The Basic Plural

With Count Nouns

The Kryptonian language distinguishes between singular and plural. To indicate plurality on a count noun, the suffix "o" is added to the noun.

• cas /chahs/ table caso /chahso/ tables

Count Nouns & Cardinal Numbers

The basic plurality marker is obligatory when using ordinal numbers with an absolute value greater than one. Ordinal numbers are placed after any articles.

• V 2- caso /tov tavlo chahso/ the -2 tables V 1- cas /tiv chahvlo chahs/ the -1 table V ` cas /tiv :zha chahs/ the 0 tables V 1 cas /tiv chahv chahs/ the 1 table V 2 caso /tov tav chahso/ the 2 tables

Count Nouns & Ordinal Numbers

Specifiying an ordinal number, such as, "the 3rd table," is formed in Kryptonian using the inalienable possessive as follows. Pluralization of the noun in this case is independent of the ordinal number and dependent on the implicit (1st example) or explicit (2nd example) quantity of the overall number of items.

Not (Directly) with Mass Nouns

In English, mass nouns can take a plural suffix. This slightly alters their meaning into a quanitified "part of" the mass noun or "kind of" the mass noun. For example, water refers to some indefinite quantity of the substance, whereas waters refers to either a measured amount, e.g., bottles of water, or different types of water (fresh or salty?). This type of alteration does not function (in the same way) in Kryptonian. The basic plural marker cannot be affixed directly to mass nouns.

• ek /ehk/ water ehko /ehko/ waters

There is a partitive suffix in Kryptonian: Ieb. This suffix can be used with a mass noun to quantify it. Once quantified, the noun can then be pluralized just like any other count noun.

• ek /ehk/ water ekIeb /ehkieb/ "part of" water ekIebo /ehkiebo/ "parts of" water

The Missing Plural

Kryptonian has another plurality marker, the "missing" plural, that indicates that an item or items are expected to be present but are not. For example, if you came home to find you had been robbed, you might ask, "Where are my things?" In that sentence, in Kryptonian, the plural "s" in "things" would be replaced with the missing plurality.

The missing plurality is not as restricted in its use and can affix where the basic plurality cannot, i.e. with mass nouns and with any ordinal number including one and zero. As such, it is more ambiguous as to the actual plurality of the noun (1st example).

• cas /chahs/ table casaZA /chahsahzha/ missing table(s)

• ek /ehk/ water ekaZA /ehkahzha/ missing water