Editing English plurals (section)

==== Back-formation ====
Some words have unusually formed singulars and plurals, but develop "normal" singular-plural pairs by [[back-formation]]. For example, ''pease'' (modern ''peas'') was in origin a singular with plural ''peasen''. However, ''pease'' came to be analysed as plural by analogy, from which a new singular ''pea'' was formed; the spelling of ''pease'' was also altered accordingly, surviving only in the name of the dish ''[[pease porridge]]'' or ''pease pudding''. Similarly, ''termites'' was the three-syllable plural of ''termes''; this singular was lost, however, and the plural form reduced to two syllables. ''Syringe'' is a back-formation from ''syringes'', itself the plural of ''[[Pan flute|syrinx]]'', a musical instrument. ''Cherry'' is from [[Norman language|Norman French]] ''cherise''. ''Phases'' was once the plural of ''phasis'', but the singular is now ''phase''. The nonstandard, offensive, and now obsolete ''Chinee'' and ''Portugee'' singulars are back-formations from the standard ''Chinese'' and ''Portuguese''.

''Kudos'' is a singular Greek word meaning praise, but is often taken to be a plural. At present, however, ''kudo'' is considered an error, though the usage is becoming more common{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} as ''kudos'' becomes better known. The name of the Greek sandwich style ''[[Gyro (food)|gyros]]'' is increasingly undergoing a similar transformation.

The term, from Latin, for the main upper arm flexor in the singular is the ''biceps muscle'' (from ''[[biceps brachii]]''); however, many English speakers take it to be a plural and refer to the muscle of only one arm, by back-formation, as ''a bicep''. The correct—although very seldom used—Latin plural is ''bicipites''.

The word ''[[sastrugi]]'' (hard ridges on deep snow) is of Russian origin and its singular is ''sastruga''; but the imagined Latin-type singular ''sastrugus'' has sometimes been used.