New Nouns

New Nouns

 

There are several words that make new nouns from other nouns or words. These are called derivational words or classifiers. Each are listed in the dictionary with dots (. . .) to show that it must be followed by another word.

 

The derivational word ga . . . ‘big’ changes fi ‘water’ into ga fi ‘ocean’.

 

Derivational word Original noun Compound phrase
ji/jo . . . person liiny fight ji liny/ jo liny soldier/soldiers
mu . . . that kpɔ life mu kpɔ alive
kar . . . place nyɔɔw buy kar nyɔw market
gi . . . thing neenɔ see gi nenɔ spectacles
ga . . . big fi water ga fi ocean, big river
nyi . . . small lɛlɔ stone nyi lɛlɔ gravel, pebble

 

The classifier far . . . ‘place’ changes akim ‘doctor’ into far akim ‘hospital’

 

Classifier Original word Classifier noun phrase
far . . . place akim doctor far akim hospital
ti . . . under baꞌd arm ti baꞌd under arm
di . . . at fi water di fi shore, bank
di . . . language Bor Bor person di Bor Bor language
dï . . . part fàlà knife dï fàlà blade
fu . . . area Runga Zande person fu Runga Zande area
mi . . mother faci house mi faci wife
ü- on kwɔt house ükwɔt root