4.6 Plural Noun Endings ים ִ and וֹת

Plural noun endings are straightforward: ים ִ and וֹת; expect Propretonic Reduction if the resulting word now has a propretonic syllable

• MP - ים ִ
  • Since most MS nouns are endingless, simply affix the MP ending ים ִ, e.g.סוֹס (horse) becomes סוּסִים (horses)
  • דָּבָר becomes דְּבָרִים
    • A one-syllable ending affixed to a two syllable word, now is a three-syllable word and therefore, has a propretonic syllable
    • A vowel under a non-Guttural will reduce to Vocal Shewa - דְּבָרִים
    • As we saw in Lesson 3.2, דְּבָרִים changes from דָבָר because an open propretonic syllable prefers a reduced vowel.
  • עָנָן becomes עֲנָנִים (clouds)
    • A vowel under a guttural will take a Hateph vowel, usually Hateph Patach - עֲנָנִים
  • כּוֹכָב becomes כּוֹכָבִים (stars)
    • An irreducible long vowel will not reduce - so in כּוֹכָבִים, the \(\hat O\) (Holem Vav) remains
  • Under the MP endings above, note the propretonic reduction when the original word is more the one syllable.
• FP: וֹת, e.g., מְלָכוֹת (queens)
  • תּוֹרָה becomes תּוֹרוֹת

When we get to verbs, we will find that וֹת has other uses besides the FP ending