The first unit of my Italian course has finished, and Anna, my tutor has marked it. 94 per cent! I'm really happy. Can't wait to get it back to see which ones I got wrong. Perhaps I should celebrate this evening with lasagne, salad and garlic bread?
Lasagne is an interesting word. Naturally, it came from the Italian, where it's 'la lasagna' in the singular, and 'le lasagne' in the plural. (It follows the regular pattern of feminine words ending in 'a' and changing to 'e' when pluralised.)
However, in English, it's one 'lasagne, two lasagnes', this is with the exception of North America, where is' 'lasagna/lasagnas', unless they are Italian speakers. I've decided to go with the Italian spellings, and use 'lasagna/lasagne'.
Another example of the plural form being adopted in English is 'painini' (the Italian toasted sandwich). In Italian, the singular is 'il painino' and 'i painini' in the plural. Also, it's just a sandwich, not a toasted sandwich. English has taken the plural, 'painini', made it singular and then when it wants a plural, it adds an 's' - 'paininis'.
Similar things have happened in the past. The word 'pease' was a mass noun, used to refer to an uncountable number of the little veggies, rather like 'rice, sugar and salt. The 's' sound at the end led people to believe a single little green veggie was a 'pea', and later an 's' was added onto make a new plural. Most people who have heard of 'pease' only know of it from pease pudding, often from the nursery rhyme 'Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold, pease pudding in the pot, nine days old. Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like it in the pot, nine days old.'
Another example of the plural form being adopted in English is 'painini' (the Italian toasted sandwich). In Italian, the singular is 'il painino' and 'i painini' in the plural. Also, it's just a sandwich, not a toasted sandwich. English has taken the plural, 'painini', made it singular and then when it wants a plural, it adds an 's' - 'paininis'.
Similar things have happened in the past. The word 'pease' was a mass noun, used to refer to an uncountable number of the little veggies, rather like 'rice, sugar and salt. The 's' sound at the end led people to believe a single little green veggie was a 'pea', and later an 's' was added onto make a new plural. Most people who have heard of 'pease' only know of it from pease pudding, often from the nursery rhyme 'Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold, pease pudding in the pot, nine days old. Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like it in the pot, nine days old.'
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