[en] Preliminary results indicate that large strains (>80%) and strain rates (0.001 s/sup -1/) can be obtained without tearing (or cracking) in fine-grain ZrO/sub 2/ (0.3 μm) and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3//ZrO/sub 2/ (1μm) ceramics. Aluminia develops crystallographic and morphological texture