Question

Alright, I know this is quite simple, but I'm struggling a bit with nouns, verbs, and all.
So, I have this random language with a side by side translation to english and I need to deconstruct it.
mata = to look
femataa'i = to look at one another
So, i know it has an affix, a circumfix to be exact. fe-word-a'i is the circumfix.
So I want to know:
First: Is mata (to look) a verb or a noun? I know look is a verb, but does to look make it a noun?
And then when you add the affix which makes it to look at one another does that still mean it is a noun too?

Answer 1

@Hero @Ultrilliam

Answer 2

A noun is a person, place or thing. If you're considering mata to be a noun, under which subcategory would it fit?

Answer 3

It wouldn't fit in any category, but my teacher said that if you can pluralize it that is a good indication it is a noun.

Answer 4

That's a nice tip by your teacher.

Answer 5

And what would be the plural form of mata?

Answer 6

I'm not sure in that language, but in English it would be "looks" and I suppose that would change the meaning as well

Answer 7

\(\color{#0cbb34}{\text{Originally Posted by}}\) @Shadow
That's a nice tip by your teacher.
\(\color{#0cbb34}{\text{End of Quote}}\)
Sarcastically speaking or is it? lol, he's a linguistic teacher so i dunno man

Answer 8

Is "looks" a noun or a verb?

Answer 9

Verb, I believe

Answer 10

because it is an action

Answer 11

Ahh, so to look would obviously be an action.

Answer 12

and 'to look at one another' would also be an action which would make it all verbs

Answer 13

God, I struggle so much with verbs and nouns and all. but thank you so much for your help!

Answer 14

@Shadow feel free to add to the discussion. You're the English expert

Answer 15

Yeah to look is a prepositional phrase, where you have the preposition look forming a phrase with the verb look.

Part of the oddities of grammar is that words can be both verbs and nouns, as well as other types. Look can be a verb, where 'I look at the dog.' But it can also be a noun, where 'The dog has a weird look,' where 'look' satisfies the 'state of being' qualification of a noun.

Answer 16

Verbs are action, but can be further defined as: something receiving or doing an action.

To increase your vocabulary, there are also adverbs, which are words which modify verbs, basically further describing the action.

'He quickly looked at the dog.'

Answer 17

Also slight error earlier, obviously I meant to say the preposition is 'to'

Answer 18

Yes, that makes sense. We have to look at the context to understand if it is a noun or verb. The thing about it I've always been taught that nouns are a "person, place or thing" as Hero mentioned, but I guess that's the basis of it and you have to expand on it.
Yea, we've touched on adverbs, adjectives, preposition, nouns, verbs etc

Answer 19

so quickly would be the adverb

Answer 20

And to answer your earlier question, it wasn't sarcasm. Although I'd be careful how to apply it as verbs can be plural to.

I, you, he/she/it are singular forms of the subject of a verb, with:
We, you, they being the plural forms of a noun.

Thus a verb can be 'plural' when its subject is in effect plural.

'They walked to the beach.'

It's a minor nuance though haha.

Answer 21

I'm wondering if mata is also considered a preposition.

Answer 22

The term would be prepositional verb. The difficulty comes in forming a new language in how you discern these discrepancies.

Answer 23

Ah yes, he mentioned something like that to. I think he was referring to pluralization as adding a "s" at the end. He gave an example like milk, which is a noun, that can't be pluralized. However if you do add an "s" it would be milks which is an action i.e. verb

Answer 24

Interesting, and quite neat.

Answer 25

Indeed. Thank you so much for your insight though. It really cleared up a lot of things.

Answer 26

You're welcome. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Answer 27

I sure will