饜崈 - money
m. a-stem inan.
gen. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尭饜尮饜尣饜尵饜尠饜崊饜尠
"may I get"
饜尭饜尮饜尣饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to get
S-V-饜尣饜尠 JP
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 1pSG
,
饜尮饜尳饜尶
"him"
饜尮饜崈 - he
m. acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尡饜尶饜尣饜尵饜尠饜崊饜尠饜崊饜尮
"I will buy"
饜尡饜尶饜尣饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to buy
H-II-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. vol. 1pSG
路
If I get more money, I'll buy it.
The speaker expresses a wish to get more money (otherwise hypothetical would be used), but there are no significant expectations of that happening (otherwise dubitative would be used).
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜尦饜尶饜崈饜尯饜崏饜崊饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠
"would that she were being interested"
饜尦饜尶饜崈饜尯饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尳 - to be interested
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
II ag. opt. 3pSG
,
饜尮饜尵饜尶
"her"
饜崈饜尮 - she
acc. sg.
饜崊饜崅饜尠饜崉饜尮饜尭饜尠饜尵
"to trip"
饜崊饜崅饜尠饜崉饜尮饜尭饜尠 - trip
f. 艒-stem
dat. sg.
饜尦饜尶
"to"
饜尦饜尶 - to
饜尣饜尠饜尰饜尠饜尭饜尶饜尫饜尠
"I would invite"
饜尰饜尠饜尭饜尠饜尳 - to invite
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. cond. 1pSG
路
If she were interested, we would invite her to the trip.
The speaker wishes she were interested.
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜尦饜尶饜尣饜尠饜崈饜崉饜崏饜崊饜尵饜尨饜尳饜尠饜尶
"will be sued them"
饜尦饜尶饜崈饜崉饜崏饜崊饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to sue
W-饜尣饜尠
GenP PASS
I obj. opt. 3pPL
,
饜尯饜尠饜崅饜尯饜尠饜崅饜尠饜尭
"into prison"
饜尯饜尠饜崅饜尯饜尠饜崅饜尠 - prison
f. 艒-stem
all. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尮饜崅饜尭饜尶饜尳饜尠饜尶
"would become them"
饜崊饜尠饜尮饜崅饜尭饜尠饜尳 - to become
S-III-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I obj. cond. 3pPL
路
If they are sued, they will end up in jail.
The speaker wants them to get sued.

In apodosis of a conditional sentence, optatives display wishes of the speaker for something to happen if the condition were to be fulfilled.

饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜尠虅饜尮饜崅
"early"
饜尠虅饜尮饜崅 - early
饜尣饜尠饜尦饜尶饜尣饜尮饜尳饜尳饜尮饜尳饜尠
"what if they begin"
饜尦饜尶饜尣饜尮饜尳饜尳饜尠饜尳 - to begin
S-III-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. hyp. 3pPL
,
饜尮饜崈
"he"
饜尮饜崈 - he
nom. sg.
饜尫饜尨饜崅
"here"
饜尫饜尨饜崅 - here
饜崈饜尮饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠
"may he be being"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
S-V-饜尣饜尠 suppl.
Imp BASE
I ag. opt. 3pSG
路
If they start early, may he be present here.
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜崊饜尠饜尣饜尳饜崈
"car"
饜崊饜尠饜尣饜尳饜崈 - car
m. a-stem inan.
nom. sg.
饜尮饜尵饜崏
"of they few"
饜尮饜崈 - he
gen. pauc.
饜尣饜尠饜尡饜崅饜尮饜尯饜尮饜尭饜尠
"what if it breaks"
饜尡饜崅饜尮饜尯饜尠饜尳 - to break (intr.)
S-V-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. hyp. 3pSG
,
饜崍饜尠饜崌饜尮饜尳
"something"
饜崍饜尠饜崈饜崌饜尮饜尳 - something
irreg.
nt. acc. sg.
饜崄饜尠饜尳饜尠饜崋饜崅饜尮饜尪饜崏
"more reliable"
饜崄饜尠饜尳饜尠饜崋饜崅饜尮饜尪饜尠 - more reliable
an-墨n-stem, no strong
nt. acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尡饜尶饜尣饜尵饜尠饜尮饜崌饜尠
"may they few buy"
饜尡饜尶饜尣饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to buy
H-II-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 3pPL
路
If their car breaks, may they buy something more reliable.
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮
"if"
饜尵饜尠饜尡饜尠虅饜尮 - if
饜尳饜尮饜尶饜尵饜尠饜尳饜尶
"a new"
饜尳饜尮饜尶饜尵饜尮饜崈 - new
ja-stem
str. m. acc. sg.
饜尯饜崊虅饜尯饜尰饜尶
"season"
饜尯饜崊虅饜尯饜尰饜尶饜崈 - cycle, season (of a show)
m. u-stem inan.
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜崉饜崏饜崊饜崊饜尮饜尳饜尠
"what if they would make"
饜崉饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尳 - to do, to make
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
II ag. hyp. 3pPL
,
饜尠饜尯饜崉饜崅饜尶饜尦
"cast"
饜尠饜尯饜崉饜崅饜尶饜尦 - cast (of actors)
nt. d-stem inan.
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尵饜尠饜尮饜尳饜尠
"may they change"
饜崊饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尵饜尠饜尳 - to change (tr.)
W-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 3pPL
路
If they will make a new season, may they change the cast.

