Definite and Indefinite Articles in Inglish
In Inglish, the use of definite and indefinite articles follows specific patterns to enhance the flow of speech and clarity in writing.
The articles change form depending on whether the following word begins with a consonant or a vowel.
Definite Article: "þe" and "þi"
"þe" is used before words that start with consonant sounds or the vowel sound "eu-".
Examples:
þe bûc
þe cat
þe euniversety
þe europían tour
"þi" is used before words that start with vowel sounds.
Examples:
þi apple
þi elifant
þi aour
þi ónor
Note: The use of "þe" and "þi" helps to maintain a smooth transition in speech, preventing awkward pauses between words.
Indefinite Article: "a" and "an"
"a" is used before words that start with consonant sounds or the vowel sound "eu-".
Examples:
a dog
a haoʃ
a eunicôn
a europían citti
"an" is used before words that start with vowel sounds.
Examples:
an egg
an ombrella
an ónest person
an aour
Note: The choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound that begins the next word, not necessarily the first letter.
Examples in Sentences
Sie rèd þe bûc you recommended.
Hie's an ónest man.
Ћey vìsited þi yland last somar.
I nide a euniq solúcion to þis problem.
Ћi elifant is þe largest land animal.
Do you have an extra pen?
Summary
Use "þe" and "a" before words starting with consonant sounds or "eu-".
Use "þi" and "an" before words starting with vowel sounds.
By following these rules, you can ensure proper article usage in Inglish, leading to clearer and more effective communication.
---
The Potential Implementation of Grammatical Gender in Inglish
In addition to using definite and indefinite articles based on the initial sound of a word, Inglish could incorporate grammatical gender, if so influenced by Spanish.
This system assigns nouns to either masculine or feminine categories, affecting the form of the definite article used before them.
Gendered Definite Articles
Masculine Nouns use the definite article "þe".
Feminine Nouns use the definite article "þa".
Nouns Starting with a Vowel use "þi", regardless of gender.
The indefinite articles remain "a" and "an", based on whether the noun begins with a consonant/eu- or vowel sound.
When an adjective is placed between the definite article and a noun, the article continues to agree with the noun's gender.
Unless the intervening adjective starts with a vowel sound, then the article changes to "þi" to maintain phonetic harmony.
Identifying Masculine and Feminine Nouns
Masculine Nouns
Words where the stress is on the first syllable:
þe stair(s)
þe star(s)
þe bûc(s)
þe gurl(s)
þe recipi(s)
þe súshi
þe boy(s)
þe toy(s)
þe stay(s)
þe day(s)
þe stôm(s)
Irregular Plurals:
þe man, þe men
þe ɯôman, þe ɯimmen
þe chîld, þe children
Single Vowel Words Where the "-e" is Dropped in Plural:
þe mâle, mâls
þe nâme, nâms
þe tîme, tîms
þe stâre, þe stârs
þe câble, þe câbels
Words Starting with a Vowel:
Use "þi" regardless of gender.
þi animal(s)
þi apple, appels
þi anàlysiʃ, anàlysis
þi ombrella(s)
þi ambicion(s)
þi aplicâcion(s)
þi ox, þi oxen
þi oven(s)
þi ax(es)
Feminine Nouns
Words where the stress is not on the first syllable:
þa hipnôsiʃ, hipnôsis
þa paràlisiʃ, paràlisis
þa criâcion(s)
þa contâgion(s)
þa relâcion(s)
Nouns That Keep the "-e":
þa cone(s)
þa c̃ube(s)
þa bone(s)
þa stone(s)
þa þrone(s)
þa fone(s)
Multi-Syllable Words that End in -e:
þa fimele(s)
þa village(s)
þa cercle(s)
Words Ending in "-cion":
þa nâcion(s)
þa lôcion(s)
þa pôcion(s)
þa cûcion(s)
Words That Take "-es" as a Plural Ending (Words Ending in "-sh", "-ch", "-ʃ", "-x"):
þa fish(es)
þa dish(es)
þa church(es)
þa rich(es)
þa stich(es)
þa euniverʃ, euniverses
þa haoʃ, haoses
þa ɯax(es)
þa fox(es)
Words Starting with "eu-":
þa eunicôn(s)
þa euniversety, euniverseties
Application in Sentences
Masculine Examples:
Hie's þe boy hu clîmed þe stairs.
Sie's þe gurl hu obsêved þe stars.
Ћey ɯrote daon þe nâms on þe list.
Feminine Examples:
Uie vìsited þa church in þa village.
Sie boht þa c̃ube from þe store.
Ћey stùdied at þa euniversety.
Vowel Start Examples:
Ћey sohe þi animal in þe forest.
Hie has an uneus̃ual îdía.
Sie âte an apple þis môning.
Summary
This is not a grammatical aspect that I am currently advocating for, but I can see the potential for it in the future,
if it agrees with an Inglish that is increasingly influenced by Spanish or French.
Thusly, by incorporating grammatical gender influenced by Spanish into Inglish:
Masculine nouns use the definite article "þe".
Feminine nouns use the definite article "þa".
Nouns starting with a vowel use "þi", regardless of gender.
Indefinite articles remain "a" and "an", determined by the initial sound of the noun.
Vowel-leading nouns are always masculine if an accent mark is used on a vowel.
E.g. þi animâcion; þi enúmirâcion; þi adorâcion; þi elevâcion
Otherwise, feminine:
þi am̃onicion
Some feminine nouns become "masculine" in the plural:
E.g. þi evente, þi evènts; þa ɯôman, þe ɯimmen
Consonant-leading nouns are feminine if an accent mark is used on a:
þa tâble, þa tâbels; þa stâble, þa stâbels; þa nâcion; þa stâcion; þa relâcion;
þa criâcion
Except for single-syllable nouns that drop -e in the plural:
þe nâme, þe nâms; þe mâne, þe mâns; þe gâme, þe gâms; þe mâle, þe mâls
Feminine single-syllable nouns do not drop the -e in plural form:
þa tune, þa tunes; þa c̃ube, þa c̃ubes; þa stone, þa stones; þa bone, þa bones
And some multi-syllable words:
þa fimele -s
Masculine nouns are stressed at the beginning of the word.
E.g. þe ficcion;
Feminine nouns are stressed on the last or penultimate of the word.
E.g. þa condicion -s; þa supersticion; þa desîre, þa desîrs
Nouns ending in -ability are feminine.
þe dîe, þe dîʃ
þa maoʃ, þe mîce
þa laoʃ, þe lîce
þe mussle, þe mussels
þe musçle, þe muscels
þi ocian -s
þa maþor, þe maþors
þe fáþor, þe fáþors
þe broþor, þe broþors
þe sistor, þe sistors
þi oncle, þi onculs
þi ante, þi antes
þi ànt, þi ànts (bug)
þe cosan -s
þa gràn maþor, gràn maþors
þe gràn fáþor, gràn fáþors
þe cûcion -s; þe locion -s; þe pocion -s
þa contôrcion -s
þi emôcion; þe môcion