Appendix:Tooro noun classes

Tooro nouns, like other Bantu languages, have a system of semantically based classing, which not only affects nouns but also modifiers of nouns (adjectives, demonstratives, numbers) and verbs. Just as gender accord is required in many Indo-European languages, the modifiers and verbs associated with a given noun must show class agreement with the noun by using certain prefixes. This results in marked alliteration:

• Abantu barungi babiri banu baagwa. (abantu = people; -rungi = good; -biri = two; -nu = this/these; -gwa = to fall)

These two good people fell.

Class 1

This class is exclusively used to refer to a person. These prefixes may be added to adjective, noun, or verb stems to express the idea that a person has that characteristic, like ramaga (“to go to war”) → omuramagi (“soldier”).

Noun prefix: omu-, omw-

omuntu — person.

omwana — child.

Pronominal prefix: o-, w-

Subject prefix: a-, y- (after -a-)

Subject relative prefix: owa-, ay- (after -a-)

Object prefix: mu-, mw-

Object relative pronoun: ou

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 1 nouns.

Class 1a

This is a subclass of class 1 that does not take a noun prefix. It is often used for kinship terms, like nyoko (“your mother”), and for professions borrowed from other languages, like makanika (“mechanic”) < mechanic.

Noun prefix: no prefix

swenkuru — your grandfather.

nyampara — supervisor.

Pronominal prefix: o-, w-

Subject prefix: a-, y- (after -a-)

Subject relative prefix: owa-, ay- (after -a-)

Object prefix: mu-, mw-

Object relative pronoun: ou

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 1a nouns.

Class 2

This class is always the plural of Class 1.

Noun prefix: aba-, abe-, abo-

abantu — people.

abaana — children.

Pronominal prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Subject prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Subject relative prefix: aba-, abe-, abo-

Object prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Object relative pronoun: aba

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 2 nouns.

Class 2a

This class is always the plural of Class 1a.

Noun prefix: baa-, ba-

baaswenkuru — your grandfathers.

baanyampara — supervisors.

Pronominal prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Subject prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Subject relative prefix: aba-, abe-, abo-

Object prefix: ba-, be-, bo-

Object relative pronoun: aba

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 2a nouns.

Class 3

This class is exclusively used to refer to inanimates. Natural phenomena and active body parts also belong in this category, as well as anything inanimate that has a connection to one of the concepts listed above, like an object made from a plant or shaped like one.

Noun prefix: omu-, omw-

omuti — tree.

omwaka — year.

omuhogo — cassava root.

Pronominal prefix: gu-, gw-

Subject prefix: gu-, gw-

Subject relative prefix: ogu-, ogw-

Object prefix: gu-, gw-

Object relative pronoun: ogu

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 3 nouns.

Class 4

This class is often the plural of Class 3.

Noun prefix: emi-, emy-

emiti — trees.

emyaka — years.

emihogo — cassava roots.

Pronominal prefix: e-, y-

Subject prefix: e-, y- (after -a-)

Subject relative prefix: eye-, ey- (after -a-)

Object prefix: gi-, gy-

Object relative pronoun: ei

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 4 nouns.

Class 5

This class is used to refer to a wide variety of items, especially the names of fruits (and other round things), and collectives, inanimate objects that are usually found in groups, like eriino (“tooth”).

Noun prefix: i-, eri-

eriiso — eye.

ibaale — stone.

ihuli — egg.

Pronominal prefix: li-, ly-

Subject prefix: li-, ly-

Subject relative prefix: eri-, ery-

Object prefix: li-, ly-

Object relative pronoun: eri

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 5 nouns.

Class 6

This class is normally the plural of Class 5, as well as Class 14 and Class 15, however some of these collectives may only exist in the plural forms, and these usually refer to liquids or small things that can literally or metaphorically cover wide expanses, like amatemba (“north”).

Noun prefix: ama-, ame-, amo-

amaiso — eyes.

amabaale — stones.

amahuli — eggs.

amaizi — water (no singular).

