Substanti

Substanti is a term sometimes used in linguistic and philosophical discussions to designate a class of referential nouns that denote substances or enduring entities. In this usage, substanti function similarly to nouns in many languages, but the term is primarily found in theoretical or constructed-language contexts rather than in mainstream grammar.

Etymology and scope. Substanti appears to derive from substantia, the Latin word for substance, with an -i form that some grammars employ to name a class or plural group. It is not a standard term in modern linguistic reference works, and its exact definition can vary by author. The concept is often introduced as a way to discuss how languages classify entities that persist through time or have material properties.

Linguistic properties. In frameworks that employ substanti, these words typically carry common nominal features such as number, gender (where applicable), and case. Substanti can be further subdivided into concrete substanti, denoting tangible substances like water or stone, and abstract substanti, referring to non-material substances or chargeable entities such as heat or energy. Some analyses explore how substanti interact with determiners, adjectives, and verbs, and how their morphology signals collection, material composition, or locational context.

Examples. In a hypothetical language, substanti might include words such as tiva (stone), aqua (water), and lumen (light). Sentences using substanti would align with standard noun-verb structures, with agreement and case marking reflecting the noun’s grammatical role.

See also. Noun, substantive, conlang, ontology. This article treats substanti as a theoretical or constructed-category concept rather than a widely adopted term in established linguistic literature.