Editing Umbrian language (section)

===== First Declension =====
The Umbrian first declension retained the elongated {{Lang|xum|-ā}} stem in the nominative singular, whereas in Latin it shortened to {{Lang|xum|-a}}. However, the vowel "ā' in Umbrian became a more [[Roundedness|rounded vowel]] akin to the "a" in English "call."{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=30}} Umbrian also retained the elongated {{Lang|xum|-ām}} stem in the accusative singular, although the final {{Lang|xum|-m}} is often dropped in writing, likely because the final sound was pronounced so faintly that it was somewhat negligible. The accusative plural form derives from Proto-Italic {{Lang|itc|-ans}}, which evolved into {{Lang|xum|-af}}. The final {{Lang|xum|-f}} was pronounced so weakly that it is often dropped often from inscriptions, although this is more common in the later Iguvine tablets written in the Latin script than the older Iguvine tablets written in the Old Italic script.{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=115}} For the dative singular, the Proto-Italic [[diphthong]] {{Lang|itc|-āi}} was [[Monophthongization|monophthongized]] to {{Lang|xum|-ē}}. It was likely an [[open vowel]] as it is never misspelt with {{Lang|la|-i}}, which occurs frequently in the related Oscan language for terms with {{Lang|xum|-ē}} or {{Lang|xum|-oi}} in the final syllables.{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=44}} Like Latin, Umbrian dropped the final {{Lang|la|-d}} at the end of words; thus, the ablative singular form in Umbrian evolved into {{Lang|xum|-ā}} from {{Lang|xum|-ād}}.{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=84}} Umbrian inherited the genitive singular ending {{Lang|xum|-ās}} from Proto-Italic, which also appears in [[Old Latin]] and persisted into [[Classical Latin]] through terms such as {{Lang|la|[[pater familias]]}}. The genitive plural ending, {{Lang|xum|-āsōm}}, likely retained the long {{Lang|xum|-ō}} as—in neither Oscan nor Umbrian—is vowel contraction observed prior to the final consonants {{Lang|la|r}}, {{Lang|la|t}}, {{Lang|la|l}}, and {{Lang|la|m}}.{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=115}} Although there is no attested first declension vocative plural, the vocative singular likely appears in certain names and was likely marked by the ending {{Lang|xum|-a}}. Buck concludes that it was likely a short vowel as it is never misspelt as {{Lang|xum|-o}} in inscriptions. The locative singular ending is identical with that of the dative singular and the locative plural is identical with that of the ablative plural. In Umbrian inscriptions, the locative ending was often suffixed by the [[Postpositive adjective|postpositive]] form {{Lang|xum|-en}}, which was sometimes written separately from the word (for instance, "{{Lang|xum|tafle e fertu}}," meaning "to carry on a table") or merged with the term through [[Contraction (grammar)|contraction]] (see {{Lang|xum|'''arven'''}}, meaning "into the field"). In some circumstances, the form altered to {{Lang|xum|-em}} through contraction; for example, the term {{Lang|xum|Acersoniem}}, meaning "at Acedonia."{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=114}} There is also evidence of masculine proper names bearing the same {{Lang|xum|-ā}} stem of the first declension. Such names are occasionally borrowed from Greek, although they omit the final {{Lang|xum|-s}}; names such as {{Lang|xum|'''Arkiia'''}} from {{Lang|grc|Ἀρχίας}} ("{{Lang|grc|Arkhíās}}," "Archias"). Other names end in {{Lang|xum|-as}} and appear to derive from Italic sources, such as {{Lang|xum|'''Tanas'''}} or {{Lang|xum|'''Markas'''}}. Only one oblique form for masculine first declension forms is attested: the accusative singular form {{Lang|xum|'''Velliam'''}}. Another form, that possibly was a genitive singular of a masculine first declension term, is attested: {{Lang|xum|'''Maraheis'''}}.{{Sfn|Buck|1904|p=115}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="3" |First Declension Feminine
|-
!Case
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
|{{Lang|xum|-ā}}
|{{Lang|xum|-ās}}
|-
!Accusative
|{{Lang|xum|-ām}}
|{{Lang|xum|-āf}}
|-
!Dative
|{{Lang|xum|-ē}}
|{{Lang|xum|-ēs}}
|-
!Genitive
|{{Lang|xum|-ās}}
|{{Lang|xum|-āsōm}}
|-
!Ablative
|{{Lang|xum|-ā}}
|{{Lang|xum|-ēs}}
|-
!Vocative
|{{Lang|xum|-a}}
|
|-
!Locative
|{{Lang|xum|-ē}}
|{{Lang|xum|-ēs}}
|}