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{{Infobox|name=Marib<br><big>مریب</big>|pronounce=/maˈʁib/|tu=Here & now|species=Human|in=Iran<br>Turkey|no=7.5 million|script=Modified Perso-Arabic script|tree=Indo-European<br>Mariban<br>'''Marib'''|morph=Fusional|ms=Nominative-accusative|wo=VSO|creator=[[User:Colonel Cathcart|Colonel Cathcart]]|date=2009}}
{{Infobox|name=Marib<br><big>مریب</big>|pronounce=/maˈʁib/|tu=Here & now|species=Human|in=Iran<br>Turkey|no=7.5 million|script=Modified Perso-Arabic script|tree=Indo-European<br>Mariban<br>'''Marib'''|morph=Fusional|ms=Nominative-accusative|wo=Right-branching VSO|creator=[[User:Colonel Cathcart|Colonel Cathcart]]|date=2009}}
'''Marib''' (مریب) is an Indo-European language spoken in northwestern Iran and southeastern Turkey. It is the last surviving member of the Mariban subfamily, once spoken across an expanse stretching from Kurdistan to the Caucasus; Marib thus constitutes an isolate within the Indo-European family.
'''Marib''' (مریب) is an Indo-European language spoken in northwestern Iran and southeastern Turkey. It is the last surviving member of the Mariban subfamily, once spoken across an expanse stretching from Kurdistan to the Caucasus; Marib thus constitutes an isolate within the Indo-European family.
<p>The name "Marib" is an exonym which is derived from Persian زبن مغربی, zabân-e maghrebi, "western language."
==Phonology==
==Phonology==
===Phonemes & orthography===
===Phonemes & orthography===
Marib is written in a modified Perso-Arabic script, which was introduced when the Seljuks took control of the Mariban states in the mid-11th century. Here, the first orthographic representation is the native orthography; the second is used for Latin transliteration.
Marib is written in a modified Perso-Arabic script, which was introduced when the Seljuks took control of the Mariban states in the mid-11th century. Here, the first orthographic representation is the native orthography; the second is used for phonetic transliteration.


====Consonants====
====Consonants====
Line 15: Line 16:
*Marib uses the ligature <لا> for /la/; with a hamzeh above <لأ> this ligature represents /laj/.
*Marib uses the ligature <لا> for /la/; with a hamzeh above <لأ> this ligature represents /laj/.
*<ع> is often used to indicate a syllable break between vowels and particularly diphthongs, eg. /saj"i:/ <سأعی> <saii> (page-gen.pl).
*<ع> is often used to indicate a syllable break between vowels and particularly diphthongs, eg. /saj"i:/ <سأعی> <saii> (page-gen.pl).
*<ق غ خ> are found only in Persian and Arabic loans; they are pronounced /h k g/ and transliterated <kh q gh>.
*<ق غ خ> are found only in Persian and Arabic loans; they are pronounced /h g g/ and transliterated <kh gh q>.


