LL-L: "Morphophonology" LOWLANDS-L, 05.MAY.2000 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 05.MAY.2000 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
Subject: Morphology

"Children", interestingly, is not a straightforward example of the retention
of an old plural form. According to "Chambers" the original OE nom pl of
"cild" was "cild". Around 975 CE the nom pl form "cildru" developed and
around 1175 the form "children", under the influence of the "-en" model
found in "brethren". I can't remember offhand how common "-en" plurals were
in ME.

I believe the plural "childer" exists in some BE dialects.

Is the Ulster plural of "beast", historically speaking, an example of loss
of final consonant from the singular or elision of a "t" from the regularly
formed plural?

Since nobody has listed them all I'll mention that there are precisely eight
basic mutated-vowel plurals in Standard English, not counting compound and
derived forms. Your task, if you choose to accept it, is to find them all
for yourself. (NB. This is a witty reference to the TV series "Mission
Impossible".)

John Feather
johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

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