Number of noun classes/genders

Category
Nominal Categories - Gender and noun classification
Notes
Note the (approximate) total number of noun classes/genders

Languages

Language Feature Status Grammatical Notes Source Etymology Notes General Notes Phylogenetic Code
Cahuilla 0
Cupeño 0
Luiseño 0
Serrano 0
Kitanemuk 0
Kawaiisu 2
Timbisha 0
Western Mono 0
Chemehuevi 2
Southern Paiute 2
Southern Ute 2
Shoshone 0
Comanche 0
Idaho Shoshone 0
Northern Paiute 0
Gabrielino 0
Achagua 3 Adjectives agree with nouns: masculine/feminine (neutralized in plural) Wilson & Levinsohn 1992: 35
Resígaro 0 Allin 1976: 150-176, 223
Bare 2 Aikhenvald, 1995: 19
Piapoco 2 There are three class markers that seem to appear with nouns, but two of them are "feminine." Adjectives agree in gender and only have masculine and feminine markers (no feminine examples are given to indicate whether adjective agreement is the same with Galindo, 2002: 130, 143
Yukuna 3 Shauer & Shauer, 1978: 41
Yavitero 3 Masculine, feminine, and plural (both genders). Mosonyi, 1987: p. 49
Wapishana 36 Includes gender, use, place, shape… Santos, 2006:3
Wayuu 3 Mansen & Captain, 2000: p. 797
Tariana 2 feminine, non-feminine Aikhenvald 2003: 87
Apurinã 2 Facundes, 2000: 150
Asheninka Apurucayali 2 Masc./non-masc Mihas 2010:122
Maipure no Zamponi 2003:24
Yanesha' no Duff-Tripp 1997:23-51
Kinikinau no info
Baure no info Danielsen 2007
Nanti 2 Michael, 2008. p. 294
Paresi no info Rowan 1978, Rowan and Burgess 1979, Brandão 2010
Palikur 3 masc., fem., neutral Launey 2003:97
Yine no info Matteson 1965
Añun 2 non-masculine, masculine Patte 1989
Bora 6 Thiesen notes 3 main classes: concrete, abstract, and locative (which includes animates and inanimates). Seifart - 2005: 77; Thiesen - 1996:27
Makiritare 2 author refers to classes that only differ in the possessed form Hall 1988: 288
Makushi 3 Class A, B and C. Class A is 'animate related'. Class B refers to all domestic animals. Class C includes kinship and body part nouns. Carson 1982: 56-57
Eñepa no info
Pemon no de Armellada 1999
Guna no Smith texts
Naso no Quesada 2000
Ika 6 long objects, flat objects, three-dimensional objects, liquids, containers, and objects with specialized holders Frank 1989:22
Kogi no info
Cabecar 6 Bertoglia 1983:5
Guaymí no info
Damana 0
Sikuani 3 Classes: masc, fem, inanimate (respectively) Queixalós 1998:31
Macaguan no Buenaventura - 1993:43-45
Aguaruna 4 These noun clasea are based on morphosyntactic criteria rather than on semantic criteria Overall 2007:137
Northern Emberá 0 Mortensen 1999:15-6 Catío
Waorani no info
Ingá no info
Matses no Fleck:240
Mapudungun no Zúñiga 2006, p. 87-9
Páez no Rojas:173-80, Jung:133-4
Quechua Ayacuchano no Parker 1965:32-46
Tikuna 4 It seems that gender (feminine and masculine) and alienable and inalienable nouns are distinguished Montes 2004b:55-79, 121-152
Urarina no info
Waunana no info
Andoke 7 1st class: almost entirely inanimates (places, fabricated things, generic class), 2nd class: almost entirely inanimates (long, stick-like objects are prevalent), 3rd class: divided into 4 subclasses, 0: all inanimates (round, hollow, or wet), 1: masculine Landaburu 1979: p.130-132
Puinave no info
Central Aymara 5 Deza Galindo 1992: 78 The classes given in Deza Galindo are proper, common, concrete, abstract, and despective. I'm not completely convinced that these are the kinds of noun classes we're looking for, but the title of the section is Noun Classes.
Kakua 2 animate/inanimate Bolaños fieldnotes