<p>Marib contrasts consonant length. Any consonant except /h j w ʁ/ may be geminated. Geminate consonants, which can occur medially or finally, are written with a tašdid <ّ > above.
<p>Marib contrasts consonant length. Any consonant except /h j w ʁ/ may be geminated. Geminate consonants, which can occur medially or finally, are written with a tašdid <ّ > above.
Line 34: Line 35:
/aj ɛj ɔj uj/ <ؤ ؤ ۀ أ>, <ay ey oy uy><br>
/aj ɛj ɔj uj/ <ؤ ؤ ۀ أ>, <ay ey oy uy><br>
These diphthongs are written with a hamzeh <ء> above, a convention possibly derived from Persian's use of <ۀ> for /eje/.
These diphthongs are written with a hamzeh <ء> above, a convention possibly derived from Persian's use of <ۀ> for /eje/.
====Alphabet====
[[Image:Taleshenmaribi.png|frame|''Ta lešen maribi'' ("the Marib language") in Naskh, Kufic, and Thuluth scripts.]]
'''Standard Marib alphabet'''
{| cellspacing=15
| الف - ا <br>alef /a"lɛf/
|به - ب<br>be /bɛ:/
|په - پ<br>pe /pɛ:/
|ته - ت<br>te /tɛ:/
|جیم - ج<br>jim /dʒim/
|-
|چه - چ<br>če /tʃɛ:/
|حه شأ جیم - ح<br>he-šay-jim<br>/ˌhɛ:ʃajˈdʒim/
|دال - د<br>dal /dal/
|ره - ر<br>re /ʁɛ:/
|زه - ز<br>ze /zɛ:/
|-
|ژه - ژ<br>že /ʒɛ:/
|سین - س<br>sin /sin/
|شین - ش<br>šin /ʃin/
|صاد - ص<br>sad /sad/
|طا - ط<br>tsa /tsa:/
|-
|ظ - ظا<br>dza /dza:/
|أعین - ع<br>aiin /aj"in/
|کاف - ک<br>kaf /kaf/
|گاف - گ<br>gaf /gaf/
|لام - ل<br>lam /lam/
|-
|میم - م<br>mim /mim/
|نون - ن<br>nun /nun/
|واو - و<br>vav /vav/
|ها - ه<br>he /hɛ:/
|یه - ی<br>ye /jɛ:/
|}
'''Formerly considered part of the Marib alphabet'''
{| cellspacing=15
|خه - خ<br>khe /kɛ:/
|غأعین - غ<br>ghaiin /gaj"in/
|قوف - ق<br>qof /kof/
|-
|}
'''Not considered part of the Marib alphabet'''
(though often used as such in vernacular speech)
{| cellspacing=15
|الف س هامزو - أ<br>alef-s-hamzu<br>/alˌɛfshamˈzu:/<br>"alef with hamzeh"
|ها س هامزو - ۀ<br> he-s-hamzu<br>/ˌhɛ:shamˈzu:/<br>"he with hamzeh"
|واو س هامزو - ؤ <br>vav-s-hamzu<br>/ˌvavshamˈzu:/<br>"vav with hamzeh"
|}


===Prosody===
===Prosody===
Line 44: Line 96:
'''Stress'''<br>
'''Stress'''<br>
Stress in Marib, as in French, is dependent upon syntax and semantics. Primary stress is placed upon the last syllable of a clause or phrase determined by the speaker. Primary stress may be marked by a slight lengthening of the syllable (more distinctive if the syllable is open, as stated above) and/or a slight rising or falling tone. Secondary stress may be placed upon the last syllable of a verb, noun, or modifier, according to the speaker's semantic discretion. Pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions are never stressed except for emphasis.
Stress in Marib, as in French, is dependent upon syntax and semantics. Primary stress is placed upon the last syllable of a clause or phrase determined by the speaker. Primary stress may be marked by a slight lengthening of the syllable (more distinctive if the syllable is open, as stated above) and/or a slight rising or falling tone. Secondary stress may be placed upon the last syllable of a verb, noun, or modifier, according to the speaker's semantic discretion. Pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions are never stressed except for emphasis.
==Pronouns==
===Personal===
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 align=center|Nominative
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|1
|من
|men
|اش
|aš
|-
|2
|سن
|sen
|تی
|ti
|-
|3-m
|ایش
|iš
|نه
|ne
|-
|3-f
|نا
|na
|نه
|ne
|}
Marib's nominative case is actually a nominative-accusative, so the above are used as both subject and object pronouns. When specificity is desired, the Persian borrowing را <-ra> can be used to mark a nominative pronoun as an object: من را <men-ra>, "me."
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 align=center|Genitive
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|1
|ما
|ma
|اشا
|aša
|-
|2
|سا
|sa
|تأعا
|taya
|-
|3
|یو
|yo
|نی
|ni
|}
The genitive pronouns are used for possession, as well as with certain prepositions. Strictly in cases of possession, suffix ه <-e> or ی <-ye> is used to mark the head: اولما ی ما <olma-ye ma> "my dog."
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 align=center|Dative
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|1
|مو
|mu
|اشو
|ašu
|-
|2
|سو
|su
|تأو
|tayu
|-
|3
|أ
|ay
|أعی
|aii
|}
The dative pronouns are used for the indirect object, as well as with certain prepositions.
===Demonstrative===
{| cellspacing=5
|تا
|ta
|this/these
|-
|ستا
|sta
|that/those
|-
|هونا٫ سینی
|sini, hona
|here, there
|}
===Indefinite===
{| cellspacing=5
|کمن
|komon
|everything, everyone
|-
|بز کمن
|baz-komon
|everyone
|-
|همن
|hemon
|something, anything
|-
|کولت
|kulet
|someone, anyone
|-
|لاکتات
|laktet
|nothing, no-one
|-
|بز لاکتات
|baz-laktet
|no-one
|-
|ایمنی٫ ایمن
|imen, imni
|little, few
|-
|زأتی٫ رأت
|zayt, zayti
|much, many
|}
===Interrogative & relative===
{| cellspacing=5
|مت
|mata
|what
|-
|میس
|mis
|which
|-
|منه
|mine
|who
|-
|منا
|mina
|whose
|-
|س منو
|s-munu
|to whom
|-
|ملّا
|milla
|where
|-
|لا ملّأ
|la-millay
|whence
|-
|ای ملّو
|i-millu
|whither
|-
|مدی
|medi
|when
|-
|منت
|mint
|why
|-
|موشّ
|mušš
|how
|-
|مأد
|mayd
|how much
|-
|مأدی
|maydi
|how many
|}
Interrogative pronouns are normally used ''in situ'' rather than at the beginning of the clause, and they do not take the copulaic clitic ش <š-> : تا مت <ta mata> "what is this," lit. "this what."<br>
They are placed at the beginning of the clause, however, when they are used as relative pronouns: مدی شودی من ش ایژن٫ <medi šudi men š-ižen, ...> "when I was a boy, ..."
==Nouns==
===Determiners===
Marib lacks true articles, employing instead a system of determiners.
<p>Ta (ت), contracted to t- before a vowel, is loosely translated as "the." It indicates "the one we are talking about" or "the one which has been mentioned."
*Idi t-ižen kaydaš - ایدی ت ایژن کأدش - The boy read a book.
<p>Ažin (اژین) shares a similar but more specific meaning with ta, indicating "that same one."
*Tuži men az kaydaša, taš hessi men ažin kaydaš s-keru.
*توژل من از کأدشا٫ تش حسّل من اژین کأدش س کرو.
*I thought about a book, and I saw that same book in town.
