Nouns - Substantiivvat

From UniLang Wiki

There are basically 3 classes of nouns in Northern Saami:

• Even-syllabic nouns
• Odd-syllabic nouns
• Contracted nouns

All nouns are inflected for case and number. There are two numbers: singular and plural. There are 7 cases: nominative, genitive + accusative (these two are always identical in nouns), locative, illative, comitative, and essive (this one is always identical in singular and plural).

=> see here for the use of these cases (with examples)

Cases are marked by endings and/or internal consonant changes (gradation), as well as internal vowel changes which are influenced by various endings.

Even-syllabic nouns are the most varied and irregular looking group (although the patterns are really quite systematical), whereas odd-syllabic nouns look more regular as far as endings and sound changes are concerned, but they have some tricky aspects as well.

Sample paradigm for a noun: mánná = child

Nom.Sg.	mánná	strong grade		Nom.Pl.	mánát	weak grade + t
G/A.Sg.	máná	weak grade		G/A.Pl.	mánáid	weak grade + id
Loc.Sg.	mánás	weak grade + s		Loc.Pl.	mánáin	weak grade + in (= Com.Sg.)
Ill.Sg.	mánnái	strong grade + i		Ill.Pl.	mánáide	weak grade + ide
Com.Sg.	mánáin	weak grade + in		Com.Pl.	mánáiguin	weak grade + iguin (originally from < guoibmi = companion)
Ess.Sg.	mánnán	strong grade + n		Ess.Pl.	mánnán	strong grade + n (identical to Ess.Sg.)

This example only shows the basic pattern for bisyllabic nouns. Depending on the inflection class there are further changes, which will be illustrated in more detail.