1. Definition

Generally speaking, the term ‘noun’ can be used either as a synonym for ‘substantive’ and ‘ adjective’, or as an umbrella term for all ‘nominal’ parts of the sentence, including adjectives as well as pronouns and numerals. In the context of Semitic and Arabic linguistics, ‘noun’ (ism) is always used in the first, narrower sense. The demarcation between substantive and adjective poses a morphosyntactic problem in some Semitic languages (noun phrase;…