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A Grammar of Hokkaido Ainu

Knowledge base · Part VI — Word Classes and Nominal Morphology

41. Nominal Number: Transnumerality, -utar, and the Locus of Plurality

How does the language express number on nouns, and what is the division between nominal and verbal plurality?

その言語では、名詞の数はどのように表現され、名詞的複数性と動詞的複数性の間の役割分担はどのようになっているか？

The nominal number system — bare-noun general number/transnumerality, the human pluralizer -utar/utar(i), and the division of labour between nominal and verbal plurality.

candidate topic from the first edition topic:nominal/nominal-number-utar-transnumerality read this topic as text

45claims
73statements
21sources
7examples
7sections
55first-edition sentences

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Forms mentioned

utar 26suma utar 3ni utar 3-utari 3-(a)hcin 3p/pe 2hekattar 2utari 2-utara 2suma 1cep 1cise 1kamuy 1hi 1acha utar arki 1kamuy utar 1ainu utar 1seta utar 1cikap utar 1rus utar 1coypep utar 1nítay or ta ni utar ka poronno a=momka 1hekaci 1hekattar utar 1chaichai 1kaukau 1kankan 1ramram 1utarihi 1k=utari 1k=utari ku=tura 1a=utari opitta totek wa oka 1anutari 1utar ni nare 1onautari 1unuutari 1ek 1arki 1arpa 1paye 1

Claims

A claim is one proposition; under it stand the statements of each source, with the stance that source takes. Claims are grouped by a model from the extracted statements and carry that status until reviewed.

Sections

·

Transnumerality: nouns unspecified for number 7 claims ·6 sentences· 1 examples

How do bare nouns indicate number, and are they specified for singular or plural?

  1. Ainu nouns do not distinguish singular and plural by themselves; a bare noun form represents both singular and plural referents.
    アイヌ語の名詞は単独では単複の区別を持たず、単一の形式で単数と複数の両方を表す。
    absence ainu all ainushuma
    asserts kindaichi1936
  2. Entities that inherently exist in the plural are lexicalized through reduplication in Ainu.
    常に複数的に存在している事物は、畳語法によって語彙化されて表現される。
    form-function ainu some chaichaikaukaukaikaikankanmerimeripaspas
    asserts kindaichi1936
  3. Ainu does not mark nouns morphologically for number, with morphological singular/plural distinctions occurring only on verbs.
    アイヌ語は名詞に形態的な数標示を行わず、単数と複数の形態的区別は動詞にのみ見られる。
    absence ainu all
    asserts nakagawa2022
  4. In Hokkaido Ainu dialects, nouns lack a grammatical category of number, with no form that obligatorily marks singular versus plural.
    アイヌ語北海道方言には名詞に文法的な数の区別（単数形・複数形）がなく、単数か複数かを義務的に示す形式は存在しない。
    absence hokkaido all
    asserts nakagawa2024
  5. Number on general nouns is unmarked, except for a few cases marked by reduplication.
    一般名詞における数は少数の畳語による例外を除き標示されない。
    form-function ainu most
    asserts refsing1986
  6. In Shizunai Ainu, nouns are generally unmarked for number, but plurality may be emphasized by reduplication or by suffixing -utar.
    静内アイヌ語において名詞類は通常数標示を持たないが、畳語化または接尾辞 -utar の付加によって複数を強調できる。
    form-function hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  7. Full nouns lack grammatical number inflection, and there is no number agreement within the noun phrase.
    完全名詞には数の文法範疇が存在せず、複数語形変化も名詞句内の数一致も存在しない。
    absence ainu all sine aynutu aynu
    asserts shibatani1990
suma
stone
‘a stone / the stone / stones’
constructed

The formal noun utar — distributional status 10 claims ·7 sentences· 1 examples

What is the distributional status of the formal noun utar and how does it function?

