WORDS ENDING IN “IBLE”; OBSOLETE.

NOUNS ENDING IN O.

Errors sometimes occur in forming the plural of nouns in o. We frequently see frescoes, mottos,—both wrong. The general rule is, If the final o has a vowel before it, form the plural by adding s: as “cameo, cameos”; if a consonant precede the final o, add es; as “archipelago, archipelagoes.” Such exceptions to the general rule as are most frequently met with, and a few that are rare, we here subjoin: {p168}

AlbinoAlbinos
ArmadilloArmadillos
BustoBustos
CantoCantos
CatsoCatsos
CentoCentos
DidoDidos
DominoDominos
DuoDuos
DuodecimoDuodecimos
EmbryoEmbryos
ExaltadoExaltados
FolioFolios
FrescoFrescos
GauchoGauchos
GrottoGrottos
HaloHalos
InamoratoInamoratos
InternuncioInternuncios
JuntoJuntos
LassoLassos
LimboLimbos
MementoMementos
MerinoMerinos
MestizoMestizos
NuncioNuncios
OctavoOctavos
OctodecimoOctodecimos
PianoPianos
PorticoPorticoes, Wb. or Porticos, Wor.
PortfolioPortfolios
ProvisoProvisos
PunctilioPunctilios
QuartoQuartos
RotundoRotundos
SalvoSalvos
SextodecimoSextodecimos
SiroccoSiroccos
SoloSolos
TrioTrios
TwoTwos
TyroTyros
VirtuosoVirtuosos
ZeroZeros

But “albugo” has pl. “albugines”; and to “imago” we should probably have to write pl. “imagines.” There are many nouns ending in o, for whose plurals we have not found any authority beyond the general rule. With the exceptions given above, the rule may be safely followed. The plural of “portico” is a matter of style: and there is some authority for “quartoes.”

WORDS ENDING IN ISE.

Words ending with the sound of ize are variously spelled ise or ize. Of this class the correct spelling of the following words is ise; nearly if not quite all others take ize. {p169}

EI AND IE.