Nouns Summary

Noun Plurals

Noun Gender Plural Ending
Inanimate (noun) + (al)
Animate (noun) + (ak)

Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are words that represent nouns. They can be used alone or with a noun in which case they reinforce the noun with extra emphasis. The pronoun must match the status of noun gender and plurality.

Animate Demonstrative Pronouns
ya ; wa ; wan this
yook these
na ; nan that
niik those
Inanimate Demonstrative Pronouns
yu ; yoon this
yool these
nu ; nun that
niil those

Demonstrative pronouns may be used to point out objects:

Wan ha …. This is a …. + (animate noun)
Yook ha …. These are …. + (animate plural noun)
Yoon ha …. This is a … + (inanimate noun)
Yool ha …. These are …. + (inanimate plural noun)
Na ha … That is a … + (animate noun)
Niik ha … Those are …. + (animate plural noun)
Nu ha … That is a …. + (inanimate noun)
Niil ha … Those are …. + (inanimate plural noun)

A demonstrative pronoun must be in the obviative when it is used to represent an obviative noun.

Non Obviative Obviative
wa, wan yool
yook yool
na,nan niil
niik niil

Personal Pronouns

Pronoun Uses
nii me,my,I
kii you, your
neeka him,her;his,her;he,she
niilóona us,our,we
kiilóona us,our,we
kiilóowa your,ye
neekáawa their,them,they

Animate Possessive Nouns

Possessor Possessed Quantity = One Possessed Quantity = More than One
my: nu-(stem)-um nu-(stem)-um-ak
your: ku-(stem)-um ku-(stem)-um-ak
his or her: wu-(stem)-um-al (obviative) wu-(stem)-um-al (obviative)
our (excl) nu-(stem)-um-una nu-(stem)-um-una
our (incl) ku-(stem)-um-una ku-(stem)-um-una
your: ku-(stem)-um-uwa ku-(stem)-um-uwa
their: wu-(stem)-um-uwaawal wu-(stem)-um-uwaawal

Inanimate Possessive Nouns

Possessor Possessed Quantity = One Possessed Quantity = More than One
my: nu-(stem)-um nu-(stem)-um-al
your: ku-(stem)-um ku-(stem)-um-al
his or her: wu-(stem)-um wu-(stem)-um-al
our (excl) nu-(stem)-um-una nu-(stem)-um-una
our (incl) ku-(stem)-um-una ku-(stem)-um-una
your: ku-(stem)-um-uwa ku-(stem)-um-uwa
their: wu-(stem)-um-uwa wu-(stem)-um-uwa

Diminutive Noun Paradigms

Noun Inflection Paradigm
diminutive (noun stem) – (ush)
diminutive pl animate (noun stem) – (ush)-(ak)
diminutive pl inanimate (noun stem) – (ush)-(al)
diminutive obviative (noun stem) – (ush)-(al)
possessed diminutive (noun stem) – (ush)-(um)*
possessed dimin. pl animate (noun stem) – (ush)(um)(ak)*
possessed dimin. pl inanimate (noun stem) – (ush)(um)(al)*

*(use (um) only on nouns which take the (um) possessive suffix)

Contraction rules for (ush)

Morphemes Contracted form
(ay) + (ush) (eesh)
(uy) + (ush) (iish)
(uw) + (ush) (oosh)

Contraction rules for (ung)

Morphemes Contracted form
(ay) + (ung) (eeng)
(uy) + (ung) (iing)
(uw) + (ung) (oong)

Locative Noun Paradigms

Noun Inflection Paradigm
locative (noun stem) – (ung)
dimin. locative sg or pl (noun stem) – (ush)-(ung)
possessed locative (noun stem) – (um)*-(ung)
possessed dimin. locative (noun stem) – (ush)-(um)-(ung)*
plural possessor locative (noun stem)-(uwaaw)-ung**
collective possessor (noun stem)-(unaan)-ung**

*(um) is only used on nouns known to use the (um) possessive suffix

Hierarchy of Noun Inflections

Prefixes Stem type Dimin Possessive Final
ak or al
nu ung
ku NOUN ush um al (obv)
wu aya
aa
took