pluralmultiple

Pluralmultiple is a proposed term in linguistics describing the phenomenon whereby plurality is marked across multiple grammatical units within a single clause or noun phrase, rather than being confined to a single word. The idea emphasizes reinforcement or redundancy of number marking and is discussed mainly in theoretical accounts of rich morphology. The term is not universally standardized, and its usage varies across scholars.

In typology, pluralmultiple can operate in several ways. One pattern is noun-centered plural multiple, where the noun bears a plural suffix in addition to a plural determiner or numeral. Another pattern is DP-level plural multiple, in which the determiner, numeral, and possibly adjectives also carry plural features, sometimes with agreement extending to the verb. A related possibility is cross-participant agreement, where verbs or auxiliaries show plural marking that aligns with several plural cues in the noun phrase. Some analyses treat pluralmultiple as a morphological or syntactic configuration rather than a conventional grammatical requirement, and others view it as a potential pragmatic or emphatic device.

Examples are often constructed in discussions of pluralmultiple because there is no widely attested language described as systematically exhibiting this exact pattern. A hypothetical language might mark plurality on the noun with a suffix, while a numeral or determiner carries an additional plural marker, and the verb shows corresponding plural agreement. Such constructions would produce reinforced plurality across multiple layers of the clause.

Relation to other concepts includes connections to pleonastic or emphatic plurality and to broader questions about redundancy in grammar. Pluralmultiple should not be confused with pluralia tantum or ordinary number agreement, which do not require multi-layered marking.

See also: plurality, grammatical number, number agreement, pleonasm.