International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 Number System in Arabic and English: A Comparative Analysis

Mohamed .A1, S. A. Shanavas2

1Associate Professor (Retired), E.M.E.A College, Kondotty

2Associate Professor, Dept. of Linguistics, University of Kerala

deleted in some nouns will be restored before the ي Unlike English and many other languages, Arabic has three final ،أخى، دًى،فى، ) in the five nouns و aani’. The dropped‘اٌ numbers: singular, dual and plural. Dual are suffix أر .father أة: أثىاٌ aani’e.g‘ اٌ is restored before adding (رواثى morphologically marked in Arabic whereas in English the marbuuTa is added toحbrother. If the feminine marker أخىاٌ: number two plus plural is used to mark the dual. For ّ لطخ : .e.g د example two cities, two buildings etc are used while in a singular noun, it will be changed into regular . د cat .’ t’ marbuuTa is turned into the regularلطتبٌ Arabic ‘madiinataani’ ‘binaaʾaani’ are used instead of ‘ithnataa- mudn-in or ithnataaabniyat-in’. In respect of number, Sanskrit is similar to Arabic. 2. Plural Formation In Arabic

1. Dual Formation in Arabic There are two types of plurals in Arabic: the regular and jamʿsaalim جًع عبنى irregular. The regular type is known a ʾuuna is added to the singular form if theؤٌ In order to form dual in Arabic, a dual suffix is added to a where a suffix madiinat +-aani = noun is in nominative case. If it is in accusative or genitive‘ يذَخ+آٌ =يذيُتبٌ .singular stem e.g /يغهًىٌ:يغهى يغهًيٍ is added to the stem. E.g ئيٍ madiinat-aani’. ( two cities). The suffix –aani or ayni case the suffix‘ depending on case will be used to form dual. If the noun is /muslim-un : muslimuuna / muslimiina / Mualims. is added to آد in nominative case, -aani is used. If it is in accusative or  In order to mark the soundfeminine plural .muslimaat/ Muslim women /يغهًبد .genitive case –ayni is used to mark the dual the singular form e.g the) جًع انتكغيش two ambassadors The irregular plural which is known asوصم عفيشاٌ number.WaSalasafiinaani beween two ambassadors. broken plural) are very many in Arabic. They are knownثيٍ عفيشيٍ arrived.‘baynasafiirayni they visited two ambassadors. as broken plural because unlike sound plural, the structureصاسواعفيشيZaaruusafiirayniٍ The word ‘safiiraani’ in the first example is the subject of of the singular form is not preserved in the plural either by / Sinw-un : Sinwan-un / صُى : صُىاٌ the verb waSala and is in nominative case. But in the second addingsomething as in :tuxmat‘ تخًخ : تخى example the word ‘safiirayni’ is the second term of an one of twin brothers or subtracting as in عذ : أعذ annexation structure and in genitive case. The same word in tuxam’ ‘indigestion’ or changing the singular as in ʾasad: ʾusd ‘lion’ or by changing the form coupled withأ the third example is in accusative case as it is the object of man’ or changing is‘ سجم :سجبل the verb ‘zaaruu’. The rule is applicable only if the letters in addition as inrajul: rijaal rasuul: rusul‘ سعىل: سعم man’ coupled with subtraction as‘سجم the base word are regular ( sound).e.g.rajlun with ‘ya’ messenger. ( ibnu-Hishaam,264). The most common (يُمىصخ twomen’, or defective‘سجالٌ rajulaani judge broken plural patterns are listed here under triptote and أنمبظending preceded by kasra e.g. al-qaaDiiً .qaaDyaani’ two judges. diptote categories‘لبظيبaaniٌ+ afʿul/ This pattern is used as a plural for faʿl as a/ أفعم (1 ’with the ending of alif noun having the sound ʿayn’ irrespective of its ‘laam(يمصىسح) If the base word is defective كهت’e.g. ‘kalb و ya’ or ‘ يpreceded by fatHa, there are two types of duals: in one of being sound or defective by deer. The plural form of ظجً’cub‘Daby ,جشو’It occurs in three dog‘jarw .