9. Rule learning and the English inflections (with special emphasis on the plural).

This paper reports a brief summary of the results of an extensive investigation of five common English inflections, utilizing a methodology largely borrowed from Jean Berko. A total of 112 subjects were tested, ranging in age from 3 through 9 years, using a fully representative set of real (both regular and irregular) and nonsense stems. The results are analyzed largely from the standpoint of evaluating various alternative theories of English pluralization, as developed by Derwing (this volume), and grounds are provided for eliminating most of the competing alternatives as viable candidates.