Prof Francisco Zabala - 2014 : Plural Countable Nouns, Nouns in the Genitive, and Verbs in the 3rd Person Singular — Simple Present Tense RULE: There is voice agreement The voiceless alveolar fricative r is added to words ending in a voiceless sound (other than sibilants – see exception) [-v] + r .o mops !lPor raps !qzor bishop’s !aHR?or .s Brits !aqHsr nets !mdsr Pat’s !ozsr .j bricks !aqHjr lurks !k29jr Patrick’s !ozsqHjr maths !lzSr Smith’s !rlHSr .S.1 handkerchiefs !gzMj?sRHer Ralph’s !qzker .e The voiced alveolar fricative y is added to words ending in a voiced sound (other than sibilants – see exception) [+v] + y .a .c .f .C .u .k .l .m .M Vowels Diphthongs ribs !qHay clubs !jkUay Bob’s !aPay deeds !ch9cy reads !qh9cy David’s !cdHuHcy mugs !lUfy logs !kPfy Greg’s !fqdfy booths !at9Cy breathes !aqh9Cy Blythe’s !ak`HCy lives !k`Huy lives !kHuy Eve’s !h9uy dolls !cPky feels !eh9ky Bell’s !adky combs !j?Tly climbs !jk`Hly Malcolm’s !lzkj?ly tins !sHmy runs !qUmy Helen’s !gdk?my songs !rPMy rings !qHMy King’s !jHMy peas !oh9y draws !cqN9y Sue’s !rt9y fairs !ed?y tries !sq`Hy Joe’s !cY?Ty EXCEPTION: After the sibilants r+
y+
R+
Y+
sR and cY an extra syllable Hy is added In turn, H and y agree in voice, too Sibilants + Hy .r Boxes !aPjrHy
increases HM!jqh9rHy
Bruce’s !aqt9rHy .y Bruises !aqt9yHy
buzzes !aUyHy
Jones’s !cY?TmyHy .R Brushes !aqURHy
bushes !aTRHy
Marsh’s !l@9RHy .Y Garages f?!q@9YHy
camouflages !jzl?ek@9YHy .sR Churches !sR29sRHy
belches !adksRHy
Finch’s !eHmsRHy .cY Bridges !aqHcYHy
sandwiches !rzmvHcYHy
Marge’s !l@9cYHy Most words ending in S normally take an irregular plural Cy For example, the words paths and baths look regular in the spelling, but are irregular in their pronunciation !o@9S
=
!o@9Cy:
!a@9S
=
!a@9Cy Most singular words ending in have irregular plurals: loaf – loaves; half – halves; life – lives; etc The genitive, in contrast, does not become voiced: wife !v`He – wives !v`Huy – wife’s !v`Her – wive’s !v`Huy