III. Lexicalization of plural form
The
noun in the plural form denotes more than one object (in comparison
with the singular), but there are some nouns, the plural form of
which has additional shades of meaning.
Cases:
1.
The plural form in the nouns which denotes units of time usually
denotes a continuous period of time measured by that unit of time.
e.
g. three hours, forty-five minutes (one continuous period of time).
The
same may be said about such plurals as 5 kilometres, 2 miles. They
denote a continuous distance.
The
plural forms:
waters, snows
denote a vast stretch (пространство).
These plural forms are not combined with the numerals.
the
plural forms: fruits, steels, cheeses, denote different kinds, sorts
of fruits, steels and cheeses.
Usually
the plural form denotes several things of the same kind (tables,
chairs, books).The plural forms cheeses, fruits etc. denote different
kinds of the same thing.
4.
The noun in the plural form may develop a completely new meaning
which it hasn’t got in the singular. And this new meaning is
restricted to the plural form.
E.g.
glass-glasses
(стекло-очки), сolour-colours
(цвет-знамена), work-works
(работа-завод).
In
such cases the plural form is lexicalized. The –s ending stops
being the grammar morpheme of the plural and becomes a word-building
element.
