Faroese irregular masculine nouns

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We see from úlvur and vinur that many masculine nouns have -ur in nominative but in many masculine nouns this ending is gone.

Let's look at the words snigil (snail) and akur (field).

In snigil the l is part of the stem, but between g and l the i has disappeared when an ending with a vowel is added. In akur the u disappears; -ur is part of the stem and isn't an ending.

Eintal
Hvørfallsnigilakur
Hvønnfallsnigilakur
Hvørjumfallsnigliakri
Hvørsfallsnigilsakurs
Fleirtal
Hvørfallsniglarakrar
Hvønnfallsniglarakrar
Hvørjumfallsniglumøkrum
Hvørsfallsniglaakra

Examples of words conjugated like snigil:

biðil = suiter, wooer
diskil = diskette - for computers
eingil = angel
ketil = kettle, boiler (older: mess tin)
krypil = cripple
kyndil = torch
miðil = media (probably has an older meaning, aswell)
ongul = fishinghook, angle (for angling)
seðil = note
smyril = Falco columbarius (the only Faroese bird of prey, although Haliaetus Alba can be seen as a guest)
tunnil = tunnel
vindil = 1) twisted wooltuft 2) cigar

Examples of words conjugated like akur:

fingur = finger
gjóstur = draught (only singular)
hungur = hunger (only singular)
látur = laughter (only singular)
lúður = 1) lure, lur 2) grinding mill
meldur = 1) grinding, the quantum of flour made in one grind 2) whirlpool, vortex, maelstrom 3) whirlwind
metur = meter
róður = rutter (also róðrar in singular genitive)
snúður = twist
stimbur = something that strengthens (only singular)
svágur = brother-in-law (can also be conjugated like vinur)
vetur = winter

Gyllin (measurement of land = 1/16 mørk = 20 skinn), morgun (morning) and maður (man) are conjugated this way:

Eintal
Hvørfallgyllinmorgunmaður
Hvønnfallgyllinmorgunmann
Hvørjumfallgyllin(i)morgnimanni
Hvørsfallgyllinsmorgunsmans
Fleirtal
Hvørfallgyllinmorgnarmenn
Hvønnfallgyllinmorgnarmenn
Hvørjumfallgyllinummorgnummonnum
Hvørsfallgyllinamorgnamanna

When the stem ends with -s, the -s genitiv is omitted:

ansur = watchfulness, attention (only singular)
básur = stall, box
fossur = waterfall
frensur/fressur = tomcat
hálsur = throat
heysur = skull, cranium. (for fun) head
jassur = Jack in cardgames, fellow, rogue
laksur = salmon
saksur = scissors

In some masculine nouns, where the stem ends with -nn, an ð has replaced the -nn, but only in nominative (however, saying the word with -nn isn't wrong):

brunnur = bruður (well)
drunnur = druður (the piece of a bird's body farther to the rear, but before the tail)
grunnur = gruður (fishing-bank or fund)
lunnur = luður (piece of wood, used to transport boats on land)
munnur = muður (mouth)

Nouns with -ggj or -gv in front of the -ur-ending:

heyggjur/heygur = hill, hillock, mound
skógvur = shoe
sjógvur = sea

Eintal
Hvørfallheyggjur/heygurskógvursjógvur
Hvønnfallheyggj/heygskógvsjógv
Hvørjumfallheyggi/heygiskógvisjógvi
Hvørsfallheygsskóssjóvar/sævar/sjós
Fleirtal
Hvørfallheyggjar/heygarskógvarsjógvar
Hvønnfallheyggjar/heygarskógvarsjógvar
Hvørjumfallheyggjum/heygumskómsjógvum
Hvørsfallheyggja/heygaskógvasjógva

Stíggjur (place, which is usable for walking up a hammer on a mountain) is conjugated like heyggjur, and conjugated like skógvur are hógvur (grassfield after harvest) (hóvs in singular genitiv) and mógvur (peat soil).

veggur = wall
strongur = string

Eintal
Hvørfallveggurstrongur
Hvønnfallveggstrong
Hvørjumfallveggistreingi
Hvørsfallveggjarstreingjar
Fleirtal
Hvørfallveggirstreingir
Hvønnfallveggirstreingir
Hvørjumfallveggjumstreingjum
Hvørsfallveggjastreingja

These words end with -jar in singular genitive, -ir in plural nominative and accusative, -jum in plural dative and -ja in plural genitive.

These words are conjugated like veggur:

drykkur = drink
leggur = leg, lower leg
mergur = marrow (only singular)
seggur = man, giant, hero
sekkur = sack, bag
serkur = shift (piece of clothing)

And these like strongur:

bonkur = bench (in plural genitiv beinkjar or bonkar)
drongur = boy
tvongur = shoe lace (also used for the plaited/braided string used for the national suit)
vongur = wing

The words are in plural nominative and accusative: beinkir, dreingir, tveingir and veingir.

Other irregular masculine nouns:

ryggur = back
hylur = pond
veðrur = ram (male sheep)

Eintal
Hvørfallryggurhylurveðrur
Hvønnfallrygghylveðr
Hvørjumfallryggihyliveðri
Hvørsfallryggjar/rygshyljar/hylsveðrar
Fleirtal
Hvørfallryggirhyljarveðrar/veðrir
Hvønnfallryggirhyljarveðrar/veðrir
Hvørjumfallryggjumhyljumveðrum
Hvørsfallryggjahyljaveðra

Veðrur also has this old conjugation: veður, veður, veðri, veðurs / veðrar, veðrar, veðrum, veðra.

háttur = way, fashion (gera okkurt uppá henda hátt = doing something this way/in this fashion)
táttur = satirical song
fjørður = firth

Eintal
Hvørfallhátturtátturfjørður
Hvønnfallhátttáttfjørð
Hvørjumfallháttitáttifirði/fjørði
Hvørsfallháttartáttsfjarðar
Fleirtal
Hvørfallhættir/háttirtættir/táttarfirðir
Hvønnfallhættir/háttirtættir/táttarfirðir
Hvørjumfallháttumtáttumfjørðum/firðum/fjarðum
Hvørsfallháttatáttafjarða

sonur = son
bøur = the cultivated land around a village

Eintal
Hvørfallsonurbøur
Hvønnfallson
Hvørjumfallsyni/sonibøi
Hvørsfallsonarbíggjar/bøar*
Fleirtal
Hvørfallsynirbøir
Hvønnfallsynirbøir
Hvørjumfallsonum/synumbøum
Hvørsfallsonabíggja/bøa
  • (Preferably) only in compounds: Kirkjubøar kirkja = the church of Kirkjubøur

vøkstur = growth
tráður = thread

Eintal
Hvørfallvøksturtráður
Hvønnfallvøkst(ur)tráð
Hvørjumfallvøkst(r)itráð(i) 1
Hvørsfallvakst(r)artráðar
Fleirtal
Hvørfallvøkst(r)irtræðrir 2
Hvønnfallvøkst(r)irtræðrir
Hvørjumfallvøkst(r)umtráðum
Hvørsfallvakst(r)atráða
  • 1: the forms træðri and træði also exist
  • 2: the forms træðir, træður also exist in nominative and accusative and træðrum in dative

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