ي ’which the alif is to be changed into ‘ya eyes’ is irregular. This is the pattern for a‘أعيٍ aʿyun دجهً cases: one where the alif occurs after three letters as in Hublayaani’ feminine noun having four original letters ,the third of‘دجهيبٌ Hublaa’ pregnant the dual of which is‘ ’ʿuqaabثعمب ,Diraaʿرساع as in يذّحtwo pregnant women. In the second case the alif which which is maddah .forearm, eagle فتً as in ي’occurs as the third letter is a substitute of ‘ya ʾafʿaal/ This pattern is for trilateral noun to which/أفعبل (in the dual 2ي fataa’ young man, the alif is to be changed into‘ isdefectiveعيٍ cannot be the plural form as its أفعم ’daxalama ahu –l ssijnafatayaani‘ دخم يعه ّانغٍ فتيبٌ .form e.g ثىة اثىاة: two young men entered the jail with him’. The third case is e.g‘ afʿila/ It is the plural of a masculine quadriteral/أفعهخbut is used for 3) 3 ي’that where alif is not a substitute of ‘ya اغعًخ:غعبو .e.g يذّحMataa’ which is used as a proper noun whose third letter is maddah‘يتً prolongation asin loaf of bread سغيف: أسغفخ matayaani’. The second type is food‘ يتيبnoun. Its dual form isٌ فتً : فتيخ ’fiʿla/ It is the plural form of ‘fatan/ فعهخwhich occurs 4) 4 و ’that where ‘alif’ is to be changed into ‘waa fuʿala/ It is the regular plural form for the/ فعهخin two cases: the asif is a substitute of ‘wa’ as in ‘ ʿaSa’ stick 5) 5 whose فبعم aSawaani’ two adjective of human beings on the pattern‘ عصىاand its dual isٌعصىwhose origin isعصب غبص:لبض ساو:لعبح ، :غضاح، سيبح sticks or the alif is not the substitute of ‘waa’ and is not used ‘laam’ is defective as in نذ Ladaaif it is used as a proper noun نذي.for prolongation e.g takeاءLadawaani. Nouns ending with the feminine markerواٌ chameleon. The دشثبء دشثبواٌ: .before the suffix.e.g و’a ‘waa Volume 5 Issue 3, March 2016 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV162036 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 1163 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 .jauhar : jawaahir / gem/ جىهش : جىاهش as noun as in فىعم faʿ ala/ It is used as plural of an adjective ofhuman/ فعهخ (6 / Saumaʿ t: Sawaamiʿ/ صىيعخ : صىايع fauʿala/ as/ فىعهخ :كبيم كًهخ، being whose ‘laam’ is sound as in .monastery :عذشح،عبفش:عبدش ثشسح:عفشح ّ،ثبس :عذشح،عبفش:عبدش xaatam : xawaatim / ring/ خبتى : خىاتى faaʿal / as/ فبعم faʿlaa/ It is used as plural for an adjective used as/فعهً (7 / qaaSiʿaaʾ : qawaaSiʿ/ لبصعبء : لىاصع faaʿilaaʾ / as/ فبعالء :جشدً ، passive participle in the pattern ‘faʿiil’ as in .a type stone لتيم:اعيش لتهىجشيخ:أعشي، لتيم:اعيش jaaʾiz : jawaaʾiz/ gift / جىائض:جبئض faaʿil / as noun / فبعم fiʿala/ It is used as a plural form of ‘fuʿl’ pattern as/فعهخ (8 HaaʾiD / دبئط : دىائط as a feminine adjective as in فبعم دسج:لشغ لشغخ، : :دسجخ ّ،دة :دثجخ ،كىص كىصح in .fuʿʿal/ Used as a plural form for a singular adjective : HawaaʾiD/a lady who menstruatesفعّم (9 .Taaliq: Tawaaliq / devorsed / غىانمطبنك: دب ئط : دبئط on the pattern ‘faaʿil’ or ‘ faaʿila’ as in It can generally be used in all feminine ) فعبئم (18 : ح:ديّعُبئذخ َّى weather itيذّح ’fuʿʿaal/ It is used as plural form for an adjective on quadriliterals whose third letter is ‘ maddaفعّبل (10 :saHaabat/ عذبثخ عذبئت: is marked by ‘ta’ marbuuta as in صبئى : ّ صىاو ،دبكى : ّ دكبو ، لبسئ اء: ّلش asin فبعم the pattern fiʿaal/ used as plural for thirteen singular forms ( saHaaʾib/ cloud or not marked for feminine gender but/فعبل (11 /ʿajuuz: ʿajaaiz / عجىص عجبئض: faʿl-un, faʿla-tun/ is used a feminine as in/ ، فعهخ فعم :nouns/adjectives) .They are .old woman كعت : :كعبة ، لصعخ لصبع ّ،يشح .both as nouns or adjctives.e faʿaalii / This plural form is generally used in/ ) فعبنً (faʿal-un, faʿalat-un/ that is not derived 19/ فعم،فعهخ يشاس: :jamal, seven singular patterns which are listed below/ : جًبل جًم from defective or geminate as in ʿadhraaʾ : ʿadhaarii / a/ : عزاسي عزساءfaʿlaaʿ/ as/فعالء .1 : ثًبس ثًشح,jabal: jibaal. moutainججم , camel : ججبل ,jimaal .virgin رئت : رئبة .fiʿl,fuʿl/ e.g/،فعهفعم .thamart, thimaar/ fruit / maumaat :mawaammin / a/ يىاو:يىيبح faʿlaat /as /فعالح .rumH : rimaaH/ lance, 2/ سيخ : سيبح ,Diʾb: Diʾaab/ wolf/ .large desert : ظشاف .e.gفبعم that has the meaningفعيم، فعيهخ .spear siʿlaat : siʿaalin/ a ghoul/ : ععبنغعالح / fi ʿlat /فعالح kariim: 3/ كشيى كشاو: ,zariif: ziraaf/graceful, chaming/ ظشيف hibriyat: habaarin/ a rough / :هجشيخ هجبس fiʿliyat/ as / فعهيخ .kiraam/ noble. 