Page:A simplified grammar of the Swedish language.djvu/34

16 Many such words differ in the mode in which they form their plural; as, kor, m., 'a company of singers,' pl. korer; kor, n., 'church-quire,' pl. kor; lår, m., 'corn-bin,' pl. lårar; lår, n., 'thigh-bone,' pl. lår.

Some words may be used under two distinct modes of termination in the singular dependent upon uncertainty of declension; as, almanacka and almanack, pl., almanackor.

Others may differ both in the plural and singular; as, Fur or fura, f., 'fir-tree;' the former making furer, and the latter furor, in the plural.

Some nouns do not admit of being declined; as, (i) går, 'yesterday;' (till) pass, 'at the right time;' (på) spe, 'mockery.' Such words, however, as in the instances given, usually require to be used adverbially with a preposition.

Many words have different meanings in accordance with the declension to which they belong, and the consequent difference in their plural; as, bok, f., 'book,' pl. böcker; bok, f., 'beech,' pl. bokar.

Some nouns, as in English, can only be used in the singular; as, bly, n., 'lead;' allmoge, m., 'peasantry;' stolthet, f., 'pride,' and many other abstract nouns of a similar kind.

Some nouns can only be used in the plural; as, bopålar, m. pl., 'domicile;' ränker, m. pl., 'cabal.'

Many nouns form their plural by changing their radical vowel; as, hand, f., 'hand,' pl. händer; son, m., 'son,' pl. söner; man, m., 'man,' pl. män or männer; gås, f., 'goose,' pl. gäss; mus, f., 'mouse,' pl. möss. The two last take en as their plural terminal article.