  1. In Shizunai Ainu, nouns that can take the plural suffix -utar generally do so when quantified by numerals greater than one.
    静内アイヌ語において、複数接尾辞 -utar を取り得る名詞は、「1」以外の数詞で修飾されると通常この接尾辞を伴う。
    distribution hokkaido/southwest/shizunai most -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  2. In collective nominal usage, the noun 'utár refers to '(Ainu) people'.
    集合名詞的な用法において、名詞 'utár は「（アイヌの）人々」を指す。
    form-function ainu all 'utár
    asserts janhunen2022
  3. The particle utar is placed after nouns when plural number is explicitly indicated.
    名詞の複数を特に明示したい場合には助詞 utar が用いられる。
    form-function ainu all utar
    asserts kindaichi1936
  4. The formal noun utar marks nominal plurality explicitly and can occur with inanimate nouns like suma utar 'stones' and ni utar 'trees'.
    形式名詞 utar は名詞に後続して複数を明示し、suma utar「石たち」や ni utar「木たち」のように無生物名詞に対しても用いることができる。
    form-function hokkaido all utar
    asserts nakagawa2024
  5. Number on general nouns is marked only in a few cases by the suffix -utar.
    一般名詞における数は、少数の事例で接尾辞 -utar によって標示される。
    form-function ainu few -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  6. In Shizunai Ainu, the suffix -utar attaches to personal pronouns to form plural pronouns.
    静内アイヌ語において、接尾辞 -utar は人称代名詞に付加されて複数形を形成する。
    form-function hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  7. In Shizunai Ainu, -utar functions as a plural nominalizer when suffixed to verbal stems.
    静内アイヌ語において、-utar は動詞類に付加されて複数名詞化辞として機能する。
    form-function hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  8. When functioning as a nominalizer on verbal stems in Shizunai Ainu, -utar exclusively refers to human beings.
    静内アイヌ語で名詞化辞として機能する場合、-utar は常に人間全般のみを指す。
    form-function hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  9. In addition to clausal modification, utar can stand in apposition to a noun to express nominal plurality.
    utar には節修飾を受ける用法のほかに、名詞と同格に置かれて複数を表す用法もある。
    form-function hokkaido all utar
    asserts sato2008
  10. The suffix -utar can attach to nouns to express plurality or an associative reading ('X and others').
    名詞に接尾辞 -utar を付加することで、複数性または「Xとその仲間」という連想複数を表すことができる。
    form-function ainu all -utaraynu-utarcip-utar
    asserts shibatani1990
cikap-po utar
bird-DIM ASS
‘small birds’
nakagawa2024:258 SAR

Semantics: associative reading and the animacy debate 4 claims ·10 sentences· 2 examples

What is the semantic reading of utar when pluralizing nouns, and what is the debate about animacy?

  1. The plural marker utar does not necessarily express multiple identical items but can convey an associative plural meaning ('X and company'), which is restricted to animates.
    複数標識 utar は必ずしも同一物の複数倍を表すのではなく連想複数（「Xとその仲間」）を表すことができ、その用法は有情物に限定される。
    distribution ainu some utaracha utar arki
    asserts kindaichi1936
  2. The plural marker utar cannot attach to inanimate nouns such as shuma 'stone' or ni 'tree'.
    複数標識 utar は shuma「石」や ni「木」のような無情名詞に後続することはできない。
    distribution ainu none shuma utarni utarutar
    asserts kindaichi1936
  3. In Shizunai Ainu, the suffix -utar is widely used for humans, rare for animals, and never occurs with inanimates.
    静内アイヌ語において、接尾辞 -utar は人間に対しては広く用いられ、動物には稀であり、無生物には決して用いられない。
    distribution hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utar
    asserts refsing1986
  4. The plural marker utar can be placed after nouns denoting non-human living things to express plurality.
    複数標識 utar は人間以外の生物を表す名詞の後に置かれて複数を表すことがある。
    distribution hokkaido some utar
    asserts sato2008
a=kor rus utar
4.A=have fur ASS
‘(one's) furs’
biratori1969 SAR Kawakami Matsuko, 'Sisam ni nare ta oyaji' (1986); National Ainu Museum archive [nam-archive/kawakami-minwa/13]
hinak wa arki wen cikap-po utar
where from come.PL bad bird-DIM ASS
‘the bad little birds that had come from somewhere’
ilcaa1976 SAR Kawakami Matsuko, 'uwepeker minwa 15'; ILCAA Ainu materials [aa-irc/022]

The lexicalized plural hekattar 1 claims ·6 sentences· 1 examples

How is the plural form hekattar lexicalized, and what is its origin?

  1. The noun hekachi 'child' combines with utar to form the lexicalized plural hekattar, which can further take utar again as hekattar utar.
    名詞 hekachi「子」は utar が付いて複数形 hekattar「子ども」となり、さらに utar を付加して hekattar utar とすることもできる。
    form-function ainu all hekachiutarhekattarhekattar utar
    asserts kindaichi1936
inne hekattar arki
many child-ASS come.PL
‘many children came’
kindaichi1936:31 HK

utar and utari(hi): the form–meaning distinction 4 claims ·13 sentences· 2 examples

What is the form–meaning distinction between utar and utari(hi)?

