Singular tantum
A singular tantum (from the Latin singularis “standing in the singular” and tantum “only”), also called a singular word or singular word , is a noun that is only used in the singular . The plural of Singularetantum is in the technical language Singular ia tantum ; Duden also records the form of singular rhetoric . Singular tums are rarely used with an indefinite article and are often used without an article because they are implicitly determined. The opposite word is plural tantum .
Examples
- Concrete that denote something innumerable: the noise , the shelter , the fruit , the meat , the snow , the cold
- Abstracts : thirst , hunger , hatred , reason , the present , the calm , the abundance , the melancholy , the universe , the chaos , the nothingness , the decency
- substantiated verb infinitives : thinking , forgiving, forgetting
- substantiated adjectives : the German , the unforgettable
- many nouns referring to -heit or -keit : the darkness , the health , the tiredness, the arrogance
- many names of substances : gold , butter , helium
- Organizations: the post
Plural formation through compound words
The plural of singular can be expressed with the help of compound words, e.g. B. Foliage, the foliage varieties; Snow, the masses of snow.
Exceptions
Some words are formally singular in their basic meaning, but have an - often concretising - secondary meaning for which there is a plural. Such words are not singular.
Examples:
Some words only form a plural in one technical language. Such words are also not singular.
- Dust - dust , even dust (different kinds of dust)
- Water - waters (e.g. types of mineral water)
- Milk - milk , including milk ( types of milk, e.g. cow's milk, goat's milk, mare's milk)
- Cheese - cheese , various types of cheese
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Singularetantum at Duden online