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For instance, in the sentence ''cur mem uspär?'' "Do you want some water?" the u- marks the accusative because ''mem'' ends in consonant and ''spär'' begins with one. However in a sentence like: | For instance, in the sentence ''cur mem uspär?'' "Do you want some water?" the u- marks the accusative because ''mem'' ends in consonant and ''spär'' begins with one. However in a sentence like: | ||
*''Levi crum'''u''' nus''. See an old man! (imperative) | *''Levi crum'''u''' nus''. "See an old man!" (imperative) | ||
Where ''crum'' is "man", it is perfectly valid to put the -u as a suffix. But this could change in a sentence like: | Where ''crum'' is "man", it is perfectly valid to put the -u as a suffix. But this could change in a sentence like: | ||
*''Lev kwam '''u'''crum nus''. I see an old man. (present) | *''Lev kwam '''u'''crum nus''. "I see an old man." (present) | ||
Even though, in this particular case, either prefix or suffix forms are valid, thus ''lev kwam crum'''u''' nus'', is also valid. Depending only on personal taste; however in the sentence: | Even though, in this particular case, either prefix or suffix forms are valid, thus ''lev kwam crum'''u''' nus'', is also valid. Depending only on personal taste; however in the sentence: | ||
*''Lev kwam ucrum ëv nus''. I see a man (who) is old. | *''Lev kwam ucrum ëv nus''. "I see a man (who) is old." | ||
The preferred choice would be to prefix the accusative to avoid the following vowel. However, in cases where both the previous word ends in a vowel and the next one begins with a vowel the word preceding usually has precedence. Although some dialects can show different patterns or uses. | The preferred choice would be to prefix the accusative to avoid the following vowel. However, in cases where both the previous word ends in a vowel and the next one begins with a vowel the word preceding usually has precedence. Although some dialects can show different patterns or uses. | ||
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The only other marker nouns posses is the number marking, the plural. This marker is '''-n, -en''' for words ending in a vowel and words ending in a consonant respectively. So a word like ''utim'' "tree", would have a plural ''utimen'' "trees". This also applies for pronouns and verbs. | The only other marker nouns posses is the number marking, the plural. This marker is '''-n, -en''' for words ending in a vowel and words ending in a consonant respectively. So a word like ''utim'' "tree", would have a plural ''utimen'' "trees". This also applies for pronouns and verbs. | ||
*''Lev kwam utimen nus''. I see the old trees or I look at the old trees. | *''Lev kwam utimen nus''. "I see the old trees" or "I look at the old trees." | ||
In fact the distinction between "look" and "see" is made by the pronoun. | In fact the distinction between "look" and "see" is made by the pronoun. |