4.3 Agreement Patterns

Find the matching pieces

Agreement means one word changes because of another word. In English, a simple example is he runs versus they run. The verb changes with the subject. In artificial-language practice, agreement can be more unfamiliar. A modifier might change with the noun, a verb might change with the object, or a particle might match a noun class.

Look for covariation. If two forms change together across examples, they may be linked. Suppose an original practice system gives lom-a naka-a for red stone and lom-i naka-i for red stones. Both the noun and modifier change from a to i when the meaning becomes plural. That suggests number agreement between noun and modifier.

Do not stop at the first ending you see. If only the noun changes, the rule may be plural marking without agreement. If both noun and modifier change, agreement is more likely. If the verb also changes, there may be subject-verb agreement. The number of changing elements matters.

Agreement can use categories that English does not mark strongly. A practice system might divide nouns into sun class and water class. Sun-class nouns require modifier ending ka, while water-class nouns require modifier ending mi. The class labels are invented. The skill is noticing that the modifier ending depends on the noun group rather than on the modifier meaning.

Role agreement can be tricky. A verb might agree with the actor in one drill and with the object in another. If dak-a tor-a miv means soldier sees map, and nal-i tor-i miv means pilots see map, the verb ending may agree with the subject. But if dak tor-a miv-a changes with the object, then the agreement target is different. Compare several examples before deciding.

Use arrows in scratch practice. Draw an arrow from the controlling word to the word that changes with it. Noun to adjective, subject to verb, object to verb, or class word to particle. Even if official scratch-paper conditions vary by testing setting, this is useful during study because it trains the visual habit of linking dependent pieces.

Also check whether unchanged words are allowed. If a modifier fails to change with a plural noun in one example, the ending may be optional, lexical, or controlled by another feature. Exceptions in a drill should make you pause and seek more evidence.

Agreement rules often interact with word order. If the subject is not always first, endings may be the only way to find what the verb agrees with. Do not assume position alone. Ask which noun changes when the verb changes. The answer reveals the agreement relationship more reliably than English expectations.

Review misses by naming both sides. Write modifier failed to match plural noun or verb matched object, not subject. A vague note such as agreement mistake is less useful. The goal is to make your next comparison faster and more exact when a new artificial pattern appears.

Agreement checklist

• Identify the feature being matched.
• Check whether the marker appears on noun, verb, modifier, or several words.
• Confirm the pattern with more than one example.
• Avoid adding agreement where the examples do not show it.