Why Is This Noun in the Singular?

Question

I'm reading LLPSI, chapter 20 "Parentes" (skipping ahead quite a few chapters, just for a peek and to see how much I can understand from a more advanced chapter).

The third sentence reads:

Cūnae sunt lectulus īnfantis.

Why is lectulus (and the attached genitive īnfantis) in the singular, in apparent number mismatch with cūnae sunt?

Is it because lectulus īnfantis represents some single, abstract "concept of little bed" that all cribs are? Should it be transltaed into English as "Cribs are an infant's bed", in a similar vibe as "dogs are a man's best friend"?

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 08 '23 at 07:00

16

It is because cunae, -arum, f, is the word for a single crib. The singular cuna is never used. This is similar to how castra is a single camp. Such a word is called a plurale tantum (plural: pluralia tantum).

(English also has a few of these, like scissors, glasses or trousers.)

answered Jun 08 '23 at 07:00

Sebastian Koppehel

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I see. So it's like saying "Scissors are a tool (singular)" or "Trousers are a garment (singular)" in English. – Nicolas Miari Jun 08 '23 at 13:16
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@NicolasMiari Yep! – Draconis Jun 08 '23 at 15:38
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You should mention like glasses (for the optic instrument). Otherwise, it is quite confusing as one could very well have a single glass of water. – Jeffrey Jun 09 '23 at 01:21
Oddly enough, Spanish uses cuna (in the singular) to refer to a single crib; I guess that's what threw me off. – Nicolas Miari Jun 16 '23 at 04:58

Why Is This Noun in the Singular?

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