Re: English Changes or what into Conlangs

Doug Ball wrote:
>
> In reading this thread I immediately thought of Lehmannn's Theoretical Bases
> of Indo-European (1993).  In this book he gives a sample reconstructed
> paradigm of the Proto-Indo-European noun:
>                    singular   plural
> Nominative     -s, -0     -es
> Vocative          -0        -es
> Accusative       -m       -ns
> Instrumental  -bh/mi   -bh/mis
> Dative           -ey         -bh(y)/mos
> Ablative         -e/od    -bh(y)/mos
> Genitive         -(e/o)s  -om
> Locative       -i, -0       -su
>
> So I would argue that -s is the characteristic Indo-European plural marker.
> Of course, in various phonological environments, it shifted to other things,
> but I feel that it presence in the proto-language supports the idea that
> s-plural in English could be from a number of sources since all the sources
> ultimately derive from PIE.
>
> -Doug
Thanks for the chart Doug!  That's helpful!

Sally

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