Optative should not be conflated in usage with imperative II: imperative II is used for requests and offers, while optatives are used when the volition of the speaker and the listener is not expected to affect the action.

饜尣饜尮饜崈饜崉饜崅饜尠饜尦饜尠饜尣饜尮饜崈
"tomorrow"
饜尣饜尮饜崈饜崉饜崅饜尠饜尦饜尠饜尣饜尮饜崈 - tomorrow
饜尣饜崏饜尦饜尠饜尳饜尶
"a good"
饜尣饜崏饜尦饜崈 - good
a-stem
str. m. acc. sg.
饜崁饜崅饜尠饜尪饜尦饜尮饜尣饜尯
"party"
饜崁饜崅饜尠饜尪饜尦饜尮饜尣饜尯饜崈 - party
m. i-stem inan.
acc. sg.
饜尫饜尠饜尡饜尠饜尮饜尪饜尠
"may you be having"
饜尫饜尠饜尡饜尠饜尳 - to have
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
Imp BASE
I ag. opt. 2pSG
!
Have a nice party tomorrow!
饜尫饜尨
"with this"
饜尫饜尮饜崈 - this
irreg.
m. instr. sg. (inan.)
饜尦饜尠饜尣饜尠
"with day"
饜尦饜尠饜尣饜崈 - day
m. a-stem inan.
instr. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尩饜尮饜尲饜尠饜尵饜尠
"may she come"
饜尩饜尮饜尲饜尠饜尳 - to come
S-IV-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. opt. 3pSG
路
May she will come today.
The speaker wish is not an offer and can't affect her coming. If it were a request for her to come, third person imperative II would have been used instead.
饜尫饜尠虅饜尮饜尰饜尠
"healthy"
饜尫饜尠虅饜尮饜尰饜崈 - heathy
a-stem
str. m. nom. du.
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠虅饜尮饜尦饜尪饜尠
"may you two generally be"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
S-V suppl.
Imp DUST
I ag. opt. 2pDU
!
May you be in good heath!
A wish and not a request to preserve one's health.

Formation

Ag. I Ag. II Obj. I Obj. II
1pSG P-饜尠饜崊饜尠 PJ-饜尵饜尠饜崊饜尠 P-饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尵饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尶
2pSG P-饜尠饜尮饜尪饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尪饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尪饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尪饜尠饜尶
3pSG P-饜尠饜尵饜尠 PJ-饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠 P-饜尠饜尵饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尵饜尠饜尵饜尠饜尶
1pDU P-饜尠饜尮饜崊饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崊饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜崊饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崊饜尠饜尶
2pDU P-饜尠饜尮饜尦饜尪饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尦饜尪饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尦饜尪饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尦饜尪饜尠饜尶
3pDU P-饜尠饜尮饜崉饜崈饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崉饜崈饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜崉饜崈饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崉饜崈饜尠饜尶
1pPA P-饜尠饜尮饜尣饜尯饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尣饜尯饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尣饜尯饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尣饜尯饜尠饜尶
2pPA P-饜尠饜尮饜尯饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尯饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尯饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尯饜尠饜尶
3pPA P-饜尠饜尮饜崌饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崌饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜崌饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜崌饜尠饜尮
1pPL P-饜尠饜尮饜尲饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尲饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尲饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尲饜尠饜尶
2pPL P-饜尠饜尮饜尦饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尦饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尦饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尦饜尠饜尶
3pPL P-饜尠饜尮饜尳饜尠 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尳饜尠 P-饜尠饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尶 PJ-饜尨饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尶

Strong-like optatives use -饜尠饜尮- as a leading vowel in agentive mode with a subjunctive marker -饜尠.

Strong-like 1st and 3rd person singulars have blank suffixes. Gnomic-iterational and passive replace the first vowel of these suffixes with -饜崏- and -饜尨- respectively.

Durative-static forms are created similarly, but with the long -饜尠虅饜尮- instead. Blank suffixes there simply have their first vowel replaced with longer -饜尠虅-.

As an irrealis mood, optative only uses the major past vowel in root-dynamic aspects.