Nouns in Seuna

There are 14 suffixes that can be appended to nouns. Their functions include many of the ones associated with cases. In the table below all the noun suffixes are given. 0-11 are equivalent to what are described by "case" in many languages.

0	Nominative:	-
1	Accusative:	- or -s
2	Genitive:	-n
3	Dative:	-mu
4	Ablative:	-da
5	Instrumental:	-li
6	Inessive:	-pi
7	Benefactive:	-go
8	Adessive:	-jai
9	Locative:	-teu
10	Partative:	-be
11	"without":	-lu
12	Essive:	-fau
13	"like/-ish":	-ca
14	"in the manner":	-koi

Nominative

For the nominative case, just the bare noun is used.

Accusative

For the accustive case, usually just the bare noun is used. However if the noun is definite, then the suffix s is added.

Genitive

For the genitive, the suffix n is added. The main use of the genitive is to denotes ownership. However it is used in other situations as well. In fact is uses coincide pretty much with the uses of " 's" and "of" in English.

In the situation were a clause is the subject or object of a sentence, the infinitive form of the verb comes first. Then the subject of the clause immeditely follows in the genitive. Then the object of the clause follows (if the clause has an object, of course).

Dative

For the dative, the suffix mu is added.

One of the main functions of the dative is to denote the indirect object of an action (that to which something is given, thrown, read, etc).

It also indicates motion towards (as in English). This function is sometimes the "lative case", in some languages. A subset of this function involves time and is usually indicated by "until" in English.

Another use of mu is 'in the eyes of, in the opinion of'. For example;- mimu re "very cold" = I am finding it very cold

It is also used to indicate purpose. When used in this way it is appended to the infinitive form of the verb. For example;- kare humpamu = I am going to eat. tamu = in order to ? It is used with the object of certain verbs. For example;-

?ari ?smu = I helped the prisoners

Ablative

For the ablative, the suffix da is added.

It indicates motion from something. A subset of this function involves time and is usually indicated by "since" in English. Must be appended to "that"? Since is usually followed by a clause?

As with the dative (I got a present from my sister)(I was thrown a ball from my father)(I was read a book from my uncle)

Another use of da is for comparison.For example;- na ro ? mida = He is taller than me.

It is also used to indicate cause. When used in this way it is appended to the infinitive form of the verb. For example;- kare humpamu = I am going to eat. tada = because ?? stop fishing

da ... DACA = away from? Another use (called the seperative in Latin) is "the bees kept the farmer from the honey in the hive"

mark motion away from something

kari London = I went to London ?ari Londonda = I came from London

kari Londonmu = I went in the direction of London = I went towards London

Locative

teu "at, near, by" "schoolTEU" = at school, "tuesdayTEU' = on tuesday

Instrumental

li "with" ... instrumental, adverb forming, adjective forming "we went with friends", "to see with the eyes", "with care", "with great speed" saw.LI = with a saw(saw.JAI once considered), "I bought the doll for 25 baht"

Inessive

pi "schoolPI = "in the school building" as opposed to the more usual term "schoolTEU"

Benefactive

go "for"

Adessive

jai "on, touching, incontact with, adjacent" contiguous with, about table.JAI = on the table, "I am talking about you lot", "He is a alcoholic", "He is in love"

Partative

the partative case marker "five of them', "she drank from the milk", "I watched the news", "he searched for his screwdriver(and did not find it)" ... If instead of "BE", "S" is suffixed in the above sentence, then the meaning of each one changes quite a bit.

vv

LU "without" ... the same as LI but opposite

Essive

fau Called the essive case here because it is very close to the Finnish case which is called the essive. Usually expressed in English with "as". It denotes a temporary state. For example;-

"I work as a waiter", "She replied in English"?? youngsterFAU = when I was a youth/in my youth/as a youngster, cubFAU big = considering it is a cub, it is big, as the city was captured we fled ??

In English it sometimes corresponds to "while" or "in the capacity of"

According to SIL:

Equative case is a case that expresses likeness or identity to the referent of the noun it marks.

It can have meaning, such as

as like, and in the capacity of.

or even an "essive case",

According to SIL:

Essive case is a case that expresses the temporary state of the referent specified by a noun.

"like"

ca is used to make an adjective from a noun. Sometimes an adjective from another adjective. Sometimes a case-ending from another case ending. Can also be considered a noun in its own right? For example;-

= humanoid

= bluish

tateuca= if

denotes likeness or similarity, does not denote a temporary state as FAU does.

"in the manner"

koi Usually in Seuna the adjective comes directly after the noun. If an adjective comes directly after a verb it is an adverb qualifying that verb. However if koi is affixed to the adjective, it can be moved anywhere in the sentence and will be understood to be acting on the main verb of that sentence. It can also be suffixed to nouns to give an adverb. For example;-

She behaves as a boy.

He is dressed in European fashion.

Stand like soldiers.

To love as brethern.

That boy acts like an emperor.

Note that koi does not denote a generl likeness as ca does, but a likeness in relation to a particular action.

Rubbish

There are 14 of these end-tags (cases if you will).

@ If the noun is the subject of the sentence or follows a preposition.

MU "to" ... MUTEU = upto, MUCHA = towards In the situation were a clause is the subject or object of a sentence, in the clause the verb is in its full/citation form (actually a verbal noun), the subject is marked with the genative and the object with MU.

-NI equivalent to "to" or "for" i.e. comeARA HITANI xxS = I am coming in order to hit her ???? AN = reason, ANMU = in order to, ANDA = because

1	Illative:	"into"
2	Elative:	"from out of" or "from the inside of"
3	Allative:	"onto"
4	Ablative:	"from of off"
5	Nonamive:	"around about" or "if"

The ablative in the above table is clearly different from the ablative in the first table...we need another fancy name.

Index

1. Introduction to Seuna
2. Seuna : Chapter 1
3. Seuna word shape
4. The script of Seuna
5. Seuna sentence structure
6. Seuna pronouns
7. Seuna nouns
8. Seuna verbs (1)
9. Seuna adjectives
10. Seuna demonstratives
11. Seuna verbs (2)
12. Asking a question in Seuna
13. Seuna relative clauses
14. Seuna verbs (3)
15. Methods for deriving words in Seuna
16. List of all Seuna derivational affixes
17. Numbers in Seuna
18. Naming people in Seuna
19. The Seuna calendar
20. Seuna units