pluralsuch

Pluralsuch is a term used in linguistic typology to describe a class of plural formation patterns in which the plural is explicitly marked by a dedicated suffix, commonly referred to as pluralsuch. The concept is applied to languages that consistently attach a suffix to noun stems to signal plurality, rather than relying on stem changes, separate particles, or numeral agreement. The label is used in descriptive grammars of natural languages and in analyses of constructed languages to group similar suffixal plural systems.

In pluralsuch systems, the plural marker is a suffix that attaches to the noun base. It can have several allomorphs conditioned by phonology, typically appearing as -such, -sich, or -suk depending on the stem’s final sound and adjacent phonological context. Some languages exhibit vowel harmony or consonant assimilation that affects the preceding vowel before the suffix. The pluralsuch suffix may interact with determiners, adjective agreement, or numeral syntax, but it remains the overt marker of plurality.

Examples of pluralsuch usage are most often described in descriptive grammars or conworlding materials for constructed languages. For instance, in LangA, the singular davo becomes davosuch in the plural; in LangB, mira becomes mirasuch, with occasional alternants in specific grammatical environments. While actual attestation of pluralsuch across well-documented natural languages is limited, the concept serves as a useful category for comparing suffixal plural systems and for morphophonological theorizing.

See also: plural suffix, suffixation, allomorphy, morphophonology, numeral class.