gerundiaalse

Gerundiaalse is a constructed language developed to investigate a predication system in which gerunds function as the main predicate of a sentence. In Gerundiaalse, a gerund is a verbal noun form derived from a verb and used in finite clauses as the primary predicator, rather than a traditional finite verb. The subject is expressed as a noun phrase and linked to the gerund predicate by a copular element or by direct juxtaposition, depending on dialect.

Grammar and usage in Gerundiaalse center on gerund-based predication. The basic sentence structure tends to be subject followed by a gerund predicate. The gerund often carries tense or aspect markers; the copula may be a separate particle or integrated into the gerund form. Noun phrases mark case to indicate grammatical roles, and verbs derive their gerund forms through suffixation or compounding. Adjectives and relative clauses modify nouns in the usual way, while agreement with the subject appears in number on the gerund itself in some dialects.

Phonology and syntax are designed to be flexible for experimentation. The language commonly features a moderate consonant inventory and a five-vowel system, with stress typically falling on the final syllable. Its orthography is alphabetic, sometimes using diacritics to indicate aspect or mood on the gerund. Word order is predominantly subject–gerund–complement, though variations exist in dialects and experimental texts.

History and status: Gerundiaalse exists mainly as a theoretical construct and a topic in conlang and linguistic experimentation communities. It has no native-speaking community and is used in grammar sketches, sample texts, and speculative fiction to explore predication when gerunds occupy the predicative slot.

See also: Gerund, Verbal noun, Copular sentence, Conlang.