View source for Wôpanâak/Grammar

==Morphological Categories==

The tag for a noun should be {{tag|n}}.  Nouns are divided into two classes based on animacy.  The tag for an animate noun will be {{tag|an}} and the tag for an inanimate noun will be {{tag|in}}.  Certain nouns (such as nouns for family members and body parts) are dependent, meaning they cannot appear without a possession marker.  Dependent nouns should be tagged {{tag|dep}}.

==Basic Noun Pluralization==
There are two numbers: singular and plural.  Singular nouns will be tagged {{tag|sg}} and plural nouns will be tagged {{tag|pl}}.  The plural marker for nouns differs depending whether the noun is animate or inanimate.

Animate plural nouns take the suffix «ak».
* {{morphTest|masq{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}|masqak}}
* {{morphTest|anâqs{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}|anâqsak}}

Inanimate plural nouns take the suffix «ash».
* {{morphTest|apun{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}|apunash}}
* {{morphTest|meequn{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}|meequnash}}
* {{morphTest|sâpaheek{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}|sâpaheekash}}

==Obviative Nouns==
Animate nouns that are being acted upon or possessed by other animate third-person nouns receive the suffix «ah».  This obviative form will be marked with the tag {{tag|obv}}.

Some examples are as follows:
* {{morphTest|masq{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|obv}}|masqah}}
* {{morphTest|mutumwusus{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|obv}}|mutumwususah}}
* {{morphTest|qanunôn{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|obv}}|qanunônah}}

Plural obviative nouns take the same suffix as singular obviative nouns, and no other suffix.
* {{morphTest|masq{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|obv}}|masqah}}
* {{morphTest|mutumwusus{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|obv}}|mutumwususah}}
* {{morphTest|qanunôn{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|obv}}|qanunônah}}

==Absentative Nouns==
Nouns can be marked as absentative, meaning that they are no longer present.  For animate nouns the absentative carries the meaning of "deceased".  Absentative nouns will be tagged {{tag|abs}}.

Singular absentative nouns carry the suffix «ay».  Both animate and inanimate nouns take the same suffix.
* {{morphTest|masq{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abs}}|masqay}}
* {{morphTest|meequn{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abs}}|meequnay}}

Plural absentative nouns take the suffix «uk».  The suffix is the same for animate and inanimate nouns.
* {{morphTest|masq{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|abs}}|masqay}}
* {{morphTest|meequn{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|abs}}|meequnay}}

==Locative Nouns==
Nouns receive the suffix «ut» when being used to describe the location of something.  Locative nouns will be tagged {{tag|loc}}.  Singular and plural nouns receive the same suffix.  Locative nouns generally function as complements to certain verbs which require complements beyond a simple object.  As such, their meaning varies based on context.

*{{morphTest|apun{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|loc}}|apunut}}


==Irregular Nouns==
Certain nouns have sounds or syllables that appear on the stem before a suffix of any type, but are absent otherwise.  They appear to pattern irregularly.  Here are some examples given in the grammar:

The word «anum» "dog" receives a «w» after its stem and before any suffix:
* {{morphTest|anum{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|sg}}|anum}}
* {{morphTest|anum{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}|anumwak}}
* {{morphTest|anum{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|obv}}|anumwah}}
* {{morphTest|anum{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abs}}|anumway}}
* {{morphTest|anum{{tag|n}}{{tag|an}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|abs}}|anumwuk}}

The word «apȣôk» "chair" receives the syllable «an» before any suffix:
* {{morphTest|apȣôk{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|sg}}|apȣôk}}
* {{morphTest|apȣôk{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}|apȣôkanash}}
* {{morphTest|apȣôk{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abs}}|apȣôkanay}}
* {{morphTest|apȣôk{{tag|n}}{{tag|in}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|abs}}|apȣôkanuk}}

==Possession==
Possession is marked on the noun being possessed.



[[Category:Wôpanâak]][[Category:Grammar_documentation]]