Nominalisoidun

Nominalisoidun is a theoretical lexical category used in linguistics to describe forms that can function both as nouns and as nominal modifiers. The concept is typically associated with systems in which a single form carries dual distribution, allowing it to act as a head noun in some contexts and as an adjective-like modifier in others. Nominalisoidun forms are often derived from adjectives or verbs through a dedicated nominalisoidun derivation, which signals their dual role without requiring separate base forms.

Morphology and syntax

In languages that employ nominalisoidun, the derivation usually involves a suffix or clitic that marks the nominalisoidun status. The resulting form inherits noun-like properties such as article compatibility, number marking, or case in the host language, while retaining a semantic link to the base. syntactically, nominalisoidun items can appear as the head of a noun phrase (as a reference to a class or type) or as attributive modifiers directly preceding a noun. Plural or case markings typically follow the norms of the language hosting the form.

Usage and interpretation

Nominalisoidun is primarily discussed in theoretical and constructed-language contexts, where scholars explore how a single form can yield both nominal and adjectival-like uses. In natural languages, similar phenomena occur when adjectives are nominalized or when nouns are used attributively, but nominalisoidun provides a formalized way to describe these cross-category behaviors within a unified framework.

Examples

In a constructed language, the base word “luma” meaning light can form “luma-oidun.” It may function as a noun head in “the luma-oidun of the village” and as an attributive modifier in “the luma-oidun building,” illustrating its dual role.

See also

Nominalization, noun phrase, adjective, derivational morphology.