Qino: Difference between revisions

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Not every noun has all three forms. If there is no unmarked form, the singulative and plural are used for singular and plural respectively. Some uncountable nouns are always in the plural (pluralia tantum) - e.g. ''bisheeya'' "water".

If a noun has a different gender than the person it refers to, the noun takes articles according to its gender but verbs normally conjugate according to the gender of the person. Similarly, nouns that are unmarked for number take singular or plural forms depending on the referent. In formal language, however, the verb conjugates according to the gender and number of the noun.

If a noun has a different gender than the person it refers to, the noun takes articles according to its gender but verbs normally conjugate according to the gender of the person. Similarly, nouns that are unmarked for number take singular or plural forms depending on the referent. In formal language, however, the verb conjugates according to the gender and number of the noun. In both formal and colloquial language, plural nouns can either take plural or feminine singular verbal agreement.

=====Some examples=====

*''nama'' "person" most often uses the unmarked form. The singulative is used to specify the person's gender, and the plural is used to emphasize the large number of people.

*''nama'' "person" most often uses the unmarked form. The singulative is used to specify the person's gender, and the plural is used to emphasize the large number of people or to talk about groups of people.

*''shimmira'' "bird" uses the singulative for a single bird and the unmarked form as a collective. It does not have a dedicated plural form, though ad-hoc formations such as ''shimmiroota'' may be used.

*''shimmira'' "bird" uses the singulative for a single bird and the unmarked form as a collective. It does not have a dedicated plural form, though ad-hoc formations such as ''shimmiroota'' may be used to refer to a very large number of birds.

*''afka'' "mouth/language" uses the singulative for a single mouth/language and the plural for more than one. It does not have an unmarked form.

*''bisheeya'' "water" is always in the plural. A singulative ''bisheeti'' meaning "cup/bottle of water" exists, but it is treated as a separate noun.

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 Not every noun has all three forms. If there is no unmarked form, the singulative and plural are used for singular and plural respectively. Some uncountable nouns are always in the plural (pluralia tantum) - e.g. ''bisheeya'' "water".
-If a noun has a different gender than the person it refers to, the noun takes articles according to its gender but verbs normally conjugate according to the gender of the person. Similarly, nouns that are unmarked for number take singular or plural forms depending on the referent. In formal language, however, the verb conjugates according to the gender and number of the noun.
+If a noun has a different gender than the person it refers to, the noun takes articles according to its gender but verbs normally conjugate according to the gender of the person. Similarly, nouns that are unmarked for number take singular or plural forms depending on the referent. In formal language, however, the verb conjugates according to the gender and number of the noun. In both formal and colloquial language, plural nouns can either take plural or feminine singular verbal agreement.
 =====Some examples=====
-*''nama'' "person" most often uses the unmarked form. The singulative is used to specify the person's gender, and the plural is used to emphasize the large number of people.
+*''nama'' "person" most often uses the unmarked form. The singulative is used to specify the person's gender, and the plural is used to emphasize the large number of people or to talk about groups of people.
-*''shimmira'' "bird" uses the singulative for a single bird and the unmarked form as a collective. It does not have a dedicated plural form, though ad-hoc formations such as ''shimmiroota'' may be used.
+*''shimmira'' "bird" uses the singulative for a single bird and the unmarked form as a collective. It does not have a dedicated plural form, though ad-hoc formations such as ''shimmiroota'' may be used to refer to a very large number of birds.
 *''afka'' "mouth/language" uses the singulative for a single mouth/language and the plural for more than one. It does not have an unmarked form.
 *''bisheeya'' "water" is always in the plural. A singulative ''bisheeti'' meaning "cup/bottle of water" exists, but it is treated as a separate noun.