Teso Language - Gender and Noun Prefix - Plural

Plural

(i) To form the plural the ending of the noun is changed. This change may consist of the omission of the last syllable, the addition of another syllable or syllables, or the alteration of the last syllable or syllables:

Plural formation	example
omission:	amukat (shoe) -amuk (shoes); atipet (bead) – atipe (beads);
addition:	akan (hand) – akanin (hands); akwap (country)- akwapin (countries)
alteration:	apese (girl) – apesur (girls); ekek (door)- ikekia (doors);

(ii) In the case of masculine nouns the noun prefix also changes as shown in the table on noun prefix above.

(iii) These changes in the endings of nouns are so irregular that it is not worth while trying to formulate rules for the formation of plurals.

(iv) Certain nouns, however, which are derived from verbs,form their plurals according to rules;

(a) Nouns denoting an agent of action (a person who does the action of the verb) form a singular ending in -an or -on and a plural ending in -ak or -ok: e.g. ekamejan – hunter ; ikamejak – hunters; ekecokon – herdsman; ikecokok – herdsmen;

ekadukon -a builder; ikadukok -builders; ekatubon – judge; ikatubok -judges.

(b) Nouns denoting something which does or, is done, form a singular ending in -et or -etait and a plural ending in -eta:

e.g. elacet – (a thing which loosens) key; ilaceta – keys; arapetait – cover arapeta -covers;

(v) Some nouns have no singular and exist only in the plural:
e.g. akipi—-water; ajony – local brew; asinge – sand; ajo – sleep; ileic – shame

Other nouns have no plural and exist only in the singular;
e.g. ekuron – ashes; akoloη—sun; adam – brain; eduan – weeds

(vi) Abstract nouns and names of diseases, as in English, have no plural.
e.g. aiyalama -happiness; amin -love.

(vii) Some nouns form their plural from other roots:
e.g. aberu – woman, aηor -women; ikoku -child, iduwe – children.

(viii) Some nouns, in addition to the normal plural, form a generic plural by adding -sinei to the plural form:
e.g. etuηanan - man, ituηa - men; ituηasinei - mankind

akwap - country, akwapin - countries, akwapisinei - the world (n dropped for euphony).