|
Irregular Plurals
In old English,
everything was irregular. These are very old words and most refer to physical
things: people, animals and body parts. Some also refer to the religious
beliefs of the Celts.
| |
|
Singular |
|
Plural |
| People |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
child |
|
children |
| |
|
man |
|
men |
| |
|
person |
|
people |
| |
|
woman |
|
women |
| "Persons"
is a legal expression meaning "subjects of rights and duties."
"Peoples" means "des peuples." |
| Animals |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
goose |
|
geese |
| |
|
louse |
|
lice |
| |
|
mouse |
|
mice |
| |
|
ox |
|
oxen |
| Body
Parts |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
foot |
|
feet |
| |
|
tooth |
|
teeth |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Never change |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
aircraft |
|
aircraft |
| |
|
caribou |
|
caribou |
| |
|
corps |
|
corps |
| |
|
deer |
|
deer |
| |
|
elk |
|
elk |
| |
|
fish |
|
fish1 |
| |
|
means |
|
means |
| |
|
moose |
|
moose |
| |
|
reindeer |
|
reindeer |
| |
|
series |
|
series |
| |
|
sheep |
|
sheep |
| |
|
species |
|
species |
| |
|
swine |
|
swine |
1 Specific kinds
of fish follow the same rule, e.g. one trout, two trout, one cod, two
cod, one halibut, two halibut, etc.
Endings
in -F or -fe become -ves
| calf |
|
calves |
| dwarf |
|
dwarves |
| elf |
|
elves |
| half |
|
halves |
| hoof |
|
hooves |
| knife |
|
knives |
| leaf |
|
leaves2 |
| life |
|
lives |
| loaf |
|
loaves |
| scarf |
|
scarves |
| self |
|
selves |
| shelf |
|
shelves |
| thief |
|
thieves |
| wife |
|
wives |
| wolf |
|
wolves |
| wharf |
|
wharves |
2
Toronto Maples Leafs is an exception.
American
English has simplified many of these forms, but the "classic"
way of saying and writing them gives a definite sense of sophistication
or snobbishness. Many scientific terms come from Latin.
-um
or -on become -a
| addendum |
|
addenda |
| bacterium |
|
bacteria |
| criterion |
|
criteria |
| curriculum |
|
curricula |
| datum |
|
data |
| erratum |
|
errata |
| forum |
|
fora |
| medium |
|
media |
| millennium |
|
milennia |
| ovum |
|
ova |
| phenomenon |
|
phenomena |
| referendum |
|
referenda |
| stratum |
|
strata |
| symposium |
|
symposia |
-is
becomes -es
| analysis |
|
analyses |
| antithesis |
|
antitheses |
| axis |
|
axes |
| basis |
|
bases |
| crisis |
|
crises |
| diagnosis |
|
diagnoses |
| ellipsis |
|
ellipses |
| emphasis |
|
emphases |
| hypothesis |
|
hypotheses |
| neurosis |
|
neuroses |
| oasis |
|
oases |
| paralysis |
|
paralyses |
| parenthesis |
|
parentheses |
| synopsis |
|
synopses |
| synthesis |
|
syntheses |
| thesis |
|
theses |
-x
becomes -ces
| appendix |
|
appendices |
| index |
|
indices |
| matrix |
|
matrices |
-a
becomes -ae
| alumna |
|
alumnae |
| antenna |
|
antennae |
| formula |
|
formulae |
| nebula |
|
nebulae |
| persona |
|
personae |
| vertebra |
|
vertebrae |
-us
or -os become -i
| alumnus |
|
alumni |
| apparatus |
|
apparati |
| cactus |
|
cacti |
| fungus |
|
fungi |
| hippopotamus |
|
hippopotami |
| nucleus |
|
nuclei |
| octopus |
|
octopi |
| radius |
|
radii |
| rhinoceros |
|
rhinoceri |
| stimulus |
|
stimuli |
| syllabus |
|
syllabi |
|
