Noun Animacy and Number

Aruvic nouns distinguish between animate and inanimate forms, especially in the plural.

Animate forms are used for people, animals, crews, ships treated as living vessels, and things that are socially or spiritually active.

Inanimate forms are used for ordinary objects, tools, goods, places, weather, and things treated as non-living.

Noun Formula

[ROOT] + [ANIMACY / NUMBER]

Singular animate and singular inanimate forms are usually identical to the base root.

Plural animate uses -ni.

Plural inanimate uses -ma.

Animate Plural

The animate plural uses:

-ni

Use this for living beings, people, animals, crews, and personified vessels.

Examples:

• kapita = captain

• kapita-ni = captains

• kosa = crew / family

• kosa-ni = crews / families as living groups

• nav = ship

• nav-ni = ships treated as living vessels

Inanimate Plural

The inanimate plural uses:

-ma

Use this for objects, tools, goods, places, weather, or vessels treated as listed objects.

Examples:

• boda = board / plank

• boda-ma = boards

• roto = rope

• roto-ma = ropes

• nav = ship

• nav-ma = ships treated as objects or inventory

Noun Animacy Table

Example with Nav

Animacy in Culture

A ship may be animate or inanimate depending on how the speaker regards it.

A beloved vessel, famous ship, or crewed ship may use animate forms. A ship listed in cargo records or counted as property may use inanimate forms.

That little distinction gives Aruvic a very sailor-brained grammar: a ship is only “just a thing” if nobody loves it.