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 meanings or add other meaning to the main noun. Inside of a noun cluster, the noun can be replaced by a pronoun.

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

æl‘ sowgul‘ hæk æha vjiruha 
the man’s house

lě ô ònəre
my hand

æl‘ ownal‘ jowɸæl‘
a young woman

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.

æl‘ ownal‘ jowɸæl‘ ojh jimjiθu kowf sowguha
the young man is going home

æn‘ ownanol‘ jowɸænol‘
the young women

æn‘ ownanol‘ onæh jowɸænol‘
the women are young

In colloquial speech, however, attributive adjectives do agree with the noun only in case, avoiding agreement in number:

æn‘ ownanol‘ jowɸæl‘
the young women

Non-qualifying adjectives display, conversely, an irregular behavior about their positioning inside the noun clustere and about the usage of the article.

The indefinite, interrogative, and demonstrative adjectives are, indeed, almost always placed before the noun without any article. They do agree with their noun in case and number.

hesul‘ vjirul‘
no man

šæxul‘ sowgul‘?
which house?

nistuxul‘ soɸal‘
this dog

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 introduced by a preposition.

owf cæžɛbugjiθu gu æha sowguha
I am talking about the house