7,110
edits
(→Cases) |
(→Nouns) |
||
Line 357: | Line 357: | ||
===Nouns=== | ===Nouns=== | ||
Plural is formed with ''- | 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 ''- | 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>''' | :<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. | ||
Line 370: | Line 370: | ||
====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=== |
edits