A noun is a word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas. Nouns are described as words that refer to a person, place, thing, event, substance, quality, quantity, etc. In some languages, genders are assigned to nouns, such as masculine, feminine and neuter. We won’t do this in Tulu.
Classification of nouns:
1. Common nouns
Common nouns used to refer generic things. For example, dēśa (country) is a common noun because it refers to a general, non-specific place. Other examples –
- Rājyo/Sīme (State)
- Ūr/ōre (village)
- Taalluku
- Nāyi (dog)
- Pucche (cat)
- Pili (Tiger)
- Kāṭ (Forest)
- Boḷdu (white)
- Mañjal (Yellow)
- Kuḷa (poṇḍ)
- Pula (Field)
- Kaḷa (field)
- Ōḍa (boat)
- Bāḷ (sword)
- Mara (tree)
- Dai (plant)
- Puḷi (sour)
- illú (home)
- Pāṇdill (Cave)
- Kebi (Ear)
- Kaṇṇ (eye)
- Parnd (Fruits)
- Parti (Cotton)
2. Proper Noun
A proper noun is a specific (i.e., not generic) name for a particular person, place, or thing. A proper noun, on the other hand, names a noun precisely. Example:
- Tuḷunaḍ (A historical state)
- Kuḍla
- Kasaragod
- Sullia
- Subrahmanya
- Bhaarata
- Uttar Pradesha
- Laksha Dweepa
- Rāma (Lord Rama)
- Bheeshma (A Mahabharato Character)
- Nētravati (a river)
- Kāveri (a river)
- Gāṇḍīva (Name of Bow of Arjun)
3. Countable nouns
Countable nouns are common nouns that can take a plural, can combine with numerals or counting quantifiers.
e.g.,
Onji (one)
Raḍḍ (two)
Mooji (three)
Paḍiyonji (every)
4. Uncountable nouns
An uncountable noun is a noun that usually cannot be expressed in a plural form. It is not something you can quantify. For example:
Pēr (milk)
Nīr (water)
Gāḷi (air)
5. Collective nouns
A collective noun is a word referring to a collection of things taken as a whole. Most collective nouns in everyday speech are not specific to one kind of thing, such as the word “group”, which can be applied to people or dogs or other things.
Example : Kooṭa (Group)