Introduction to Nouns
1. Nouns are names, whether they are of a person or thing, concrete or abstract. Nouns are of
two general types: common and proper. A common noun is general and may refer to a class or
category, such as book, god, or human. A proper noun is specific and refers to a particular
entity, such as Bible, God, or Benjamin. A proper noun is marked by a capital letter. However,
this distinction is artificial in the Bible, because the manuscripts of the Bible have no case
distinctions. Anytime you see a proper noun in the Bible (such as “Spirit” as opposed to
“spirit”), the distinction is only the result of the translators interpretation of the noun as proper,
so use caution with such terms.
2. The properties of the noun are gender, person, number, and case.
Gender
3. In some other languages, sex is a natural distinction between objects whereas gender is a
grammatical distinction. An object with no sexual orientation may be referred to as masculine or
feminine. In English, however, gender is related to sex rather than an intrinsic character of the
word. The masculine gender denotes a male or figuratively something with male qualities. The
feminine gender denotes a female or figuratively something with female qualities. The neuter
gender denotes neither male nor female. In some grammar texts, the common gender is used to
denote either male or female.
4. Rarely will one see a grammatical distinction with regard to gender in English. The
exceptions are in some pronouns and in words borrowed from other languages. The gender of
children or animals is generally neutral.
5. As our living language becomes more gender sensitive, we will see some things change. For
example, the English language has always been a masculine leaning language, where “he” could
be used to represent both males and females in some cases (Mark 16:16). Today, the generic
“he” is being replaced by “he or she” or “one” in many cases.
6. Personification can give gender to a neuter object. As mentioned above, this is due to the
qualities of the object being considered. This is a common form of figurative language.
Number & Person
7. Number is the property of nouns that identifies quantity. Singular nouns refer to one.
Plural nouns refer to two or more. The most common way to identify the plural is through an
added “s” or “es” on the end of the noun. Some words require more change to indicate plurality
15
(“knife” has a consonant change and becomes “knives”), while others have no normal plural
form (one “fish”, two “fish”, three “fish”, …).
APPLICATION:
I Cor. 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the
members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
I Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
In these passages, a change in noun number helps the reader to interpret the passage. In verse
15, this group of people has a plurality of bodies. This would seem to point to the physical body
that each individual has. In verse 19, this group of people (contextually we can say the same
group of people) has one, singular body. Since the author chose to make the distinction, I am
compelled to believe that it is meaningful. For this and other reasons, I conclude that that they
are not the same “body”. Come back to this application box after you cover the section on
pronouns and you will notice that “your” is distinguishably plural as it is used in the KJV.
8. Person is the property of nouns that distinguishes perspective. A noun referring back directly
to the speaker/writer is in the first person. A noun referring to the person being addressed is in
the second person. A noun referring to a person being spoken of is in the third person.
Case
9. Case is the property of nouns that identifies the noun’s relation to other words. Nouns have
four cases: nominative, possessive, objective, and absolute. In English, case is rarely
distinguished by the word itself. Usually, only the word’s function in the sentence will indicate
case.
10. The nominative case is when a noun or pronoun is used in the subject of a clause. A noun
can be in the predicate and still be nominative in the case of a predicate nominative, where a
noun in the predicate simply renames the subject (God is light).
11. The possessive case is the use of a noun or pronoun to show ownership. This case can also
show relationship, as in “Ben’s hometown”. I do not own my hometown. The possessive is
merely showing that the hometown under consideration is the one related to me. The possessive
case is often indicated by the “-’s” form for a singular or a “-’ ”for plurals ending in “s”. Older
names ending in “s” (Moses, Jesus, etc.) can be tricky to make possessive, so many writers save
themselves the trouble by finding a different way of saying what they want (try “law of Moses”
instead of “Moses’es’es law”).
16
12. The object case is the use of a noun or pronoun as the direct object, indirect object, or an
object of a preposition (to be studied later).
13. The absolute case is the use of a noun independent of any governing word. This is similar
to the nominative except in usage. It is commonly used in direct discourse (“Ben!”).
Other Items of Note
14. An appositive is a noun used to identify another noun in the immediate context. They are
generally set off by commas. The appositive is the same thing as the noun it identifies (“our
beloved brother, Paul, …” where Paul is the appositive).
15. Declension is the variation of nouns spelling to indicate its grammar. While other languages
use declension a great deal, English reserves it mainly for plurality. In the next lesson, we will
see that it is more extensively used for pronouns.
16. Parsing is the process of identifying a word’s part of speech, properties, and relationship to
sentence.
17
Exercise III: Nouns
Instructions: Give the number and case for each underlined noun in the following verses.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the LORD for ever.
