I review here some of the most prominent aspects of Okiek language structure. First, unmarked word order in Okiek is verb initial. Orders that front other constituents are used for clarification, emphasis, or other rhetorical purposes in various discourse conditions.
Nouns occur in two forms, primary and secondary.
The semantic distinctions between the two forms have yet to be precisely characterized. According to Toweet 1979, referents of nouns in primary forms are in implicit comparison with other members of the set denoted by the noun, while referents of nouns in secondary form are in implicit comparison with members of sets denoted by other nouns. Toweet calls the two noun forms inclusive and exclusive instead of primary and secondary. Okiek use a number of affective particles that indicate a range of attitudes. I have maintained one feature of Okiek in the English translations, the use of - ii at the end of phrases.