Definite or specific articles
- Category
- Nominal Categories - Definiteness and clusivity
- Notes
- Definite = particular referent known to both speaker and addressee; specific = particular referent known to speaker only
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Sorry, we have no imagery here.
Languages
| Language | Feature Status | Grammatical Notes | Source | Etymology Notes | General Notes | Phylogenetic Code |
|---|
Language | Feature Status | Grammatical Notes | Source | Etymology Notes | General Notes | Phylogenetic Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achagua | no | Wilson & Levinsohn 1992 | ||||
| Aché | no info | |||||
| Adnyamathanha | ||||||
| Aghu-Tharnggala | No | 67 | 0 | |||
| Aguaruna | no info | |||||
| Alyawarr | yes | 110 | 1 | |||
| Andoke | yes | same as 3rd person pronouns, repeated before noun as determiners, presumably definite? | Landaburu 1979: 155 | |||
| Apurinã | no | Only demonstratives | Facundes, 2000: 356 | |||
| Arabana | n/a | 0 | ||||
| Arrernte | No | 105 | 0 | |||
| Asheninka Apurucayali | no | no evidence of article | Mihas 2010, Payne 1981, Payne 1983 | |||
| Añun | no | Patte 1989 | ||||
| Bandjalang | No | 70 | 0 | |||
| Baniwa | no | Ramirez 2001 | ||||
| Barasano | no | Jones & Jones 1991, p.4 | ||||
| Bardi | no | 0 | ||||
| Bare | no | Aikhenvald, 1995: 22 | ||||
| Batyala | no info | x | ||||
| Baure | no | "The article does not mark definiteness. It is generally used with proper names and heavenly bodies.." | Danielsen 2007: p312 | |||
| Bidjara-Gungabula | no info | x | ||||
| Bilinarra | no | 1.1000000000000000888 | 0 | |||
| Biri | no | 0 | ||||
| Bora | yes | Article for definite/indefinite is the same. It can be interpreted as definite or indefinite, depending on the context. | Seifart - 2005:125 | |||
| Bularnu | no | 0 | ||||
| Bunuba | no | 0 | ||||
| Cabecar | no | Bourland 1976:53-54 | ||||
| Cahuilla | yes | |||||
| Central Aymara | yes | Deza Galindo 1992: 72 | ||||
| Chemehuevi | yes | |||||
| Comanche | yes | |||||
| Cubeo | no | Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 74-95 | ||||
| Cupeño | yes | |||||
| Damana | no | it doesn't appear that articles exist in Damana | ||||
| Darkinyung | no | 24-25 | 0 | |||
| Desano | no | Miller 1999, p. 21-34, 169 | Participants are frequently introduced with yuhu- 'one' which seems to mean 'a certain' to indicate that that referent is a definite person or thing, although probably not known to the listener preciously, and that it is going to be salient in the discour | |||
| Dharawal | no info | x | ||||
| Dharuk | ||||||
| Diyari | no | 98 | 0 | |||
| Djabugay | ||||||
| Djapu | no | 0 | ||||
| Djinang | No | 99 | 0 | |||
| Duungidjawu | yes | 58 | 1 | |||
| Dyirbal | No | 44-5 | 0 | |||
| Dâw | no | Martins 2004 | ||||
| Eñepa | no | no articles | Payne 2012 | |||
| Gabrielino | yes | |||||
| Garrwa | no info | X | ||||
| Githabul | No | 33 | 0 | |||
| Gooniyandi | no | 0 | ||||
| Guaymí | no | Quesada 2008:49-96 | ||||
| Gugu-Badhun | no | 0 | ||||
| Gumbaynggirr | no | 274 | 0 | |||
| Guna | no | Smith texts | ||||
| Gunya | No | 304 | 0 | |||
| Gupapuyngu | ||||||
| Gureng Gureng | no info | x | ||||
| Guugu-Yimidhirr | No | 72 | 0 | |||
| Hunter River and Lake Macquarie | no | 34 | 0 | |||
| Hup | no | Epps 2008 | ||||
