Plurals in -a:—
| Original root. | Plur. | Sing. |
| Dogmat- | dogmata | dogma |
| Lemmat- | lemmata | lemma |
| Miasmat- | miasmata | miasma[[23]] |
[§ 161]. Miscellaneous elements.—Of miscellaneous elements we have two sorts; those that are incorporated in our language, and are currently understood (e.g., the Spanish word sherry, the Arabic word alkali, and the Persian word turban), and those that, even amongst the educated, are considered strangers. Of this latter kind (amongst many others) are the Oriental words hummum, kaftan, gul, &c.
Of the currently understood miscellaneous elements of the English language, the most important are from the French; some of which agree with those of the Latin of the fourth period, and the Greek in preserving the French plural forms—as beau, beaux, billets-doux.
Italian.—Some words of Italian origin do the same: as virtuoso, virtuosi.
Hebrew.—The Hebrew words, cherub and seraph do the same; the form cherub-im, and seraph-im, being not only plurals but Hebrew plurals.
Beyond the words derived from these five languages, none form their plurals other than after the English method, i.e., in -s: as waltzes, from the German word waltz.
[§ 162]. The extent to which a language, which like the English, at one and the same time requires names for many objects, comes in contact with the tongues of half the world,
and has, moreover, a great power of incorporating foreign elements, derives fresh words from varied sources, may be seen from the following incomplete notice of the languages which have, in different degrees, supplied it with new terms.
Arabic.—Admiral, alchemist, alchemy, alcohol, alcove, alembic, algebra, alkali, assassin, from a paper of Mr. Crawford, read at the British Association, 1849.