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NUMBER.
[Sidenote: _Definition._]
35. In nouns, number means the mode of indicating whether we are speaking of one thing or of more than one.
36. Our language has two numbers,--_singular_ and _plural_. The singular number denotes that one thing is spoken of; the plural, more than one.
37. There are three ways of changing the singular form to the plural:--
(1) By adding _-en_.
(2) By changing the root vowel.
(3) By adding _-s_ (or _-es_).
The first two methods prevailed, together with the third, in Old English, but in modern English _-s_ or _-es_ has come to be the "standard" ending; that is, whenever we adopt a new word, we make its plural by adding _-s_ or _-es._
I. Plurals formed by the Suffix _-en_.
[Sidenote: _The_ -en _inflection._]
38. This inflection remains only in the word oxen, though it was quite common in Old and Middle English; for instance, _eyen_ (eyes), _treen_ (trees), _shoon_ (shoes), which last is still used in Lowland Scotch. _Hosen_ is found in the King James version of the Bible, and _housen_ is still common in the provincial speech in England.
39. But other words were inflected afterwards, in imitation of the old words in _-en_ by making a double plural.
[Sidenote: -En _inflection imitated by other words._]
Brethren has pa.s.sed through three stages. The old plural was _brothru_, then _brothre_ or _brethre_, finally _brethren_. The weakening of inflections led to this addition.
Children has pa.s.sed through the same history, though the intermediate form _childer_ lasted till the seventeenth century in literary English, and is still found in dialects; as,--
"G.o.d bless me! so then, after all, you'll have a chance to see your _childer_ get up like, and get settled."--QUOTED BY DE QUINCEY.
Kine is another double plural, but has now no singular.
In spite of wandering _kine_ and other adverse circ.u.mstance.--Th.o.r.eAU.
II. Plurals formed by Vowel Change.
40. Examples of this inflection are,--
man--men foot--feet goose--geese louse--lice mouse--mice tooth--teeth
Some other words--as _book_, _turf_, _wight_, _borough_--formerly had the same inflection, but they now add the ending _-s_.
41. Akin to this cla.s.s are some words, originally neuter, that have the singular and plural alike; such as _deer_, _sheep_, _swine_, etc.
Other words following the same usage are, _pair_, _brace_, _dozen_, after numerals (if not after numerals, or if preceded by the prepositions _in_, _by_, etc, they add _-s_): also _trout_, _salmon_; _head_, _sail_; _cannon_; _heathen_, _folk_, _people_.
The words _horse_ and _foot_, when they mean soldiery, retain the same form for plural meaning; as,--
The _foot_ are fourscore thousand, The _horse_ are thousands ten.
--MACAULAY.
Lee marched over the mountain wall,-- Over the mountains winding down, _Horse_ and _foot_, into Frederick town.
--WHITTIER.
III. Plurals formed by Adding -s or -es.
42. Instead of _-s,_ the ending _-es_ is added--
(1) If a word ends in a letter which cannot add _-s_ and be p.r.o.nounced. Such are _box, cross, ditch, gla.s.s, lens, quartz_, etc.
[Sidenote: _-Es added in certain cases_.]
If the word ends in a _sound_ which cannot add _-s_, a new syllable is made; as, _niche--niches, race--races, house--houses, prize--prizes, chaise--chaises_, etc.
_-Es_ is also added to a few words ending in -o, though this sound combines readily with _-s_, and does not make an extra syllable: _cargo--cargoes, negro--negroes, hero--heroes, volcano--volcanoes_, etc.
Usage differs somewhat in other words of this cla.s.s, some adding _-s_, and some _-es_.
(2) If a word ends in _-y_ preceded by a consonant (the _y_ being then changed to _i_); e.g., _fancies, allies, daisies, fairies_.
[Sidenote: _Words in -ies._]
Formerly, however, these words ended in _-ie_, and the real ending is therefore _-s_. Notice these from Chaucer (fourteenth century):--
[Sidenote: _Their old form._]
The _lilie_ on hir stalke grene.
Of _maladie_ the which he hadde endured.
And these from Spenser (sixteenth century):--
Be well aware, quoth then that _ladie_ milde.
At last fair Hesperus in highest _skie_ Had spent his lampe.
