Value Variable plural marking of human or inanimate nouns

Language:
Tok Pisin
Parameter:
Occurrence of nominal plural markers

Examples

  1. Mi lukim ol dok i ranim pik bilong mi.
    Mi
    1sg
    luk-im
    see-tr
    ol
    pl
    dok
    dog
    i
    pm
    ran-im
    run-tr
    pik
    pig
    bilong
    poss
    mi.
    1sg
    I saw the dogs that chased my pig.

    See Dutton and Thomas 1985: 140

  2. Displa pik em i bin sae kaikaim ol man.
    Displa
    this
    pik
    pig
    em
    3sg
    i
    pm
    bin
    pst
    sae
    hab
    kaikai-m
    bite-tr
    ol
    pl
    man
    man
    This pig used to bite people.

    See nd: Keravat5\Gibson\enb\m18\islan

  3. Askim ol lapun.
    Askim
    ask
    ol
    pl
    lapun.
    old.person
    Ask older people.

    See Verhaar 1995: 347

  4. Em i stap nau ma(ma) bl' em wokim spia nao em i kam nau ma bl' em wokim ol bet.
    Em
    3sg
    i
    pm
    stap
    stay
    nau
    now
    ma(ma)
    mother
    bl'
    poss
    em
    3sg
    wokim
    make
    spia
    spear
    nao
    now
    em
    3sg
    i
    pm
    kam
    come
    nau
    now
    ma
    mother
    bl'
    poss
    em
    3sg
    wokim
    make
    ol
    pl
    bet.
    bed
    He stayed and his mother made arrows, he came and his mother made beds.

    See Smith 2002: 66