<p>Baš (بش) indicates "the present or current one," usually referring to a period of time, geographical location, or a certain mode.
*Baš ker - بش کر - this town, the town we live in
*Baš lešen - بش لشن - this language, the one we are speaking right now
*Baš ayla - بش ألا - today, this very day (colloquially امروز <emruz>)
*Baš šah - بش شاه - this king, the king who is currently reigning
===Declension===
There are two numbers, singular and plural. The singular is unmarked, though many or most nominative singular nouns end in -[ay]en (أن٫ ن) [masculine] or -[iy]a (یا٫ ا) [feminine]. The plural is usually marked with the plural morpheme ی <-i>. The noun appears in the singular after numerals.
<p>There are two genders, masculine and feminine. Noun gender assignment follows a simple pattern, with masculine nouns ending in a consonant and feminine nouns ending in /a/. Some nouns, ending in /u/, can be masculine or feminine.
<p>There are three cases. The "nominative" is a nominative-accusative, used for both the subject and direct object - where specificity is desired, the Persian-borrowed object marker را <-ra> may be used following the noun. The genitive is used to show possession, relation, or origin, and is used with certain prepositions; it is marked with ا or أ. The dative is used for the indirect object and with certain other prepositions; it is marked with و.
<p>Masculine nouns in the first two declensions (nominative only in the first declension) elide the final vowel, as long as this does not create an illegal consonant cluster or compromise the integrity of the stem.
====First declension====
'''Declension 1a''': Masculine nouns ending in ن -en
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |ایژن - ižen - boy
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|ایژن
|ižen
|ایژنی
|ižni
|-
|gen
|ایژا
|iža
|ایژی
|iži
|-
|dat
|ایژو
|ižu
|ایژیو
|ižiu
|}
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |مژدن - mežden - world
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|مژدن
|mežden
|مژدنی
|meždeni
|-
|gen
|مژدا
|mežda
|مژدی
|meždi
|-
|dat
|مژدو
|meždu
|مژدیو
|meždiu
|}
'''Declension 1b''': Masculine nouns ending in أن -ayen
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |سأن - sayen - page
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|سأن
|sayen
|سأنی
|sayni
|-
|gen
|سأعا
|saya
|سأعی
|saii
|-
|dat
|سأو
|sayu
|سأو
|sayu
|}
====Second declension====
Masculine nouns ending in any other consonant
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |صأفت - sayfet - sand
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|صأفت
|sayfet
|صأفتی
|sayfti
|-
|gen
|صأفتا
|sayfta
|صأفتیا
|sayftiya
|-
|dat
|صأفتو
|sayftu
|صأفتأو
|sayftayu
|}
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |کر - ker - town
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|کر
|ker
|کری
|keri
|-
|gen
|کرا
|kera
|کریا
|keriya
|-
|dat
|کرو
|keru
|کرأو
|kerayu
|}
====Third declension====
'''Declension 3a''': Feminine nouns ending in ا -a
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |ویلا - wila - oil
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|ویلا
|wila
|ویلی
|wili
|-
|gen
|ویلأ
|wilay
|ویلیا
|wiliya
|-
|dat
|ویلو
|wilu
|ویلأو
|wilayu
|}
'''Declension 3b''': Feminine nouns ending in یا -iya
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |سالیا - saliya - water
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|سالیا
|saliya
|سالیّ
|salii
|-
|gen
|سالأ
|salay
|سالیّ
|salii
|-
|dat
|سالو
|salu
|سالآو
|salayu
|}
====Fourth declension====
'''Declension 4a''': Masculine and feminine nouns ending in -u
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |شونو - šunu (f) - light
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|شونو
|šunu
|شونی
|šuni
|-
|gen
|شونا
|šuna
|شونیا
|šuniya
|-
|dat
|شونیو
|šuniu
|شونأو
|šunayu
|}
'''Declension 4b''': Masculine and feminine nouns ending in -iu
{| cellspacing=5
!colspan=5 |مزیو - maziu (m) - food
|-
|
|colspan=2 align=center|sg 
|colspan=2 align=center|pl
|-
|nom
|مزیو
|maziu
|مزیّ
|mazii
|-
|gen
|مزا
|maza
|مزیا
|maziya
|-
|dat
|مزو
|mazu
|مزأو
|mazayu
|}