Kaingang no info Silva 2011
Minica Witoto 2 The ending indicating masculinity is '-ma' and for feminine is '-ngo' Minor and Minor 1982. p.31-32
Hup 0 Epps 2008
Nadëb/Roçado dialect 0 Weir 1984
Dâw 0 male/female Martins 2004
Desano 7 Miller 1999, p.21
Cubeo 4 animante/inanimate; masc/fem Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 73 The inanimate nouns may be further classified as primitive (underived), deverbal concrete, or deverbal abstract. Animate nouns may be subdivided into human and nonhuman nouns.
Kotiria 1 inanimate, masc., femine Stenzel 2004, p. 126
Makuna 2 Animate (4) and Inanimate Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.33-35
Koreguaje 2 Cook & Criswell 1993, p.15 The animates are classified in humans and animals and inanimate, in which take a suffix to indicate the shape classifier or function of the object, and those who lack a classifier.
Barasano 8 They are divided into eight classes with the most basic division being animate vs. inanimate. Jones & Jones 1991, p.19
Tanimuca 3 Nouns are categorized according to animacy, number, and gender. Strom 1992, p.10
Siona 1 Animate/inanimate, spatial/temporal, masculine/feminine Wheeler - 1970:95-96,140
Tukano yes 3: masc. animate, fem. Animate, inanimate West and Welch 2004: various pages (37 in particular)
Yanomami no noun clasifiers, but not classes Ramirez 1994: p.123-124
Ninam no Goodwin-Gomez, p.119-120
Sanumá no Borgman 1990: p.144-147
Surui no info
Karitiana 0 Everett 2006:296
Nheengatu 0 Cruz 2011
Paraguayan Guaraní no Zarratea 2002:121-41
Aché no info
Kokama 0 Vallejos 2010
Nyangumarta no 0
Jingulu yes 1
Wambaya yes 1
Bunuba no 0
Walmajarri no 0
Nyulnyul no 0
Warrwa no 0
Worrorra yes 22, 25 1
Garrwa yes 4-5 1
Gooniyandi no 0
Warlpiri no 0
Bardi no 0
Yugambeh
Yorta Yorta no 0
Yir Yoront
Yindjibarndi yes 46-47 1
Yidiny yes 1
Yanyuwa yes 4 1
Yandruwandha yes 1
Yan-nhangu
Yalarnnga yes 14 1
Woiwurrung no 0
Wirangu No 47 0
Wemba-Wemba no 0
Warumungu no 0
Wangkumara yes 1 1
Uradhi N/A 334 0
Paakantyi N/A 0
Pitta-Pitta No 192 0
Pintupi no 0
Nyungar no info x
Nhanta no 0
Ngiyambaa n/a 0
Ngayawang N/A 0
Muruwari n/a 0
Mpakwithi
Mayi-Yapi No 34 0
Martuthunira no 63-99 0
Marrgany N/A 0
Kuuk Thaayorre N/A 149 0
Kuku Yalanji n/a 0
Kugu-Nganhcara N/A 446 0
Kaurna No 5 0
Kalkatungu yes 29 1
Jaru no info x
Guugu-Yimidhirr N/A 0
Gureng Gureng no info x
Gupapuyngu
Gumbaynggirr yes 254 1
Gugu-Badhun n/a 0
Yuwaalaraay N/A 30 0
Dyirbal yes 44 1
Duungidjawu yes 25 1
Djinang Yes 27 1
Djabugay
Diyari yes 34; 38; 60 1
Dharuk
Dharawal n/a 46 0
Darkinyung n/a 0
Bularnu no 0
Biri no info x
Bidjara-Gungabula n/a 0
Batyala no info x
Arabana no 0
Alyawarr no 0
Nyikina no 0
Yawuru no 0
Ngarinyin
Yulparija no 0
Wathawurrung no 71 0
Mathi-Mathi no 75 0
Hunter River and Lake Macquarie n/a 0
Thanggati n/a 0
Katthang no 30 0
Panyjima yes 136 1
Ngarinyeri No 18 0
Kurrama n/a 0
Yingkarta N/A 0
Githabul yes 8 1
Gunya no 0
Kunjen No 78 0
WesternTorres yes FO 122 1
Wakaya yes 1
Yindjilindji no 0
Bandjalang yes 43 1
Ngaatjatjara yes 35 1
Arrernte No 86 0
Kokatha Yes 52 1
Karajarri N/A 71 0
Pitjantjatjara Yes Y 11 1
Ritharrngu Yes 34 1
Warrgamay N/A 28 0
Warluwarra yes 881 1
Warnman N/A 14 0
Djapu yes 32-3 1
Bilinarra no 1.1000000000000000888 0
Wiradjuri no 0
Aghu-Tharnggala Yes 51 1
Narungga N/A 54 0
Tharrkari no info 15 0
Wajarri Yes 38 1
Warungu yes 165 1
Adnyamathanha
Yagua 2 animate/inanimate Payne and Payne 1990:
Baniwa 2 Aikhenvald 2001 Baniwa classifiers