  1. In Shizunai Ainu, placing -utar inside the possessive suffix (e.g. a=yup-utar-i) marks associative plural, whereas placing utar outside (e.g. a=yup-i utar) marks regular plural.
    静内アイヌ語において、-utar が所属形接尾辞の内側に入る場合（a=yup-utar-i）は連想複数を表し、外側に置かれる場合（a=yup-i utar）は通常の複数を表す。
    form-function hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utarutar
    asserts bugaeva2015
  2. The plural suffix -utar historically derives from the noun utari 'friend, fellow Ainu, relative'.
    複数接尾辞 -utar は名詞 utari「友人、同胞、親族」に由来する。
    diachrony hokkaido/southwest/shizunai all -utarutari
    asserts refsing1986
  3. The noun utar means 'relatives', and utari functions as its affiliative (possessed) form.
    名詞 utar は「親戚」を意味し、utari はその所属形である。
    form-function hokkaido all utarutari
    asserts sato2008
  4. Placing -utar inside the possessive suffix marks plural possession ('my older brothers', ku-yup-utar-i), whereas placing -utar outside marks associative plural possession ('my older brother and others', ku-yup-i-utar).
    -utar が所属形接尾辞の内側にある形（ku-yup-utar-i）は「私の兄たち」という複数所属を表し、外側にある形（ku-yup-i-utar）は「兄とその仲間」という連想複数を表す。
    ordering ainu all -utarku-yup-utar-iku-yup-i-utar
    asserts shibatani1990
ku=kor utari
1SG.A=have kin
‘my relatives / my family’
constructed
okkaypo utari ne yakka
young.man group COP even.though
‘even though they are young men’
ilcaa1976 SAR Kawakami Matsuko, 'uwepeker minwa 7'; ILCAA Ainu materials [aa-irc/005]

Locus of plurality: utar vs verbal number 3 claims ·8 sentences

How does the language use nominal utar and verbal number morphology, and are they independent?

  1. Because Ainu nouns do not inflect for number while verbs distinguish singular and plural stems, the number of a noun is generally signaled by its associated verb.
    アイヌ語の名詞は単複で語形変化しないが動詞は単数語幹と複数語幹を区別するため、名詞の数は一般に関連する動詞によって示される。
    form-function ainu all
    asserts kindaichi1936
  2. When the number of a noun is explicitly indicated by a numeral, the verb need not mark plural and remains in the singular stem.
    名詞の数が数詞によって明示されている場合、動詞は複数形を取る必要がなく単数形のままとなる。
    distribution ainu all
    asserts kindaichi1936
  3. Although Ainu nouns lack a grammatical number category, certain verbs distinguish singular and plural stems (verbal number).
    アイヌ語の名詞には文法的な数の範疇が存在しないが、一部の動詞には単数形と複数形の語幹対立（動詞数）が存在する。
    existence ainu some
    asserts nakagawa2024

Sakhalin contrast 16 claims ·5 sentences

How do Sakhalin varieties differ in their use of the cognate of utar?

