pluralisattributieve

Pluralisattributieve is a term used in linguistics to describe a pattern of agreement in noun phrases in which the attributive element (such as an adjective or determiner) carries a plural form to reflect the plurality of the head noun. The term combines the sense of plurality (pluralis) with attribution (attributief) and is employed to discuss how languages handle number concord within a single noun phrase.

In practice, pluralisattributieve agreement occurs when the modifying element bears explicit plural morphology or an independent plural marker, signaling that the reference set described by the noun phrase is plural. This can occur through inflected adjectives, determiner forms, or other attributive markers that align with the noun’s number. The phenomenon is especially observable in languages with rich agreement systems, where both the head noun and the attributive element participate in number concord.

Typologically, pluralisattributieve patterns can be categorized by the locus of plurality marking. Some languages mark plurality on the attributive adjective or determiner itself, while others use a combination of marked determiners and adjective forms that together convey plural reference. In some Sprachgebieten, the attributive form may show pluralization even when the head noun’s form remains neutral or unmarked, creating a distinct concord pattern within the noun phrase.

Examples from different language families illustrate the concept. In Spanish, adjectives agree in number and gender with the noun, so in a phrase like casas grandes, the plural adjective grandes marks the plural noun casas. In Dutch, attributive adjectives often take an ending that signals definiteness and number, as in de grote huizen, where the attributive form accompanies the plural noun.

See also: grammatical agreement, noun phrase, attributive construction.