TED-Ed: A brief history of plural words - John McWhorter

The video explores the complexities of English plurals, highlighting irregular forms like 'men' and 'geese'. It delves into Old English, where nouns had gender and plurals were more complex. The influence of Vikings simplified English, leading to the more regular plural forms we use today.

Which of the following is an example of an irregular plural in English?

• Dogs

• Cats

• Books

• Men

In Old English, what was the plural form of 'book'?

• Books

• Bookes

• Beek

• Booken

What was a unique feature of nouns in early English?

• They were gendered

• They had no plural forms

• They were all neuter

• They all ended with 's'

How did the Vikings influence the English language?

• They introduced new alphabets

• They removed all irregular plurals

• They simplified the plural system

• They made English more complex

Why did the English language become more streamlined over time?

• Due to the influence of Latin

• Due to the Viking integration

• Because of the Norman Conquest

• Because of the Industrial Revolution