The Plural Form of a Simple Noun in Mingo is composed of 5 parts:
Noun Prefix + Noun Base + Linker Vowel + Noun Suffix + Plural Suffix
The Plural Suffix takes the form -shö'ö. Here are some
examples of
Plural Forms of Simple Nouns, broken down into their 5 parts.
ka- -'seht- -a-
-'- -shö'ö ka'sehta'shö'ö
cars
ka- -'ash- -æ-
-'- -shö'ö ka'ashæ'shö'ö
baskets
u- -shaist- -a-
-'- -shö'ö ushaista'shö'ö
snakes
u- -nö'ka- -æ-
-'- -shö'ö unö'kææ'shö'ö
horns
u- -skë'-
-ë- -'- -shö'ö uskë'ë'shö'ö
seeds
For most nouns, like the ones above, the Plural form is the same as
the
Basic Form, plus -shö'ö. For some nouns, though, the
addition of -shö'ö
triggers a change in vowel lengthening, following the rules discussed
in
Chapter 2. For example, «kaháta'» "forest"
and «kahata'shö'ö»
"forests", «kanôskwa'» "domesticated animal" and
«kanöskwa'shö'ö»
"domesticated animals", «ëníshæ'» "shelf"
and «ënishæ'shö'ö» "shelves".
If the Basic Form of the Noun ends in -áá', the Plural
Form will end in
-ææ'shö'ö. For example, «ukwáá'»
"orange" and «ukwææ'shö'ö» "oranges",
«uhsöwöhkáá'» "piece of wood" and
«uhsöwöhkææ'shö'ö» "pieces
of wood".