nominalns

Nominalns is a theoretical linguistic category proposed to classify a subset of nominal expressions that denote named entities and function as stable referential units within discourse. The term blends nominal syntax with a shorthand for names, and it is mainly used in formal grammars and discourse analyses to capture how certain names pattern syntactically across languages.

Origin and status: The concept was introduced in mid-2020s by researchers examining referential syntax and the boundary between names and common nouns. It remains a specialized, not universally standardized label, appearing primarily in experimental grammars, typological overviews, and discussions of referentiality in nominal phrases.

Core characteristics: Nominalns are intended to encompass expressions that designate specific entities by name, while sometimes behaving in ways associated with proper nouns and at other times permitting determiner-bearing structures. They often function as the nucleus of noun phrases that refer to unique referents, may interact with definiteness markers or classifiers in some languages, and can participate in anaphoric or appositive constructions. The category is designed to capture cross-linguistic patterns where named entities resist full assimilation to common-noun morphosyntax yet are not uniformly fixed like canonical proper nouns.

Usage and examples: In cross-linguistic data, Nominalns include elements such as personal or organizational names, geographic names, and institution-designated terms that behave as referential anchors within a sentence. For instance, in a constructed language corpus, expressions like “Zorlan” or “the city of Nominalia” can function as Nominalns, serving as the primary referents in discourse while interacting variably with determiners and modifiers.

See also: proper noun, named entity, reference, determiner.