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Module 4
Unit 4: Noun Morphology - Subject vs. Base
Technical distinction between the Nominative (Subject) and the Base (Object) forms.
Grammatical Case Authority
In Oromo, a word's form changes depending on whether it is doing the action (Subject) or receiving it (Object).
The Subject (Nominative) Formation
To transform a word into a subject, apply these specific suffixes to the stem:
- -ni, -n, or -i (Masculine): Mana -> Manni (Ibsaa's house is large).
- -n or -tii (Feminine): Lafa -> Laftii (Boruu's land is fertile).
The Base Form (Absolute)
The base form is used for direct objects, predicate nominals, and isolated citations. Example: Inni mana bite. (He bought a house.) Here 'mana' is in the base form.