Classification of nouns (Revision)

Main classes of nouns in Luchazi 

There are eight (08) main classes of nouns and are distinguished from one another by their singular and plural prefixes.

CLASS 1: Mu - Va (Animate/personal class).

Example: Muntu (person) - Vantu (people).

CLASS 2: Mu - Mi (Plant/vegetable Kingdom class).

Examples: 

1. Muti (tree) - Miti (trees).
2. Mukuyu (fig tree) - Mikuyu (fig trees).
3. Mutete.
4. Musambe (potatoes)

CLASS 3: Vu - Ma (Abstract Nouns).

Examples:

1. Vukuendze (young manhood).
2. Vukuluntu (old age).
3. Vunike (childish).

CLASS 4: Li - Ma (Augmentative Class).

Examples:

1. Lita (big gun) - Mata (many guns).
2. Liato (large boat).
3. Limpuevo (huge woman) = Mampuevo (huge/many women).

CLASS 5: Lu - Ma/Zi (Mass/large class).

Examples:

1. Lungano (big foot) - Mangano/Zingano.
2. Lumbongo (money) - Zimbongo

CLASS 6: Ci - Vi (Articles/Things Class).

Examples:

1. Cindeyi (penny) - Vindeyi (pennies).
2. Cilongo (crown) - Vilongo (pennies).
3. Cini (mortar) - Vini (mortars).

CLASS 7: (Lost) - Zi/Vi (Inanimate/Animate Class).

Examples:

>Mpoko (knife) - Zimpoko.

CLASS 8: Ka - Tu (Diminutive Class).

Examples:

1. Kamuandza (small cassava) - Tumuandza (little/few cassava).
2. Kamundele (small maize/corn) - Tumundele (little/few maize/corn).
3. Kafueto (little/poor pay/salary).
4. Tumema (little water).
5. Kana (tiny/small child/baby).
6. Kalilonga (small plate).
7. Kacikolo (small doorway).
8. Tuvantsi (tiny/few fish).

Note: Some nouns are only used in the singular. These are:

1. Mundele = maize; corn.
2. Muandza = cassava.
3. Vuihua = mushroom.
4. Mema = water.
5. Mazi = oil.
6. Mavisi or Mavele = milk.

Some nouns are contempt. These are:

1. Kakuluntu = worthless or useless old person.
2. Lumpuevo = dumpy woman.

The table below shows the Eight main classes of Luchazi map onto the Proto-Bantu noun: