Plural Forms of Foreign-Based Nouns

ENGLISH 6

by Ms. Ma. Catherine Cauba

​OBSERVE...

• ​country - countries

• ​key - keys

• ​woman - women

• ​ox - oxen

• ​child - children

• ​leaf - leaves

• ​apple - apples

​BUT...

• there are some words with foreign origin which form their plurals by retaining their foreign plurals

• others have English equivalents​

​

​THINGS TO REMEMBER IN FORMING THE PLURALS OF FOREIGN OR BORROWED WORDS

​1.

If you are using English, the English equivalent of the foreign plural nouns will be followed unless the English language has also made use of the foreign plural nouns. However, if you are Greek, Latin, French, or Italian, then use your original language in forming the plurals of nouns.

​

​ analysis - analyses

​ basis - bases

​ datum - data

​ curriculum - curricula

​ phenomenon - phenomena

​2. Words that always take the Latin plural when used in English include the following:

LATIN SINGULAR LATIN PLURAL ENGLISH EQUIVALENT

​ larva larvae larvae

alumna alumnae alumnae

vertebra vertebrae vertebrae

​2. Other nouns take either Latin or English plurals

PLURAL FORM IN LATIN PLURAL FORM IN ENGLISH

​

​ amoeba amoebas

​ formulae formulas

​ matrix matrices

​ suffix suffixes

​ vortex vortices

​

​NOTE: Plurals ending in -ae is used more often in formal, scientific, or technical terms.

​3. Plurals of Greek words that end in -ata usually take the English plural form by adding s but the Greek ending may also be used.

​Greek singular form Greek plural form English equivalent

​

​ dogma dogmata dogmas

​ schema schemata schemas

​

​3. ...Some exceptions are the following:

a. stigma

​

​ stigmata - (plural)

​ - Greek; refers to marks on the hands and feet of religious people

​

​ stigmas - English; refers to the central part of a flower

​

​ stigma - English; refers to "a mark of shame"

​ - uncountable and never pluralized

​3. ...Some exceptions are the following:

b. paraphernalia

​

​ A Greek plural, paraphernalia is generally an uncountable noun in English as in:

​ All this paraphernalia is what we need to prove our case.

4.

​Greek words ending in -es do not change in the plural. We say "one series, two series, one species, two species".

5.

​Greek ending -is changes to -es and this is mostly followed in English such as:

​

​analysis - analyses

​crisis - crises

​diagnosis - diagnoses

6.

French words ending in vowel clusters, such as -eau, -ou, -ieu usually take the -x in the plural form of the original language. However, English can take the -s ending but the foreign -x ending may also be used.

​

​FRENCH SINGULAR FRENCH PLURAL ENGLISH PLURAL

​chateau chateaux chateaus, chateaux

​beau beaux beaus, beaux

​6.

Italian words ending in -o usually take the English regular plurals such as follows:

​

​ITALIAN SINGULAR ITALIAN PLURAL ENGLISH PLURAL

​solo solos solos

​soprano sopranos sopranos

​

​When deciding on what plural form to use for words with foreign roots, the rule is to use the plural form used in the country or place you are in. This means that if you are in an English-speaking country or learning English, then it is best to use the English form. However, if you are in the country where the foreign root word is used, then you should use what the native speakers of that country use.

ACTIVITY​

A. INSTRUCTIONS: ​(10 items - 1 point each)

1. Choose the correct plural form of the noun in each of the following sentences.

2. ​You are given 2 minutes to answer each sentence.

3. ​Observe proper writing of your answers.

4. ​THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS.

Fill in the Blank

The (trauma, traumas) which the victims have experienced were varied and life-threatening. 

Fill in the Blank

There is a need to move the victims or patients to their respective (chateaux, chateaus) once they are in stable condition.

Fill in the Blank

The court case brought the (stigma, stigmas) upon the defendants. 

Fill in the Blank

The (stigma, stigmas) received the pollen when the bees alighted on them.

Fill in the Blank

Now, less (stigma, stigmas) seem to be attached to having mental disorder than it has been in the past. 

Fill in the Blank

The (criterion, criteria) for evaluating the project were given to the judges.

Fill in the Blank

The rare (phenomenon, phenomena) occurred in the desert. 

Fill in the Blank

What are your (basis, bases) for saying that the accused is guilty?

Fill in the Blank

The (axis, axes) of planets are within a magnetic field. 

Fill in the Blank

Most plants and animal cells have (nucleus, nuclei).