Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/96

82 The following words form their plural in -e with “mutation”: Bro(d)er brother, Brödre; Moder mother, Mödre; Fader father, Fædre; Datter daughter, Dötre.

170. Third Declension.

Paradigm: Ord word.

Most neuters ending in a consonant follow this declension. Exceptions: Bord table, Brev letter, Gulv floor, Hus house, Navn name, Skib ship, Sogn parish, Tag roof, Toug (N. Taug) rope and some others take -e: Borde etc.; others take -er (see § 165, 4 and 5, and § 169 note 2.) “Mutation” without any ending have: Mand man, plur. Mænd; Gaas goose, plur. Gjæs (D. also Gæs) Barn child has plural Börn and Barnebarn grandchild pl. Börnebörn. These are the only remains of the U-mutation of the old language. In Norway they say (and have commenced to write): pl. Barn and Barnebarn (the same as singular).

171. Some nouns have regularly no plural on account of their signification. Such are proper and collective nouns, names of substances, and abstract nouns indicating a quality. Ex.: Björnson, Jern iron, Godhed goodness. So also words, which otherwise take a plural, when they are used collectively. Ex.: Har du faaet meget Fisk (or mange Fisk) idag have you caught many fish to-day. Words indicating measures or values when ending in a consonant have, as a rule, in that meaning and