Singular and Plural Forms in English and Ukrainian

Nouns have singular and plural forms Both in Ukrainian and English. However even between these grammatical forms which seem so identical, there is no full semantic and functional coincidence. There are many cases, when singular in Ukrainian corresponds to plural in English:

овес – oats цибуля – onions

картопля – potatoes передмістя – outskirts, suburbs

And Ukrainian plural form, on the contrary, corresponds to singular in English:

гроші – money чорнила – ink

новини – news відомості – information

Strange use of singular to denote a great number of somebody or something is observed:

Many a man gathered on board a ship.

Therefore it is necessary to change forms of number in translation:

“This party, compelled for a time to stand virtually alone in its struggles...“

„Наша партія, яка довгий час вела боротьбу наодинці...“ (From newspaper)

Вишню сушили, мочили, мариновали, варенье варили (Чехов. „Вишневый сад“).

... They used to dry the cherries and soak ’em and pickle ’em, and make jam of ’em...

Syntactic use of number forms of nouns in both languages does not coincide fully, either. Thus, in Ukrainian the rule of using number forms of nouns, defined by numerals differs from those of the English:

30 тисяч жінок (мн.) – 31 тисяча (одн.) жінок,

30 жінок (мн.) – 31 жінка (одн.)

30 thousand (sing.) of women – thousands (pl.) of women.

Noun penny „пенс” has the form “реnсе” in plural,when it goes about sum of money. Whenever separate coins are meant, then the form “pennies” is used:

It costs eighteen pence.

Це коштує вісімнадцять пенсів.

Pennies are made of bronze.

Пенси (тобто монети в один пенс) виготовляються з бронзи.

Nouns sheep вівця and fish риба have one and the same form that for plural and singular:

This collective farm has a great number of sheep.

Цей колгосп має велику кількість овець.

I caught two fish.

Я спіймав дві рибини.

However, when it goes about different types of fish, then fish has the form of plural – fishes:

In this lake there are fishes of many varieties.

У цьому озері є риба багатьох різновидів.

Nouns dozen“дюжина” and score“двадцять” have one and the same form for singular and plural, if they follow numerals; two dozen (of) eggs – дві дюжини яєць; three score (of) years – 60 років.

When these nouns are not accompanied by numerals, they form plural according to a general rule by means of adding the ending -s:

Pack the books in dozens, please. Запакуйте книги дюжинами, будь-ласка.

Scores of people were present there.

Багато людей були присутніми там.

Noun works завод, заводи is used with both the meaning of singular and plural:

A new glass works has been built near the village.

Біля селища був побудований новий склозавод.

There are two brick works outside the town.

За містом розташовані два цегляних заводи.

Noun means засіб, засоби isalso used both with the meaning of singular and plural:

He found a means of helping them.

Він знайшов засіб допомогти їм.

Are there any other means of helping them?

Чи є інші засоби допомогти їм?

Note:

1. Nouns gate“ворота”, sledge“санчата”, are used both in singular and plural in comparison with Ukrainian, where the corresponding nouns are used only in plural:

Тhе gate is open. Ворота відкриті.

All the gates were closed. Усі ворота були зачинені.

2. Nouns export and import areused both in singular and plural, but in Ukrainian the words експорт and імпорт are used only in singular.

Export and import areused in plural – exports, imports –when it goes about the amount or cost of exported or imported goods:

Ukrainian exports to Poland as well as Ukrainian imports from that country have greatly increased.

Український експорт в Польщу так само, як і український імпорт з цієї країни, значно збільшився.

When the process of importing or exporting is meant then the forms of singular – export and import are used:

That organization is engaged in the export and import of different machines.

Ця організація займається експортом (вивезенням) та імпортом (ввезенням) різних машин.

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