Italian Loan Words
-o /@U/ - i /I/ libretto libretti tempo tempi (tempos) Some loan nouns (as can be seen from the above list) may have two plural forms: the English plural and the original foreign one:
memorandum
curricul ums
formul as
There is a tendency to use the regular English plural forms in fiction and colloquial English and the foreign plural in academic or learned language. Sometimes different plural forms have different meanings:
indi ces (a mathematical term)
genii (fabulous spirits guarding a place)
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memoran da
memorand ums
curricul a
curriculum
formul ae
formula
inde xes (list of contents of books)
index
geniuses (men of talent)
genius
