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 meanings 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.

wī́rora sṓgo
the man’s house

owtušu lilā́
my hand

jṓpā́ ʔṓna 
the 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.

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