[[Category:Conlangs]]
[[Category:Conlangs]]

Latest revision as of 10:55, 23 June 2009


Marib
مریب
Pronounced: /maˈʁib/
Timeline and Universe: Here & now
Species: Human
Spoken: Iran
Turkey
Total speakers: 7.5 million
Writing system: Modified Perso-Arabic script
Genealogy: Indo-European
Mariban
Marib
Typology
Morphological type: Fusional
Morphosyntactic alignment: Nominative-accusative
Basic word order: Right-branching VSO
Credits
Creator: Colonel Cathcart
Created: 2009

Marib (مریب) is an Indo-European language spoken in northwestern Iran and southeastern Turkey. It is the last surviving member of the Mariban subfamily, once spoken across an expanse stretching from Kurdistan to the Caucasus; Marib thus constitutes an isolate within the Indo-European family.

The name "Marib" is an exonym which is derived from Persian زبن مغربی, zabân-e maghrebi, "western language."

Phonology

Phonemes & orthography

Marib is written in a modified Perso-Arabic script, which was introduced when the Seljuks took control of the Mariban states in the mid-11th century. Here, the first orthographic representation is the native orthography; the second is used for phonetic transliteration.

Consonants

Stops /p t k b d g/ <گ د ب ک ت پ>, <p t k b d g>
Affricatives /ts tʃ dz dʒ/ <ج ظ چ ط>, <ts č dz j>
Fricatives /f v s z ʃ ʒ h/ <ه ژ ش ز س و ف>, <f v s z š ž h>
Approximants /j w l ʁ/ <ر ل و ی>, <y w l r>
Nasals /m n/ <ن م>, <m n>

  • /s/ has alternate realization <ص>; /h/ has alternate realization <ح>. Many words using these letters are Persian or Arabic loans; others are purely aesthetic.
  • Marib uses the ligature <لا> for /la/; with a hamzeh above <لأ> this ligature represents /laj/.
  • <ع> is often used to indicate a syllable break between vowels and particularly diphthongs, eg. /saj"i:/ <سأعی> <saii> (page-gen.pl).
  • <ق غ خ> are found only in Persian and Arabic loans; they are pronounced /h g g/ and transliterated <kh gh q>.

Marib contrasts consonant length. Any consonant except /h j w ʁ/ may be geminated. Geminate consonants, which can occur medially or finally, are written with a tašdid <ّ > above.

Vowels

Marib has a simple five-vowel system, distinctive in that the mid-close vowels /e o/ have shifted to mid-open /ɛ ɔ/.

Vowels /a ɛ i ɔ u/
initial: <او او ای ا ا>, <a e i o u>
medial: <و و ی ا ا> or null, <a e i o u>
final: <و و ی ه ا>, <a e i o u>

Some eastern dialects lack /a/, featuring instead a Persian-influenced /æ ɒ/ opposition, written <آ ا> and transliterated <a â>. These dialects have generally retained the mid-close vowels /e o/.

Modern Marib does not contrast vowel length (at least not phonemically - see Prosody). Marib's Perso-Arabic orthography indicates medially only those vowels which were long in Medieval Marib (eg. MedM /ma"ɾi:b/ > ModM /ma"ʁib/ <مریب>) and in cases where vowel omission would result in a doubled consonant (eg. /tan"nɛn/ <تنّان> rather than *<تنّن>)

Diphthongs
Marib has four semivowel diphthongs:
/aj ɛj ɔj uj/ <ؤ ؤ ۀ أ>, <ay ey oy uy>
These diphthongs are written with a hamzeh <ء> above, a convention possibly derived from Persian's use of <ۀ> for /eje/.

Alphabet

Ta lešen maribi ("the Marib language") in Naskh, Kufic, and Thuluth scripts.

Standard Marib alphabet

الف - ا
alef /a"lɛf/ 		به - ب
be /bɛ:/ 		په - پ
pe /pɛ:/ 		ته - ت
te /tɛ:/ 		جیم - ج
jim /dʒim/
چه - چ
če /tʃɛ:/ 		حه شأ جیم - ح
he-šay-jim
/ˌhɛ:ʃajˈdʒim/ 		دال - د
dal /dal/ 		ره - ر
re /ʁɛ:/ 		زه - ز
ze /zɛ:/
ژه - ژ
že /ʒɛ:/ 		سین - س
sin /sin/ 		شین - ش
šin /ʃin/ 		صاد - ص
sad /sad/ 		طا - ط
tsa /tsa:/
ظ - ظا
dza /dza:/ 		أعین - ع
aiin /aj"in/ 		کاف - ک
kaf /kaf/ 		گاف - گ
gaf /gaf/ 		لام - ل
lam /lam/
میم - م
mim /mim/ 		نون - ن
nun /nun/ 		واو - و
vav /vav/ 		ها - ه
he /hɛ:/ 		یه - ی
ye /jɛ:/

