In Genoese the plural of words in -an results in -en (artexan “artisan” > artexen “artisans,” can “dog” > chen “dogs,” italian “Italian” > italien “Italians”). The pronunciation of the ending is -[ˈeŋ] (with a close vowel) in urban Genoese (hence also the spelling, compared to the “etymological” -æn); in many peripheral varieties it is -[ˈɛŋ], with an open vowel. The Genoese orthography makes it possible to represent both pronunciations through a single spelling.

On pronunciation alternations in contemporary Genoese shared by the speaker community, and on their lexicographic representations (partly taken up in DEIZE), see in particular S. Lusito, Aspetti teorici e pratici della redazione di un dizionario genovese-italiano della lingua contemporanea. Metalessicografia di una varietà di koinè, Edizioni dell’Orso, 2025, §6.