Pronominal prefix: ga-, ge-, go-

Subject prefix: ga-, ge-, go-

Subject relative prefix: aga-, age-, ago-

Object prefix: ga-, ge-, go-

Object relative pronoun: aga

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 6 nouns.

Class 7

This class is chiefly used to refer to artifacts and tools, which are inanimate objects manufactured by humans that do not belong in another class. These prefixes may be added to noun stems to express an augmentative, like enju (“house”) → ekiju (“big house”).

Noun prefix: eki-, eky-

ekikaali — palace.

ekitabu — book.

ekyana — baby (of an animal).

ekisiika — wall.

Pronominal prefix: ki-, ky-

Subject prefix: ki-, ky-

Subject relative prefix: eki-, eky-

Object prefix: ki-, ky-

Object relative pronoun: eki

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 7 nouns.

Class 8

This class is almost always used as the plural of Class 7.

Noun prefix: ebi-, eby-

ebikaali — palaces.

ebitabu — books.

ebyana — babies (of an animal).

ebisiika — walls.

Pronominal prefix: bi-, by-

Subject prefix: bi-, by-

Subject relative prefix: ebi-, eby-

Object prefix: bi-, by-

Object relative pronoun: ebi

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 8 nouns.

Class 9

This class is used to refer to a wide variety of items, both animate and inanimate, including most names of animals. This class is usually used for foreign loanwords referring to inanimates that do not fit easily into the noun class system, because the singular does not necessarily require a prefix and the plural form is the same as the singular form.

Noun prefix: en-, em-, eny-, e-, no prefix

enyonyi — airplane.

ensande — banana juice.

kalaamu — pen.

Pronominal prefix: e-, y-

Subject prefix: e-, y- (after -a-)

Subject relative prefix: eye-, ey- (after -a-)

Object prefix: gi-, gy-

Object relative pronoun: ei

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 9 nouns.

Class 10

This class is used as the plural of Class 9 or Class 11. If this class is used as the plural of Class 11, the en-, em- or eny- prefixes are always used.

Noun prefix: en-, em-, eny-, e-, no prefix

enyonyi — airplanes.

ensande — banana juices.

enkomo — fingers.

kalaamu — pens.

Pronominal prefix: zi-, z-

Subject prefix: zi-, z-

Subject relative prefix: ezi-, ez-

Object prefix: zi-, z-

Object relative pronoun: ezi

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 10 nouns.

Class 11

This class is used for a variety of different things. It may be used to form augmentatives, albeit less often than Class 7, like enju (“house”) → oruju (“big house”). This class is also used to form language names because orulimi (“tongue, language”) belongs to this class, like Oruswahiri (“Swahili”). Additionally, this class may be used, without an augment, to derive relative forms from verbs as proper nouns, like hanga (“to create”) → Ruhanga (“God, the one who creates”).

Noun prefix: oru-, orw-

orukomo — finger.

Orufaransa — French.

Rukirabasaija — a royal title (literally, “he who exceeds [all] men”).

Pronominal prefix: ru-, rw-

Subject prefix: ru-, rw-

Subject relative prefix: oru-, orw-

Object prefix: ru-, rw-

Object relative pronoun: oru

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 11 nouns.

Class 12

This class is often used for diminutives, like ekintu (“thing”) → akantu (“small thing”), although it also includes non-diminutive nouns, like akahumbi (“billion”).

Noun prefix: aka-, ake-, ako-

akaleju — chin.

akatunguru — onion.

akatunda — small passion fruit.

Pronominal prefix: ka-, ke-, ko-

Subject prefix: ka-, ke-, ko-

Subject relative prefix: aka-, ake-, ako-

Object prefix: ka-, ke-, ko-

Object relative pronoun: aka

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 12 nouns.

Class 13

This class is a plural class and is exclusively used to form diminutives from nouns, like akame (“rabbit”) → otume (“small rabbits”) or amaizi (“water”) → otwizi (“small amount of water”). Some Class 12 diminutive nouns can use this class as a plural class.

Noun prefix: otu-, otw-

otwana — small children.

otunyonyi — small birds.

otuju — small houses.