Formerly considered part of the Marib alphabet

خه - خ
khe /kɛ:/ 		غأعین - غ
ghaiin /gaj"in/ 		قوف - ق
qof /kof/

Not considered part of the Marib alphabet (though often used as such in vernacular speech)

الف س هامزو - أ
alef-s-hamzu
/alˌɛfshamˈzu:/
"alef with hamzeh" 		ها س هامزو - ۀ
he-s-hamzu
/ˌhɛ:shamˈzu:/
"he with hamzeh" 		واو س هامزو - ؤ
vav-s-hamzu
/ˌvavshamˈzu:/
"vav with hamzeh"

Prosody

Phoneme length
Marib distinguishes phonemic consonant length: long (geminate) consonants are written with a tašdid above. Vowel length is a prosodic feature: if a stressed syllable is open (CV), then the vowel is pronounced long (CV:).

Timing
Marib prosody is stress-timed. Generally, stressed open syllables with a long vowel are articulated about 1.5 times longer than unstressed or closed syllables, though this varies greatly between dialects and speakers.

Stress
Stress in Marib, as in French, is dependent upon syntax and semantics. Primary stress is placed upon the last syllable of a clause or phrase determined by the speaker. Primary stress may be marked by a slight lengthening of the syllable (more distinctive if the syllable is open, as stated above) and/or a slight rising or falling tone. Secondary stress may be placed upon the last syllable of a verb, noun, or modifier, according to the speaker's semantic discretion. Pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions are never stressed except for emphasis.

Pronouns

Personal

Nominative
sg pl
1 من men اش aš
2 سن sen تی ti
3-m ایش iš نه ne
3-f نا na نه ne

Marib's nominative case is actually a nominative-accusative, so the above are used as both subject and object pronouns. When specificity is desired, the Persian borrowing را <-ra> can be used to mark a nominative pronoun as an object: من را <men-ra>, "me."

Genitive
sg pl
1 ما ma اشا aša
2 سا sa تأعا taya
3 یو yo نی ni

The genitive pronouns are used for possession, as well as with certain prepositions. Strictly in cases of possession, suffix ه <-e> or ی <-ye> is used to mark the head: اولما ی ما <olma-ye ma> "my dog."

Dative
sg pl
1 مو mu اشو ašu
2 سو su تأو tayu
3 أ ay أعی aii

The dative pronouns are used for the indirect object, as well as with certain prepositions.

Demonstrative

تا ta this/these
ستا sta that/those
هونا٫ سینی sini, hona here, there

Indefinite

کمن komon everything, everyone
بز کمن baz-komon everyone
همن hemon something, anything
کولت kulet someone, anyone
لاکتات laktet nothing, no-one
بز لاکتات baz-laktet no-one
ایمنی٫ ایمن imen, imni little, few
زأتی٫ رأت zayt, zayti much, many

Interrogative & relative

مت mata what
میس mis which
منه mine who
منا mina whose
س منو s-munu to whom
ملّا milla where
لا ملّأ la-millay whence
ای ملّو i-millu whither
مدی medi when
منت mint why
موشّ mušš how
مأد mayd how much
مأدی maydi how many

Interrogative pronouns are normally used in situ rather than at the beginning of the clause, and they do not take the copulaic clitic ش <š-> : تا مت <ta mata> "what is this," lit. "this what."
They are placed at the beginning of the clause, however, when they are used as relative pronouns: مدی شودی من ش ایژن٫ <medi šudi men š-ižen, ...> "when I was a boy, ..."

Nouns

Determiners

Marib lacks true articles, employing instead a system of determiners.

