Re: Adopting a plural

Pascal A. Kramm <pkramm@...> wrote:

>>So one of my conlangs did not historically mark number. Based on contact
>>with an "imperial" language, speakers have borrowed that language's plural
>>affix and sporadically apply it. Which is more likely...?
>I really doubt that they would borrow a plural affix at all. When they never
>had a need for it, it's very unlikely that they suddenly change their mind
>and borrow one.
In this case, they've borrowed about 50% of their vocabulary from the
"imperial" language, dramatically changing their tongue.  Since the plural
is in the prestige language, copying it has a cachet among speakers.

Any natlang examples of languages without number adopting a number
distinction from another natlang?

I can think of natlang examples losing dual but off the top of my hand can't
think of natlang examples losing the number distinction.

Best regards,

Jeffrey

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