Definite: definitness
This feature takes the following values:
| Values: | Ind | Spec |
Ind: Indefinite
If the enclitic numeral =ē(w) is not used to express “one” (vs. two, etc.), but any one representative, it’s value is ‘indefinite’.
Examples:
- ka mard dō āgenēn xwāstag=ē ō mard=ē frōšēnd “if of men two sell together an object to a man”
Spec: Specific
If the enclitic numeral =ē(w) is not used to express “one” (vs. two, etc.), but a specific representative, it’s value is ‘specific’. This is frequently attested for the antecedent of a relative clause.
Note that enclitic =ē(w) became at one point homophonous with the ezāfe particle ī so that scribes began to use them interchangeably.
Example:
- specific: u=š wispurd andar ham zrēh=ē xān ī zarrēnōmand “and he dug a golden spring in that very sea”
- specific: _u=š ān kanīg pad rāhnimāyīh ō srat=ē barēd kē=š se pāyag padiš “and the maiden led him, giving directions (lit. by way-shower-ness) to a street where there are three station”
Definite in other languages: [axm] [bej] [bg] [el] [en] [es] [fr] [ga] [hu] [hy] [it] [ky] [myv] [pal] [pcm] [pt] [qpm] [sga] [sl] [sv] [tr] [u] [urj] [xcl]