  1. In Sakhalin Ainu, -(a)hcin expresses strictly homogeneous plurality on affiliative forms or nominalizers, whereas -uta(ra) can express either homogeneous or associative plurality.
    樺太アイヌ語において、-(a)hcin は所属形や名詞化辞に付いて同質複数のみを表すのに対し、-uta(ra) は同質複数または連想複数の両方を表すことができる。
    form-function sakhalin all -(a)hcin-ahcin-utara-uta
    asserts nakagawa2024reports nakagawa2024
  2. Pluralizing nominal suffixes such as 'utah and 'oy in Sakhalin Ainu are classified as post-nominal determiners.
    樺太アイヌ語における 'utah や 'oy などの名詞複数接尾辞は、連体後詞（det）に分類される。
    membership sakhalin all 'utah'oy
    asserts murasaki2025
  3. In Sakhalin Ainu, 'utah functions as a plural suffix meaning '-people, -s'.
    樺太アイヌ語において、'utah は「～たち」を意味する複数接尾辞として機能する。
    form-function sakhalin all 'utah
    asserts murasaki2025
  4. In the elder register of Sakhalin Ainu, plural forms are pervasive across both nouns and verbs.
    樺太アイヌ語の老人言葉では、名詞・動詞を問わず全般的に複数形が用いられる。
    distribution sakhalin most
    asserts murasaki2025
  5. The possessive plural suffix -hcin is unique to Sakhalin Ainu and does not exist in Hokkaido Ainu.
    所属複数接尾辞 -hcin は北海道アイヌ語には見られず、樺太アイヌ語特有のものである。
    existence sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts murasaki2025
  6. In Sakhalin Ainu, plural marking fundamentally distinguishes whether a group belongs to someone or something, using -hcin for possessed groups.
    樺太アイヌ語では、複数の集団が何かに所属しているか否かで文法標示が根本的に異なり、所属している集団には -hcin が用いられる。
    form-function sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts murasaki2025
  7. In Sakhalin Ainu, 'uta(h) / 'utara expresses a moderate plural and, unlike in Hokkaido, can occur with all non-affiliative nouns rather than only human nouns.
    樺太アイヌ語において 'uta(h) 〜 'utara は多数ではない複数を表し、北海道と異なり人間だけでなく所属形以外のすべての名詞に使える。
    variation sakhalin all 'uta'utah'utara
    asserts murasaki2025
  8. In Sakhalin Ainu, the post-nominal determiner 'oy denotes a larger number of referents than 'uta(h).
    樺太アイヌ語において、連体後詞 'oy は 'uta(h) より多数の複数を表す。
    form-function sakhalin all 'oy
    asserts murasaki2025
  9. In Sakhalin Ainu, the post-nominal determiner 'ikiri denotes an even larger crowd or host than 'oy.
    樺太アイヌ語において、連体後詞 'ikiri は 'oy よりもさらに多い集団や群れを表す。
    form-function sakhalin all 'ikiri
    asserts murasaki2025
  10. Hokkaido Ainu nouns do not distinguish singular and plural forms, whereas Sakhalin Ainu forms plurals by suffixing -(a)hcin / -(a)hsin.
    北海道アイヌ語の名詞には単複の区別がないのに対し、樺太アイヌ語では接辞 -(a)hcin（または -(a)hsin）を付加して複数形を形成する。
    variation hokkaidosakhalin all -(a)hcin-(a)hsin
    asserts nakagawa2024
  11. Sakhalin Ainu has the nominal plural suffixes -(a)hcin (Western), -(a)hsin (Eastern), and -utah ~ -utara.
    樺太アイヌ語には、複数を表す名詞接尾辞として -(a)hcin（西海岸）、-(a)hsin（東海岸）、および -utah 〜 -utara が存在する。
    existence sakhalin all -(a)hcin-(a)hsin-utah-utara
    asserts nakagawa2024
  12. The Sakhalin Ainu plural suffix -(a)hcin cannot be analyzed as an exponent of a grammatical category of nominal number, since it is not obligatory and can attach to complementizers.
    樺太アイヌ語の複数接尾辞 -(a)hcin は、義務的でなく補文標識にも付加できるため、名詞の文法的な数範疇の指標とは見なしがたい。
    analysis sakhalin all -(a)hcin
    asserts nakagawa2024
  13. In Sakhalin Ainu, the affiliative form takes -hcin when either the possessor or the possessed entity is plural.
    樺太アイヌ語において、所属形は所有者または被所有者のいずれかが複数である場合に接尾辞 -hcin を取る。
    form-function sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts tangiku2022
  14. In Sakhalin Ainu, the plural suffix -hcin attaches exclusively to the affiliative (possessed) form of nouns.
    樺太アイヌ語において、名詞複数接尾辞 -hcin は所属形にのみ後続する。
    distribution sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts tangiku2022
  15. In Sakhalin Ainu, when there are multiple possessors and a singular possessee, -hcin attaches after the affiliative suffix to agree with the plural possessor.
    樺太アイヌ語において、所有者が複数で被所有物が単数の場合、所属形接尾辞の後に -hcin が付加されて複数所有者との一致を表す。
    form-function sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts tangiku2022
  16. In Sakhalin Ainu, when there is a single possessor and multiple possessees, -hcin attaches after the affiliative suffix to agree with the plural possessees.
    樺太アイヌ語において、所有者が単数で被所有物が複数の場合、所属形接尾辞の後に付加された -hcin は複数被所有物との一致を表す。
    form-function sakhalin all -hcin
    asserts tangiku2022