Qino: Difference between revisions
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Derivational morphology | Derivational morphology | ||
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=== | ===Nominals=== | ||
Nominals are characterized by the following features: (1) they can occur as the head of a nominal phrase; (2) they have grammatical gender; (3) they can take case forms; and (4) they may have distinct number forms. | |||
====Case==== | ====Case==== | ||
Nominals are declined by case. Case markers (which can be analyzed as postpositions) go at the end of a nominal phrase. Verbs are nominalized with the subordinating suffix ''-n'' before adding any case suffixes (these nominalized verbs are grammatically feminine). <!--Subordinate verbs can alternatively be preceded by the particle ''in'' "that (subordinator)".--> | |||
*'''Primary cases:''' | *'''Primary cases:''' | ||
**'''Absolutive''': Citation form, used for the direct object of a verb, the object of adpositions, and predicative nouns. Personal pronouns have a distinct accusative form that is used for direct objects. Absolutives ending in a single consonant followed by a short, unaccented vowel (especially ''-a'' or ''-i'') often drop their final vowel, especially when closely linked to the following word. | **'''Absolutive''': Citation form, used for the direct object of a verb, the object of adpositions, and predicative nouns. Personal pronouns have a distinct accusative form that is used for direct objects. Absolutives ending in a single consonant followed by a short, unaccented vowel (especially ''-a'' or ''-i'') often drop their final vowel, especially when closely linked to the following word. | ||
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::::''namiyé'' "I am a person"; ''namaché'' "I have become a person" | ::::''namiyé'' "I am a person"; ''namaché'' "I have become a person" | ||
====Number==== | ====Nouns==== | ||
Many nouns are | =====Number===== | ||
Many nouns are, in their citation form, unmarked for number. The singulative is formed with the suffixes ''-ka, -icha'' (masculine) or ''-ti, -itti'' (feminine) and their variants. The plural is formed with suffixes such as ''-oota, -ani, -aani, -eeni, -ooni, -eeCi, -ooCi, -eeya, -ooya, -oowa, -iina'' and ''-aati''. Broken plurals are common in Arabic loanwords and are sometimes extended to other words. The endings ''-eeya'', ''-oowa'', and ''-ooya'' may be analyzed as collectives rather than true plurals. | |||
The gender of the plural depends on the suffix used. The collective endings (in ''-wa/-ya'') are grammatically masculine and the rest are feminine. This mainly affects articles and attributives; regardless of plural formation, main verbs generally take either plural or feminine singular agreement when referring to a plural noun. In very formal language, the verb agrees with the noun in gender (with plural being used only when the subject is a plural pronoun). | The gender of the plural depends on the suffix used. The collective endings (in ''-wa/-ya'') are grammatically masculine and the rest are feminine. This mainly affects articles and attributives; regardless of plural formation, main verbs generally take either plural or feminine singular agreement when referring to a plural noun. In very formal language, the verb agrees with the noun in gender (with plural being used only when the subject is a plural pronoun). | ||
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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, but the singulative is used with numerals. Some uncountable nouns are always in the plural (pluralia tantum) - e.g. ''bisheeya'' "water". | Not every noun has all three forms. If there is no unmarked form, the singulative and plural are used for singular and plural respectively, but the singulative is used with numerals. Some uncountable nouns are always in the plural (pluralia tantum) - e.g. ''bisheeya'' "water". | ||
'''Some examples''' | |||
*''nama'' "person" uses the unmarked form to refer to an indefinite person or multiple people (e.g. "''Someone'' should do this", "I saw some ''people''"). The singulative is used to refer to a specific person (e.g. "I see ''a person''") or to specify the gender of an indefinite person (e.g. "''Some man'' should do this"). The plural is used to emphasize the large number of people or to talk about multiple groups of people. | *''nama'' "person" uses the unmarked form to refer to an indefinite person or multiple people (e.g. "''Someone'' should do this", "I saw some ''people''"). The singulative is used to refer to a specific person (e.g. "I see ''a person''") or to specify the gender of an indefinite person (e.g. "''Some man'' should do this"). The plural is used to emphasize the large number of people or to talk about multiple 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 to refer to a very large number of birds. | *''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. | ||
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*''bisheeya'' "water" is always in the plural. A singulative ''bisheeti'' "drop of water" exists, but it is effectively treated as a separate noun, even having its own plural (''bisheetoota''). | *''bisheeya'' "water" is always in the plural. A singulative ''bisheeti'' "drop of water" exists, but it is effectively treated as a separate noun, even having its own plural (''bisheetoota''). | ||
====Diminutives and Augmentatives==== | =====Diminutives and Augmentatives===== | ||
The diminutive is formed with the suffixes ''-icha'' (m.)/ ''-itti'' (f.). The augmentative is formed with the suffix ''-oowa'' (''m./f.''), with the singulative ''-ooha'' (m.)/ ''-ooti'' (f.). Note that these suffixes can also be used for the singulative and plural respectively. | The diminutive is formed with the suffixes ''-icha'' (m.)/ ''-itti'' (f.). The augmentative is formed with the suffix ''-oowa'' (''m./f.''), with the singulative ''-ooha'' (m.)/ ''-ooti'' (f.). Note that these suffixes can also be used for the singulative and plural respectively. | ||
A form identical to the vocative but with the accent shifted the final syllable can be used as a nickname - e.g. ''Maxammadow'' (< ''Maxámmad''); ''bidaarlow'' (< ''bidaarle'' "bald person"). | A form identical to the vocative but with the accent shifted the final syllable can be used as a nickname - e.g. ''Maxammadow'' (< ''Maxámmad''); ''bidaarlow'' (< ''bidaarle'' "bald person"). | ||
====Derived Nouns==== | =====Derived Nouns===== | ||
Some derivation suffixes: | Some derivation suffixes: | ||
*''-iya (f.)'': verbal nouns (from class 1 & 2 verbs) - e.g. ''ardiya'' "running" | *''-iya (f.)'': verbal nouns (from class 1 & 2 verbs) - e.g. ''ardiya'' "running" | ||