en:grammar:noun_phrases
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en:grammar:noun_phrases [2022-04-08 13:12] – [Determiners] christian | en:grammar:noun_phrases [2022-11-14 19:59] (current) – awan -> avan christian | ||
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Note that there are no **articles** – and English words ' | Note that there are no **articles** – and English words ' | ||
- | **Mi den laste miru o kat. Kat li side ni sima cat.** – Yesterday I saw a cat. The cat sat on a roof. | + | **Mi miru kat den laste . Kat li side ni sima cat.** – Yesterday I saw a cat. The cat sat on a roof. |
In the first sentence, since no **kat** was mentioned before, one can assume – if there is no additional context – that the cat is not yet known: 'a cat'. In the second sentence, since **kat** is mentioned again and there is nothing to suggest otherwise, one can assume that the same cat is meant: 'the cat'. | In the first sentence, since no **kat** was mentioned before, one can assume – if there is no additional context – that the cat is not yet known: 'a cat'. In the second sentence, since **kat** is mentioned again and there is nothing to suggest otherwise, one can assume that the same cat is meant: 'the cat'. | ||
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* **Quantifiers** express how much or how many of some entity are meant – they are mostly about quantity, hence the name. | * **Quantifiers** express how much or how many of some entity are meant – they are mostly about quantity, hence the name. | ||
- | * **Selectors** indicate to which individuals a phrases | + | * **Selectors** indicate to which individuals a phrase |
Lugamun' | Lugamun' | ||
- | * **ingi** – many, much, a lot, very | ||
- | * **malo** – few, little | ||
- | * **xie** – some (a certain, not exactly specified part or proportion of) | ||
* **no** – no | * **no** – no | ||
* **ol** – all (the), the whole of, completely, fully | * **ol** – all (the), the whole of, completely, fully | ||
+ | * **xi** – indeed. This doesn' | ||
* **yo** – plurality indicator that can be used if plurality is important and not already indicates in any other way – indicates that two or more individuals or items are meant: **yo kat** – '(the) cats'. | * **yo** – plurality indicator that can be used if plurality is important and not already indicates in any other way – indicates that two or more individuals or items are meant: **yo kat** – '(the) cats'. | ||
+ | * **ingi** – many, much, a lot, very | ||
+ | * **malo** – few, little | ||
+ | * **xye** – some (a certain, not exactly specified part or proportion of) | ||
- | The first three quantifiers are also called "long quantifiers" | + | The first four quantifiers are also called "short quantifiers" |
+ | |||
+ | **Xi** and **no** are also used to reply to yes/no questions – in this context they are usually translated as ' | ||
XXX Translate samples showing how these quantifiers can be used: | XXX Translate samples showing how these quantifiers can be used: | ||
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* for **no**: No man is an island | * for **no**: No man is an island | ||
* for **ol**: All my friends hate her. All visitors must register in advance. We were all alone. | * for **ol**: All my friends hate her. All visitors must register in advance. We were all alone. | ||
- | * for **xie**: Some pupils didn't show up. | + | * for **xye**: Some pupils didn't show up. |
Numbers such as **un** ' | Numbers such as **un** ' | ||
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XXX Translate samples: | XXX Translate samples: | ||
- | * **awan ta** – that cloud | + | * **avan ta** – that cloud |
* **si do ruma** – these two houses | * **si do ruma** – these two houses | ||
* for **ke**: ? | * for **ke**: ? | ||
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* for **sama**: ? | * for **sama**: ? | ||
- | Since **eni** and **aru** refer to subgroups rather than expressing quantities, they can be combined with the quantifiers **malo, | + | Since **eni** and **aru** refer to subgroups rather than expressing quantities, they can be combined with the quantifiers **malo, |
XXX Translate samples: | XXX Translate samples: | ||
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XXX Order – usually at most one element of each group is present: | XXX Order – usually at most one element of each group is present: | ||
- | * specific/ | + | * specific/ |
* general selectors: si, ta, ke, eni, aru, kada | * general selectors: si, ta, ke, eni, aru, kada | ||
- | * broad/long quantifiers (malo, | + | * broad/long quantifiers (malo, |
* identity selectors: otra, sama | * identity selectors: otra, sama | ||
- | A long quantifier may be followed by a (rounded) number, e.g. **ingi mil** – 'a few thousand' | + | A long quantifier may be followed by a (rounded) number, e.g. **malo mil** – 'a few thousand' |
+ | |||
+ | XXX Explain better and more consistently how selectors are used " | ||
- | Note that especially **ingi** is also used as an intensifier | + | Note that especially **ingi** is also used as an intensifier |
- | Other quantifiers may likewise be used as adverbs, e.g. **xie** somewhat. | + | Other quantifiers may likewise be used before verbs and other words, e.g. **xye** 'somewhat'. |
(XXX Probably don't allow/ | (XXX Probably don't allow/ | ||
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Like most quantifiers, | Like most quantifiers, | ||
- | **Ti li miru o ta?** – Did you see that? | + | **Ti li miru ta?** – Did you see that? |
Determiners can be used in front of arbitrary nouns. Among the nouns they are most commonly used with are **jen** 'human being, person' | Determiners can be used in front of arbitrary nouns. Among the nouns they are most commonly used with are **jen** 'human being, person' | ||
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* **no jen** – no one, nobody, anyone, anybody (in negated sentences) | * **no jen** – no one, nobody, anyone, anybody (in negated sentences) | ||
* **malo jen** – (a) few people | * **malo jen** – (a) few people | ||
- | * **xie jen** – some people, several people | + | * **xye jen** – some people, several people |
* **ingi jen** – many people | * **ingi jen** – many people | ||
* **ol jen** – everyone, everybody | * **ol jen** – everyone, everybody | ||
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* **no xos** – nothing, anything (in negated sentences) | * **no xos** – nothing, anything (in negated sentences) | ||
* **malo xos** – (a) few things | * **malo xos** – (a) few things | ||
- | * **xie xos** – some things, several things | + | * **xye xos** – some things, several things |
