Re: Castillian Greek was Re: Slovanik, Enamyn, and Slavic slaves

On 3 Aug 02, at 11:19, John Cowan wrote:

> Philip Newton scripsit:
>
> > Modern Greek has three genders and four cases (though the vocative is
> > marginal, since it only differs from the nominative in masucline nouns
> > in -os.)
>
> But how different are masculine and neuter these days?
Well, the most common declension for each (what used to be 2nd
declension: -os for masculine, -on [now -o] for neuter) are identical
in the singular genitive (both -ou) and accusative (both -o). But
otherwise, masculine and neuter nouns are pretty different, I'd say.

The plural nom/acc is different (generally ending in -a or -e: for
neuter and -oi or -es for masculine nouns); neuter spawned an extra
declension in -i (from old diminutives in -ion); neuter still has
anisosyllabic nouns (the most common are those in -ma, with gen.sg and
plural formed with -mat-) while in masculine nouns those have largely
turned into (ancient first declension) isosyllabic nouns with a nom.
formed from the acc. (for example, nom. pate:r, acc. patera --> nom.
pateras, acc. patera). And masculine/feminine and neuter nouns in -os
still have different declensions, the same as always (masc./fem. is -os
-ou -o, -oi -wn -ous; neuter is -os -ous -os, -e: -wn -e:).

I'd say that all three genders are alive and kicking in Modern Greek,
and are still fairly different from one another.

> Thanks for the rest of the information.
I'm glad it was of use.

Cheers,
Philip
--
Philip Newton <Philip.Newton@...>