Datapoint Chinese Pidgin English/Occurrence of nominal plural markers

No -s plurals are found in Chinese sources, but irregular plurals exist. Sporadic -s plurals in English-language sources may be anglicisms. Plurals are attested only for animate nouns.

Values

Variable plural marking of human nouns

Example 20-8:
希麽必打忒其都卑時沽厘郎希
He more better takee two piecee coolie long he.
He
3sg
more
more
better
better
takee
take
two
two
piecee
clf
coolie
coolie
long
com
he.
3sg
He better take two coolies with him.

Source: Tong 1862: VI.55

Example 20-33:
㕭趨炉地倫合椏鏬咩(竹+厘)
You children hap alla marry?
You
2sg.poss
children
children
hap
pfv
alla
all
marry?
marry
May I ask whether all your children have been married?

Source: Tong 1862: VI.81

Example 20-168:
Ship got womans?
Ship
ship
got
got
womans?
woman.pl
Are there women on the ship?

Source: Beechey 1831: 150

Confidence:
Certain