Objective Proficiency p 15. Foreign Plurals.





Foreign Plurals

From Latin

alumna (sg.) /əˈlʌmnə/ 


alumnae (pl.) /əˈlʌmniː/: a former woman student of a school, college or university.



Antenna (sg) /ænˈtenə/



antennae (pl) /ænˈteniː/: two long thin parts on the heads of some insects. E.g. Snails have antennae and a pair of well-defined eyes. We have noses which help us smell the world around us. Insects use their antennae. (Figurative) The minister was praised for his acute political antennae (= ability to understand complicated political situations).
plural antennas or antennae /ænˈteniː/: (especially North American English) (British English also aerial) a piece of equipment for receiving or sending radio and television signals. E.g. radio antennas.



formula (sg) /ˈfɔːmjələ/  


formulae (pl) /ˈfɔːmjəliː/ /-laɪ/ (especially in scientific use) or formulas (pl) E.g. Such formulae are the key to solving an equation with variables. The truth is, there are no magic formulas, no perfect tricks of the trade in matters of love.



Nebula (sg) /ˈnebjələ/ 


nebulae (pl) /ˈnebjəliː/ a mass of dust or gas that can be seen in the night sky, often appearing very bright; a bright area in the night sky caused by a large cloud of stars that are far away. Sp. Nebulosa. E.g. Nebulae are beautiful and fascinating things that are common in our universe.



Appendix (sg) /əˈpendɪks/ 



appendices (pl) /əˈpendɪsiːz/ or appendixes / əˈpendɪksɪz/: e.g. please check the Appendices in the back of the book for a great deal of other information.



index (sg) /ˈɪndeks/ 



indices (pl) /ˈɪndɪsiːz/ or indexes (pl) /ˈɪndeksɪz/
plural indexes: a list of names or topics that are referred to in a book, etc, usually arranged at the end of a book in alphabetical order or listed in a separate file or book. Sp. Índice. E.g. Look it up in the index. Author and subject indexes are available on a library database.
plural indexes or indices: a system that shows the level of prices and wages, etc. so that they can be compared with those of a previous date. E.g. the cost-of-living index. The Dow Jones index fell 15 points this morning. Stock-market indices. House price indexes. The retail price index (Sp. el índice de precios al consumo).




matrix (sg) /ˈmeɪtrɪks/ 



matrices (pl) /ˈmeɪtrɪsiːz/ matrixes (pl) /ˈmeɪtrɪksɪz/
 (mathematics) an arrangement of numbers, symbols, etc. in rows and columns, treated as a single quantity
 (formal) the formal social, political, etc. situation from which a society or person grows and develops. E.g. the European cultural matrix.
(formal or literary) a system of lines, roads, etc. that cross each other, forming a series of squares or shapes in between. Network. E.g. a matrix of paths




vertex (sg) /ˈvɜːteks/ 



vertices (pl) /ˈvɜːtɪsiːz/ or vertexes (pl) /ˈvɜːteksɪz/ (geometry) a point where two lines meet to form an angle, especially the point of a triangle or cone opposite the base. Vértice.



Analysis (sg) /əˈnæləsɪs/  



analyses (pl) /əˈnæləsiːz/: e.g. The book is an analysis of poverty and its causes. Further analyses have to be performed to obtain reliable results.



Basis (sg) /ˈbeɪsɪs/  



bases (pl) /ˈbeɪsiːz/: e.g. The bases for a good interview are simple enough. The bases of a good marriage are love and trust.



axis (sg) /ˈæksɪs/  



axes (pl) /ˈæksiːz/
an imaginary line through the centre of an object, around which the object turns. Eje. E.g. Mars takes longer to revolve on its axis than the Earth.
a fixed line against which the positions of points are measured, especially points on a graph. Eje. E.g. the vertical/horizontal axis. The real wage is measured along the horizontal axis and the quantity of labour is measured along the vertical axis. Use a ruler to draw the axes on the graph.



crisis (sg) /ˈkraɪsɪs/ 



crises (pl) /ˈkraɪsiːz/ E.g. Crises are opportunities to learn and to improve.



Diagnosis (sg) /ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs/ 



diagnoses (pl) /ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsiːz/: e.g. more accurate diagnoses were made, resulting in benefit for patients and society.



