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From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Reduplication as a Plural (in Japanese)
Message-ID: <1906@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 14-Apr-85 21:45:33 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.1906
Posted: Sun Apr 14 21:45:33 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Apr-85 02:30:22 EST
References: <7169@watdaisy.UUCP> <2784@sdcc3.UUCP>
Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Distribution: net
Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica
Lines: 11
Summary: 

Most of the time Japanese doesn't spcify whether a word is singular or
plural.  One way some plurals are formed, though, is by repeating the
word and changing the voicing.

     Hito = person (people)    Hitobito = people
     Shima = island(s)         Shimajima = islands

Perhaps more strange is the use of iroiro (iro = color, emotion) to
mean "various."

--Lee Gold