Glossopoiesis

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3.1 - Introduction to nouns

Basically, nouns inflect for number alone. There are three numbers: singular, which is unmarked, plural and dual. Dual is a survivor (for example, there is no dual form for clitic pronouns, and dual agreement on verbs is restricted to the third person), and its usage is limited.

There is no gender, although pronouns show a purely semantic animate vs. inanimate distinction, and, save for a few remnants, there is no (synthetic) case marking.

Nouns are divided into one form, two form and three form nouns. Two form nouns feature a vestigial case distinction, with an unmarked direct case and a marked oblique case. The oblique has no role on its own, though, and it only appears in the scope of an adposition. The few three form noun also have a genitive-locative case, mostly restricted to fossilized contexts.

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