FOREIGN PLURALS

A foreign plural is a noun borrowed from another language that has kept its original plural form rather than adapt the usual English plural ending of -s.

Words borrowed from classical Greek and Latin have tended to keep their foreign plurals in English longer than most other foreign borrowings.

-is → -es

analysis →analyses

crisis →crises  /ˈkraɪ.siːz/

axis → axes

basis→ bases

hypothesis → hypotheses

parenthesis → parentheses

synopsis →synopses

thesis → theses

diagnosis → diagnoses

oasis → oases

-ix → -es

appendix →appendixes

index → indexes/indices

-um →-a

bacterium →bacteria

medium →media

datum →data

curriculum →curricula

symposium →symposia

-on →-a

phenomenon → phenomena

criterion → criteria

-us → -i

stimulus →stimuli

fungus →fungi

octopus →octopi (octopuses)

cactus → cacti (cactuses)

syllabus → syllabi (syllabuses)

-i →-us

alumni →alumnus

Exercises: Complete the words in brackets in their plural forms

1.     The scientist conducted several ______________ (analysis) to determine the results.

2.     Due to the economic downturn, multiple ______________ (crisis) have emerged globally.

3.     The Earth rotates around its ______________ (axis).

4.     The desert was dotted with many ______________ (cactus).

5.     The legal case was decided on several important ______________ (basis).

6.     The movie had several ______________ (synopsis) available online.

7.     Scholars attended several ______________ (symposium) on the topic.

8.     The student's ______________ (thesis) were all accepted for publication.

9.     The Sahara has many ______________ (oasis) that sustain life.

10. The surgeon removed two ______________ (appendix) during the operation.