4 .shariif: shiraaf/honorable. ground / ششافششيف: ʿarquwat: ʿaraaqin / a / عشلىح : عشاق faʿluwat/ as/ فعهىح .faʿlaan/ as an adjective and its feminine 5/ فعالٌ، stick that is put horizontally on a bucket.( 276, AuDaH l عطشبٌ .faʿlaa/e.g / فعهً /faʿlaana/ فعالَخ،gender .( fuʿlaan/ as an masaalik/ فعالʿaTshaan: ʿiTaash\thirastyٌ/ عطبػ: ʿadhraaʾ : ʿadhaarin / a / عزساء : عزاسي faʿaalaa/ as/ ) فعبنً (fuʿlaana/ 20 /فعالَخ adjective and its feminine gender .xumSaan: ximaaS/ lean, slim. vergin/ خًبص:خًصبٌ fatwa: fataawaa / a formal / فتىي : فتبوي faʿlaa/ as/ فعهً.faʿil/ 1/ فعمfuʿuul/ It is general in four forms: One is/ فعىل) (12 daʿwaa : daʿaawaa / a/ دعىي : دعبوي .namir, numuur /leopard, tiger, and the legal opinion / ًَش ًَىس: .e.g remaining three are the trilateral noun the ‘ʿayn’ of claim. Hublaa: Habaalaa/ a/ دجبنً:دجهً fuʿlaa/ as / فعهً .2 فهظ : فهىط which has ‘sukuun’ and its ‘fa’has fatHa as in xunthaa : xayaathaa / a / خُثً خُبثً: .Dirs: Duruus/ pregnant woman/ ظشط ظشوط: fals:fuluus/ orkasra as in/ .jund:junuud/ army. hermaphrodite/ جُىد :جُذ or Damma as in / Hayraan : Hayaaraa / ديشاٌ : ديبسي faʿlaan/ as/ فعالٌ fuʿuul/ as 3/ فعىل :fiʿlaan/ It is general in four/ ) فعالٌ (13 .fuʿal/ as perplexed/ فعم,ghurab: ghirbaan/ crow/, غشاة : غشثبٌ in faʿaaliyy / . It is generally used in every / ) ّ فعبنjuradh: jirdhaan/ a large rat,orfuʿl whose 21ً/ جشراَجشر: in trilateral substantives/ adjectives the last letter of :كىص ديتبَذىد:كيضاٌ as in ،/ kuuz: kiizaan/ jug و ʿayn’ is‘ having ‘shadda’ not for ‘nisba’ as ي ’taaj: which is ‘ya/ تبج تيجبٌ،: faʿal/ as in/ فعم Huut: Hiitaan/ fish or/ : ّلًبسي ّ لًشي,kursiyy : karasiyy / a chair/ ّ كشعً : ّكشاعً jaar: jiiraam/ neighbor in/ جبس جيشاٌ: tiijaan/ crown .fuʿlaan / plural in this pattern is used in a noun on /qumriyy: qamaariyy / a variety of turtledove /فعالٌ (14 faʿaalil/. It is used in substantives or adjectives/ فعبنم (Zahr: Zuhraan/ 21/ ظهش ظهشاٌ: faʿl / as / فعم the pattern fa ʿal/ havin which are quadrilateral or quinqueliteral originally or by/فعم ;saqf: suqfaan/ roof / عمف : عمفبٌ ,back .thaʿlab : thaʿaalib / a fox / :ثعهت ثعبنت increase as in ركشاٌ:ركش , balad: buldaan /town/ ثهذ : ثهذاٌ sound ‘laam’ as .Difdaʿ : Dafaadiʿ/ a frog/ ظفذع ظفبدع: dhakar: dhukraan / a male/ dirham: daraahim/ dirham / دسهى دساهى: faʿiil / having the/ فعيم fuʿalaaʾ / It is regular in/فعالء (15 .burthun : baraathin/ a claw of a lion / ثشاثٍ:ثشثٍ ’that is not geminated/ weak of ‘ laamفبعم meaning of .jadwal: jadaawil/ a streamlet / جذاول:جذول ثخيم ثخالء: , kariim: kuramaaʾ / gentle / كشيى : كشيبء as that hasفبعم baxiil : buxalaaʾ / stingy. It is used also in/ ʿaaqi/ :ʿuqalaaʾ / The following are the examples of quinqueliteral// عبلم ،: عمالء an abstract meaning as shaaaʿir: shuʿaraaʾ /poet. substantives / شبعش شعشاء: intelligent .safarjal:safaarij/ a quince/ عفشجم عفبسج: in geminationفعالء ʾafʿilaaʿ / It is used instead of/ أفعالء (16 جذبيش:جذًشػ عضيض : ّأعضاء ;shadiid :ʾ ashiddaaʾ/ strong/ شذيذ : أشذّاء as /ʿaziiz :ʾaʿizzaaʾ / powerful; mighty; respected. In the waliyy : ʾ auliyaaʾ / In quinqueliterals the fifth letter will be dropped. If the/ ّ :ونً اونيبء defective also ,it is used as ghaniyy ;ʾ aghniyaaʾ / rich. singular contains five letters, the fifth letter as a rule will be/ ّ غًُ : أغُيبء : غُ ً dropped in the plural. As the broken plurals are many, it is فبعهخ ،فىعم، فىعهخ، (It is general in seven: 1 فىاعم (17 better to learn singular and plural as a pair. Compared to فبعم،فبعالء، فبعم ، English, Arabic plurals are much more though they are rule َبصيخ كبرثخ faaʿilat/ both as noun or adjective as in/فبعهخ .nawaaSii bound/ َىاصً The plural of ‘naaSiyat’ is )خبغئخ (أنعهك )خبغئخ / forelock. Volume 5 Issue 3, March 2016 www.ijsr.net Paper ID: NOV162036 Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 1164 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 3. Plural Formation of Nouns in English [3] Wright,W. A Grammar of the Arabic Language,Librairie Du Liban,1974,Beirut. (1) Most nouns in English form plurals by taking –s or –es. [4] Alosh,Mahdi.Using Arabic A Guide to Contemporary A book some books Usage,Cambridge University Press,2005. A house a few houses

