Re: Kyrgyz zero plural

From: Aidan Kehoe (kehoea_at_parhasard.net)
Date: 03/27/05 

Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 18:14:50 +0200

 Ar an seachtú lá is fiche de mí Márta, scríobh Ron Hardin:

> A zero plural to go with -ese eg., Chinese, Japanese, ...

http://www.artpictures.co.uk/gijl5007.htm:

“A Spanish force of 5,000 men attacked Mookerheide on April 14th, although
the Dutch had superior numbers they were poorly armed and ill trained in the
battle both Louis and Henry of Nassau were killed along with _several
thousand Dutch._”

http://www.bostonfamilyhistory.com/ir_1750.html

“1798: Several thousand Irish flee to America.”

http://www.hyw.com/hywdocs/V__The_L.htm

“The English stand on the defensive and allow the French to charge
themselves to death: _several thousand French_ die as against only about 100
English (including one killed by a bombard).”

The rule seems pretty clear; if the adjective ends in /s/, /z/ or /S/, the
corresponding plural adjectival noun doesn’t have -s.

> BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (Reuters) - Several thousand Kyrgyz from the home
> region of ousted President Askar Akayev planned to march on the capital
> Saturday where the new leadership said it was firmly in control and
> asked for international help. 

-- 
“I, for instance, am gung-ho about open source because my family is being
held hostage in Rob Malda’s basement. But who fact-checks me, or Enderle,
when we say something in public? No-one!” -- Danny O’Brien

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