Also in many cases by reduplication of the adjective, as,
raja yang bsar-bsar, great kings.
orang muda-muda, young people.
These methods of forming the plural are generally confined to animate objects.
82. In writing, the plural is very commonly expressed by the use of some word meaning “all,” especially sgala, as,
dngan sgala anak-nya, with his children.
kami smoa tahu, we know.
Compound words cannot be reduplicated, and therefore this use of sgala, etc., and reduplication of the adjective, are the only ways of expressing the plural.
tukang kayu itu smoa-nya orang China,
those carpenters are Chinamen.
Numeral Co-efficients or Classifiers.
83. The Malay idiom requires that when the number of any objects are mentioned there shall be used, in addition to the numeral, certain words which grammarians have designated classifiers, different words being used according to the class of objects referred to. Thus, as we in English use the phrase “head” of cattle, so in Malay ekor (tail), is used for all animals, as,
six head of cattle, lmbu anam ekor.
84. The following are the classifiers which are most commonly used:—
Orang (person), is used with all beings superior to animals in
the scale of creation.
Ekor (tail), with animals.
Buah (fruit), with large objects, such as countries, houses, ships,
and books.
Hlai, lai, with thin or flat objects, as clothes, paper, lair, etc.
Biji (seed), with small objects not included in the last mentioned
class.
Kping (piece), potong (cut), of objects which have been made or
cut in blocks or pieces, as metals, planks, slices of bread, etc.
Batang (stem), with poles, posts, rods, and other long objects.
Puchok (shoot of plants), with letters and fire-arms.
Lapis (fold), in stating the number of folds or thicknesses of the
same thing, or similar things.
Pintu (door), with houses built in rows.
Tangga (ladder), with native houses.
Bilah, with swords and knives.
