alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

Singular.
Plural.
Brother (one of the same family) brothers
Brother (one of the same society) brethren
Die (a stamp for coining) dies
Die (a Emall cube for gaming) dice
Genius (a man of genius) geniuses
Genius (a kind of spirit) genii
Index (a table of reference) indexes
Index (a &ign in algebra) indices
Pea (as a distinct seed) peas
Pea (as a species of grain) pease
Sow (an individual animal) sows
Sow or swine (the species) swine
Penny (a coin ---) pennies
Penny (a sum or value) pence
146. NOTE.-Though pence is plu1'al, yet such expressions as fourpencc,
stxpence, &c., as the name. of a 6um, or of a coin representiug that sum. is
oftcn regarded as singular, and so capable of a plural; as, " Three four·
pences, 01' two sixpcncis, make a shilling:' .. A new sixpence is heavier
than all old one."
147.-CompounJs eliding inful o1'full, and generally those which have
the important word last, form the plural regularly; as, spoonful, cupful,
coachful, handful, mouse-trap, ox-cart, court-yard, camcra-obscum, &c.;
plural, spoonfuls, cupfuls, coachfuls, &e.
148. Compounds in which the principal word stanJs first, pluralize the
first word; ae-
Singular.
Plural.
Commander-in-chief
commanders-ill-chief
Aid -de-camp
aids-de-cam p
Knight-errant
knights-errant
Court· martial
courts-martial
Cousin-german
cousins-german
Father-in-law, kc.
fathers-in-law, kc.
o
£Tl'MOLOGY-NOUNS-NUl\1BER. 27
Man-servant changes both; as, men-servants. So IIlso, women-servants,
knil5hts-tcmplars.
149. The compounds of man form the plural as the simple word; a"
fisherman, fishermen. But nouns accidentally ending in man, and not com·
pounds of man, form the plm'al by the general rule; as, Turcoman, Mus­
Bulman, talisman; plural, Turcomans, Mussulmans, &c.
150. Proper Dames, when pluralized, aud other p:ll'td of speech used