Other loan nouns
Fr. -ean [ou] tableau bureau It.-o[ou] tempo | -eaux [ouz] tableaux bureaux (or bureaus) -i [i] tempi (or tempos) |
As can be seen from the above list some loan nouns may have two plural forms: the English plural and the original foreign one:
memorandum | memoranda memorandums | focus | foci focuses |
curriculum | curricula curriculums | ||
formula | formulae formulas | ||
cherub | cheribum cherubs |
There is a tendency to use the regular English plural forms in fiction and colloquial English and the foreign plural in academic or learned language.
Sometimes different plural forms have different meanings:
index | indexes (list of contents of books) indices (a mathematical term - показатель) |
genius | geniuses (men of talent) genii (fabulous spirits guarding a place - духи, домовые) |