Indefinite or non-specific article

Category
Nominal Categories - Definiteness and clusivity
Notes
or marker

Languages

Language Feature Status Grammatical Notes Source Etymology Notes General Notes Phylogenetic Code
Cahuilla no
Cupeño no
Luiseño no
Serrano no
Kitanemuk no
Kawaiisu no
Timbisha no
Western Mono no
Chemehuevi no
Southern Paiute no
Southern Ute no
Shoshone no
Comanche no
Idaho Shoshone no
Northern Paiute no
Gabrielino no
Achagua no Wilson & Levinsohn 1992
Resígaro no No articles identified, only demonstratives. Allin, 1976: 198-200
Bare no Aikhenvald, 1995: 22
Piapoco no Galindo, 2002: 88-90
Yukuna no info Articles/demonstratives not discussed among other word classes. Shauer & Shauer, 2000
Yavitero no No articles. Mosonyi, 1987: p. 50, 78-79
Wapishana yes Santos 2006
Wayuu yes This is a reduced form of the numeral 'one.' Mansen & Captain, 2000: p. 797
Tariana yes This artcile has several functions, including the number "one," "only," and "another." Aikhenvald, 2003: 215
Apurinã no Facundes, 2000: 356
Asheninka Apurucayali no When referring to an unspecified object, nothing is used. Payne 1981; Payne 1983
Maipure no Articles appear to be implied or perceived through context. There are no articles in the language itself. Zamponi 2003:21-35
Yanesha' no Duff-Tripp 1997:23-68
Kinikinau no info
Baure yes "[The article] is generally used with proper names and heavenly bodies... and nouns that refer to weather phenomena." Danielsen 2007: p312
Nanti no Michael, 2008. p. 304-309
Paresi no info Rowan 1978, Rowan and Burgess 1979, Brandão 2010
Palikur no Launey 2003:102
Yine no Matteson 1965
Añun no Patte 1989
Bora yes Article for definite/indefinite is the same. It can be interpreted as definite or indefinite, depending on the context. Seifart - 2005:125
Makiritare no info Hall 1988
Makushi no Carson 1982: 64-68
Eñepa no no articles Payne 2012
Pemon no de Armellada 1999: 151
Guna no Smith texts
Naso no Quesada 2000
Ika no The cardinal numeral inʔgui "one" is used as a marked or inefiniteness Frank 1990:33
Kogi no info
Cabecar no info
Guaymí no Quesada 2008:49-96
Damana no
Sikuani no Queixalós 1998:68
Macaguan no Buenaventura - 1993
Aguaruna no info
Northern Emberá no info
Waorani no info
Ingá no info
Matses no Fleck:231-321
Mapudungun no Zúñiga 2006, p. 87-9
Páez no info
Quechua Ayacuchano no Parker 1965:32-46
Tikuna no info
Urarina no info Olawsky:433
Waunana no info
Andoke no info
Puinave no info
Central Aymara yes Deza Galindo 1992: 73
Kakua no Bolaños fieldnotes
Kaingang yes borrowing? Silva 2011:180
Minica Witoto no Minor and Minor 1982. p.13 There are two pronouns in Huitoto that are indefinite in gender but not in number.
Hup no Epps 2008
Nadëb/Roçado dialect no indefinite pronoun Weir 1984:89
Dâw no Martins 2004:355-361
Desano yes The three general classifiers are used to refer to nonspecific items and frequently are employed to form new expressions for foreign objects; -yẽ, -pẽ, and dõhõ 'thing'. Miller 1999, p. 43-44 The article dipa- seems to have the meaning of the indefinite article 'a'
Cubeo no Morse & Maxwell 1999, p.73-75
Kotiria no Stenzel 2004
Makuna yes Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.33-36
Koreguaje yes There is an additional suffix -makʰa 'thing' that is used to refer to individual objects without shape sorters. Cook & Criswell 1993, p.25
Barasano yes There are three general classifiers frequently used to form new expressions for foreign objects. i.e. 'thing' Jones & Jones 1991, p.56
Tanimuca no Retuarã has no definite or indefinite article. Strom 1992, p.127
Siona no Wheeler 1987:119-120
Tukano no not distinct from interrogative words Ramirez 1997: 328-330
Yanomami no not an article so much as a pronoun Ramirez 1994: 177-178
Ninam no info Goodwin-Gomez
Sanumá no info
Surui no info
Karitiana no
Nheengatu yes Cruz 2011:265
Paraguayan Guaraní no Zarratea 2002:166
Aché no info
Kokama no Vallejos 2010
Nyangumarta no 0
Jingulu yes 1
Wambaya no 0
Bunuba no 0
Walmajarri no 0
Nyulnyul no 0
Warrwa no 0
Worrorra no ms7.3.1, ms17.2.1 0
Garrwa no info X
Gooniyandi no 0
Warlpiri no info 0
Bardi no 0
Yugambeh
Yorta Yorta no 74 0
Yir Yoront
Yindjibarndi no 0
Yidiny no 0
Yanyuwa no 0
Yandruwandha no 0
Yan-nhangu
Yalarnnga no 0
Woiwurrung no 67 0
Wirangu No 87-90 0
Wemba-Wemba no H 57-8 0
Warumungu No 18 0
Wangkumara no info X
Uradhi No 357 0
Paakantyi no 0
Pitta-Pitta No 193 0
Pintupi no info x
Nyungar no info x
Nhanta no 73 0
Ngiyambaa no 128 0
Ngayawang No 3 0
Muruwari no 0
Mpakwithi
Mayi-Yapi No 51-52 0
Martuthunira no 0
Marrgany No 304 0
Kuuk Thaayorre No 287 0
Kuku Yalanji no 0
Kugu-Nganhcara No 388 0
Kaurna No 9 0
Kalkatungu yes 105 1
Jaru no 0
Guugu-Yimidhirr No 69 0
Gureng Gureng no info x
Gupapuyngu
Gumbaynggirr no 274 0
Gugu-Badhun no 0
Yuwaalaraay No 91 0
Dyirbal No 44-5 0
Duungidjawu no 64-65 0
Djinang No 99 0
Djabugay
Diyari no 98 0
Dharuk
Dharawal no info x
Darkinyung no 24-25 0
Bularnu no 0
Biri no 0
Bidjara-Gungabula no info x
Batyala no info x
Arabana no 0
Alyawarr no 0
Nyikina no 0
Yawuru
Ngarinyin
Yulparija No 32 0
Wathawurrung no 84 0
Mathi-Mathi no 93 0
Hunter River and Lake Macquarie no 34 0
Thanggati no 30-33 0
Katthang no 50 0
Panyjima no 0
Ngarinyeri No 30 0
Kurrama no 0
Yingkarta no info x
Githabul No 33 0
Gunya No 304 0
Kunjen No 138 0
WesternTorres no 0
Wakaya no 0
Yindjilindji no 0
Bandjalang No 70 0
Ngaatjatjara No 26 0
Arrernte No 117 0
Kokatha No 49 0
Karajarri No 246 0
Pitjantjatjara No G 104 0
Ritharrngu No 49 0
Warrgamay No 44 0
Warluwarra no 0
Warnman No 29 0
Djapu no 0
Bilinarra no 1.1000000000000000888 0
Wiradjuri no m286 0
Aghu-Tharnggala No 67 0
Narungga No info x
Tharrkari No 16 0
Wajarri No 81 0
Warungu no 0
Adnyamathanha
Yagua no Payne and Payne 1990
Baniwa no Ramirez 2001