Certain nouns take the suffixed pronoun denoting the possessor.
These are nouns denoting:
a. Parts of the body: _lima_ hand, _limagu_ my hand, _aba_ arm,
_abamu_ thy arm, _maa_ eye, _maamu_ thy eye.
b. Position, end, middle, top: _buri_ behind, _burigu_ behind me, _i
dalumana_ in the midst, _isingana_ its end, _i kamena lobo_ beside
the lake, _i fafona_ on top of it.
c. Certain states or doings of men: life, death, speech, custom,
goings: _mae_ to die, _maela_ death, _maelana_ his death, _baela_
speech, _baelagu_ my word.
d. The word _sasi_ brother, _sasigu_ my brother, my sister. The
other words denoting relationship employ the personal pronoun to
denote possession.
2. Formation of nouns: Nouns which have a special termination
showing them to be nouns substantive are (a) verbal nouns and (b)
independent nouns.
a. Verbal nouns are formed from verbs by the terminations _a_, _fa_,
_la_, _ta_: _mae_ to die, _maea_ death or sickness, _maela_ death,
_bae_ to speak, _baea_ word, _baela_ speech, _fanga_ to eat,
_fangaa_ feast, food, _fangala_ food, _mae_ to die, _maemaefa_
sickness, _nao_ to lead, _naofa_ first, _naofe mwela_ eldest child,
also with suffixed pronoun _naofana mwela_; _ta_ is seen in the root
_afuta_ all, which is used only with the suffixed pronoun,
_afutagera_ all of them, _afutana na ai gi_ all the people. The
termination _la_ has a more or less gerundival force.
Compound nouns may be formed, _girigiri lifoa_ gnashing of teeth,
_saitama dooa_ wisdom.
Where in the vocabulary _fa_ and _ta_ have a hyphen attached, it is
intended to show that they are used only with the suffixed pronoun
attached.
There are certain adjectives to which the termination _la_ is
attached, _diena_ good, _dienala_ goodness, _baita_ big, _baitala_
bigness, and _tasa_ in excess, _tasala_ excess. It is probable,
however, that these words are really verbs.
b. Independent nouns: The only termination is na, and this is added
(1) to certain nouns which express relation ship or kindred; (2) to
cardinal numerals to form ordinals. 1. Nouns so formed are always
preceded by a prefix which marks reciprocity of relationship or
kindred, _mwai_, and by the numeral _ro_ two; _sasi_ brother, _ro
mwai sasina_ the two brothers, _te_ mother, _ro mwai telana_ wife
and child.