1. NOUN = A word that names a person, place, animal, idea, or thing.

      A. ANIMATE NOUN = Is the Abenaki way of expressing connectedness with reverence to living things, celestial bodies, and the creation of all things great and grand on this land. The determination was made long ago, by our ancestors according to their view of the world at that time. We as speakers of the language do not question why one bush is animate and another is inanimate.

      B. INANIMATE NOUN = Is the Abenaki way of expressing the names of all things that are not subject to reverence.

      C. PROPER NOUN = Is the name given to a particular person, place or thing.

      D. ABSTRACT NOUN = Is the name of a quality, action, or state of being.

Animate nouns are made plural by the letter terminations (AK, IK, OK, AND K)

Inanimate nouns are made plural by the letter terminations (AL,IL, OL, L)

Nouns ending in the letters (D or T) will require the suffix of (IK). In doing so you must change the letters (D or T) to a (J). Thus, your termination will be JIK.

Animate nouns ending in (GW or KW) require the suppression of the letter (W) prior to applying the plural (OK).

Inanimate nouns ending in (GW or KW) requires the suppression of the Letter (W) prior to applying the plural (OL).

When a noun is determined in a sentence to be (from, to, by, or is being placed in a particular position such as on top, under, in, and around, etc.) it is locked by a termination in both the singular and plural forms. The plural termination will always be (IKOK). All singular nouns ending in the letters (EM, GW, and KW) will have the termination of (OK). Do not suppress the letter (W) when adding locatives to a noun. All nouns ending in the letters (A, and I) will have the termination of the letter (K).  The majority of all nouns will lock with the letter terminations of (EK, or IK).  The process will be explained in detail as we progress.