Re: [OT] The stigma of schema

["W. E. Perry" <wperry@fiduciary.com>]

Uche Ogbuji wrote:

> This is my last message on this OT thread, so I'm just combining 2
> responses.

I too am eager to move on. However . . .

> So I did what I should have done at first and actually looked it up.  here
> are your counter-examples:
>
> cornu: horn
> genu: knee

These are both regular neuter fourth declension nouns (stems in -u-), and not
surprisingly their nominative and accusative plural forms are cornua and
genua--i.e., they end in -a.

My challenge to find a neuter plural in Greek or Latin whose nominative does
not end in -a still stands, but let's take it off the list. Send me any
findings privately, and we can then post anything which appears to be this
elusive exception.

As for Steve Rowe's list of nouns whose plural form ends in -ta (actually
-ata), they are all Greek or directly Greek derived nouns which follow the
schema/schemata pattern, rather than Latin neuter plural participles like
desiderata, errata, and data.

Best regards,

Walter Perry