1. Nouns are names, whether they are of a person or thing, concrete or abstract. Nouns are of
two general types: common and proper. A common noun is general and may refer to a class or
category, such as book, god, or human. A proper noun is specific and refers to a particular
entity, such as Bible, God, or Benjamin. A proper noun is marked by a capital letter. However,
this distinction is artificial in the Bible, because the manuscripts of the Bible have no case
distinctions. Anytime you see a proper noun in the Bible (such as “Spirit” as opposed to
“spirit”), the distinction is only the result of the translators interpretation of the noun as proper,
so use caution with such terms.
2. The properties of the noun are gender, person, number, and case.
Gender
3. In some other languages, sex is a natural distinction between objects whereas gender is a
grammatical distinction. An object with no sexual orientation may be referred to as masculine or
feminine. In English, however, gender is related to sex rather than an intrinsic character of the
word. The masculine gender denotes a male or figuratively something with male qualities. The
feminine gender denotes a female or figuratively something with female qualities. The neuter
gender denotes neither male nor female. In some grammar texts, the common gender is used to
denote either male or female.
4. Rarely will one see a grammatical distinction with regard to gender in English. The
exceptions are in some pronouns and in words borrowed from other languages. The gender of
children or animals is generally neutral.
5. As our living language becomes more gender sensitive, we will see some things change. For
example, the English language has always been a masculine leaning language, where “he” could
be used to represent both males and females in some cases (Mark 16:16). Today, the generic
“he” is being replaced by “he or she” or “one” in many cases.
6. Personification can give gender to a neuter object. As mentioned above, this is due to the
qualities of the object being considered. This is a common form of figurative language.
Number & Person
7. Number is the property of nouns that identifies quantity. Singular nouns refer to one.
Plural nouns refer to two or more. The most common way to identify the plural is through an
added “s” or “es” on the end of the noun. Some words require more change to indicate plurality
15
(“knife” has a consonant change and becomes “knives”), while others have no normal plural
form (one “fish”, two “fish”, three “fish”, …).
APPLICATION:
I Cor. 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the
members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
I Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
In these passages, a change in noun number helps the reader to interpret the passage. In verse
15, this group of people has a plurality of bodies. This would seem to point to the physical body
that each individual has. In verse 19, this group of people (contextually we can say the same
group of people) has one, singular body. Since the author chose to make the distinction, I am
compelled to believe that it is meaningful. For this and other reasons, I conclude that that they
are not the same “body”. Come back to this application box after you cover the section on
pronouns and you will notice that “your” is distinguishably plural as it is used in the KJV.
8. Person is the property of nouns that distinguishes perspective. A noun referring back directly
to the speaker/writer is in the first person. A noun referring to the person being addressed is in
the second person. A noun referring to a person being spoken of is in the third person.
Case
9. Case is the property of nouns that identifies the noun’s relation to other words. Nouns have
four cases: nominative, possessive, objective, and absolute. In English, case is rarely
distinguished by the word itself. Usually, only the word’s function in the sentence will indicate
case.
10. The nominative case is when a noun or pronoun is used in the subject of a clause. A noun
can be in the predicate and still be nominative in the case of a predicate nominative, where a
noun in the predicate simply renames the subject (God is light).
11. The possessive case is the use of a noun or pronoun to show ownership. This case can also
show relationship, as in “Ben’s hometown”. I do not own my hometown. The possessive is
merely showing that the hometown under consideration is the one related to me. The possessive
case is often indicated by the “-’s” form for a singular or a “-’ ”for plurals ending in “s”. Older
names ending in “s” (Moses, Jesus, etc.) can be tricky to make possessive, so many writers save
themselves the trouble by finding a different way of saying what they want (try “law of Moses”
instead of “Moses’es’es law”).
16
12. The object case is the use of a noun or pronoun as the direct object, indirect object, or an
object of a preposition (to be studied later).
13. The absolute case is the use of a noun independent of any governing word. This is similar
to the nominative except in usage. It is commonly used in direct discourse (“Ben!”).
Other Items of Note
14. An appositive is a noun used to identify another noun in the immediate context. They are
generally set off by commas. The appositive is the same thing as the noun it identifies (“our
beloved brother, Paul, …” where Paul is the appositive).
15. Declension is the variation of nouns spelling to indicate its grammar. While other languages
use declension a great deal, English reserves it mainly for plurality. In the next lesson, we will
see that it is more extensively used for pronouns.
16. Parsing is the process of identifying a word’s part of speech, properties, and relationship to
sentence.
17
Exercise III: Nouns
Instructions: Give the number and case for each underlined noun in the following verses.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the LORD for ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment