NewLang/Nouns
Noun Phrase
Form
(DETERMINER) (QUANTIFIER) NOUN (ADJECTIVE)* (RELATIVE_CLAUSE)
Noun
Classes
- See Noun Classes for more information.
Nouns are all categorized into various noun classes based on semantic meaning. Some nouns are simply in one class or the other (and requires memorization), while others contain a noun classifier infix. These marked nouns are usually the result of derivation from the unmarked verbs - the infix is added, putting the new lexeme into a new class with a different meaning.
Number
Nouns can either be singular or plural. In most cases, this is not marked on the noun itself, however. Rather it is marked on the determiner, or in the case of a noun in the direct case, on the verb itself.
Determiners
- Determiners are the first element of the noun phrase (if present)
- The determiner is obligatory unless the noun is in the direct case or the noun is a topic.
- If a quantifier is present, the determiner is unmarked for number (i.e. uses the singular form) no matter the actual number.
The determiner is templatic.
Base Forms
Here are the base forms of the determiners. The stem consists of syllable that indicates case as well as the gender of the noun. This usually includes the theme vowel of the gender inserted. Neutral gender doesn't have a theme vowel, so the determiners come out irregular. Singular and plural forms are listed below.
| Case | Front Gender | Back Gender | Low Gender | Neutral Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ergative | si / sisii | su / susuu | sa / sasaa | s'n / s's |
| Accusative | shi / shishii | shiu / shiushuu | shia / shiashaa | shin / shish |
| Instrumental | aki / akiakii | aku / akuakuu | aka / akakaa | ak'n / ak'k |
| Benefactive | miu / miunii | mu / munuu | mua / muamaa | m'n / m'm |
| Locative | tire / tiretii | ture / turetuu | tare / taretaa | t're / t'ret |
Distance Suffixes
There are three levels of pragmatic distance: proximal, medial, and distal (that is: this, that, and that over there) .The pragmatic distance of the noun can be specified with a suffix.
Proximal
The proximal suffix is _-l_.
| Case | Front Gender | Back Gender | Low Gender | Neutral Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ergative | sil / sisil | sul / susul | sal / sasal | s'l / s'lz |
| Accusative | shil / shishil | shiul / shiushul | shial / shiashal | shil / shish'l |
| Instrumental | akil / akiakil | akul / akuakul | akal / akakal | ak'l / ak'lg |
| Benefactive | miul / miunil | mul / munul | mual / muamal | m'l / m'lm |
| Locative | tirel / tiretil | turel / turetul | tarel / taretal | t'rel / t'reld |
Medial
The proximal suffix is _-os_.
| Case | Front Gender | Back Gender | Low Gender | Neutral Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ergative | sios / sisios | suos / susuos | saos / sasaos | s'nos / s'sos |
| Accusative | shios / shishios | shuos / shiushuos | shaos / shiashaos | shinos / shishos |
| Instrumental | akios / akiakios | akuos / akuakuos | akaos / akakaos | ak'nos / ak'kos |
| Benefactive | mios / miunios | muos / munuos | maos / muamaos | m'nos / m'mos |
| Locative | tireos / tiretios | tureos / turetuos | tareos / taretaos | t'reos / t'retos |
Adjectives
Adjective come in two forms: a closed class of simple adjectives, and participles. If both types occur, then the simple occur first then the participles.
Relative clauses
TBD
