the counter
suffix /-i/. Besides there are also feminine nouns derived from masculine
nouns (which do not have overt gender marker) by adding certain suffixes
like {-ni, -ni,
-ya i, -wai,
-ai,
- ,
-€i}.
These suffixes are mostly lexically conditioned except {i
~ ni} which are phonologically conditioned. Some morphophonemic changes
take place in certain stems after the suffixes are added. Examples are: |
|
1.
|
Nouns which end in {-o} in masculine gender take {-i} in feminine
except /pItIyo/ etc. A few examples are:
|
|
|
| |
|
gero
|
‘boy’
|
geri |
‘girl’ |
|
bkro
|
‘he-goat’
|
bkri |
‘she-goat’ |
|
r  o
|
‘widower’
|
ri
|
‘widow’
|
|
drogo
|
‘he-shephered’ |
drogr |
‘she-shepherd |
khojo
|
‘a male person |
khoji
|
‘a female person |
|
belonging to the
|
|
from this caste’
|
|
caste khojo’(found
|
|
|
|
in Kashmir)
|
|
|
|
|
Exception : /pItIyo/ ‘father’s younger brother’ ending in {-o}
does not take {-i} in feminine rather its feminine ‘is /ptEi/
father’s younger brother’s wife’
|
|
2.
|
Some nouns which do not have {-o} as masculine suffix also take {-i}
in the feminine. Such nouns are consonantal ending and also animate.
|
|
Examples are :
|
|
kUkk
|
‘cook’
|
kUki
|
‘hen’
|
|
klbutr
|
‘pigeon’
|
klbutri |
‘female pigeon’ |
|
h rn
|
‘he-deer’
|
hrni
|
‘she-deer’
|
|
gujr
|
‘a male person belonging to |
gujri
|
a‘
female person belonging to
|
|
Gujar caste’
|
|
Gujar caste’ |
|
šIyd
|
‘a male person |
šyadi
|
‘a female person
|
|
from this caste
|
|
person from |
|
(highest the
|
|
this caste’ |
|
Muslims)’
|
|
|
|
lwàr
|
‘blacksmith
|
lwàri
|
‘blacksmith
|
|
(man)’
|
|
(woman)’
|
|
kmàr
|
‘a male potter’ |
kmàri
|
‘a female |
|
|
|
potter’
|
|
|
3.
|
Some nouns belonging to masculine gender take {-¸i
~ ni}. /-ni/ occurs with the nouns ending in retroflex flap and lateral
and others take /-i/
suffix in the feminine gender : Examples are :
|
|
he
|
‘he-swine’
|
hni
|
‘she swine’
|
|
bkrwa
|
‘a male person |
bkrwani
|
|
|
from this
|
|
‘a female |
|
community’
|
|
person from this community’ |
|
(who keeps goats and sheep)
|
|
|
|
kum
|
‘daughter/son-in-law’s
|
kumi
|
‘daughter/
|
|
|
|
son-in-law’s
|
|
|
|
mother’ |
| bazigr |
‘a male acrobat’
|
bazigri
|
‘a female
|
|
|
|
acrobat’
|
|
sp
|
‘he snake’
|
spi
|
‘she snake’
|
|
ũ h
|
‘he camel’
|
ũhi
|
‘she camel’
|
|
sur
|
‘he pig’
|
suri
|
‘she pig’
|
|
