suppleetivseid

Suppleetivseid is a hypothetical linguistic term used in theoretical linguistics and worldbuilding to describe a class of verbs whose inflection is entirely suppletive across major paradigms. The name blends suppletive, a standard term for irregular inflection in which different forms derive from different stems, with seid, a suffix used in the imagined language to mark a specific mood or evidential category. The concept is primarily discussed as a theoretical construct and is not attested as a natural-language feature.

Key properties: Each suppleetivseid verb has a finite set of stem forms, none of which is morphologically related to the others. For the main finite forms—present, past, and future—the language uses a distinct stem in each form. The suffix -seid is attached in certain constructions to signal evidentiality or quotative force, and it may co-occur with a tense or aspect marker.

Distribution and analysis: In analyses within conlang or theoretical frameworks, suppleetivseid verbs are treated as an extreme case of suppletion, illustrating how many irregular stems can be generated. They pose learning and diachronic challenges; some scholars view them as idealized or constructed for demonstration rather than historical reality. In fictional settings, such forms are sometimes used to convey formality or antiquity.

See also: Suppletion, Irregular verbs, Conlang studies.