NounClass: noun class
| Values: | Bantu1 | Bantu2 | Bantu3 | Bantu4 | Bantu5 | Bantu6 | Bantu7 | Bantu8 | Bantu9 | Bantu10 |
| Bantu11 | Bantu12 | Bantu13 | Bantu14 | Bantu15 | Bantu22 | Bantu23 |
Ruuli has a system of 21 noun classes, including 17 non-locative classes and 4 locative classes. (The Proto-Bantu noun classes 19 and 21 are not attested.) All nouns and other nominals (pronouns and proper nouns) are assigned a noun class in the lexicon. In addition, three adpositions as well as four verbal enclitics belong to the locative noun classes.
The noun class is determined on the basis of agreement markers on the various agreement targets, such as adjectives, determiners, and verbs.
Verbs index the noun class of both subjects and objects as prefixes.
We annotate the noun class of the subject prefix as NounClass and the noun class of the object prefixes as NounClass[obj] and NounClass[iobj].
Nouns themselves often carry a noun class prefix, which in many cases is identical to the noun class prefix on various agreement targets. The noun class reflects the number of the nominal: nouns in singular classes (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 20) form plurals with prefixes from the corresponding plural classes. Common singular–plural pairings are 1/2, 1/10, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/10, 12/14, and 20/22. Many nouns occur in one class only and lack either a singular or a plural counterpart.
| Class | Noun Prefix | Subject Prefix | Adposition | Enclitic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | mu-/*Ø- | a- | - | - |
| 2 | ba- | ba- | - | - |
| 3 | mu-/*Ø- | gu- | - | - |
| 4 | mi- | gi- | - | - |
| 5 | i-/*Ø-/*li- | li- | - | - |
| 6 | ma- | ga- | - | - |
| 7 | ki- | ki- | - | - |
| 8 | bi- | bi- | - | - |
| 9 | n-/*Ø- | e-/gi- | - | - |
| 10 | n-/*Ø- | zi- | - | - |
| 11 | lu- | lu- | - | - |
| 12 | ka- | ka- | - | - |
| 13 | tu- | tu- | - | - |
| 14 | bu- | bu- | - | - |
| 15 | ku- | ku- | - | - |
| 16 | wa- | wa- | - | wo |
| 17 | - | ku- | ku | ku |
| 18 | - | mu- | mu | mu |
| 20 | gu- | gu- | - | - |
| 22 | ga- | ga- | - | - |
| 23 | - | e- | e | yo |
The nominal prefix is commonly preceded by a word-initial vowel, the so-called augment (annotated with Referent).
Bantu1: noun class 1
Noun class 1 contains singular nouns, mostly for humans. The corresponding plural classes are Bantu2 and Bantu10.
Examples
- (o)mukoli “worker”
- (o)fundi “tailor”
- (o)njango “cat”
Bantu2: noun class 2
Noun class 2 contains plural nouns, mostly for humans. The corresponding singular class is Bantu1.
Examples
- (a)bakoli “workers”
- (a)bafundi “tailors”
Bantu3: noun class 3
Noun class 3 contains singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu4.
Examples
- (o)muganda “bundle”
Bantu4: noun class 4
Noun class 4 contains plural nouns. The corresponding singular class is Bantu3.
Examples
- (e)miganda “bundles”
Bantu5: noun class 5
Noun class 5 contains singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu6.
Examples
- (e)ibeere “breast”
- (e)dinisa “window”
- (e)riiso “eye”
Bantu6: noun class 6
Noun class 6 contains plural and mass nouns. The corresponding singular class is Bantu5.
Examples
- (a)mabeere “breasts”
- (a)madinisa “windows”
- (a)maiso “eyes”
Bantu7: noun class 7
Noun class 7 contains singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu8.
Examples
- (e)kibbambo “bundle”
Bantu8: noun class 8
Noun class 8 contains plural nouns. The corresponding singular class is Bantu7.
Examples
- (e)bibbambo “bundles”
Bantu9: noun class 9
Noun class 9 contains singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu10. Noun class 9 also contains multiple borrowings and proper nouns.
Examples
- (e)nsansa “palm leaf”
- (e)bbaasi “bus”
Bantu10: noun class 10
Noun class 10 contains plural nouns. The corresponding singular classes are Bantu1, Bantu9, and Bantu11.
Examples
- (e)njango “cats”
- (e)nsansa “palm leaves”
- (e)bbaasi “buses”
- (e)ndimi “flames”
Bantu11: noun class 11
Noun class 11 contains singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu10.
Examples
- (o)lulimi “flame”
Bantu12: noun class 12
Noun class 12 contains both singular and mass nouns.
It is also used to form diminutive singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu14.
Examples
- (a)katiko “mushroom”
- (a)kaana “small child” (from (a)mwana “child”
Bantu1)
Bantu13: noun class 13
Noun class 13 is used to form diminutive mass nouns. There is no corresponding plural class.
Examples
- (o)tuceere “little rice” (from (o)muceere “rice”
Bantu3)
Bantu14: noun class 14
Noun class 14 contains multiple abstract nouns.
It is also used to form diminutive plural nouns. The corresponding singular class is Bantu12.
Examples
- (o)butiko “mushrooms”
- (o)bwana “small children” (from (a)baana “children”
Bantu2)
Bantu15: noun class 15
Noun class 15 contains deverbal nouns. There is no corresponding plural class. Infinitives used as nouns (VerbForm=Vnoun) also belong to this class.
Examples
- (o)kusaaga “joke”
- (o)kubandula “marrying”
Bantu16: noun class 16
Noun class 16 is used as a locative subject in existential and locative constructions with the copula li. It is also used as a verbal enclitic.
Examples
- Waliwo enjawulo. “There is a difference.”
Bantu17: noun class 17
Noun class 17 is used as a locative subject and as an adposition most commonly denoting location in space or time. It is also used as a verbal enclitic.
Examples
- Ayabire oku igombolola. “He has gone to the sub-county.”
- Ku isomero kuluku ani? “Who is at school? (Lit. At school there is who?)”
Bantu18: noun class 18
Noun class 18 is used as a locative subject and as an adposition most commonly denoting interiority. It is also used as a verbal enclitic.
Examples
- Yaboine oitimba omu kisiko. “He saw a python in the bush.”
- Taamu sukaali yenkai. “Put there sugar only.”
Bantu20: noun class 20
Noun class 20 is used to form augmentative singular nouns. The corresponding plural class is Bantu22.
Examples
- (o)gusolo “large animal” (from (e)kisolo “animal”
Bantu7)
Bantu22: noun class 22
Noun class 22 is used to form augmentative plural nouns. The corresponding singular class is Bantu20.
Examples
- (a)gasolo “large animals” (from (e)bisolo “animals”
Bantu8)
Bantu23: noun class 23
Noun class 23 is used as a locative subject and as an adposition (most commonly). As an adposition, it is typically used with proper place names. It is also used as a verbal enclitic.
Examples
- Twayaba e Kampala. “We will go to Kampala.”
- Zwayo mangu e Masaka. “Return right away from Masaka.”
NounClass in other languages: [nci] [ruc] [tn] [u]