A Grammar of Vabungula
Part 2.1 - Parts of Speech - Nouns |
Nouns - General Characteristics
Nouns in Vabungula have no gender or declension.
Many nouns in Vabungula end with the letter L and carry the accent on the last syllable. This is especially the case with nouns formed from verbs.
flogál (from flógas) mênól (from mênó) misál (from mísa)
Plurals
Plurals are formed by appending the letter e if the noun ends in a consonant, or the letter n if the noun ends in a vowel.
singular plural logakam logakame solam solame êndwado êndwadon agu agun
There is only one exception to this rule: the plural of sum (person) is sumi (people).
Articles
In Vabungula there are no definite or indefinite articles. Thus sekara can mean "the tree" or "a tree".
Suffixes and Prefixes
Some nouns can be formed from suffixes. (Read more about prefixes and suffixes in Part 4 - Word Formation and Roots). Some common suffixes are:
-KAM, -KA, -KO (from kamo, "thing") a thing, a tangible object -SUM (person) a person -LAM (from solam, "place") a place
Examples:
faidokam toy; (from faido = play) famidokam bed; (from famidor = sleep) krêkam hammer; (from krêp = hit) galesum husband; (from ga = male, and le = with) kafagsum servant; (from kafag = serve) lalsum neighbor; (from lal = next to) afalulam hospital; (from afaludo =- heal) dzzumnilam school; (from dzzumni = learn) sisekûlam library; (from sisekûlo = book)
Prefixes can be:
E- abstract concept ÊN- abstract concept
There is no rigid distinction between E and ÊN. However, ÊN tends to be used primarily in words having to do with people, society, culture, and human institutions, whereas E tends to be used for abstract concepts and intangible things in general.
Examples:
ekamo (intangible) thing (cf. kamo = tangible object) enelon form (cf. nelon = shape) egres seem (cf. gres = look like, appear) ênfal custom, tradition; (from falê = do) êndwado country, state, nation; (from dwado = land, ground) ênsul society; (from sum = person, with the -L noun suffix)
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Page last modified on December 9, 2000 |
Vabungula is an artificial language invented by Bill Price in 1965. |
Vabungula co nûsk mugola famêlêtke onudzz Bill Price larla alara idekuzorekol. |
Copyright © 1999 by Bill Price |