Plural Nouns and Your Ear
1. Readaloud the sentences below and listen closely to the last sound of the underlined word in each sentence. For each, consider whether or not that last sound matches the last sound of the word buzz. If the last sound of the underlined word does match the last sound of the word buzz, write yes in the blank at the end of the sentence.
a. There are bugs on this plant.
b. The pears are rotten.
c. There are two birds in the sky.
Are the underlined words plural? Circle the correct answer: yes no
Using the evidence in sentences a, b, and c, write a very simple rule, or hypothesis, for making nouns plural in English. State the rule in terms of what sound must be added to a noun to make it plural.
Apply this hypothesis, or rule, to each word below. If the plural sounds right with only a Z sound added to the end, circle the word. If the plural is hard to say or does not sound quite right, put a check beside it.
pig ratjudgerock
lunchcloud shape star
Look at each word you circled. In your view, why do the results sound right?
Look at each word you checked. In your view, why don’t the results sound right or why is the plural difficult to say?
2. The sentences below contain words which illustrate the different sounds of the plural ending in English.
- Read each sentence aloud. Listen carefully to the plural endings of the underlined words.
- Circle each word that ends with a Z sound.
- Put a dot above each plural ending that sounds different from the Z sound.
a. All of the spoons and cupsand dishes are on the table.
b. There are goats and horses and cows on the farm.
Some of the plural endings sound the same. On each line below, write the word from sentence (a) and the word from sentence (b) that have plural endings that sound the same.
Pair 1: a. b.
Pair 2: a. b.
Pair 3: a. b.
Grouping Plurals
Say the plurals for the following words aloud. Listen closely to how each plural ending sounds.
- Then, on the lines below, put the words which have plural endings that sound alike in a single group.
- Continue until you have put all the words into groups according to how their plural endings sound.
graphmythwishlunchrock
shaperibroomsnakestar
treedovecloudlawkiss
watchliebreezeboxbus
ratbellsjudgepigtoe
bushhenfusedaycrew
Growing a Hypothesis
1. Review your work on #2 and on the handout “Grouping Plurals.” Consider what patterns appear that indicate how nouns are pluralized.
Now, compose a simple rule—hypothesis—for the phonology of noun plurals in English.
(Hint: Say the words in each group without adding the plural ending. Listen to the final sound of each word. Describe the sounds that require one plural ending rather than another. Then write a rule for each plural sound.)
2. Now, think. Do your rules explain how all plural nouns are formed in English?
Why or why not?
3. Which of the following statements (adapted from Halle & Clements 1983:69) best matches your rules (or hypotheses) about the unconscious knowledge English speakers have about making nouns plural? Explain why you think so.
?Hypothesis A: English speakers memorize the plural form for every noun as it occurs in their experience.
?Hypothesis B: English speakers learn the plural form on the basis of spelling. That is, if a word ends in the letter b, they know that they have to add the plural ending Z (/z/).
?Hypothesis C: English speakers know that the final sound of a singular noun (not the letter) determines the way the plural ending is pronounced. That is, they have memorized a list of English speech sounds to be followed by S (a hiss) (/s/); another list to be followed by Z (/z/); and a third list to be followed by IZ (/iz/).
?Hypothesis D: English speakers know that if the final sound of a singular noun is of a certain type, the plural ending will be S (/s/); that if the final sound is of another type, it will be Z (/z/); and that if the final sound is of a third type it will be IZ (/iz/). In other words, the speakers have not memorized three lists of speech sounds in order to form plural nouns. Instead, they have figured out which sound types are relevant for making nouns plural in English.
4. Let’s assume one more thing about the sound system (phonology) of plural nouns in English. Let’s assume that regular English nouns add S to make a plural ending.
- Then, the first step in making a noun plural is to add S /s/: catS, dogS, dishS, for example.
- What steps need to be added to the explanation to explain the actual plurals: catS, dogZ, dishIZ?
Answer:
To answer this question fully, you need to describe sound types given in Hypothesis D.