* **ingi xos** – many things | * **ingi xos** – many things | ||
* **ol xos** – everything | * **ol xos** – everything | ||
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Note that when the subject or object of a clause is negated, the verb is negated as well – **eni** is not used in negated sentences: | Note that when the subject or object of a clause is negated, the verb is negated as well – **eni** is not used in negated sentences: | ||
- | **Mi li no miru o no jen.** – I didn't see anyone. | + | **Mi no li miru no jen.** – I didn't see anyone. |
Note that the absence of quantifiers does not mean that just one entity is meant. **kat** may mean 'a/the cat' or '(the) cats', depending on context. If you want to unambiguously express the idea of just one cat, say **un kat**; if you want to express that there are two or more, say **yo kat** (or use another suitable quantifier). | Note that the absence of quantifiers does not mean that just one entity is meant. **kat** may mean 'a/the cat' or '(the) cats', depending on context. If you want to unambiguously express the idea of just one cat, say **un kat**; if you want to express that there are two or more, say **yo kat** (or use another suitable quantifier). | ||
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**yo Molina** – the Molinas/the Molina family | **yo Molina** – the Molinas/the Molina family | ||
- | Most determiners | + | XXX Explain how determiners |
===== Modifier words ===== | ===== Modifier words ===== | ||
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**jen safiri = jen ke safiri** – person who travels = traveler | **jen safiri = jen ke safiri** – person who travels = traveler | ||
- | More on modifier words can be found in the section on [[word formation# | + | More on modifier words can be found in the section on [[word formation# |
===== Adjectives ===== | ===== Adjectives ===== | ||
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Several adjectives can follow the same noun. The most specific adjective is usually placed first. | Several adjectives can follow the same noun. The most specific adjective is usually placed first. | ||
- | **wanita | + | **ona inglis |
In this case, ' | In this case, ' | ||
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On the other hand, adjectives such as **sola** 'only, sole' are quite nonspecific – they don't tell you much about the noun to which they refer as such, but rather about its position in the world. Such adjectives are usually placed near the end of the noun phrase, after more specific adjectives. | On the other hand, adjectives such as **sola** 'only, sole' are quite nonspecific – they don't tell you much about the noun to which they refer as such, but rather about its position in the world. Such adjectives are usually placed near the end of the noun phrase, after more specific adjectives. | ||
- | **Ya i [doctor] hau sola ni [town].** – She's the only good doctor in town. | + | **Ya xi [doctor] hau sola ni [town].** – She's the only good doctor in town. |
- | When two adjectives are considered similarly specific, a comma or a conjunction such as **e** ' | + | When two adjectives are considered similarly specific, a comma or a conjunction such as **va** ' |
- | **wanita | + | **ona inda va daki** – a beautiful and intelligent woman |
- | If there are three or more such adjectives in a row, **e** is usually only used between the last two of them, while a comma is used otherwise. | + | If there are three or more such adjectives in a row, **va** is usually only used between the last two of them, while a comma is used otherwise. |
- | **wanita | + | **ona inda, daki va tari** – a beautiful, intelligent, |
Note that each adjective refers to the nearest noun to the left of it. This is still the case if a noun phrase is attached to another noun phrase using a preposition such as **de** ' | Note that each adjective refers to the nearest noun to the left of it. This is still the case if a noun phrase is attached to another noun phrase using a preposition such as **de** ' | ||
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**[lover] de buku grande** – a lover of great books | **[lover] de buku grande** – a lover of great books | ||
- | **Ya i mama de si tri [child wonderful].** – She is the mother of these three wonderful children.\\ | + | **Ya xi mama de si tri [child wonderful].** – She is the mother of these three wonderful children.\\ |
- | **Ya i mama [wonderful] de si tri [child].** – She is the wonderful mother of these three children. | + | **Ya xi mama [wonderful] de si tri [child].** – She is the wonderful mother of these three children. |
XXX The following is likely obsolete – better find another (new?) particle to use here. | XXX The following is likely obsolete – better find another (new?) particle to use here. | ||
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While adjectives typically follow nouns, they can also be used after the impersonal pronoun **yan** '(the) one'. This pronoun replaces a noun known from the context: | While adjectives typically follow nouns, they can also be used after the impersonal pronoun **yan** '(the) one'. This pronoun replaces a noun known from the context: | ||
- | **Mi yau o yan hara.** – I want the green one.\\ | + | **Mi yau yan hara.** – I want the green one.\\ |
- | **Yan gran xiende | + | **Yan gran xyende |
- | **Tina [drive] o [car] lal, [while] mi [drive] | + | **Tina [drive car] lal, [while] mi [drive] yan blu.** – Tina drives a red car, while I drive a blue one. |
//Note:// Most languages allow adjectives to be used without noun and without any marking (WALS 61). This works well in languages with articles, such as Spanish (//Quiero el verde// – 'I want the green one'), but without articles it could be ambiguous and hard to understand. The next most frequent option is to have such adjectives marked by a preceding word, which therefore seems preferable. | //Note:// Most languages allow adjectives to be used without noun and without any marking (WALS 61). This works well in languages with articles, such as Spanish (//Quiero el verde// – 'I want the green one'), but without articles it could be ambiguous and hard to understand. The next most frequent option is to have such adjectives marked by a preceding word, which therefore seems preferable. | ||
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relationship of belonging. | relationship of belonging. | ||
- | **mama de wanita** – the woman' | + | **mama de ona** – the woman' |
en/grammar/noun_phrases.1649416322.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022-04-08 13:12 by christian