User:Bukkia/sandboxVIII

Nouns

The noun cluster is formed by a noun, carrying the main meaning, and by other noun-type forms, namely adjectives, which specify this meaning or add other meaning to the main noun. Inside of a noun cluster, the noun can be replaced by a pronoun.

The noun usually closes the noun cluster, being preceded by every other specifying form. Thus, other elements conveying possession and belonging are always placed before the noun, as well as every attributive adjective.

wīrurɛ sōgu
the man’s house

ūdjušu liwlā
my hand

çōbā hōnɛ
the young woman

However, especially in texts from the later period, specifying forms in the ablative case can be also placed after the noun.

liwlāhiw wīrušu
the hands of the man

The role of the noun cluster in the sentence and its number are marked by case and number endings. These endings mark also other adjectival elements inside the noun cluster, resulting this in the process called nominal agreement.

Both attributive and predicative adjectives agree in case and number with the noun they specify. Other elements, which convey possession or belonging do not agree with the main nominal form.

çōbāliw wīruliw hiwmēx sōguxjɛ
the young man is going home

ūdjunurɛ sōgu
our house

çōbāhiw hōnɛhiw
the two young women

hōnɛnu çɛňun çōbānu 
the women are young

The agreement among nouns and adjectives is not a universal phenomenon. Indefinite adjectives, indeed, usually do not agree with the nominal form, neither in case nor in number.

The grammar role of noun clusters can be further specified by prepositions, which are placed before the cluster. Thus, it can be stated that the noun cluster can be opened by a preposition.

cɛgiʎugū gū sōguxjɛ
I am talking about the house