Last Updated: October 2026
As per Section 4.4.1: Singular/Plural Notification Requirements of the Applicant Guidebook, a Singular/Plural Notification must include all of the following information:
- The basis for the notification (singular/plural relationship to another applied-for string, a string being processed from a previous new gTLD round, an existing gTLD, or a Blocked Name).
- Reference to an authoritative dictionary entry (published on or after 1 January 1970) showing the singular/plural relationship.
- For national or international languages, the dictionary must be from a reputable publisher or institution.
- For other languages, it is preferred that the dictionary is produced by a reputable publishing house or institution. In case the dictionary is not produced by a reputable publishing house or institution, the dictionary must be recognized by the language community. Three or more support letters from relevant organizations are required to prove the dictionary is recognized by the community using the language.
- Information and images of the dictionary's ISBN page, cover and imprint pages, and the page(s) containing the word in question. The information and images should specifically cover the following details to allow for evaluation of the Singular/Plural Notification:
- Name of the dictionary
- Name of the language
- International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
- Name of the publisher
- Address of the publisher
- Year of the publication
- Place of the publication
- Page number on the singular plural formation of the language in the introductory pages, if available.
- Page number on which the words can be found
- Other relevant imprint pages
- Name and address of the place this dictionary can be acquired
- In addition, for international, national or other languages, information on at least two of the following factors should be provided to determine that the dictionary is from a reputable publisher (see below for alternative option for other languages):
- Institutional authority. Published, endorsed, or maintained by a recognized language authority, government body, university, or similar institution.
- Scholarly authority. Developed by recognized linguists or lexicographers using established scholarly methods.
- Coverage. Provides broad and systematic coverage of the language's vocabulary, meanings, and relevant grammatical forms.
- Community use. Widely used and trusted by speakers, educators, writers, publishers, translators, or other language professionals.
- For other languages, if the dictionary is not from a reputable publisher or institution, three community support letters are required from different community based organizations. Each letter should contain the following information (as per the sample letter template, here):
- Name and publication details of the dictionary. Include the name, language, ISBN, publisher name, and publication date.
- Community standing and use. Explain whether and how the dictionary is known, used, or accepted in the community, such as in education, writing, translation, or everyday reference.
- Linguistic reliability. Confirm that the dictionary reasonably reflects the language's vocabulary, spelling, meanings, grammar and usage.
- Representativeness. State whether it represents the language broadly or a particular regional, dialectal, or other variety.
- Explicit endorsement. Clearly state that the dictionary is recognized by the community and considered a suitable reference for the intended purpose.
- Contact information. Contact person(s) and details for the community-based organization.
For more information, see Singular/Plural Notifications.