Based on Beata Rycelska’s “Морфология современного русского языка. Учебное пособие для вузов”
What is it? Why should we learn it?
“Animacy is a grammatical and semantic principle expressed in language based on how sentient or alive the referent of a noun is.” (SOURCE)
Let’s say it in an easier way - ask yourself if a noun XYZ is alive or not. That’s animacy. Some examples:
дерево (tree), грамматика (grammar), страсть (desire), лампа (lamp) - inanimate (неодушевлённые)
собака (dog), ребёнок (child), бабушка (grandma), Лена (Lena - name) - animate (одушевлённые)
inanimate nouns - they name objects, things (except from people and animals)
animate nouns - they name people and animals
Okay, but why should we be aware of animacy? It’s all because of declension of nouns. An inanimate, masculine/neuter nouns have the same form of nominative and accusative (nominative=accusative). But an animate, masculine/neuter nouns have the same form of genitive and accusative (genitive=accusative).
Is it all THAT obvious? Unfortunately, no - as usual in Slavic languages.
микроорганизмы (microorganisms) - вирусы (virurses), микробы (microbes), бактерии (bacteria)
groups of people, animals - стадо (herd), толпа (crowd), народ (nation)
труп (corpse) <Why is it here? It’s not an expection, isn’t it? Take a look at next points>
мертвец (dead man, corpse), покойник (deceased), кукла (doll) <but труп is inanimate one!>
inanimate objects used in metaphorical way - болван (snowman; fool), дуб (oak; dimwit) etc.
words that are used to describe people - дух (ghost), гений (genius), тип (type)
dances - казачок (kozachok), гопак (hopak), краковяк (krakowiak) etc.
playing cards and chess - валет (jack), король (king), слон (bishop) etc.
tangentwithtanner
kianamaiart
turnnoffyourmind
areudirty
andulkaphoto
origamiaround
2087
