Mikel took a deep breath. he said to Iñaki. You have taught me. ( Zuk = nork , the teacher. The object ‘me’ is implied in the auxiliary.)
The NOR-NORK system is where Euskara (Basque) truly shows its ergonomic, yet complex, ergative nature. Unlike Spanish or English where you just change the ending based on the subject, a Basque transitive verb (like ukan - to have) requires you to track things at once: NOR : The object (What is being acted upon?) NORK : The subject (Who is doing it?) tabla nor-nork
In this story, we will follow a giant named (meaning "to do" or "to make") as he gives magical stones to different friends. Mikel took a deep breath
For hours, Iñaki struck the stone. harria zizelkatzen zuen. ( He (that man, the master) chiseled the stone.) Again: Nork? Hark. Who did it? The master (ergative). What did he chisel? Harria (absolutive). ( Zuk = nork , the teacher
the master concluded. The stone needs to be carved by someone. (In this passive-like construction: Harriak – still absolutive/nor as the subject of ‘izan’; nork – the agent, the necessary carver.)