(2) A noun ending in –y and preceded by a consonant makes the plural with –ies. A cry cries of helpless people A city some cities of attraction.

(3) There are some irregular forms of plural. Woman women Child children Tooth teeth Leaf leaves Fungus fungi

(4) Same form for both singular and plural. Sheep sheep Fish fish Species species

(5) Some nouns have plural forms but they take singular verbs. News this is a concocted news Mathematics Mathematics is an interesting subject. Billiards billiards is a popular game.

(6) Some nouns in English have plural forms and they take plural verbs.Trousers, jeans and glasses (spectacles) are such words. The rules of pluralisation of English nouns can be summarized as follows: [Affixation(adding –s/-es/-ies )/internal changes /zero morpheme ]

4. Comparison and Contrast

Affixation for plural formation is found both in Arabic and , Taalib: Taalibuuna/ :غبنت غبنجىٌ ، غبنجيٍ .English e.g Taalibiina / student: students.

Internal changes as in tooth and teeth are also found in both .kariim : kiraam/ gentle / :كشيى كشاو .e.g

Zero morpheme as sheep : sheep is found only in English not in Arabic. There are only two numbers in English: singular and plural. For dual two plus plural form ( e.g. two tribes ) is used in English. But in Arabic there are three numbers: singular, dual and plural. In Arabic affixation differs in accordance with difference in cases e.g. for nominative case ‘uuana’ is added to the singular whereas in accusative/ genitive case ‘ iian’ is added. In English there is no case difference.

References

[1] Al –Ansari,IbnHisham. AuDaHulMasaalikilaaʾAlfiyaibn Maalik ,Dar al Talaaʾiʿ,2004,Cairo. [2] Ryding, Karin. C. A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic,Cambridge University Press,2005.

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