When a sequence of mixed-gender nouns is qualified by a single adjective, or a sequence of mixed-gender subjects have the same predicate, with what should the qualifier/predicate agree? Does this include agreement in number or only in gender?
There seems to be a lot of differing between sources on this issue, with different sources using criteria to distinguish use cases which aren’t found in some other sources. I’ve found various sources differentiating between:
What follows are summaries of what’s mentioned in some other sources besides those quoted in that thread. I summarise the rules as they’re stated, even though there is occasional ambiguity, which may sometimes be resolved by the example phrases given by the source depending on interpretation.
A Grammar of the Urdu or Hindustani Language - Dowson:
adjective qualifiers: agreement with nearest (p140)
verbs: generally masculine but sometimes nearest (p110-111)
Urdu: An Essential Grammar - Schmidt:
adjective qualifiers: agreement with nearest (p36, p195)
verbs: nearest for inanimate and plural for animate (p193)
Introduction to the Hindustani language - Yates:
adjective qualifiers: masculine, but nearest for inanimate (p20)
verbs: masculine plural, but nearest (in gender and number) for “Two nouns in the singular number, coupled by a copulative conjunction” (p58)
A Grammar of the Hindustani Language - Shakespear:
“the adjective, verb, or participle, governed in common by them, should be used in the masculine ... With regard to inanimate beings, however, the adjective or participle usually agrees in gender with the noun nearest” (p106)
Outline of Hindi Grammar - McGregor:
adjective predicates: masculine plural for persons and nearest otherwise (p7-8)
How does everyday spoken conversation compare on this issue to the various rules given in the grammar books? Does it differ by region?
There seems to be a lot of differing between sources on this issue, with different sources using criteria to distinguish use cases which aren’t found in some other sources. I’ve found various sources differentiating between:
- animate vs inanimate nouns
- human animate vs non-human animate nouns
- specific vs non-specific human nouns
- plural vs singular nouns
- sequences of nouns connected with a copulative conjunction (e.g. aur) vs nouns listed in sequence without conjunctions between them
What follows are summaries of what’s mentioned in some other sources besides those quoted in that thread. I summarise the rules as they’re stated, even though there is occasional ambiguity, which may sometimes be resolved by the example phrases given by the source depending on interpretation.
A Grammar of the Urdu or Hindustani Language - Dowson:
adjective qualifiers: agreement with nearest (p140)
verbs: generally masculine but sometimes nearest (p110-111)
Urdu: An Essential Grammar - Schmidt:
adjective qualifiers: agreement with nearest (p36, p195)
verbs: nearest for inanimate and plural for animate (p193)
Introduction to the Hindustani language - Yates:
adjective qualifiers: masculine, but nearest for inanimate (p20)
verbs: masculine plural, but nearest (in gender and number) for “Two nouns in the singular number, coupled by a copulative conjunction” (p58)
A Grammar of the Hindustani Language - Shakespear:
“the adjective, verb, or participle, governed in common by them, should be used in the masculine ... With regard to inanimate beings, however, the adjective or participle usually agrees in gender with the noun nearest” (p106)
Outline of Hindi Grammar - McGregor:
adjective predicates: masculine plural for persons and nearest otherwise (p7-8)
How does everyday spoken conversation compare on this issue to the various rules given in the grammar books? Does it differ by region?