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===Nouns=== | ===Nouns=== | ||
Plural is formed with ''-oóyn'' (definite: ''-oóyki'') or ''-yáal'' (definite: ''-yáalki''). The ending ''- | ====Number==== | ||
Plural is formed with ''-oóyn'' (definite: ''-oóyki'') or ''-yáal'' (definite: ''-yáalki''). The ending ''-yáal'' 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 ''-oóyn/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. | ||
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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. | ||
There is also a double plural, used to emphasize the large number of something. This is formed with the suffix ''-oónyo'' (definite: ''-oonyáthi'') or ''-yaálo'' (definite: ''-yaaláthi''), for ''-oóyn'' and ''-yáal'' nouns respectively. | |||
====Case==== | ====Case==== |
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