§ 26. Nouns substantive in the Russian language have three genders (pôдõ), viz. masculine (мýжескiй), feminine (жéпскiй), and neuter (средній). The gender of nouns substantive is ascertained either by their meaning or by their termination. As touching the former, all objects of the male sex (no matter what may be their termination) are of the masculine gender. Er. слуга servant, дядя uncle, подмастерье foreman, мѣняло money-changer, &c.; and objects of the female sex (no matter what may be their termination) belong to the feminine gender. Ex. служáнка servant-maid, нáня nurse, д0чь daughter, &c. The same rule applies to animate objects which distinguish Nouns ending in й and ь belong to the masculine gender. To the neuter gender belongs also дитя child. Of nouns substantive, which terminate in ь, some belong to the masculine gender. Ex. дenь day, коpáбль ship; whilst others belong to the feminine gender, as тн shadow, плóшадь plane, surface, &c. 27. Besides the above, there are, in the Russian language, other nouns substantive ending in a and я, which are of the common (общій) gender. In other words, such nouns as have the same termination for both masculine and feminine genders. Ex. cuporá orphan, бpодára vagabond, плáксa whiner, pоднá kindred, &c. § 28. Augmentative and diminutive nouns, no matter what may be their terminations, belong to the gender of those nouns from which they are derived. § 29. Foreign nouns employed in the Russian language which end in u and y, when they denote animate objects, are of the masculine gender, and when they refer to inanimate or abstract ? objects are of the neuter gender. Ex. колибрu humming-bird, какаду cockatoo, which are of the masculine gender: пари-закладъ bet, wager, which is of the neuter gender. § 30. Personal nouns have two genders, viz. masculine and feminine. Е. Императоръ Emperor, Императрица Empress, Генерал General, Генеральша General's wife, монáхъ monk, монахиня nun, cocд male neighbour, cocÉдкα female neighbour, &c. Дпректриса directress, инспектриса inspectress, экономка housekeeper, refer solely to the persons of the female sex who perform the duties indicated by their respective designations; whereas, on the other hand, директорша, инспекторша, экономша are the Russian designations for the wives of a director, inspector, and house steward respectively. With regard to the names of peoples, the feminine is derived. from the masculine thus :-from Росciáнинo Russian (man), comes Россіянка Russian (woman); from Англичанинъ Englishman, Англичанка Englishwoman; from Нѣмеца German (man), we get HÉмкa German (woman), &c. Personal nouns which denote kindred or affinity have for each sex separate denominations : § 31. In the Russian language the denominations of the several degrees of relationship are extremely numerous. It may be well to observe the following:- Tecrь father-in-law, wife's father. Пýрин brother-in-law, wife's brother. Своячина от Свойченица sister-in-law, wife's sister. Cвоáк brother-in-law, wife's sister's husband. Свëкор father-in-law, husband's father. СвекрÓвь mother-in-law, husband's mother. Дéверь ог Дžвеpь brother-in-law, husband's brother. 30лÓвкα sister-in-law, husband's sister. 3ять son-in-law or brother-in-law, daughter's husband or sister's husband. HeвÉCTкa daughter-in-law or sister-in-law, son's wife or brother's wife. Отчима от Вотчимъ stepfather. Мачиха stepmother. Пасынок stepson. Падчерица stepdaughter. § 32. There are two numbers (чnció). The singular (единственHoe), which speaks of one object: Ex. бpars brother, păкá river. The plural (Mнóжественное), which refers to two or more objects of the same sort: Ex. брáтыя brothers, pкu rivers, &c. § 33. Certain nouns substantive are used in the singular number only, whilst others, although referring to one object, have only a plural form. Of the former class there are (1) the greater part of the proper (cóбственноe) nouns: Ex.