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137
elf - elves
half - halves
knife - knives
leaf - leaves
loaf - loaves
self - selves
sheaf - sheaves ()
shelf – shelves
wife - wives
wolf - wolves
Other nouns ending in -f(e) have the plural inflexion -s in the regular way: proof - proofs, chief - chiefs, safe
- safes, cliff - cliffs, gulf - gulfs, dwarf - dwarfs, reef- reefs, grief - griefs; the ending is pronounced [s].
In a few cases both -fs and -ves forms are possible:
scarf - scarfs/scarves,
dwarf - dwarfs/dwarves,
hoof - hoofs/hooves.
VII. Nouns ending in -th after a short vowel have the ending -s [s]:
month — months [m?n?s].
Nouns ending in
-th after a long vowel or a diphthong have [9z] in the plural: baths [ba:?z], paths [pa?z],
oaths [ou?z].
But: youths [ju:?s], births [b?:?s].
VIII. The plural of abbreviations is sometimes formed in spelling by doubling a letter:
Ms (manuscript)
p. (page)
Mr (Mister)
M.P. (Member of Parliament)
M.D. (Doctor of Medicine)
Co. (Company)
- MSS
- pp.
-
Messrs ['mes?z]
- M.P.s ['em'pi:z]
- M.D.s ['em'di:z]
- Co.s [kouz]
In a phrase like "Miss Brown" two different forms are used for the plural. We may either say "the Miss
Browns" or "the Misses Brown", the latter being generally considered more correct.
Irregular plurals
§ 173. For historical reasons certain nouns form their plural differently.
1. Seven nouns distinguish plural from singular by vowel change:
man - men
woman - women
tooth - teeth
foot – feet
goose - geese
mouse - mice
louse - lice
2. Two nouns have -en to mark the plural:
ox - oxen, child - children.
Brother has two plural forms: brothers and brethren, the latter being used as a religious term or in elevated
style to denote people of the same creed, not relations.
3. With some nouns the plural is identical with the singular form (for details see § 176, II):