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Proto-Rathmosian: Difference between revisions
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→Noun Classes
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Nouns are divided into two main classes: '''animate''' and '''inanimate'''. The fundamental distinction between these two classes is that animate nouns may be the agent of a verb, i.e. they may actively carry out the action of a verb, whilst inanimate nouns may not. Animate nouns therefore include all humans, deities and spirits, animals and certain celestial bodies such as ''belan'' "the sun". Inanimate nouns include all other common objects, plants and abstracts. | Nouns are divided into two main classes: '''animate''' and '''inanimate'''. The fundamental distinction between these two classes is that animate nouns may be the agent of a verb, i.e. they may actively carry out the action of a verb, whilst inanimate nouns may not. Animate nouns therefore include all humans, deities and spirits, animals and certain celestial bodies such as ''belan'' "the sun". Inanimate nouns include all other common objects, plants and abstracts. | ||
The class of animate nouns is further divided into '''masculine''' and '''common''' nouns. The distinction is based on natural gender, so that all male humans, deities and spirits are masculine, as are male animals where the sex is known. All other animate nouns are common. | The class of animate nouns is further divided into '''masculine''' and '''common''' nouns. The distinction is based on natural gender, so that all male humans, deities and spirits are masculine, as are male animals where the sex is known. All other animate nouns are common. Masculine nouns are generally marked forms, with a base form usually ending in ''l'' or ''k''. Thus, ''ker'' means "ruler; queen" and is common, but ''keril'' means "lord, king" and is masculine. | ||
{| class="wikitable" width="80%;" cellpadding="100px" | |||
|+ style="caption-side: top;"| ''Summary of Noun Classes'' | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="2;" width="15%;" style="text-align: center;" | Animate | |||
! width="15%;" style="text-align: center; | Common | |||
| Female humans, deities and spirits; female animals and those with unspecified gender | |||
|- | |||
! style="text-align: center;| Masculine | |||
| Male humans, deities and spirits; specifically male animals | |||
|- | |||
! colspan="2;" style="text-align: center; | Inanimate | |||
| All plants and non-living objects; abstracts | |||
|} | |||
===Case=== | ===Case=== | ||