Римo Rome, Beзýвiй Vesuvius, &c. (2) the greater number of the material (вeшéственное) nouns: Ex. зóлото gold, молокó milk, &c. (3) the names of the virtues and the vices: Ex. теpпÉнie patience, лÉноCTO лѣность indolence, &c. (4) many of the abstract (Oтвлечëнное) nouns: Ex. cчácrie fortune, crápocrь old age, &c. (5) many of the names of plants, especially of the kitchen-garden : Ex. шáвель sorrel, лук оnion, &c. Of the latter class some have meanings different to that of the singular form: Ex. люди people, ножницы pair of scissors, Boporá gate, &c. Others are the names of old towns and places: Ex. Аѳйны Athens, Ѳермопилы Thermopylæ, &c. § 34. Certain nouns have in the singular number one signification, and in the plural another. Ex. BEсo weight, вECьí scales, деньга copeck, деньги money, часъ hour, часы watch, clock, &c. § 35. Cases (падéжʊ) are the terminations of nouns which show the various relations in which objects stand to each other. § 36. In the Russian language there are seven cases. They answer to certain questions : (1) Nominative (именительный), which answers to the questions-KTO? who? чTо? what ?1 Ex. Kто пpишëль? (past tense of verb придтú), who came? Ans. бpara brother. что у тебá вь рукáxь? What is there (or hast thou) in (thy) hands? Ans. шлáпa a hat. y (2) Vocative (3Báтельный), which has its termination like the (3) Genitive (poдительный), which answers to the questions- удив (5) Accusative (винительный), which answers to the questionsKoró ? чro? whom? which? what? Ex. Kozó Tbl видишь? Whom dost thou see? Ans. бpára brother. Что ты держишь?? What dost thou hold? Ans. шляпу the hat. (6) Instrumental (творительный), which answers to the ques 1 The questions, Кто ? Кого? Кому? Кѣмъ? О Комъ? serve for the animate nouns ; whilst Что? Чего? Чему? Чѣмъ ? О Чёмъ? are used in the cases of the inanimate and abstract nouns. 2 Second person, singular number, imperative mood, of the verb пойтй. Trans. 3 With the impersonal verb ныт the genitive case is required. Trans. 4 Past tense of the verb oтдáть. Trans. 5 Present tense of the verb yдUBлÁться, which governs the dative. Trans. 6 Present tense of the verb BÚдьть. Trans. ' Present tense of the verb держáть. Trans. tions-Kм? чмʊ? by whom? by what? or by which? Ex. K‡мб тыι довÓлен?1 With whom art thou satisfied? Ans. Áрároмõ, with the brother.-ч£мõ ты довÓлен? with what, or with which, art thou satisfied? Ans. шáno, with the hat. (7) Prepositional (предлóный), which answers to the questions-о комъ? о чёмъ? при комъ ? при чёмъ? на комъ? на чёмъ? въ комъ, въ чёмъ? about whom ? about which, or what? near or at whom? near or at which or what? on whom? on which or what? in whom? in which or what? Е. О комъ я говорю? 2 about whom do I speak? Ans. О братѣ, about brother. -О чёмъ я говорю? about which or what do I speak? Ans. O mлáп, about the hat. Obs. The nominative and vocative cases, the terminations of which are not subject to change (further than is caused by number), are called the direct (nрямóй) cases; whereas all the other cases, the terminations of which do alter (differing the one from the other), are called the oblique (Kócвенньιй) The prepositional case is always used with prepositions (пpeдóг). The following are the most frequently used prepositions :-0, or oбь, or oбo (about), Hа (on or cases. upon), при (near, at, in the presence of), вь or вo (in or at). § 37. The declension (склонéнie) of nouns marks the changes of termination which they undergo according to number and case. In the Russian language there are three declensions. To the first belong those nouns substantive which terminate in ō, й and ʊ, being of the masculine gender. To the second those which terminate in a and я, of both the masculine and feminine genders, and those in of the feminine gender only. To the third those which terminate in o, e and мя, being of the neuter gender. § 38. Nouns substantive are declined according to the following tables : 1 Abbreviated form of the adjective довÓльный. Trans. 2 Present tense of the verb гoвoрúть. Trans. |