Plural Formation

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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/.

singular plural
an cat na cait
am boireannach na boireannaich
an t-òran na h-òrain

Plural type 1.2 - Orthographic vowel change

Make the final vowel slender by changing the orthographic vowel

singular plural
an t-iasg na h-èisg
am bòrd na bùird


Plural type 2 - suffix (e)an

Plural type 2.1 suffix -an

singular plural
an gille an gillean
a' nighean na nigheanan
a' chraobh na chraobhan
a' bhròg na brògan
a' phòg na pògan
a' sgian na sgianan )

2.2 suffix -ean

singular plural
an taigh na taighean

2.3 make slender and suffix -ean

singular plural
an clàrsach na clàrsaichean
an rathad an rathaidean

2.4 syncope and suffix -an

singular plural
an t-ubhal na h-ubhlan


Plural type 3, suffix (a)ichean

singular plural
an car na càraichean
an bosca na boscaichean


irregular plurals

singular plural
a' chaora na caoraich
an cù na coin
an duine na daoine