HOW WORDS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES FORM THEIR PLURAL
1. Words ending in IN ‘is’
Words ending in ‘is’ form their plurals by changing ‘is’ into ‘es’.
1. analysis | analyses | 6. ellipsis | ellipses |
2. axis | axes | 7. hypothesis | hypotheses |
3. basis | bases | 8. hypnosis | hypnoses |
4. crisis | crises | 9. metamorphosis | metamorphoses |
5. diagnosis | diagnoses | 10. narcosis | narcoses |
11. oasis | oases | 12. parenthesis | parentheses |
13. synthesis | syntheses | 14. synopsis | synopses |
15. thesis | theses |
HYPOTHESIS = an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved (परिकल्पना). HYPNOSIS (सम्मोहन) = a mental state like sleep, in which a person’s thoughts can be easily influenced by someone else; e.g. Under deep hypnosis she remembered the traumatic events of that night. (METAMORPHOSIS = a complete change; e.g. Under the new editor, the magazine has undergone a metamorphosis. NARCOSIS = a state of stupor, drowsiness, or unconsciousness produced by drugs (अचेतनता). OASIS = a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found ( मरुस्थल के बीच हरित भूमि). PARENTHESIS = Either or both of the upright curved lines, used to mark off explanatory or qualifying remarks in writing or printing (ब्रैकेट). SYNOPSIS = a short description of the contents of something such as a film or book (रूप-रेखा)
2. Words ending in ‘um’
A) Words that form their plurals by adding ‘s’ at the end.
1. album | albums | 8. petroleum | petroleums |
2. asylum | asylums | 9. podium | podiums |
3. auditorium | auditoriums | 10. premium | premiums |
4. decorum | decorums | 11. forum | forums |
5. euphonium | euphoniums | 12. gymnasium | gymnasiums |
6. nostrum | nostrums | 13. harmonium | harmoniums |
7. pendulum | pendulums | 14. mausoleum | mausoleums |
15. museum | museums | 16. quorum | quorums |
17. rostrum | rostrums | 18. stadium | stadiums |
19. ultimatum | ultimatums |
ASYLUM = an institution for the care of people who are mentally ill; e.g. He’d been committed to an asylum. (पागलखाना). EUPHONIUM = a large musical instrument made from brass that you play by blowing into it. MAUSOLEUM = a building in which the bodies of dead people are buried (मकबरा). NOSTRUM = an idea for solving a problem, especially one that is not very good PODIUM = a small platform on which a person may stand to be seen by an audience, as when making a speech or conducting an orchestra (मंच). ROSTRUM = a raised surface on which a person making a speech or a music conductor (= leader) stands) (मंच)
B) Words that form their plurals by changing ‘um’ into ‘a’.
1. addendum | addenda | 6. curriculum | curricula |
2. agendum | agenda | 7. datum | data |
3. bacterium | bacteria | 8. dictum | dicta |
4. corrigendum | corrigenda | 9. erratum | errata |
5. crematorium | crematoria | 10. maximum | maxima |
11. minimum | minima | 12. memorandum | memoranda |
13. momentum | momenta | 14. stratum | strata |
CREMATORIUM = a place where a dead person’s body is cremated (श्मशान). DICTUM = a short statement, especially one expressing advice or a general truth; e.g. He followed the famous American dictum ‘Don’t get mad, get even’. (कहावत). ERRATUM = a mistake in a printed or written document. STRATUM = one of the parts or layers into which something is separated; e.g. The report shows that drugs have penetrated every stratum of American society.
C) Words that form their plurals in two ways; you can either change ‘um’ into ‘a’ or add ‘s’ at the end.
1. aquarium | aquariums or aquaria | 4. millennium | millenniums or millennia |
2. emporium | emporiums or emporia | 5. symposium | symposiums or symposia |
3. medium | mediums or media |
AQUARIUM = a transparent tank of water in which live fish and other water creatures and plants are kept (मछलीघर). SYMPOSIUM = an occasion at which people who have great knowledge of a particular subject meet in order to discuss a matter of interest
3. Words ending in ‘on’
A) Words that form their plurals by changing ‘on’ into ‘a’.
1. criterion | criteria | 2. phenomenon | phenomena |
B) Words that form their plurals by changing ‘on’ into ‘s’.
1. demon | demons | 3. neutron | neutrons |
2. electron | electrons | 4. proton | protons |
DEMON = an evil spirit
C) Words that form their plurals by changing ‘on’ into ‘s’ or ‘a’.
automaton | automatons or automata |
AUTOMATON = a machine that operates on its own without the need for human control, or a person who acts like a machine, without thinking or feeling; e.g. I take the same route to work every day, like some sort of automaton.
4. Words with no fixed pattern
1. bandit | banditti (or bandits) | 7. metropolis | metropolises |
2. Cherub | cherubim (or cherubs) | 8. monsieur | messieurs |
3. dogma | dogmas | 9. radius | radii |
4. formula | Formulas/Formulae | 10. seraph | seraphim (or seraphs) |
5. libretto | libretti or librettos | 11. tempo | tempi or tempos |
6. madame (madam) | mesdames | 12. terminus | termini (or terminuses) |
BANDIT = a thief with a weapon, especially one belonging to a group that attacks people travelling through the countryside (डाकू(CHERUB = an angel that is represented in art as a beautiful, fat, naked child with small wings. DOGMA = a fixed, especially religious, belief or set of beliefs that people are expected to accept without any doubts. FORMULA = as plural form formulae is used by scientists. LIBRETTO = the words that are sung or spoken in a musical work for the theatre. MONSIEUR = a title or form of address used of or to a French-speaking man, corresponding to Mr or Sir. SERAPH = an angel of the highest rank. TEMPO = the speed at which an event happens; e.g. We’re going to have to up the tempo (= work faster) if we want to finish on time.
NOTE-I: AGENDUM is not used in English. AGENDA, though a Latin plural, is treated as singular in English. Plural for AGENDA is both AGENDA and AGENDAS; e.g.
i) What is the agenda today?
ii) The agenda has not been drawn up yet.
NOTE-II: DATA is plural, therefore, we prefer a plural verb for this word generally, but in a certain context it is treated as a collective noun denoting a single body of facts rather than a number of individual points, and therefore use a singular verb in that meaning; e.g.
i) Is that all data we have in all?
ii) What are the data Sir? (used not as collective noun)
NOTE-III: The plural of METROPOLIS is METROPOLISES. There is a big difference in the usage of METROPOLIS and METROPOLITAN. METROPOLIS is a noun whereas METROPOLITAN is an adjective mainly; e.g.
1. i) Mumbai is a metropolis.
ii) There are seven metropolises in India.
iii) The temperature of all the metropolises has been here.
2. i) metropolitan police
ii) metropolitan life
iii) metropolitan culture
[But you can’t say metropolitan city as the term METROPOLITAN itself means relating to a city (very big city). Therefore the following sentences are incorrect.]
INCORRECT: He lives in a metropolitan city.
CORRECT: He lives in metropolis.
INCORRECT: Delhi is a metropolitan city.
CORRECT: Delhi is a metropolis.
We use the word METROPOLITAN as a noun also. METROPOLITAN here means an inhabitant of a metropolis. ; e.g.
I) He is a metropolitan.
II) They are metropolitans.
No Comment