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Foreign Plurals

Many foreign words in English have retained their original plural forms, especially terms from Latin and Greek used in science and technology. Examples include "bacteria" and "criteria". Over time, some words have developed both the original foreign plural and an English "-s" plural, such as "formulae/formulas". More recently borrowed words from French and Italian also often have dual plurals. A few native English words can also take different plurals depending on intended meaning, like "die/dice".

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3K views4 pages

Foreign Plurals

Many foreign words in English have retained their original plural forms, especially terms from Latin and Greek used in science and technology. Examples include "bacteria" and "criteria". Over time, some words have developed both the original foreign plural and an English "-s" plural, such as "formulae/formulas". More recently borrowed words from French and Italian also often have dual plurals. A few native English words can also take different plurals depending on intended meaning, like "die/dice".

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BelenVettese
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FOREIGN PLURALS

There is a large number of foreign words that have been absorbed into the language.
Sometimes, especially in the technical language of science, these have not been
thoroughly naturalized and they keep their foreign plural forms. The largest number
by far of these foreign plurals are of Latin or Greek origin.
Latin
axis axes
bacillus bacilli
medium media
stratum strata
bacterium bacteria
locus loci
radius radii
corrigendum corrigenda
addendum addenda
erratum errata
larva larvae
nebula nebulae
Greek
analysis analyses
basis bases
crisis crises
hypothesis hypotheses
thesis theses
phenomenon phenomena
criterion criteria
oasis oases

The longer the words have been in the language, the more they tend to conform to the
English plural in -s. Some words are at the half-way stage with two plurals, the
original foreign one and the English one:
Singular form Original foreign plural English plural
appendix appendixes appendices
2

formula formulae formulas


terminus termini terminases
fungus fungi funguses
retina retinae retinas
cactus cacti cactuses
focus foci focuses
aquarium aquaria aquariums
curriculum currcula curriculums
maximum maxima maximums
memorandum memoranda memorandums
minimum minima minimums
sanatorium sanatoria sanatoriums
vortex vortices vortexes
automaton automata automatons

Most words taken in fairly recent times from French or Italian have their original and
also their English plural. Practically all the older words conform to the English pattern.
Recent words with two forms are:
bureau bureaux bureaus
tableau tableaux tableaus
portmanteau portmanteaux portmanteaus
adieu adieaux adieus
trousseau trousseaux trousseaus
bandit banditti bandits
libretto libretti librettos
soprano soprani sopranos
virtuoso virtuosi virtuosos

In some cases the two plurals have different meanings:


index indexes (= table of contents)
indices (= algebraical signs)
genius geniuses (= persons of unusually great mental powers)
genii (= good or evil spirits)
die dies (= metal stamps for making money)
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dice (= small cubes of bone or wood used in games of


chance)
formula formulas (= forms of words)
formulae (= mathematical terms)
medium mediums (= people claiming communication with spirits)
media (= means, agencies)

There are also one or two native English words that have two plurals with different
meanings:
brother brothers
brethren
cloth cloths (= different pieces or kinds of cloth)
clothes (= articles of dress)
penny pennies (= individual coins)
pence (= collective value)

Many foreign words have now become completely naturalized and always take the
English plural:
bonus bonuses
chorus choruses
circus circuses
isthmus isthmuses
omnibus omnibuses
prospectus prospectuses
area areas
arena arenas
encyclopaedia encyclopaedias
era eras
idea ideas
panacea panaceas
peninsula peninsulas
sonata sonatas
solo solos
umbrella umbrellas
4

villa villas
album albums
asylum asylums
chrysanthemum chrysanthemums
museum museums
iris irises
demon demons

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