Plural Formation

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Revision as of 01:56, 25 June 2009 by AndrewCarnie (talk | contribs) (2.2 suffix -ean)

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  • for a definition of plural see Plural (definition)
  • for an article on the inflection of adjectives in the plural see XXX

Plural type 1 Slenderization

Plural type 1.1 - Orthographic i

Make the final consonant slender orthographically by inserting an i before the final consonant. This sometimes shifts the pronunciation of the final vowel as well. /bor'əNəx/ --> /bor'əNiç/.

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
an cat na cait cat
am boireannach na boireannaich woman
an t-òran na h-òrain song


Plural type 1.2 - Orthographic vowel change

Make the final vowel slender by changing the orthographic vowel

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
an t-iasg na h-èisg fish
am bòrd na bùird table


Plural type 2 - suffix (e)an

Plural type 2.1 suffix -an

Common singular Common/Dative Plural English
an gille an gillean boy
a' nighean na nigheanan girl
a' chraobh na chraobhan tree
a' bhròg na brògan shoe
a' phòg na pògan kiss
a' sgian na sgianan knife
an leanabh na leanabhan child
pàisde pàisdean infant

2.2 suffix -ean

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
an taigh na taighean house
an t-iasgadair na hiasgadairan fisherman
cariad caraidean friend
càird càirdean relative

2.3 make slender and suffix -ean

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
an clàrsach na clàrsaichean harp
an rathad na rathaidean road
am monadh na monaidhean moor


2.4 syncope and suffix -an

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
an t-ubhal na h-ubhlan egg

Suffix anan

rium riumanan room

Suffix tan

Common singular Common/Dative plural English
a' bheinn na beanntan mountain


Plural type 3, suffix (a)ichean

singular plural English
an car na càraichean car
an bocsa na bocsaichean box
am bàta na bàtaichean boat



irregular plurals

singular plural English
a' chaora na caoraich sheep
an cù na coin
an duine na daoine husband/person
a' mhuir na marannan sea
a' bhò na ba cow