In Naucan a noun phrase consists of a noun, optionally followed by modifiers (adjective phrases and prepositional phrases).
Basic Structure
The default order is:
Noun + Adjectives + Modifiers
Examples:
tapi → the boy
tapi saru → the happy boy
tapi saru ten kithen → the happy boy from the village
tapi saru thro karasēn → the happy boy during the festival
Adjectives always appear after the noun they modify.
They agree with the noun in case.
Possessive pronouns and quantifiers in Naucan behave like adjectives: they decline and appear after the noun.
Naucan does not have articles or determiners; definiteness and indefiniteness are expressed through context.
Examples:
tapi yokh → the tall boy (subjective)
tapik yokhkē → the tall boy (oblique)
no thōren merran → in the dark mountain (prepositional)
Adjective Order
When two or more adjectives appear together, their order is free, but they are always connected with a (“and”):
tapi yokh a phira → the tall and small boy
Elision of the Noun
The noun can be omitted when context makes it clear.
In that case, the adjective functions as a noun phrase on its own:
phira → the small one
In Naucan, numbers follow the noun they modify. They decline for case like adjectives or nouns.
Examples:
tapi az → one boy (subjective)
tapik ak → one boy (oblique)
no tapikē an → in one boy (prepositional)
tapi rur → two boys (subjective)
tapik ruk → two boys (oblique)
When a noun is formed by a noun + adjective compound, the adjective appears before the noun:
āmanak → first-born son (from ām “first” + anak “child, son”)
Appositions follow the noun:
tapi Mārek → the boy Marc