Af Mexee: Difference between revisions

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===Nouns===
===Nouns===
Plural is formed with ''-óoyn'' (definite: ''-óoyki'') or ''-yáal'' (definite: ''-yáalki''). The ending ''-yaal'' is used for nouns (mostly masculine) ending in ''-e'' or ''-i'', e.g. ''tuké'' "crow" → ''tukeyáal''. All other nouns take the ending ''-óoyn''. Note that both endings override any other high tones in the word. For feminine nouns ending in ''-o'', the ''-o'' becomes ''a'' and an epithetic ''th'' is added before the ending. For example, ''maghaaló'' "city" + ''-óoyn'' → ''maghaalathóoyn'' "cities". Masculine nouns assimilate an ''-o'' to the ending.
Plural is formed with ''-oóyn'' (definite: ''-oóyki'') or ''-yáal'' (definite: ''-yáalki''). The ending ''-yaal'' is used for nouns (mostly masculine) ending in ''-e'' or ''-i'', e.g. ''tuké'' "crow" → ''tukeyáal''. All other nouns take the ending ''-oóyn''. Note that both endings override any other high tones in the word. For feminine nouns ending in ''-o'', the ''-o'' becomes ''a'' and an epithetic ''th'' is added before the ending. For example, ''maghaaló'' "city" + ''-oóyn'' → ''maghaalathoóyn'' "cities". Masculine nouns assimilate an ''-o'' to the ending.


Some words (mostly body parts) have a "short" plural in ''-ó'' (definite: ''-íhi'') in addition to the "long" plural in ''-óoyn/yáal''. In the case of body parts, the short plural is when they belong to one person.
Some words (mostly body parts) have a "short" plural in ''-ó'' (definite: ''-íhi'') in addition to the "long" plural in ''-oóyn/yáal''. In the case of body parts, the short plural is when they belong to one person.


e.g. <i>'''Gacánti''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hand (i.e. each person raised a hand; hand is in singular).
e.g. <i>'''Gacánti''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hand (i.e. each person raised a hand; hand is in singular).
:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hands (i.e. each person raised both hands; hand is in short plural).
:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' taagheen.</i> = They raised the hands (i.e. each person raised both hands; hand is in short plural).
:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' la taaghi.</i> = The hands (of a single person; hand is in short plural) were raised.
:<i>'''Gacmíhi''' la taaghi.</i> = The hands (of a single person; hand is in short plural) were raised.
:<i>'''Gacmóoyki''' la taaghi.</i> = The hands (of multiple people; hand is in long plural) were raised.
:<i>'''Gacmoóyki''' la taaghi.</i> = The hands (of multiple people; hand is in long plural) were raised.


For other words, the short plural is used as a collective noun. Collective nouns following other patterns also exist and are mostly relics of earlier plural formations.
For other words, the short plural is used as a collective noun. Collective nouns following other patterns also exist and are mostly relics of earlier plural formations.
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====Cases====
====Cases====
Af Mexee has nominative, absolutive, and genitive cases. Case is indicated primarily by tonation.
Af Mexee has nominative, absolutive, and genitive cases. Case is indicated primarily by tonation.
*Absolutive: The default citation form of a noun. If a high tone is present, feminine nouns often have it finally, while masculine nouns tend to have it penultimately. However, this is not a rule but only a general tendency.
*'''Absolutive''': The default citation form of a noun. If a high tone is present, feminine nouns often have it finally, while masculine nouns tend to have it penultimately. However, this is not a rule but only a general tendency.
*Nominative: Formed by removing any high tones in the word.
*'''Nominative''': Formed by removing any high tones in the word.
*Genitive: Any high tones in the word are removed, and a high tone is added to the final syllable.
*'''Genitive''': Any high tones in the word are removed, and a high tone is added to the final syllable.
*Plural: Any high tones in the singular are removed and replaced by those of the plural suffixes (which follow the same case patterns as the singular).
**Many nouns (especially feminine) also have an "indefinite genitive", which is formed with ''-eéd'', ''-aád'', or ''-oód''. ''-eéd'' is the most common, while ''-oód'' is used for nouns ending in -''o'' (which is dropped). ''-aád'' is mostly used to form ordinal numeral.
::e.g. ''dhár naagh<b>eéd</b>'' "women's clothes (in general)" vs. ''dhár naág'' "clothes of a (specific) woman"
*'''Plural''': Any high tones in the singular are removed and replaced by those of the plural suffixes (which follow the same case patterns as the singular).


===Particles===
===Particles===
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