ABSTRACT

11.11. The plural is formed by mutation of the stem-vowel in the following ModE substantives (the vowel-pairs having undergone various changes since OE times):

[u(·) : i·] (OE ō > ē): foot, goose, tooth;

[se : e] (OE a > e): man;

[au : ai] (OE ū > ȳ): mouse, louse; note the spelling with c: mice, lice.—On woman, see below 11.13.