Hi Mark, Regularization of foreign loan-words happens over time regardless of lexical category. Irregular forms have to be in frequent use and/or have to signify status within a lexical community in order to be preserved -- which is why, for instance, "alumni" and "syllabi" are still in circulation, but virtually no one refers to more than one sports stadium as "stadia."
Cheers, - DJA ----- WEB: http://www.secretsocietymusic.org On 24 Mar 2011, at 8:16 PM, Mark D Lew wrote: > -----Original Message----- >> From: SN jef chippewa <shirl...@newmusicnotation.com> >> Sent: Mar 24, 2011 2:32 PM >> To: finale@shsu.edu >> Subject: [Finale] [OT] plural of rubato = rubati? >> >> >> does this word actually exist? > > Technically, yes, it does exist. In Italian, "rubato" is an adjective, and if > that adjective happens to be modifying a plural (and masculine) noun, it does > indeed become "rubati" (as in "gioielli rubati"). > > However, you are intending it as a noun. "Rubato" only becomes a noun in > English, so if you want to pluralize it, you should give it an English > plural: rubatos. > > mdl > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > Finale@shsu.edu > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
