Editing Shilha language (section)

==== Inflected nouns ====
Inflected nouns are by far the most numerous type. These nouns can be easily recognised from their outward shape: they begin with a nominal prefix which has the form {{Not a typo|(t)V-}}:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|azal}} "daytime"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|igigil}} "orphan"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|uṣkay}} "hound"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|tadgg°at}} "evening"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|tibinṣrt}} "marsh mallow (plant)"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|tuḍfit}} "ant"
Inflected nouns distinguish two genders, masculine and feminine; two numbers, singular and plural; and two states, conventionally referred to by their French names as {{Lang|fr|état libre}} ("free state") and {{Lang|fr|état d'annexion}} ("annexed state")<ref>Both Galand (1988. 4.11) and Kossmann (2012:67n7) rightly point out that the annexed state in Berber is not to be confused with the construct state of the Semitic languages.</ref> and glossed as '''EL''' and '''EA'''. Gender and number are all explicitly marked, but historical and synchronic sound changes have in some cases resulted in the neutralization of the difference between EL and EA.

The nominal prefix has no semantic content, i.e. it is not a sort of (in)definite article, although it is probably demonstrative in origin. It is made up of one or both of two elements, a gender prefix and a vocalic prefix. Singular feminine nouns may also have a gender suffix. For example, the noun {{Lang|shi-latn|tazdwit}} "bee" has the feminine prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|t-}}, the vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|a-}} and the feminine singular suffix {{Lang|shi-latn|-t}} added to the nominal stem {{Lang|shi-latn|zdwi}}. While feminine inflected nouns always have the feminine prefix, masculine nouns do not have a gender prefix in the free state (EL); for example {{Lang|shi-latn|abaɣuɣ}} "fox" has no gender prefix, but only a vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|a-}} added to the nominal stem {{Lang|shi-latn|baɣuɣ}}.

Gender is thus marked unambiguously, albeit asymmetrically. In just a handful of nouns, the morphological gender does not conform to the grammatical gender (and number): {{Lang|shi-latn|ulli}} "sheep and goats" is morphologically masculine singular, but takes feminine plural agreement; {{Lang|shi-latn|alln}} "eyes" is morphologically masculine plural, but takes feminine plural agreement; {{Lang|shi-latn|tarwa}} "(someone's) children, offspring" is morphologically feminine singular, but takes masculine plural agreement.

The annexed state (EA) is regularly formed by reducing the vocalic prefix to zero and, with masculine nouns, adding the masculine gender prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|w-}}:<ref name="Galand 1988, 4.11">Galand (1988, 4.11).</ref> 
:EL {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-zdwi-t}} "bee" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|t-zdwi-t}}
:EL {{Lang|shi-latn|a-baɣuɣ}} "fox" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|w-baɣuɣ}}
With some nouns, the original vocalic prefix has fused with a stem-initial vowel, to produce an inseparable (and irreducible) vowel:
:EL {{Lang|shi-latn|ayyur}} "moon, month" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|w-ayyur}} (not *{{Lang|shi-latn|w-yyur}})
:EL {{Lang|shi-latn|t-afuk-t}} "sun" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|t-afuk-t}} (not *{{Lang|shi-latn|t-fuk-t}})
With feminine nouns that have an inseparable vocalic prefix, the difference between EL and EA is thus neutralized.

While most inflected nouns have a vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|a-}}, some have {{Lang|shi-latn|i-}} (in some cases inseparable), and a few have {{Lang|shi-latn|u-}} (always inseparable). When a masculine noun has the vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|i-}} (separable or inseparable), the masculine gender prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|w-}} changes to {{Lang|shi-latn|y-}}. The table below presents an overview (all examples are singular; plurals also distinguish EL and EA):

{| class="wikitable"
| rowspan="2" | 
! colspan="2" | Masculine
| rowspan="2" | 
! colspan="2" | Feminine
|-
!width="100"| EL
!width="100"| EA
!width="100"| EL
!width="100"| EA
|-
|"fox"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|a-baɣuɣ}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|w-baɣuɣ}}
|"bee"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-zdwi-t}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-zdwi-t}}
|-
|"moon"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|ayyur}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|w-ayyur}}
|"sun"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-afuk-t }}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-afuk-t }}
|-
|"cave"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|i-fri}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|y-fri}}
|"meat"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-fiyi}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-fiyi}}
|-
|"ash"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|iɣd}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|y-iɣd}}
|"salt"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-isn-t}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-isn-t}}
|-
|"[[Barbary sheep|moufflon]]"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|udad}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|w-udad}}
|"light"
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-ufaw-t}}
|{{Lang|shi-latn|t-ufaw-t}}
|}

The EA is not predictable from the shape of the noun, compare:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|afus}} "hand" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|wfus}}
:{{Lang|shi-latn|afud}} "knee" → EA {{Lang|shi-latn|wafud}}
The phonological rules on the realization of /w/ and /j/ apply to the EA as well. For example, the EA of {{Lang|shi-latn|a-mɣar}} "chief" is /w-mɣar/, realized as {{Lang|shi-latn|wmɣar}} after a vowel, {{Lang|shi-latn|umɣar}} after a consonant:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|idda wmɣar s dar lqqaḍi}} "the chief went to see the judge"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|imun umɣar d lqqaḍi}} "the chief accompanied the judge"
Inflected nouns show a great variety of plural formations, applying one or more of the following processes:
*suffixation (masculine {{Lang|shi-latn|-n}}, feminine {{Lang|shi-latn|-in}})
*vowel change (insertion or elision, or [[apophony|ablaut]])
*consonant gemination or degemination
*stem extension (+{{Lang|shi-latn|aw}}, +{{Lang|shi-latn|iw}}, +{{Lang|shi-latn|t}}, +{{Lang|shi-latn|w}}, always in combination with a suffix)
There are also irregular and suppletive plurals. The feminine singular suffix {{Lang|shi-latn|-t}} is naturally lost in the plural.