Hypothesis (sg) /haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/ 



hypotheses (pl) /haɪˈpɒθəsiːz/: e.g. There is little evidence to support these hypotheses.



Neurosis (sg) /njʊəˈrəʊsɪs/ 



neuroses (pl) /njʊəˈrəʊsiːz/: E.g. Neuroses have been regarded throughout the history of modern psychology to be the result of secrets.



Oasis (sg) /əʊˈeɪsɪs/  


oases (pl) /əʊˈeɪsiːz/: e.g. Surrounded by sand and sky, the oases have a sense of timelessness rare in the 20th century. Man and nature have co-existed here since the Stone Age.



Parenthesis (sg) /pəˈrenθəsɪs/ 



parentheses (pl) /pəˈrenθəsiːz/: Irregular forms are given in parentheses.



Synopsis (sg) /sɪˈnɒpsɪs/  



synopses (pl) /sɪˈnɒpsiːz/: e.g. These brief synopses help to clarify longer explanations.



testis (sg) /ˈtestɪs/ 



testes (pl) /ˈtestiːz/: a testicle



thesis (sg) /ˈθiːsɪs/ 



theses (pl) /ˈθiːsiːz/: e.g. Both of these two theses are supported by a wealth of historical reference.




series (sg) /ˈsɪəriːz/ 



series (pl) /ˈsɪəriːz/: E.g. The incident sparked off a whole series of events that nobody had foreseen. All these series of unfortunate events happen for a reason. This new series is scheduled to air this Oct.  



species (sg) /ˈspiːʃiːz/ / ˈspiːsiːz/  



species (pl) /ˈspiːʃiːz/ / ˈspiːsiːz/: E.g. a rare species of beetle.




Automaton (sg) /ɔːˈtɒmətən/ 



automata (pl) /ɔːˈtɒmətə / or automatons (pl)
a person who behaves like a machine, without thinking or feeling anything. E.g. He is an automaton, just doing whatever he is told to do. In this way, they are like automata or robots in that they do exactly what they are told.
a machine that moves without human control; a small robot. E.g Examples of automata are robots that vacuum floors without being pushed by a person.



Criterion (sg) /kraɪˈtɪəriən/  



criteria (pl) /kraɪˈtɪəriə/: a standard or principle by which something is judged, or with the help of which a decision is made. E.g. The main criterion is value for money. What criteria are used for assessing a student's ability?



Phenomenon (sg) /fəˈnɒmɪnən/  



phenomena (pl) /fəˈnɒmənə/: a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood. E.g. cultural/natural/social phenomena. Globalization is a phenomenon of the 21st century. Early retirement is a relatively new phenomenon in Britain.




Addendum (sg) /əˈdendəm/ 



addenda (pl) / əˈdendə/: e.g. addenda are sections of extra information that is added to something, especially to books.



Bacterium (sg) /bækˈtɪəriəm/  



bacteria (pl) /bækˈtɪəriə/: E.g. Bacteria exist in large numbers in air, water and soil, and also in living and dead creatures and plants, and are often a cause of disease.



Corrigendum (sg) /ˌkɒrɪˈdʒendəm/ 



corrigenda (pl) /ˌkɒrɪˈdʒendə/ 



erratum /eˈrɑːtəm/  



errata /eˈrɑːtə/: something to be corrected, especially a mistake in a printed book. E.g. An erratum or corrigendum is a correction of a book. An erratum is most commonly issued shortly after its original text is published. The following corrigenda are available for this publication. A list of errata was printed at the back of the book.




Curriculum (sg) /kəˈrɪkjələm/ 



curricula (pl) /kəˈrɪkjələ/ or curriculums (pl): The subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college, etc. E.g. the school curriculum. Curricula are crucial to running a coherent class because it is only through clear curricula that teachers (and administrators) can easily have access to the goals and intentions for a class. It is then from these curricula that lesson plans are derived.




Desideratum (sg) /dɪˌzɪdəˈrɑːtəm/ or /dɪˌzɪdəˈreɪtəm/ 



desiderata (pl) /dɪˌzɪdəˈrɑːtə/ or /dɪˌzɪdəˈreɪtə/ a thing that is wanted or needed. E.g. my desiderata have been satisfied.




