User:Bukkia/sandboxVIII

Nouns

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

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.

ɬiːrora soːŋo
the man’s house

oɬtuʂu/joʂu lilaː
my hand

joːpaː ʔoːna 
the young woman

The role of the noun cluster in the sentence is marked by case endings. In the earlier period, these endings mark only the last element of the noun cluster.

joːpaː ɬiːroli soːŋoχæ ʔimeːχ(æt́)
the young man is going home

Still in the pre-diasporic period, however, usage of these endings spread to specifying adjectival roots, most likely in order to avoid any ambiguity among the various noun clusters inside of a sentence. This results in the process called nominal agreement. Other elements, which convey possession or belonging do not agree with the main nominal form.

joːpaːli ɬiːroli soːŋoχæ ʔimeːχ(æt́)
the young man is going home

Over time, the nominal agreement process spread to predicative adjectives, thus expanding case marking also inside the verbal group.

The agreement among nominal and adjectival is not a universal stable phenomenon. Non-qualifying adjectives do not display any king of agreement with their adjoining noun, either in case or in number.

Number marking inside the noun cluster takes hold in a later period compared to case marking. Both nominal and adjectival roots agree in number, and both attributive and predicative adjectives agree in number with their adjoing noun. Other elements, which convey possession or belonging do not agree with the main nominal form in number.

jṓpā́li wī́roli sṓgoɣɑ ʔimḗɣɑt
the young man is going home

jonora sṓgo
our house

jṓpā́no ʔṓnano
the young women

ʔṓnano jṓpā́no (ʔɑñon)
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 postpositions, which are placed after the cluster. Thus, it can be stated that the noun cluster can be closed by a postposition.

sṓgoɣɑ ʔū́m ʔimḗɣow
I am going inside the house