Pronominal prefix: tu-, tw-

Subject prefix: tu-, tw-

Subject relative prefix: otu-, otw-

Object prefix: tu-, tw-

Object relative pronoun: otu

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 13 nouns.

Class 14

This class is usually used as the plural of class 12. These prefixes may be added to adjective, verb or noun stems to express -ness or -hood, like -bi (“bad”) → obubi (“evilness”). They are also added to stems to form the names of religions (from obusomi (“belief”)), like -siraamu (“Muslim”) → Obusiraamu (“Islam”), or names of countries (from obukama (“kingdom”)), like -hindi (“Indian”) → Buhindi (“India”), although country names drop the augment vowel. Two nouns use this class in the singular and Class 6 in the plural, namely obuhyo (“big herd”) and obugenyi (“preparation of a party”).

Noun prefix: obu-, obw-

obutaikiriza — dispute.

obukooto — bigness, size.

obuhyo — big herd.

Pronominal prefix: bu-, bw-

Subject prefix: bu-, bw-

Subject relative prefix: obu-, obw-

Object prefix: bu-, bw-

Object relative pronoun: obu

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 14 nouns.

Class 15

This class is almost always used to form verbal nouns, equivalent to an infinitive or a gerund in a European language. It is prefixed to the verbal stem, like -soma (“read”) → okusoma (“reading; to read”). Only 4 non-verbal nouns, okutu (“ear”), okuju (“knee”), okuguru (“leg”) and okwezi (“moon; month”) are in this class, and they all take the plural of Class 6.

Noun prefix: oku-, okw-

okuteera — beating, to beat.

okugya — going, to go.

okuguru — leg.

Pronominal prefix: ku-, kw-

Subject prefix: ku-, kw-

Subject relative prefix: oku-, okw-

Object prefix: ku-, kw-

Object relative pronoun: oku

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro verbal nouns or Category:Tooro class 15 nouns.

Class 16

This is used to denote a superessive locative, and the only noun that belongs in and of itself to this class is ahantu (“place”). Other nouns are given the prefix ha-, which makes an adverbial noun.

Noun prefix: aha-, ahe-, aho-

ahantu — place.

Adverbial noun prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Pronominal prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Subject prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Subject relative prefix: aha-, ahe-, aho-

Object prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Object relative pronoun: aha

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro noun superessive forms or Category:Tooro class 16 nouns.

Class 17

This class is sparsely used to denote a pregressive locative, a way or a path from something, and the only noun that belongs in and of itself to this class is okuzimu (“the underworld, the path of spirits”). This class is no longer productive, and is only found in kunu (“this way”), kuli (“that way”), oku (“over there”), kurungi (“well, in a good way”) and kubi (“badly, in a bad way”).

Noun prefix: oku-, okw-

okuzimu — the underworld.

kunu — this way.

kuli — that way.

Pronominal prefix: ku-, kw-

Subject prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Subject relative prefix: aha-, ahe-, aho-

Object prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Object relative prounoun: aha

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 17 nouns.

Class 18

This class is used to denote an inessive locative. Nouns are given the prefixes mu- or omu- for definite and indefinite nouns respectively.

Noun prefix: omu-, omw-

omutauni — in the town.

omwiguru — in (the) heaven.

Pronominal prefix: mu-, mw-

Subject prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Subject relative prefix: aha-, ahe-, aho-

Object prefix: ha-, he-, ho-

Object relative prefix: aha

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro noun inessive forms.

Class 19

This class is a questionable class: the only two nouns supposedly in this class are enyuma (“back, behind”) and ifo (“down, rear”), which themselves are more commonly used as adverbs.

Noun prefix: e-

enyuma — back, behind.

ifo — down, rear.

Pronominal prefix: e-, y-

Subject prefix: e-, y- (after -a-)

Subject relative prefix: eye-, ey- (after -a-)

Object prefix: gi-, gy-

Object relative pronoun: ei

For a list of Wiktionary entries for nouns in this class, see Category:Tooro class 19 nouns.