| Hus-ir, | Houses, |
| Chalp-ir, | Calves, |
| Lemp-ir, | Lambs, |
| Plet-ir, | Blades of grass, |
| Eig-ir, | Eggs, |
and others, the peculiarity of which is the fact of their all being of the neuter gender.
Now, the theory respecting this form which is propounded by Grimm is as follows:—
1. The -r represents an earlier -s.
2. Which was, originally, no sign of a plural number, but merely a neuter derivative affix, common to the singular as well as to the plural number.
3. In this form it appears in the Mœso-Gothic: ag-is = fear (whence ague = shivering), hat-is = hate, riqv-is = smoke (reek). In none of these words is the -s radical, and in none is it limited to the singular number.
To these doctrines, it should be added, that the reason why a singular derivational affix should become the sign of the plural number, lies, most probably, in the collective nature of the words in which it occurs: Husir = a collection of houses, eiger = a collection of eggs, eggery
or eyry. In words like yeoman-r-y and Jew-r-y, the -r has, probably, the same origin, and is collective.
In Wicliffe we find the form lamb-r-en, which is to lamb as children is to child.
[§ 202]. The form in -en.—In the Anglo-Saxon no termination of the plural number is more common than -n: tungan, tongues; steorran, stars. Of this termination we have evident remains in the words oxen, hosen, shoon, eyne, words more or less antiquated. This, perhaps, is no true plural. In welk-in = the clouds, the original singular form is lost.