Forming Greek- and Latin-derived Nouns
Scientific and technical communicators frequently use nouns derived from Greek and Latin. The plural forms of these nouns often differ from simple English plurals, which are formed by adding “s” or “es” to a singular noun. Although a number of Greek- and Latin-derived nouns now have acceptable Anglicized plural forms– “vortex” goes to “vortexes” as well as to “vortices,” “syllabus” goes to “syllabuses” as well as to “syllabi”–unless you are sure that a Greek- or Latin-derived word has such an Anglicized plural, use the traditional plural form. Here are the most common classes of Greek- and Latin-derived nouns used in English:
—GREEK ENDINGS—
Singular
1. “on” ( criterion, zoon, phenomenon)
2. “ma” (stigma, neuroma, stemma)
Plural
1. “a” (criteria, zoa, phenomena)
2. “mata” (stigmata, neuromata, stemmata)
—LATIN ENDINGS—
Singular
1. “a” (alga, larva, vertebra, nebula, alumna)
2. “us” (fungus, radius, stimulus, alumnus)
3. “um” (medium, datum, memorandum,
4. “is” (basis, thesis, ellipsis, hypothesis)
5. “x” (matrix, cicatrix, executrix)
Plural
1. “ae” (algae, larvae, vertebrae, nebulae, alumnae)
2. “i” (fungi, radii, stimuli, alumni)
3. “a” ( media, data, memoranda)
4. “es” ( bases, theses, ellipses, hypotheses)
5. “ces” ( matrices, cicatrices, executrices)
Most other irregular noun forms in English are either held over from our German heritage (ox/oxen, child/children, sheep/sheep, etc.) or imported from other languages (cherub/cherubim, beau/beaux, bandit/banditti). These nouns, however, are few and easily memorized.