Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Occurrence of nominal plural markers

Plural marking is highly variable in Bahamian Creole English. If an expression indicating quantity (including the demonstrative determiner them) precedes the noun, the plural is usually not marked on the noun itself. Other ways of indicating plurality are post-nominal them, which sometimes combines with the -s suffix.

Values

Variable plural marking of human or inanimate nouns

Example 12-39:
I had four husband.
I
1sg.sbj
had
have.pst
four
four
husband.
husband
I had four husbands.

Source: Glinton-Meicholas 1995: 10

Example 12-40:
Miss - the boys - them broke down Bay Street.
Miss
Miss
-
 
the
art
boys
boy.pl
-
 
them
pl
broke
break[pfv]
down
down
Bay
Bay
Street.
Street
Miss, the men completely destroyed Bay Street.
Example 12-41:
And girl, let me tell you. When you go to the Island - when you go to Island, try carry Off. Because them mosquito, they'll kill you - and them sandfly.
[...]
[...]
them
pl
mosquito,
mosquito[sbj]
they'll
3pl.sbj.fut
kill
kill
you
2sg.obj
-
 
and
and
them
pl
sandfly.
sandfly[sbj]
[...] those mosquitoes [...] and those sandflies.
Example 12-42:
De boy-dem playin' hockey.
De
art
boy-dem
boy-pl
playin'
play-prog
hockey.
hockey
The boys are playing hockey.

Source: Glinton-Meicholas 1995: 10

Confidence:
Certain