Meaning of duale tantum | Babel Free

Definitions

A noun (or specific sense of a noun) that can only occur in the dual, and which lacks forms for singular, plural, and any other number.

Equivalents

Examples

“The second -c- refers to icgaʹkwal “eel” (duale tantum), a form⟳ used alongside of igaʹkwal (masc.).”

“The only natural-pair noun consistently preferring the dual over the plural, ὄσσε, virtually a duale tantum, refers to the eyes not as mere sense-organs but as ‘windows of the soul’.”

“Generally singularia tantum are the most common; we find⟳ instances with just the plural or with dual and plural but lacking the singular; dualia tantum are quite rare.”

CEFR level