Verse:Mwail/Old Gloob: Difference between revisions
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Nouns can have ''states'', including indefinite, definite and predicative (which is arguably a case). There is no definiteness distinction in the collective; collective nouns are automatically definite. | Nouns can have ''states'', including indefinite, definite and predicative (which is arguably a case). There is no definiteness distinction in the collective; collective nouns are automatically definite. | ||
Nouns are divided into four classes/genders | Nouns are divided into four classes/genders. The gender of each noun should be learned; although, diachronically, this system is semantic, there is still some degree of arbitrariness in gender assignment. | ||
*Animate: Many animate nouns have all three numbers. Animate nouns include not only humans or animals, but also many body parts, some plants, more "active" natural processes such as rain and storms, and heavenly bodies. | *Animate: Many animate nouns have all three numbers. Animate nouns include not only humans or animals, but also many body parts, some plants, more "active" natural processes such as rain and storms, and heavenly bodies. | ||
*Inanimate: The countable inanimate nouns have all three numbers. Some inanimate nouns are mass nouns, and thus only have a generic number and a singulative number. | *Inanimate: The countable inanimate nouns have all three numbers. Some inanimate nouns are mass nouns, and thus only have a generic number and a singulative number. | ||