Tim May wrote:
> Paul Bennett wrote at 2004-10-08 09:25:45 (-0400)
>
> > Aren't there also some small number of plural nouns in Japanese
> > formed by reduplication? They're fossils, but certainly existent,
> > or so the conversation went. I swear that not too long ago on this
> > very list somebody (but I fail to recall who) posted a short list
> > of them. I think it was actually to do with /h/ ~ /p/ ~ /b/ and the
> > sound changes that made them what they are. The examples were
> > showing that the sound change only happened in initial (or was it
> > non-initial?) position. One example was habipabi or huriburi or
> > something. Damn, I wish I could remember it better.
> >
>
> Hito (person) > hitobito (people)
> Shima (island) > shimajima (islands)
>
> Those are the two examples I know of.
ware (I) > wareware (we)