definiteneuter

Definiteneuter, or definite neuter, is a grammatical category describing the definite form of neuter-gender nouns in languages that use grammatical gender and attach the definite marker directly to the noun. In these systems, neuter nouns typically form their definite version by a suffix, rather than by placing a separate determiner before the noun.

Morphology and distribution

In many Scandinavian languages, neuter nouns take a suffix to indicate definiteness. For example, in Danish, Swedish and Norwegian, a neuter noun such as house can become huset to mean “the house.” The same pattern is found with other neuter nouns in these languages. By contrast, the definite forms of common-gender nouns often use a different suffix (for example, -en or -n), so the neuter and common forms can differ in both form and pronunciation. Some languages also have a parallel use of post-nominal determiners that coexist with or replace suffixal marking in different dialects or contexts.

Other languages with a suffixal definite system include Icelandic, where neuter nouns may take a definite suffix such as -ið (as in húsið “the house”). While many languages with definite suffixes share the general pattern of attaching the definite marker to the noun, the exact affixes and their phonological behavior vary by language and noun class.

Function and typology

The definite neuter form marks definiteness for neuter nouns and interacts with other nominal features such as number and case in the respective language. It is part of a broader typology in which languages either attach a definite article as a suffix to nouns or place a separate definite determiner before the noun. In suffixal systems, the neuter definite form is a morphologically regular endpoint of the noun’s paradigm.

See also: definite article, grammatical gender, noun declension.