Курсовая работа: Comparison of nouns in English and Russian languages

3) effect = result, effects = 1) results

2) goods and chattels

4) manner = mode or way, manners = 1) modes, ways

2) behaviour

5) number = a total amount of units, numbers = 1) in counting

2) poetry

6) pain = suffering, pains = 1) plural of suffering

2) effort

7) premise = a statement or proposition, premises = 1) propositions

2) surrounding to a house

8) quarter = a fourth part, quarters = 1) fourth parts

2) lodgings

There are also double plurals used with some difference of meanings:

1) brother 1) brothers (sons of one mother)

2) brethren (members of one community)

2) genius 1) geniuses (men of genius)

2) genii (spirits)

3) cloth 1) cloths (kinds of cloth)

2) clothes (articles of dress)

Cf. Russian:

зуб —1) зубы (во рту), 2) зубья (пилы)

муж — 1) мужья, 2) мужи ("ученые мужи")

тон — 1)тона (оттенки), 2) тоны (звуки)

лист — 1) листья(дерева), 2) листы (бумаги, железа)[24]

Mention should be made in this connection of nouns which have two parallel variants in the plural exactly alike in function but different in their stylistic sphere of application, e. g.:

Cow — cows and kine (arch., now chiefly poetic)

Foe — foes and fone (arch.)

Shoe — shoes and shoen (arch.)

Unproductive archaic elements are sometimes used to create the atmosphere of elevated speech. This may also be traced in other languages. Compare the Russian: