Abstract

This paper describes particular forms of the third plural person of the simple present of 'to be' in some Sardinian dialects. The data show an intromission of -/s/ (as plural mark) after the vowel -/i/ (which was originally paragogic) in the forms suni/sunti '(they) are' (outcomes of Latin sunt). Arguably this process is the starting point of the development of the double form suntos/suntas ('they are' masculine / 'they are' feminine), which is attested in Sèneghe (province of Oristano). As we can see, these forms exhibit gender marks (-o- for masculine and -a- for feminine) in addition to the -/s/ of plural.