Medium (sg) /ˈmiːdiəm/  



media (pl) /ˈmiːdiə/: E.g. the medium of radio/television. In short, the mass media are interested in attracting audiences with buying power.  
the media [uncountable + singular or plural verb] the main ways that large numbers of people receive information and entertainment, that is television, radio, newspapers and the Internet. E.g. The media was/were accused of influencing the final decision.
Plural mediums /ˈmiːdiəmz/: a person who claims to be able to communicate with the spirits of dead people.



Memorandum (sg) /ˌmeməˈrændəm /  



memoranda (pl) /ˌmeməˈrændə /. Also memo (sg) /ˈmeməʊ / memos (pl): an official note from one person to another in the same organization. E.g. To write/send/circulate a memo. An internal memorandum. Leaks of confidential memoranda.



Millennium (sg) /mɪˈleniəm / 



millennia (pl) /mɪˈleniə / or millenniums: E.g. For millennia, it was accepted that the earth was at the centre of the universe.



Ovum (sg) /ˈəʊvəm/ 



ova (pl) /ˈəʊvə/: e.g. Ova (óvulos) are female reproductive cells.




Stratum (sg) /ˈstrɑːtəm/ (Br) or / ˈstreɪtəm/ (Am) 



strata (pl) /ˈstrɑːtə/ (Br) or /ˈstreɪtə/ (Am): E.g. Excavated coins can often be dated from other objects in the same stratum. People from all social strata.



Symposium (sg) / sɪmˈpəʊziəm/  



symposia (pl) / sɪmˈpəʊziə/ or symposiums (pl): e.g. Past symposia have covered a wide range of topics.



Agenda (pl) /əˈdʒendə/ (generally accepted as a singular noun and the plural is  



agendas /əˈdʒendəz/ : e.g. is there an agenda for the meeting? (Sp. orden del día)




Datum /ˈdeɪtəm/ 


Data (pl) /ˈdeɪtə/ /ˈdɑːtə/ (data is also accepted as an uncountable noun): e.g. the results of the experiment are still uncertain: there are/is not enough data yet.




Corpus (sg) /ˈkɔːpəs/ 



corpora (pl) /ˈkɔːpərə / or corpuses /ˈkɔːpəsɪz /: a collection of written or spoken texts. E.g. a corpus of 100 million words of spoken English. The whole corpus of Renaissance poetry. All the corpora are taken from written data of different sources.



Genus (sg) /ˈdʒiːnəs/ 



genera (pl) /ˈdʒenərə/: a group into which animals, plants, etc. that have similar characteristics are divided. E.g. Homo is the genus that includes modern humans and species closely related to them. Genera are used to classify groups of species. Occasionally new plant genera are found in the wild. More frequently, however, new genera are identified in the laboratory.



viscus  (sg) /ˈvɪskəs



viscera (pl) /ˈvɪsərə/: an internal organ. E.g. Viscera are the large organs inside the body, such as the heart, liver, and stomach.



Census (sg) /ˈsensəs /  



censuses (pl)/ ˈsensəsɪz /: the process of officially counting something, especially a country's population, and recording various facts. E.g. to take a census.



Prospectus (sg) /prəˈspektəs /  



prospectuses (pl)/ prəˈspektəsɪz / a book or printed document that gives information about a school, college, etc. in order to advertise it. E.g. order a prospectus from the university you are planning to attend and find out the entry requirements.




Alumnus (sg) /əˈlʌmnəs



alumni (pl) /əˈlʌmnaɪ / a former male student of a school, college or university.



Cactus (sg) / ˈkæktəs / 



cactuses/ˈkæktəsɪz/  or cacti (pl) / ˈkæktaɪ/ or /ˈkæktiː/: E.g. Desert cacti are available in a variety of interesting forms.




Fungus (sg) /ˈfʌŋɡəs/ 



fungi (pl) /ˈfʌŋɡiː/ /ˈfʌŋɡaɪ/ or /ˈfʌndʒaɪ/ : any plant without leaves, flowers or green colouring, usually growing on other plants or on decaying matter. E.g. Mushrooms and mildew (/ˈmɪldjuː/ moho) are both fungi.



