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→Noun classes
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<small><sup>4</sup></small> Inanimate nouns (especially those whose plural form is identical to their singular) can form the plural by adding the class 6 prefix ''mä-'' to either their singular or plural. Similarly, animate nouns (especially those not already in class 1) can add the class 2 prefix ''wä-''. | <small><sup>4</sup></small> Inanimate nouns (especially those whose plural form is identical to their singular) can form the plural by adding the class 6 prefix ''mä-'' to either their singular or plural. Similarly, animate nouns (especially those not already in class 1) can add the class 2 prefix ''wä-''. | ||
:e.g. class 3 ምጢ ''mïthi'' "tree" (stem: ''-thi'') → class 4 ምጢ ''mïthi'' or class 6 መምጢ ''mämthi'' "trees" | :e.g. class 3 ምጢ ''mïthi'' "tree" (stem: ''-thi'') → class 4 ምጢ ''mïthi'' or class 6 መምጢ ''mämthi'' "trees" | ||
::class 5 | ::class 5 ዚጨ ''zichä'' "eye" (stem: ''-ichä'') → class 6 ሜጨ ''mechä'' or መሜጨ ''mämechä'' / መዚጨ ''mäzichä'' "eyes" | ||
::class 5 ዝት ''zïtt'' "giant, great person" (stem: ''-tt'') → class 6 መት ''mätt'' or class 2 ወመት ''wämätt'' / ወዝት ''wäzïtt'' "giants, great people" | ::class 5 ዝት ''zïtt'' "giant, great person" (stem: ''-tt'') → class 6 መት ''mätt'' or class 2 ወመት ''wämätt'' / ወዝት ''wäzïtt'' "giants, great people" | ||
Younger speakers tend to add the prefixes to the noun's singular form, while older speakers add them to the plural forms or don't add them at all. | Younger speakers tend to add the prefixes to the noun's singular form, while older speakers add them to the plural forms or don't add them at all. | ||
<small><sup>5</sup></small> Diminutive and augmentative prefixes may be added before the prefix of the base noun or directly to the stem. Locative prefixes are always added to the full noun before any other prefixes. | <small><sup>5</sup></small> Diminutive and augmentative prefixes may be added before the prefix of the base noun or directly to the stem. Locative prefixes are always added to the full noun before any other prefixes. | ||
:e.g. ''gä-'' + '' | :e.g. ''gä-'' + ''zichä'' → ጌጨ ''gechä'' or ገዚጨ ''gäzichä'' "little eye" | ||
::''bä-'' + '' | ::''bä-'' + ''zichä'' → በዚጨ ''bäzichä'' (NOT *ቤጨ ''bechä'') "in (an) eye" | ||
===Pronouns=== | ===Pronouns=== | ||