406 



THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



9. FORMATION OF THE PLURAL OF NOUNS. 



(1.) THE plural in French, as in English, is formed by the 

 addition of * to the singular : 



Singular, 

 maison, house. 

 ville, town. 



Plural. 



maisons, Houses, 

 villes, towns. 



This rule applies also to infinitives used substantively : Lc devoir, 

 the duty; les devoirs, the duties. 



(2.) First exception. Nouns ending in the singular with s, x, 

 or z, do not change in the plural : 



Singular. 

 fils, son. 

 voix, voice. 

 nez, nose. 



Plural, 

 fils, sons. 

 voix, voices. 

 nez, no.es. 



(3.) Second exception. Nouns ending in the singular with 

 OM, eau, eu, and ceu, take x in the plural : 



Singular, 

 boyau, bowel. 

 chapeau, hat. 

 feu, fire. 

 vceu, vow. 



Plural. 



boyaux, bowels, 

 chapeaux, hats, 

 fens, fires. 



VOBUX, VOWS. 



However, landau, landau, forms its plural by adding s : landaus. 



(4.) Third exception. Nouns ending in ou form their plural 

 by adding *, except the following, which take x in the plural : 



Singular, 

 bijou, jewel. 

 caillou, pebble, 

 chou, cabbage. 

 genou, knee. 

 hibou, owl. 

 joujou, playthiny. 

 pou, louse. 



Plural. 



bijoux, jewels, 

 cuilloux, pebbles, 

 choux, cabbages, 

 genoux, knees. 

 hiboux, owls. 

 joujoux, playthings. 

 poux, lice. 



(5.) Fourth exception. The following nouns ending in otZ, 

 change that termination into aux in the plural :* 



Singular, 

 bail, lease. 

 corail, coral. 

 Imail, enamel. 

 Bonpirail, air-hole, 

 sous-bail, under-lease. 

 travail, labour, 

 vantail, a leaf of a door. 

 vitrail, stained glass icindotc. 



Plural, 

 baux, leases. 

 coraux, corals, 

 ^maux, enamels, 

 soupiraux, air-holes, 

 sous-baux, undcr-leoses. 

 travaux, labours, 

 vantaux, leaves of doors. 

 vitraux, stained glass u-indotcs. 



(60 Fifth exception. The following nouns have two forms in 

 fiie plural : 



Singular. Plural. 



ail, garlic. aulx, ails, 



pal, pale. paux, pals. 



The plural of betail, cattle, is bsstiaux ; and bercail, sheerfold, has 

 so plural. 



* The other nouns iu ail form their plural by adding s, viz., detail, 



fa/tail; attirail, opparatus,- ^ventail, fan ; gouvernail, helm ,- por- 



tail, portal; serail, seraglio. 



travail, report of a minister to the travails, reports of ministers to the 



head of the State, or of the heads 

 of departments to ministers; trave. 

 ceil, eye. 



?iead of the State, or of heads oj 

 departments to ministers; traves.. 

 yeux, eyes. 



N. B. (Ell is found in many compound icords, in which case it forms its 

 plural regularly : 



ceil-de-bceuf, oval window. 

 O3il-de-chat, cat's eye (stone) . 



O3ils-de-bceuf, oval iinndou's. 

 O3ils-de-chat, sat's eyes. 



10. PLURAL OF COMPOUND NOUNS. 



(1.) When two nouns form a compound substantive, both 

 take the plural ending : 



Singulir. 



chef-lieu, chie/-place. 

 lieutenant-colonel, lieutenant- 

 colonel. 



Plural. 



ehefs-lieux, chief places. 

 lieutenants-colonels, lieutenant- 

 colonels. 



(2.) When a compound noun is formed of two substantives 

 joined by a preposition, the first only takes the plural ending : 



Singular. Plural, 



arc-en-ciel, rainboic. arcs-en-ciel, rainbows. 



chef-d'oeuvre, masterpiece. chefs-d'oeuvre, masterpieces. 



The words tete-a-tete, private conversation, and COq.-a-1'Sne (an 

 incongruous discourse), remain unchanged iu the plural. 



(3.) When a noun and an adjective form a compound noun, 

 both take the mark of the plural : 



Singular. 



porte-cochere, carriage-door, 

 basse-cour, poultry-yard. 



Plural. 



portes-cocheres, carriage-doors, 

 basses-cours, poultry -yards. 



Exception. In the compound noun, nouveau-ne", first-born, 

 the first component is invariable ; un nouveau-ne, des nouveau- 

 nes ; une nouveau-nee, des nouveau-nees. 



(4.) The mark of the feminine being left out in the adjective 

 of compound nouns consisting of the adjective grand and a 

 feminine substantive beginning with a consonant, that of the 

 plural is also omitted in the adjective : 



Singular. 



grand'mere, grandmother, 

 grand'messe, high mass. 



Plural. 



grand'ineres, grandmothers, 

 grand' messes, high masses. 



(5.) The words, Monsieur, Sir, Mr., gentleman; Madame, 

 Madam, or Mrs. ; Mademoiselle, Miss, form their plural as 

 follows : 



Singular. Plural. 



Monsieur, Sir, etc. Messieurs, Sirs, gentlemen. 



Madame, Madam, etc. Mesdames, ladies, etc. 



Mademoiselle, Miss, etc. Mesdemoiselles, young ladies, etc. 



(6.) In words composed of a verb, a preposition, or an adverb 

 and a noun, the latter takes the form of the plural, provided, 

 however, there is plurality in the idea : 



Singular. 



passe-droit., injustice, 

 avant-garde, vanguard. 



Plurat. 



passe-droits, injustices, 

 avant-gardes, vanguards. 



t Bal, bad/ cal, callosity,- carnaval, carnival/ chacal, jackal; 

 nopal, nopal / regal, treat ; serval, serval ; are exceptions, and taka 

 an s in the plural. 



