NOTES FOR A GRAMMAR OF ARAGONESE

NUMBER: PLURAL FORMATION

  • As a general rule, the plural of a noun is made by adding -s to the singular: can (dog) > dogs (dogs); boira (cloud) > boiras (clouds).

  • The same rules are to be applied to adjectives: choben (young) > chobens; gran (big) > grans; feble (feeble) > febles.
  • When the singular ends en -r the general rule is followed, but the "r" doesn't sound: flor (flower) > flors (flowers [pronounced /flos/]); muller (woman) > mullers (women); fener (lawn) > feners (lawns).

  • Words ending in -ero form their plural in the same way and the "r" is not pronounced either: cordero (lamb) > corders (lambs [pronounced /kor'des/]); minero (miner) > miners (miners); comprero (purchaser) > comprers (purchasers).
  • Words ending in -t, -d or in a stressed vowel (as a result of a final -t or -d dropped) form their plural by changing the last consonant to -z (or adding this -z to the stressed vowel): ziudá (town) > ziudaz (towns); pie (foot) > piez (feet); mozet (youth) > mozez (youths); purput (hoopoe) > purpuz (hoopoes).

  • Among these words we can find all the diminutives ending in -et (masculine), a very productive ending in present Aragonese: canet (little dog) > canez; libret (booklet) > librez.
  • Words ending in -ch, -x, -z, -s form their plural by adding -es: reloch (watch) > reloches (watches); pex (fish) > pexes (fish, fishes); zorz (mouse) > zorzes (mice); aragonés (Aragonese) > aragoneses.
  • Certain words are always plurtal: balons (trousers), beires (glasses), diners (money), estixeras (scissors).
  • And some compounds are singular in spite of their plural appearance: bateaguas (umbrella), birabolas (butterfly), pasariestas (sieve).

  •  

     


    RETURN TO CONTENTS / TORNAR TA L'ENDIZE

    ©Antón-Chusé Gil, 1997