Page:A grammar of the Teloogoo language.djvu/111

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OF SUBSTANTIVES.
45

OF REGULAR (Symbol missingTelugu characters) NOUNS.

The regular nouns of this class are divided into three declensions. The first includes all masculine nouns, the nominative singular of which terminates in (Symbol missingTelugu characters); the second, all feminines or neuters of more than two syllables, having the nominative singular in (Symbol missingTelugu characters) or (Symbol missingTelugu characters); the third, nouns of all genders not included in either of the two foregoing declensions. The general rules, already given, explain the mode in which the different cases are formed from the nominative singular, the inflexion singular, or the nominative plural. It will be sufficient, therefore, to show how these three cases are formed in each declension.

FIRST DECLENSION IN (Symbol missingTelugu characters).

Many nouns denoting masculine agents have the nominative singular in (Symbol missingTelugu characters); but, as the letter (Symbol missingTelugu characters) is unknown to any, except the learned, the (Symbol missingTelugu characters) preceding (Symbol missingTelugu characters) is usually omitted in writing, and the nominative of this declension is consequently made to terminate simply in(Symbol missingTelugu characters). The obscure nasal sound of (Symbol missingTelugu characters) before (Symbol missingTelugu characters) will notwithstanding be found in the pronunciation of even the most illiterate persons.

The singular inflexion of nouns belonging to this declension is formed by changing the final (Symbol missingTelugu characters) of the nominative into (Symbol missingTelugu characters); thus, nom. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a husband, inflexion (Symbol missingTelugu characters) nom. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a younger brother, inflex. (Symbol missingTelugu characters). But, with the exception of (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a younger brother, and (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a son in law, all nouns of this declension, which have the vowel (Symbol missingTelugu characters) preceding (Symbol missingTelugu characters) of the nominative singular, may also form the singular inflexion by merely dropping the termination (Symbol missingTelugu characters); the inflexion of (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a husband, is (Symbol missingTelugu characters) only, never (Symbol missingTelugu characters); because (Symbol missingTelugu characters) does not precede the (Symbol missingTelugu characters) of the nominative case; but, with the two exceptions abovementioned, all words which have(Symbol missingTelugu characters) before (Symbol missingTelugu characters) of the nominative have two forms in the inflexion; thus, nom. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a strong man, inflex. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) or (Symbol missingTelugu characters).

The nominative plural is formed by changing (Symbol missingTelugu characters) of the nominative singular into (Symbol missingTelugu characters); thus, nom. sing. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a husband, nom. plu. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) husbands, nom. sing, (Symbol missingTelugu characters) a younger brother, nom. plu. (Symbol missingTelugu characters) younger brothers.