| Idaho Shoshone | yes | |||||
| Ika | no | the demonstrative eima "this one" is used as a definiteness marker | Frank 1990:33 | |||
| Ingá | no | Levinson 1974, 1976, 1976b | ||||
| Jaru | no | 61-3 | 0 | |||
| Jingulu | no | 0 | ||||
| Kaingang | yes | no discussion but author glosses /ti/ as a definite masculine article | Silva 2011:142 | |||
| Kakua | no | Bolaños fieldnotes | ||||
| Kalkatungu | no info | x | ||||
| Karajarri | No | 246 | 0 | |||
| Karitiana | no | Everett 2006:296-317 | ||||
| Katthang | no | 50 | 0 | |||
| Kaurna | No | 9 | 0 | |||
| Kawaiisu | yes | |||||
| Kinikinau | no info | |||||
| Kitanemuk | yes | |||||
| Kogi | no | Celedón 1886:7 | ||||
| Kokama | no | Vallejos 2010 | ||||
| Kokatha | No | 49 | 0 | |||
| Koreguaje | no | Cook & Criswell 1993, p.15-17 | ||||
| Kotiria | no | Stenzel 2007 | ||||
| Kugu-Nganhcara | No | 388 | 0 | |||
| Kuku Yalanji | no | 0 | ||||
| Kunjen | No | 138 | 0 | |||
| Kurrama | no | 82-100 | 0 | |||
| Kuuk Thaayorre | No | 287 | 0 | |||
| Luiseño | yes | |||||
| Macaguan | no info | ke- is a numeral prefixed to a noun | Buenaventura: 1993:51-52 | "ketú" means "one"; bound article is "ke-", meaning "one" or "the" | ||
| Maipure | no | Articles appear to be implied or perceived through context. There are no articles in the language itself. | Zamponi 2003:21-35 | |||
| Makiritare | no | Hall 1988 | No mention in either source of any definite or indefinite articles | |||
| Makuna | no | Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.33-36 | ||||
| Makushi | no | Carson 1982; Abbott 1991 | No reference to articles given in source- consistent w/ other Carib lgs; I know there are no articles in Macushi, but can't find a place where this is explicitely stated. | |||
| Mapudungun | no | The author suggets that this category is being grammaticalized in the new genereations of speakers (probably because the influence of Spanish) but this feature does not occur in the traditional language. | Zúñiga 2006, p. 87-9 | |||
| Marrgany | No | 304 | 0 | |||
| Martuthunira | yes | 105-120 | 1 | |||
| Mathi-Mathi | no | 92 | 0 | |||
| Matses | no | Fleck:231-321 | ||||
| Mayi-Yapi | No | 51-52 | 0 | |||
| Minica Witoto | no | no existing articles | Minor and Minor 1982. p.31 | Many speakers of Huitoto have difficulty using articles in Spanish because they do not exist in their language. | ||
| Mpakwithi | ||||||
| Muruwari | yes | 50, 80, 204 | 1 | |||
| Nadëb/Roçado dialect | no | Weir 1984 | ||||
| Nanti | yes | “Specific” articles, use the same form as demonstratives. | Michael, 2008. p. 306 | |||
| Narungga | No info | x | ||||
| Naso | no | Quesada 2000 | ||||
| Ngaatjatjara | No | 26 | 0 | |||
| Ngarinyeri | No | 30 | 0 | |||
| Ngarinyin | ||||||
| Ngayawang | No | 3 | 0 | |||
| Ngiyambaa | no | 128 | 0 | |||
| Nhanta | no | 47, 49, 74 | 0 | |||
| Nheengatu | no | Cruz 2011 | ||||
| Ninam | no info | Goodwin-Gomez | ||||
| Northern Emberá | no info | |||||
| Northern Paiute | yes | |||||
| Nyangumarta | no | 0 | ||||
| Nyikina | no | 0 | ||||
| Nyulnyul | no | 0 | ||||
| Nyungar | no info | x | ||||
| Paakantyi | no | 76? | 0 | |||
| Palikur | no | uses demonstrative pronouns | Launey 2003:102 | |||
| Panyjima | yes | 161 | 1 | |||
| Paraguayan Guaraní | no | However, it seems that the language have began to borrow the articles from Spanish | Zarratea 2002:166 | |||