Independent from these processes, the separable vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|a-}} is always replaced with {{Lang|shi-latn|i-}}. An inseparable vocalic prefix either remains unchanged, or changes as part of vowel change (but if the vocalic prefix is inseparable in the singular, it may be separable in the plural, as with {{Lang|shi-latn|aduz}} "dune", and vice versa, as with {{Lang|shi-latn|aydi}} "dog"; see table below).

Below is a sample of nouns, illustrating various plural formations.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
!width="140"| ||width="140"| Singular|| width="140" | Plural|| width="400" | Process(es)
|-
| "mountain"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|a-drar}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-drar-n}}|| suffixation
|-
| "dune"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|aduz}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-dazz-n}}|| vowel change, gemination, suffixation
|-
| "head"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|a-gayyu}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-guyya}}|| vowel change
|-
| "ear"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|a-mẓẓuɣ}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-mzga-n}}|| (irregular plural)
|-
| "waterhole"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|anu}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|una}}|| vowel change
|-
| "document"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|arra}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|arra+t-n}}|| stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "day"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|ass}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|ussa-n}}|| vowel change, suffixation
|-
| "dog"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|a-ydi}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|iḍa-n}}|| (irregular plural)
|-
| "forehead"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-gnzi}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-gnzi+t-n}}|| stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "forearm"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-ɣil}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-ɣall-n}}|| vowel change, gemination, suffixation
|-
| "scorpion"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|iɣirdm}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|iɣardm+iw-n}}|| vowel change, stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "witness"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-nigi}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-naga-n}}|| vowel change, suffixation
|-
| "slave"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-smg}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|i-smga-n}}|| vowel change, suffixation
|-
| "face"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|udm}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|udm+aw-n}}|| stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "song"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|urar}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|urar-n}}|| suffixation
|-
| "jackal"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|uccn}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|uccan-n}}|| vowel change, suffixation
|-
| "egg"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-glay-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-glay}}|| (irregular plural)
|-
| "thing"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-ɣawsa}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-ɣaws+iw-in}}|| stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "mouse"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-ɣrday-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-ɣrday-in}}|| suffixation
|-
| "churn"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-gccul-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-g°cl-in}}|| vowel change, suffixation, degemination
|-
| "fireplace"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-aka-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-aka+t-in}}|| stem extension, suffixation
|-
| "woman" || {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-mɣar-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-u-mɣar-in}}{{efn|In a few feminine nouns, the plural vocalic prefix {{Lang|shi-latn|i}} has become {{Lang|shi-latn|u}} under the influence of a following {{Lang|shi-latn|m}}, as in {{Lang|shi-latn|t-u-mɣar-in}} "women" and {{Lang|shi-latn|t-u-mẓ-in}} "barley" (cf. Central Atlas Tamazight {{Lang|tzm-latn|t-i-mɣar-in, t-i-mẓ-in}}).}} || suffixation
|-
| "porcupine"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-aruc-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-urac}}|| vowel change
|-
| "key"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-saru-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-sura}}|| vowel change
|-
| "house"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-gmmi}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-i-g°mma}}|| vowel change
|-
| "ewe"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-ili}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-att-n}}|| (suppletive plural)
|-
| "meal"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-irm-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-iram}}|| vowel change
|-
| "eye"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-iṭṭ}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|all-n}}|| (suppletive plural)
|-
| "mountain pass"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-izi}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-izza}}|| vowel change, gemination
|-
| "lioness"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-izm-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-izm+aw-in}}|| suffixation, stem extension
|-
| "light"|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-ifaw-t}}|| {{Lang|shi-latn|t-ifaw-in}}|| suffixation
|}

The plural is generally not predictable from the shape of the singular, compare:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|aduku}} "shoe", plural {{Lang|shi-latn|idukan}} (vowel change and suffix)
:{{Lang|shi-latn|aruku}} "utensil", plural {{Lang|shi-latn|irukutn}} (stem extension and suffix)
Many nouns have more than one plural, for example {{Lang|shi-latn|a-jnwiy}} "knife", plural {{Lang|shi-latn|i-jnway}} (vowel change) or {{Lang|shi-latn|i-jnwiy-n}} (suffixation).

Many Shilha place-names are morphologically inflected nouns:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|A-nammr}} "Anammeur"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|I-ɣ°rays-n}} " Irhoreïsene"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|T-a-rudan-t}} "Taroudant"
:{{Lang|shi-latn|T-i-zgzaw-in}} "Tizegzaouine"
The same is the case with Shilha ethnic names:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|Amml-n}} "the Ammeln" (singular {{Lang|shi-latn|Imml}})
:{{Lang|shi-latn|Actuk-n}} "the Achtouken" (singular {{Lang|shi-latn|Actuk}})
:{{Lang|shi-latn|I-lall-n}} "the Ilallen" (singular {{Lang|shi-latn|I-lillu}})
:{{Lang|shi-latn|I-sk°ta-n}} "the Isouktan" (singular {{Lang|shi-latn|A-sktu}})
Among the inflected nouns are found many incorporated loans. Examples include:
:{{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-kira}} "wax" (from Latin)
:{{Lang|shi-latn|a-ɣanim}} "reeds" (from Punic)
:{{Lang|shi-latn|urti}} "vegetable plot, orchard" (from early Romance)
:{{Lang|shi-latn|a-muslm}} "Muslim" (from Arabic)
:{{Lang|shi-latn|t-a-bra-t}} "letter, missive" (from Arabic)