Ta (ت), contracted to t- before a vowel, is loosely translated as "the." It indicates "the one we are talking about" or "the one which has been mentioned."

  • Idi t-ižen kaydaš - ایدی ت ایژن کأدش - The boy read a book.

Ažin (اژین) shares a similar but more specific meaning with ta, indicating "that same one."

  • Tuži men az kaydaša, taš hessi men ažin kaydaš s-keru.
  • توژل من از کأدشا٫ تش حسّل من اژین کأدش س کرو.
  • I thought about a book, and I saw that same book in town.

Baš (بش) indicates "the present or current one," usually referring to a period of time, geographical location, or a certain mode.

  • Baš ker - بش کر - this town, the town we live in
  • Baš lešen - بش لشن - this language, the one we are speaking right now
  • Baš ayla - بش ألا - today, this very day (colloquially امروز <emruz>)
  • Baš šah - بش شاه - this king, the king who is currently reigning

Declension

There are two numbers, singular and plural. The singular is unmarked, though many or most nominative singular nouns end in -[ay]en (أن٫ ن) [masculine] or -[iy]a (یا٫ ا) [feminine]. The plural is usually marked with the plural morpheme ی <-i>. The noun appears in the singular after numerals.

There are two genders, masculine and feminine. Noun gender assignment follows a simple pattern, with masculine nouns ending in a consonant and feminine nouns ending in /a/. Some nouns, ending in /u/, can be masculine or feminine.

There are three cases. The "nominative" is a nominative-accusative, used for both the subject and direct object - where specificity is desired, the Persian-borrowed object marker را <-ra> may be used following the noun. The genitive is used to show possession, relation, or origin, and is used with certain prepositions; it is marked with ا or أ. The dative is used for the indirect object and with certain other prepositions; it is marked with و.

Masculine nouns in the first two declensions (nominative only in the first declension) elide the final vowel, as long as this does not create an illegal consonant cluster or compromise the integrity of the stem.

First declension

Declension 1a: Masculine nouns ending in ن -en

ایژن - ižen - boy
sg pl
nom ایژن ižen ایژنی ižni
gen ایژا iža ایژی iži
dat ایژو ižu ایژیو ižiu
مژدن - mežden - world
sg pl
nom مژدن mežden مژدنی meždeni
gen مژدا mežda مژدی meždi
dat مژدو meždu مژدیو meždiu

Declension 1b: Masculine nouns ending in أن -ayen

سأن - sayen - page
sg pl
nom سأن sayen سأنی sayni
gen سأعا saya سأعی saii
dat سأو sayu سأو sayu

Second declension

Masculine nouns ending in any other consonant

صأفت - sayfet - sand
sg pl
nom صأفت sayfet صأفتی sayfti
gen صأفتا sayfta صأفتیا sayftiya
dat صأفتو sayftu صأفتأو sayftayu
کر - ker - town
sg pl
nom کر ker کری keri
gen کرا kera کریا keriya
dat کرو keru کرأو kerayu

Third declension

Declension 3a: Feminine nouns ending in ا -a

ویلا - wila - oil
sg pl
nom ویلا wila ویلی wili
gen ویلأ wilay ویلیا wiliya
dat ویلو wilu ویلأو wilayu

Declension 3b: Feminine nouns ending in یا -iya

سالیا - saliya - water
sg pl
nom سالیا saliya سالیّ salii
gen سالأ salay سالیّ salii
dat سالو salu سالآو salayu

Fourth declension

Declension 4a: Masculine and feminine nouns ending in -u

شونو - šunu (f) - light
sg pl
nom شونو šunu شونی šuni
gen شونا šuna شونیا šuniya
dat شونیو šuniu شونأو šunayu

Declension 4b: Masculine and feminine nouns ending in -iu

مزیو - maziu (m) - food
sg pl
nom مزیو maziu مزیّ mazii
gen مزا maza مزیا maziya
dat مزو mazu مزأو mazayu
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