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In our last lesson, we looked at Twi proper nouns (Edin pa). We said proper nouns are used to identify specific entities such as a particular individual, place, organization, etc. In contrast, there are some nouns that are used to name general items. We call such nouns common nouns, known in Twi as Edin Hunu. We will be focusing on such nouns in today’s lesson.

What is common noun?

Like we indicated above, a common noun is a noun used to name general items, as opposed to specific ones. So, whereas proper nouns (edin pa) name specific entities, common nouns denote a class of objects or concepts. For instance, the noun dog (kraman) is a general term used to denote any kind of dog. Dog (kraman) is, therefore, a common noun. However, if you have a specific dog at home that you have named Adom (Grace), the name Adom (Grace) will be classified as a proper noun since it refers to a particular dog among all dogs.

A distinguishing feature between common nouns and proper nouns is, unlike proper nouns that are capitalized no matter where they appear in a sentence, common nouns are usually not capitalizd; unless they begin a sentence or are part of a title.

Examples of common nouns in Twi

Usage examples

1. Sa nsuo ma me.

     Fetch me water.

2. To dwom ma me.

     Sing a song for me.

3. Ma me sika.

     Give me money.

4. Aduane no yɛ dɛ.

     The food is delicious.

5. Tena akonnwa no so.

     Sit on the chair.

Look around, find names of general items that you can add to the list. If you don’t know the Twi name of any item, you can always ask in the comments section below.

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