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חלב

Moderator: Corinnebelle

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Corinnebelle

חלב

Post by Corinnebelle »

Is חלב singular, I mean מים is plural? How much milk before it becomes plural?

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OtAzoy
United States of America

Re: חלב

Post by OtAzoy »

Not sure I understand your questions. With the word חלבֿ, are you referring to the word "tallow"? It has no plural. And with the word מים, are you referring to the word "(internet) meme"? This has a plural, מימען. And "milk" does not have a plural in either Yiddish or English.

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Corinnebelle

Re: חלב

Post by Corinnebelle »

OtAzoy wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 8:30 pm

Not sure I understand your questions. With the word חלבֿ, are you referring to the word "tallow"? It has no plural. And with the word מים, are you referring to the word "(internet) meme"? This has a plural, מימען. And "milk" does not have a plural in either Yiddish or English.

I'm referring to מים water which is always plural being a liquid I thought, however חלב is a liquid also and it is singular. חלבים milks I expect indicates like different milk shakes or several kinds of animal milks. However why is מים plural if חלב is not? Are all liquids generally plural except חלב or are they generally singular except מים?

What about lava in Hebrew, plural or singular?

Maybe I'm being silly, but I want to know how it works!

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OtAzoy
United States of America

Re: חלב

Post by OtAzoy »

OK, I see what you're saying. I was coming at your examples from Yiddish, but you were referring to Hebrew words.

I know the Hebrew word for "water" is "mayim" and I believe that is a masculine plural ending. I didn't know the Hebrew word for "milk", but you're saying it's singular with the possibility of making it plural. I would think it would only be plural if you were "counting" various types of milk, like in the examples that you gave. Otherwise, "milk" is not a countable noun.

Of course, then there is the interesting question of why "water" is plural in Hebrew since it really isn't a countable noun either except in very specific expressions (like in English, "still waters run deep"). I bet there's a Biblical explanation lurking in there somewhere! ;)

I don't know anything about the Hebrew word for "lava", but I would think that it is not a countable noun either.

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Corinnebelle

Re: חלב

Post by Corinnebelle »

OtAzoy wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:43 am

OK, I see what you're saying. I was coming at your examples from Yiddish, but you were referring to Hebrew words.

I know the Hebrew word for "water" is "mayim" and I believe that is a masculine plural ending. I didn't know the Hebrew word for "milk", but you're saying it's singular with the possibility of making it plural. I would think it would only be plural if you were "counting" various types of milk, like in the examples that you gave. Otherwise, "milk" is not a countable noun.

Of course, then there is the interesting question of why "water" is plural in Hebrew since it really isn't a countable noun either except in very specific expressions (like in English, "still waters run deep"). I bet there's a Biblical explanation lurking in there somewhere! ;)

I don't know anything about the Hebrew word for "lava", but I would think that it is not a countable noun either.

Thanks! Yes, this is the Hebrew forum! :D

Yes, I hope someone has an explanation.

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EranBarLev
Israel

Re: חלב

Post by EranBarLev »

Corinnebelle wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:05 am

חלבים milks I expect indicates like different milk shakes or several kinds of animal milks.

I don't think חלב has a plural. I've never heard this word in plural.

Corinnebelle wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:05 am

However why is מים plural if חלב is not? Are all liquids generally plural except חלב or are they generally singular except מים?

All liquids are generally singular except מים. I don't know why it's different.

There is also שמיים = sky which is plural and has no singular. But in English it can be either sky or skies in plural, which is just as weird. How many skies are there? :?

Also אלוהים = God is even more weird. It uses the plural suffix but singular conjugations: אלוהים גדול, not גדולים, and אלוהים אמר, not אמרו.

Corinnebelle wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 9:05 am

What about lava in Hebrew, plural or singular?

It's a loanword - לבה, and it's singular feminine. It has no plural, it's uncountable.

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Corinnebelle

Re: חלב

Post by Corinnebelle »

Pealim says חלבים הוא הלב in plural. That's a good question although we do use the word skies at times.

Clear blue skies characterize the weather in summer. Stormy skies. Peaceful skies. Threatening skies.

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Corinnebelle

Re: חלב

Post by Corinnebelle »

זהב is another word that appears to always be singular.

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