Carpathian adjectives: Difference between revisions

From Linguifex
Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
Carpathian adjectives have nominal morphology, although they share some traits with inactive verbs, such as object conjugation. Unlike nouns, adjectives alternate between all four genders (masculine, feminine, common and neuter), agreed with the corresponding gender of the noun. Adjectives have three degrees of [[w:Comparison (grammar)|comparison]]: '''positive''' (no suffix: masculine ''dàbas'', neuter ''dàba'', feminine ''dàbā'', common ''dàbis'' “good”), comparative (suffix ''-es-'': masculine ''dabesas'', neuter ''dabesa'', feminine ''dabesā'', common ''dabesis'' “better”) and superlative (suffix ''-im-'': masculine ''dabimas'', neuter ''dabima'', feminine ''dabimā'', common ''dabimis'' “better”). Their number agrees with the number of the corresponding nouns. Adjectives have no vocative case instead using the nominative, when necessary.
Carpathian adjectives have nominal morphology, although they share some traits with inactive verbs, such as object conjugation. Unlike nouns, adjectives alternate between all four genders (masculine, feminine, common and neuter), agreed with the corresponding gender of the noun. Adjectives have three degrees of [[w:Comparison (grammar)|comparison]]: '''positive''' (no suffix: masculine ''dàbas'', neuter ''dàba'', feminine ''dàbā'', common ''dàbis'' “good”), comparative (suffix ''-es-'': masculine ''dabesas'', neuter ''dabesa'', feminine ''dabesā'', common ''dabesis'' “better”) and superlative (suffix ''-imm-'': masculine ''dabimmas'', neuter ''dabimma'', feminine ''dabimmā'', common ''dabimmis'' “better”). Their number agrees with the number of the corresponding nouns. Adjectives have no vocative case instead using the nominative, when necessary.


As in the case of noun paradigms, adjectives have their own classes, but there are only two: "a"-stem and "u"-stem. All other declensional classes either merged into the two, or did not exist. The masculine and neuter adjectives share all their oblique case endings, being different only in the nominative (for all numbers) and accusative (for dual and plural).
As in the case of noun paradigms, adjectives have their own classes, but there are only two: "a"-stem and "u"-stem. All other declensional classes either merged into the two, or did not exist. The masculine and neuter adjectives share all their oblique case endings, being different only in the nominative (for all numbers) and accusative (for dual and plural).

Latest revision as of 15:09, 15 March 2023

Carpathian adjectives have nominal morphology, although they share some traits with inactive verbs, such as object conjugation. Unlike nouns, adjectives alternate between all four genders (masculine, feminine, common and neuter), agreed with the corresponding gender of the noun. Adjectives have three degrees of comparison: positive (no suffix: masculine dàbas, neuter dàba, feminine dàbā, common dàbis “good”), comparative (suffix -es-: masculine dabesas, neuter dabesa, feminine dabesā, common dabesis “better”) and superlative (suffix -imm-: masculine dabimmas, neuter dabimma, feminine dabimmā, common dabimmis “better”). Their number agrees with the number of the corresponding nouns. Adjectives have no vocative case instead using the nominative, when necessary.

As in the case of noun paradigms, adjectives have their own classes, but there are only two: "a"-stem and "u"-stem. All other declensional classes either merged into the two, or did not exist. The masculine and neuter adjectives share all their oblique case endings, being different only in the nominative (for all numbers) and accusative (for dual and plural).

a-stem adjectives

An example of an "a"-stem adjective is jaũnas “young”.

Case Singular Dual Plural
Masculine Neuter Feminine Common Masculine Neuter Feminine Common Masculine Neuter Feminine Common
Nominative
Vocative
jaũnas jaũna jaunā́ jaunìs jaũnū jaũnai jaũnī jaũnai jaunā̃ jaũnās jaũnīs
Genitive jaũnasa jaunā̃s jaunéis jaunáu jauniáu jaunū̃n jauniū̃n
Dative jaunái jaũnei jaunamā̃ jaunā́mā jaunimā̃ jaunàmas jaunā́mas jaunìmas
Accusative jaũnun jaũnān jaũnin jaũnū jaũnai jaũnī jaũnōnas jaunā̃ jaũnānas jaũnins
Instrumental jaũnū jaunā́n jaunimì jaunamā̃ jaunā́mā jaunimā̃ jaunáis jaunā́mīs jaunìmīs
Locative jaũnai jaunái jaunéi jaunáu jauniáu jaunáišu jaunā́su jaunišù

u-stem adjectives

An example of a "u"-stem adjective is tingùs “heavy”.

Case Singular Dual Plural
Masculine Neuter Feminine Common Masculine Neuter Feminine Common Masculine Neuter Feminine Common
Nominative
Vocative
tingùs tingù tingwī́ tingwìs tìngū tìngwī tìngaus tìngū tìngwīs
Genitive tingáus tingiā̃s tingwéis tingwáu tingū̃n tingiū̃n
Dative tìngau tìngwei tingumā̃ tingiā́mā tingwimā̃ tingùmas tingiā́mas tingwìmas
Accusative tìngun tìngwīn tìngwin tìngū tìngwī tìnguns tìngū tìngwīnis tìngwins
Instrumental tingumì tingwimì tingumā̃ tingiā́mā tingwimā̃ tingùmīs tingiā́mīs tingwìmīs
Locative tingáu tingwéi tingwáu tingušù tingiā́su tingwišù

Person markers

Carpathian adjectives can act as predicates by taking person markers. The adjectival person markers are the same as object markers of verbs and similar to possessive suffixes of nouns, all having a common origin in early Proto-Carpathian personal clitics. The category of number (singular or plural) is also indicated.

Below is the table of person markers:

1st 2nd 3rd
proximate obviate
Singular -mi -ti -(j)is -tas
Dual -nū -wū -(j)ī -tai
Plural -nas -was -īs -tā

Certain case endings change their vowel quality before a marker, for example: jaunū wīrū “two young men” wīrū šīW/sīE jaunō “these two men are young” ("W" is Western Carpathian and "E" is Eastern Carpathian).