NomenSubstantive

NomenSubstantive is a term used in linguistic theory to describe a nominal category that can function both as a proper name (nomen) and as a substantive (substantive) within the same language. It is proposed as a diagnostic label for nouns that, depending on context, exhibit properties typical of naming units and of general referents. This dual behavior can manifest in morphosyntax, with NomenSubstantives taking ordinary noun inflection, determiners, or plural marking in common-noun contexts, while appearing in name-like, non-inflected forms when used as proper names.

The category is primarily descriptive: it does not prescribe a fixed set of forms but rather identifies surface patterns of usage. In languages where definite or demonstrative marking interacts with name status, a NomenSubstantive may be treated differently across sentences, allowing it to behave like a proper name in one position and like a common noun in another. The underlying semantics often involve stable referents that can be individuated as named entities, yet productive in general noun syntax through grammatical processes such as pluralization or determiner attachment.

Origins of NomenSubstantives are typically linked to historical processes such as nominalization of toponyms or personal names, or to shifts in how names acquire generic reference over time. Cross-linguistic occurrences are reported in languages with flexible determiner systems or morphosyntactic alignment that permits surface ambiguity between naming and naming-as-class reference. The concept relates to broader topics in nominal grammar, including proper nouns, common nouns, nominalization, and grammaticalization, and serves as a descriptive label rather than a universal category.