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At least in the case of body parts, there does appear to be some sort of gender marking on special [[Vadi#Number| singulative ]] forms, ''-ri'' and ''-ka'' for the singulative, and ''-(h)a'' on plural forms. These nouns also demonstrate an interesting split on the [[Vadi#Number| number system]], since Vadi, which otherwise exhibits no plural pattern in other nouns, has an explicit plural for body parts that normally are singular e.g. the head, nose, mouth, etc. It is believed that in Vadi's prehistory, the ''-ri'' forms indicated animate nouns, whilst the ''-ka'' forms indicated inanimate nouns. However, both the Aħħur and Kalapái texts show that syncretism had taken place. | At least in the case of body parts, there does appear to be some sort of gender marking on special [[Vadi#Number| singulative ]] forms, ''-ri'' and ''-ka'' for the singulative, and ''-(h)a'' on plural forms. These nouns also demonstrate an interesting split on the [[Vadi#Number| number system]], since Vadi, which otherwise exhibits no plural pattern in other nouns, has an explicit plural for body parts that normally are singular e.g. the head, nose, mouth, etc. It is believed that in Vadi's prehistory, the ''-ri'' forms indicated animate nouns, whilst the ''-ka'' forms indicated inanimate nouns. However, both the Aħħur and Kalapái texts show that syncretism had taken place. | ||
The Šibbūru School believes these divergent forms belong to a distinct noun classes, whereas the Traditionalists believe Vadi had lost its gender or noun class system in its prehistory, and these differentiated forms are simply fossil remnants of that system. | The Šibbūru School believes these divergent forms belong to a distinct noun classes, whereas the Traditionalists believe Vadi had lost its gender or noun class system in its prehistory, and these differentiated forms are simply fossil remnants of that system. The Traditionalist view is problematic, though, because at least in the case of body parts, certain nouns select ''kaido'' while others select ''kaika'', both which mean "which". | ||
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