4.5.3. The Plural in the Fourth Declension

1. The table of the Thematic Plural system is this:

 

Animate

Inanimate

NOM.

-os, -oi

 

-a, -a

ACC.

-oms

VOC.

-os, -oi

GEN.

-om/-om, -em

OBL.

-ois, -oisi; -ois, -oisi

NOTE. The plural, -es, if compared with the other declensions, could indicate that the original form was *-o-es>-os. This discussion is not relevant for our system, though, as the situation we look for is that of the third stage and not the etymology of every single case.

2. The Nominative-Vocative Animate Plural in -os: wlqos/wlqoi, wiros

3. The Accusative Animate Plural in -oms: wlqoms

4. The Nom.-Voc.-Acc. Inanimate Plural in -a, -a: juga/juga

NOTE. Even though this ending is similar to other declensions, please notice that it has no theme vowel. This happens probably because, as we said in the general model section, the inanimate ending is an independent older form of an earlier stage, later modified. The possible *-h and *-eh, therefore, changed the themes altogether, by changing the vowels.

5. The Genitive Plural in -om/-om, -em: wlqom/wlqem

6. 5. The Obliques Plural in -ois, -oisi; -ois, -oisi, and also, as in the other Declensions, -bhis, -bhos, -bhios, -mis, -mos and -si: wlqois/ wlqoisi

 

m. wlqo

n. jugo

NOM.

wlqos

juga

ACC.

wlqoms

juga

VOC.

wlqos

juga

GEN.

wlqom

juga

OBL.

wlqois

jugois