Hippopotamus (sg) /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs/ 



hippopotamuses (pl) /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməsɪz/ or hippopotami (pl) /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəmaɪ/. Also informal hippo / ˈhɪp əʊ/ hippos / ˈhɪp əʊz/



Nucleus (sg) /ˈnjuːkliəs/ 



nuclei (pl) /ˈnjuːkliaɪ/ or /ˈnjuːkliiː/: E.g. These paintings will form the nucleus of a new collection. The cultural nuclei of a city give a good service to communities and neighbourhoods.



Radius (sg) / ˈreɪdiəs/ 



radii (pl) / ˈreɪdiaɪ/ or radiuses
a straight line between the centre of a circle and any point on its outer edge; the length of this line.
a round area that covers the distance mentioned from a central point. E.g. They deliver to within a 5-mile radius of the store. Doctors wish to examine everyone living within a 10-mile radius of the factory. This was repeated at five scales, within radii of one kilometre, five, 10, 20 and 30 kilometres from the survey point.



Stimulus (sg) /ˈstɪmjələs/  



stimuli (pl) /ˈstɪmjəlaɪ/ /ˈstɪmjəliː/
something that helps somebody/something to develop better or more quickly. E.g. Books provide children with ideas and a stimulus for play. The new tax laws should act as a stimulus to exports.
something that produces a reaction in a human, an animal or a plant. E.g.  
sensory/verbal/visual stimuli. The animals were conditioned to respond to auditory stimuli (= sounds).



Syllabus (sg) / ˈsɪləbəs / 



syllabi / ˈsɪləbaɪ / or syllabuses  / ˈsɪləbəsɪz/ (in fact the Latin plural is syllabūs): a list of the topics, books, etc. that students should study in a particular subject at school or college. E.g. these syllabi are provided so that students can get a general idea of what is taught in each course.



Terminus (sg) /ˈtɜːmɪnəs/ 



termini (pl) /ˈtɜːmɪnaɪ/ or terminuses: the last station at the end of a railway/railroad line or the last stop on a bus route. E.g. there is still a long way to go before we reach the terminus. Most trains depart from or arrive at their termini at fairly reasonable hours -- during the day or the evening. Once they arrive at their termini, the buses leave.



From Greek


Schema (sg) /ˈskiːmə/ 



schemas or schemata (pl) /ˈskiːmətə/ or /skiːˈmɑːtə/: an outline of a plan or theory. E.g. an attempt to reduce complex economic theory to a simple schema. Schemata are an effective tool for understanding the world.



From French



Bureau (sg) /ˈbjʊərəʊ/  



bureaux (pl) /ˈbjʊərəʊ/ or /ˈbjʊərəʊz/ or bureaus (pl) /ˈbjʊərəʊz/: Office or government department. E.g. The latest survey shows that the bureaux deal with more than half a million problems regarding benefits.




Plateau (sg) /ˈplætəʊ /  



plateaux (pl) /ˈplætəʊz/or /ˈplætəʊ / or plateaus (pl) /ˈplætəʊz/: In general these plateaux (mesetas) have an elevation of about 700 metres.



Tableau (sg) /ˈtæbləʊ/ 



tableaux (pl) /ˈtæbləʊ/ or /ˈtæbləʊz/: Both of these tableaux (retablos) show the same effort of preservation and renewal.



Trousseau (sg) /ˈtruːsəʊ/  



trousseaux (pl) /ˈtruːsəʊz/ or trousseaus (pl) /ˈtruːsəʊz/: the clothes and other possessions collected by a woman who is soon going to get married, to begin her married life with. E.g. Trousseaux were large trunks filled with everything that a new wife would need to begin her household.




Chassis (sg) /ˈʃæsi/ 



chassis (pl) / ˈʃæsiz/: e.g. the car needed a complete rebuild as the Chassis was damaged in the accident.



From Italian

Libretto (sg) / lɪˈbretəʊ/  



libretti (pl) / lɪˈbretiː/ or librettos (pl): e.g. The libretti contain the words that are sung or spoken in operas or musical plays.




Tempo (sg) /ˈtempəʊ/  



tempi (pl) /ˈtempiː/: the speed or rhythm of a piece of music. E.g. The tempi are fast.




Virtuoso (sg) /ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊsəʊ/ or /ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊzəʊ/ 



virtuosi (pl) / ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊsiː/ or / ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊziː/: a person who is extremely skilful at doing something, especially playing a musical instrument. E.g. you will hear two piano virtuosi in concert.

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