Elementary Arabic Morphology 3
Sound Feminine Plural
How is a sound feminine plural formed?
Are there exceptions to this rule?
What is a sound feminine plural attributed to?
The general principle of a sound feminine plural is that an alif and tā' are added to the end of the noun without changing the singular form of the noun, for example: مریمات .
There are three exceptions to this rule: first, words that end with a feminine tā'; the tā' is erased and then the letters are added, for example: مؤمنات which was مؤمنة. Second, in maqsūr and mamdūd nouns; the same actions taken in the dual form apply in the sound feminine plural as well, for example: فُضلَیات و رَحَیَات و عَصَوَات و صحراوات. Third, triliteral nouns (non-adjectives) whose first root letter has a fathah; if the second root letter is sound and does not have a vowel sign it is given a fathah, for example: تَمَرَات which was تَمرَة.
A sound feminine plural is attributed to female names, for example: هِند, words that end in a feminine sign, for example: جمیلة, infinitives if they have more than three letters, for example: إحسان, masculine non-rational beings in the diminutive form, for example: دُرَیهِم and as adjectives, for example: معدود.