| Paresi | no info | Rowan 1978, Rowan and Burgess 1979, Brandão 2010 | ||||
| Pemon | no | de Armellada 1999: 151 | ||||
| Piapoco | no | Galindo, 2002: 183-203 | ||||
| Pintupi | no info | x | ||||
| Pitjantjatjara | No | G 104 | 0 | |||
| Pitta-Pitta | No | 193 | 0 | |||
| Puinave | no | Giron 2008: p161-177 | ||||
| Páez | no info | |||||
| Quechua Ayacuchano | no | Parker 1965:32-46 | ||||
| Resígaro | no | No articles, only demonstratives. | Allin, 1976: 198-200 | |||
| Ritharrngu | No | 49 | 0 | |||
| Sanumá | no | certain person marking on the noun implies specificity but isn't a specific article | Borgman 1990: p.144-146 | |||
| Serrano | yes | |||||
| Shoshone | yes | |||||
| Sikuani | no | apparent that no articles are used | Queixalós 1998:68 | |||
| Siona | no | Wheeler 1987 | ||||
| Southern Paiute | yes | |||||
| Southern Ute | yes | |||||
| Surui | no info | |||||
| Tanimuca | no | There are demonstratives but no definite or indefinite articles. | Strom 1992, p.51 | |||
| Tariana | yes | Homophonous with third-person free pronouns, but distinguished on distributional criteria. | Aikhenvald, 2003: 204-205 | |||
| Thanggati | no | 30-33 | 0 | |||
| Tharrkari | No | 16 | 0 | |||
| Tikuna | no info | |||||
| Timbisha | no | |||||
| Tukano | no | there is a specific marker -ta used for emphasis, however (this very one, etc.) | Ramirez 1997: 222-223 | no evidence for this | ||
| Uradhi | No | 357 | 0 | |||
| Urarina | no info | However, it seems that they do not exist in Urarina since they are not mention anywhere in the source | ||||
| Wajarri | No | 81 | 0 | |||
| Wakaya | no | 0 | ||||
| Walmajarri | no | 0 | ||||
| Wambaya | no | 0 | ||||
| Wangkumara | no info | X | ||||
| Waorani | no info | |||||
| Wapishana | no | Santos 2006 | ||||
| Warlpiri | no info | 0 | ||||
| Warluwarra | no | 0 | ||||
| Warnman | No | 41 | 0 | |||
| Warrgamay | No | 44 | 0 | |||
| Warrwa | no | 0 | ||||
| Warumungu | No | 18 | 0 | |||
| Warungu | no info | X | ||||
| Wathawurrung | no | 84 | 0 | |||
| Waunana | no info | |||||
| Wayuu | yes | Not sure whether these are definite or specific. | Mansen & Captain, p. 797 | |||
| Wemba-Wemba | no | H 57-8 | 0 | |||
| Western Mono | yes | |||||
| WesternTorres | no info | x | ||||
| Wiradjuri | no | m286 | 0 | |||
| Wirangu | No | 87-90 | 0 | |||
| Woiwurrung | no | 0 | ||||
| Worrorra | no | ms7.3.1 | 0 | |||
| Yagua | no | Payne and Payne 1990:349 | ||||
| Yalarnnga | no info | x | ||||
| Yan-nhangu | ||||||
| Yandruwandha | n/a | 0 | ||||
| Yanesha' | no | Duff-Tripp 1997:23-68 | ||||
| Yanomami | no | Ramirex 1994 | no mention of these | |||
| Yanyuwa | no | 0 | ||||
| Yavitero | no | A class of articles is 'inexistent' in Yavitero. | Mosonyi, 1987: p. 50 | |||
| Yawuru | ||||||
| Yidiny | no | 0 | ||||
| Yindjibarndi | no info | 71-75 | x | |||
| Yindjilindji | no | 0 | ||||
| Yine | no info | Matteson 1965 | ||||
| Yingkarta | no | 0 | ||||
| Yir Yoront | ||||||
| Yorta Yorta | no | 74 | 0 | |||
| Yugambeh | ||||||
| Yukuna | yes | There is a category of "determiner" but no discussion of it. | Shauer & Shauer, 2000; Shauer & Shauer 1978: p. 29 | |||
| Yulparija | No | 32 | 0 | |||
| Yuwaalaraay | No | 91 | 0 |
| Language |
|---|
Showing 1 to 193 of 193 entries