名词amends源于古法语amende,意为“处罚,罚款”。在古法语中,amendes是amende的复数形式,但最终只有amendes被引进到英语中。
Marginalia
标注
Pluralia tantum don’t necessarily end in ‘s’, of course, particularly if they have kept their plural formation from another or an earlier language. Marginalia – ‘notes written in the margins of a text’ – comes from Latin, which also had the singular marginalis. The singular did not make its way into English, however, and thus marginalia joins the ranks of pluralia tantum.
经常以复数形式出现的名词并不代表着它们一定会以-s结尾,尤其是当它们的复数形式是源于外来语或者早期语言时。Marginalia意为“文章空白处所做的注释”,源自拉丁语。它的单数形式为marginalis,却并没有引入到英语中去。但是,marginalia则成为经常以复数形式出现的名词。
一起的拉丁引进词还有juvenilia(青少年创作的作品)和literati(对文学感兴趣的受过良好教育的人)。还有一些类似的词语(如paraphernalia{私人物品} 和regalia{特别物品}),虽是单数形式,却表复数意思。
Shenanigans
恶作剧
Pluralia tantum needn’t be tangible objects; shenanigans is commonly held to be an example. The word is of uncertain origin, and means ‘secret or dishonest activity or manoeuvring’ or ‘silly or high-spirited behaviour; mischief’. Th