Return to Aristotle, On Interpretation
1. A Noun is a spoken sound, used to signify something by compact, without time, of which no part taken separately is spoken to signify anything.
2. Thus, in the Greek noun kallippos, the part ippos is not spoken to signify anything by itself, as it is in the phrase kalos ippos (beautiful horse). Nor is it in simple nouns as it is in nouns that are conjoined. For in simple nouns, a part is by no means spoken to signify anything by itself; but in the latter, a part wishes to be significant, yet is not spoken to signify anything by itself. Thus, in the word epaktrokeles, the part keles is not spoken to signify anything by itself.
3. I say “according to compact” because no name or noun is provided by nature, but is established (by men) as a symbol. For illiterate sounds also signify something, such as the sounds of beasts, of which there is no noun.
4. The expression “not man”, however, is not a noun. Neither is a name instituted by which it ought to be called; for it is neither a sentence, nor a negation. Let this be called an indefinite noun, because it is similarly inherent in that which exists, as in that which does not.
5. The words Philonos, Philoni, and such like, are not nouns, but are the cases of a noun. But the definition of the cases of a noun is the same as the definition of a noun (i.e., the Nominative case). Because, however, in conjunction with the verb “is” or “was” or “will be”, the case of a noun does not signify anything true or false, while a noun always signifies this, hence it differs from a noun. For instance, the phrases “Philonos is” and “Philonos is not.” do not signify anything true or false.
Return to Aristotle, On Interpretation
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