(no subject)

[moonflower77]

plural

suffix -t:

- joined directly to the stem if the stem ends in a vowel:

jarat houses, homes, dwellings, lilit mittens, vɨlpat spades, uqqɛmɛt dishes, plates, rɨrkat walruses, qaat reindeer, kukɛt cauldrons, large pots, ɛjɨchgit waves, riŋɛnɛŋɛt aeroplanes

pɨnlöt questions, galgat ducks, large birds, jiļɛt arctic ground squirrels, ɛkkɛt sons, ɨtļat mothers, chavchɨvat reindeer herders, o'ravɛtļat people, human beings, ɨtlüvjot grandsons, nephews

- preceded by the linking vowel "ɨ" (-ɨt) if the stem ends in a consonant cluster, including the instances where one of the consonants is a glottal stop: 

pojgɨt spears, kimitjɨt goods, products, ɛjpichgɨt corks, plugs, stoppers, ɛvirjɨt garments, items of clothing, ajmɨjochgɨt buckets, tɨlechjɨt motors, qɛplɨt balls, nɛlgɨt animal skins, rɛnmɨt walls, rɛsqɨt roofs, ŋilgɨt belts, kojŋɨt cups, mugs, pojgɨchjɨt stems, tɨmkɨt tussocks, gɨtgɨt lakes, tɨlänvɨt ways, paths, pipiqɨlgɨt mice, ɨ'ttjɨt dogs, kɛjŋɨt brown bears, ɨnpɨnachgɨt old men, rɛmkɨt peoples, nations, tumgɨt friends

- preceded by the linking vowel "ɨ" (-ɨt) if the stem ends in a single consonant, except for the ones listed below: 

ɨ'lqɛpɨt nails (metal), grɛpɨt songs, rɛvɨmrɛvɨt ptarmigans, rjɛvɨt whales, kɛnchiqɨt whips, jajaqɨt seagulls, ligligɨt eggs, mɛnigɨt fabrics, vɛɛmɨt privers, nɨmnɨmɨt villages, settlements, pjoŋpjoŋɨt mushrooms, toadstools, chjɛcheŋɨt frosts, cold times, chjɛtlɨkɨt a type of antique rifle with a flint lock, a'achekɨt young men, lads

exceptions: if the stem ends in a single consonant that is -t, -l, -ch, -r, -n or -j, the noun requires the suffix -ti ~ -tɛ:

ŋɛvɨsqɛtti women, achgɨttɛ rows, vɨlgilti birch treles, mɛmɨltɛ ring seals, ajvachtɛ barriers, partitions that protect against the wind, ochochtɛ bosses, heads, milgɛrti rifles, jarartɛ shaman's drums, tintinti fields of ice, different types of ice, vagɨtkɨntɛ buds, ŋɛgti mountains, magtɛ warehouses

suffix -nti ~ -ntɛ:

used only for the proper (personal) names of humans and the special terms for close elder relatives that are to be used within the family: atɛ dad, ɨmmɛmɨ mom, ɨnjɨ elder brother, ɛpɨ grandpa, ɛpɛqɛj grandma, jeļouncle, ɨtchajqaj (these terms usually take this suffix if one is addressing a relative directly). i.e., nouns from the II declension. 

NB: the terms for elder relatives are divided into in-family (the ones listed above) and general ones (ɨtlɨgɨnfather, ɨtlä mother, mirgɨn grandfather, ŋɛvmirgɨn grandmother, ɨnɛɛļɨn elder brother, ɨnjiv uncle, ɨtchaj aunt). the general terms are not included into the category of nouns that require this suffix and do not belong to the II declension. the same applies to terms for younger relatives (ɛkɨk son, ŋɛɛkɨk daughter, ɨtleŋi younger brother, ɨtlɨvɛ grandson, nephew) and the general terms for siblings (jichjɛmittumgɨn brother, to his brother,jichjɛmit brother, to his sister, chakɨgɛt sister, to her brother, chakɛttomgɨn sister, to her sister), neither of which are divided into specific/in-family and general. 

- joined directly to the stem if the stem ends in a vowel:

atɛntɛ dads, ɨmmɛmɛnti moms, ɛpɛnti grandpas, jeļontɛ uncles, ɨnjɛnti elder brothers

- preceded by the linking vowel "ɨ" if the stem ends in a single consonant or a consonant cluster:

ɨmmɛqɛjɨnti mommies, ɛpɛqɛjɨnti grandmas, ɨtchaqajɨntɛ aunts

note: the plural of human proper names may refer both to simple and representative plurality. e.g., Jatgorɨntɛ may mean "several men named Jatgor" (simple plurality) or "the family members of a man named Jatgor", "a group of people connected to a man named Jatgor" (representative plurality). 

any nouns, regardless of their semantic peculiarities, can have a plural form. nouns that refer to liquid, powdery, grainy or gaseous substances (ŋɨlgɨl smoke, lelel dew, jɨŋɛjɨŋ mist, fog, chɨgaglɨŋɨn sand, chaqar sugar, mɨtqɨmɨt fat, blubber) as well as abstract concepts (vɛnratgɨrgɨn help, aid, assistance, omgɨrgɨn warmth, vagɨrgɨn being, existence) do tend to be used more frequently in the singular, but, if necessary, they too can easily form a plural.