Key Concepts - Week 2

Question 1

How many properties does a noun have?

Answer 1

6

Question 2

How many cases in English? Latin?

Answer 2

3, 6

First: what is a case? it is the noun’s function is a clause.
Second: In English, what is it determined by? word order and prepositions.
Third: In Latin, what is case determined by? Endings added to a word base.

Question 3

Where does the word “noun” come from?

Answer 3

Latin word nomen which translates the Greek term ovoua

Question 4

What is a noun?

Answer 4

Person, place, or thing

Question 5

What, in the analysis of a noun, can it be broken down into?

Answer 5

Root (stem),number, case, gender, and definiteness

Question 6

What is a root?

Answer 6

The most basic part of a noun; what the word means. So the root boy contains the notion “pre-adolescent human male”

Question 7

What is the base/stem?

Answer 7

*The form of a word that is subject to inflection (i.e. the way words change for different functions.
* In English, this is identical to the root. So boy is the base, because it is this form you add “-s” to make it “boys”
But for a term like “archrival”, the root is “rival”, establishing the basic meaning. The prefix “arch” is a prefix that more precisely defines the whole word, meaning that the base is “archrival”

What is English inflection? The way words change for different functions

Question 8

T or F The root gives the meaning of the noun

T or F The root is the most basic part of a noun and contains the “notion”

In the word archrival, what is the root?

Answer 8

T

T

Rival (arch is a prefix)

Question 9

Define number as it relates to a noun.

Answer 9

Whether the noun is singular or plural. True for both Latin and English.

Question 10

T or F In English and in Latin, some grammatically singular nouns, known as _______can be understood to be plural.

Answer 10

T Collective nouns. Eg. a rock band

Question 11

What should the number of a noun agree with?

Answer 11

Adjectives and verbs

Question 12

Define case

Answer 12

Case is the grammatical function in a clause.

Question 13

What usually determines case in English?

Answer 13

Usually, word order and prepositions determine case in English

Question 14

What usually determines case in Latin?

Answer 14

Usually, endings added to the word base determines case in Latin

Question 15

What is gender?

Answer 15

Gender is the property of a noun the determines some types of grammatical agreement. Usually for adjective and pronoun agreement. It is logically distinct from biological sex.

Question 16

Ho many genders are there in Latin and English?

Answer 16

3 genders in Latin and English: masculine, feminine, neuter

Question 17

Do English and Latin assign gender similarly?

Answer 17

No

Question 18

What are the 3 important classifications of English nouns?

Answer 18

Proper nouns, countable nouns , uncountable nouns

Question 19

Define proper noun

Answer 19

A proper noun has a specific and unique referent, Generally, these NEVER take an article OR these MUST take an article, Consider Peter vs the Peter. You say “Peter”. Consider “the Hague”. You don’t say Hague, or a Hague

Question 20

What are countable nouns?

Answer 20

They refer easily to countable things like dog, cat, bottle. In English they can take a definite article (a dog), but cannot stand alone (you can’t say “dog is good”, and it can be pluralized (dogs).

Question 21

What is an uncountable noun?

Answer 21

An uncountable noun refers to undifferentiated masses. Eg. rice, milk, water). In English, they can take the modifier “some” but not an indefinite article. So you can say “some music” but not “a music”, it can stand alone “music” is good”, and cannot be made plural so you cannot say “musics”

Question 22

What is an uncountable noun?

Answer 22

An uncountable noun refers to undifferentiated masses. Eg. rice, milk, water). In English, they can take the modifier “some” but not an indefinite article. So you can say “some music” but not “a music”, it can stand alone “music” is good”, and cannot be made plural so you cannot say “musics”

Question 23

What is true about uncountable nouns in English?

Answer 23

In English, they can take the modifier “some” but not an indefinite article. So you can say “some music” but not “a music”, it can stand alone “music” is good”, and cannot be made plural so you cannot say “musics”

Question 24

What are the key words to remember about uncountable nouns in English?

Answer 24

“some” OK
“a” NO!
Can stand alone
Cannot be made plural