Chapter 6

Number

Many persons of moderate education regard nouns that do not end with _s_ or _es_ as singular. Even the gifted pen of Addison once slipped so far as to betray him into using the word _seraphim,_ in the singular.

Cherubim, Seraphim

The words _cherub_ and _seraph,_ are singular. _Cherub, _as applied to a little child, takes the English plural, _cherubs._ As applied to an order of angels, it takes the Hebrew plural, _cherubim._ The singular, _seraph,_ has an English plural, _seraphs,_ as well as the Hebrew plural, _seraphim._ The double plurals, _cherubims_ and _seraphims,_ although found in the King James version of the Bible, are regarded as faulty in modern writing, and should be avoided.

News

Although plural in form, the word _news_ is singular in meaning; as, “The _news_ from Europe this morning is quite interesting.”

Acoustics

Names of sciences ending in _ics,_ are generally regarded as singular. _“Acoustics_ is a very considerable branch of physics.” Do not say, “The _acoustics_ of this hall _are_ good,” but “The _acoustic_ _properties_ of this hall are good.”

Dialectics, dynamics, economics, mathematics, ethics, politics, tactics, when used as substantives, require a verb in the singular.

Analysis

Many words like _analysis, crisis, ellipsis, emphasis, hypothesis, oasis, parenthesis, synopsis,_ form their plurals by changing the termination _is_ into _es;_ as, _analyses, crises,_ etc. The word _iris _takes the English plural _irises;_ Latin plural is _irides. Chrysalis_ has only the Latin plural, _chrysalides;_ but _chrysalid, _which means the same as _chrysalis,_ takes the English plural, _chrysalids._

Terminus

_Terminus, radius, alumnus,_ and some other words ending in _us_, form their plurals by changing the termination _us_ into _i_; as _termini, radii,_ etc.

Many words ending in _us_ that formerly were written with only the Latin plural, are now given an English plural also; as, _focuses, foci; cactuses, cacti; sarcophaguses, sarcophagi; convolvuluses, convolvuli ; funguses, fungi; nucleuses, nuclei._

_Isthmus, prospectus, rebus,_ take only the English plural.

_Apparatus_ has no plural. Avoid _apparatuses._

The plural of _genius,_ as applied to a man of unusual vigor of mind, is _geniuses._ When applied to a good or bad spirit, the plural is _genii._

Formula

_Formulas, larvas, stigmas,_ are regular English plurals; _formulae, larvae,_ and _stigmata_ are the classical plurals. _Nebulae_ and _alumnae_ are the proper plurals, the latter being the feminine noun corresponding to the masculine plural _alumni._

Datum, Phenomenon

_Datum, erratum, candelabrum,_ and _memorandum_ form their plurals by changing _um_ to _a_; as, _data, errata,_ etc. The last two also take the English plurals, _memorandums, candelabrums._

The plural of _phenomenon_ and _criterion_ are _phenomena, criteria,_ although _criterions_ is sometimes employed.

The plural forms, _data, strata,_ and _phenomena,_ are so much more frequently used than their singular forms, _datum, stratum,_ and _phenomenon,_ that some writers have slipped into the habit of using the plurals with a singular meaning; as, “The _aurora borealis_ is a very strange _phenomena.”_ “Our _data_ is insufficient to establish a theory.” “The _strata_ is broken and irregular.”

Mussulmans

While most words ending in _man_ become plural by changing this termination to _men,_ as _gentlemen, noblemen, clergymen, statesmen, _the following simply add _s_: _dragomans, Mussulmans, Ottomans, talismans_ “A dozen dragomans offered their services as guides and interpreters.” “A band of Mussulmans cut off our retreat.” “Those fierce Ottomans proved to be very revengeful.” “He purchased five finely upholstered ottomans for his drawing-room.”

Heroes, Cantos

Most nouns ending in _o_ add _es_ to form the plural; as, _heroes, negroes, potatoes, stuccoes, manifestoes, mosquitoes._ Words ending in _io_ or _yo_ add _s;_ as, _folios, nuncios, olios, ratios, embryos_.

The following words, being less frequently used, often puzzle us to know whether to add _s_ or _es_ to form the plural: _armadillos, cantos, cuckoos, halos, juntos, octavos, provisos, salvos, solos, twos, tyros, virtuosos._

Alms, Odds, Riches

Many nouns that end in _s_ have a plural appearance, and we are often perplexed to know whether to use _this_ or _these,_ and whether to employ a singular or a plural verb when the noun is used as a substantive.

_Amends_ is singular. _Assets, dregs, eaves, bees, pincers, riches, scissors, sheers, tongs, vitals,_ are plural. When we say _a_ _pair of pincers,_ or _scissors_, or _shears,_ or _tongs,_ the verb should be singular. _Tidings,_ in Shakespeare’s time, was used indiscriminately with a singular or plural verb, but is now generally regarded as plural.

_Alms_ and _headquarters_ are usually made plural, but are occasionally found with a singular verb. _Pains_ is usually singular. _Means, odds,_ and _species_ are singular or plural, according to the meaning.

“By _this means_ he accomplished his purpose.” “What other _means is _left to us?” “Your _means are_ very slender, and your waste is great.”

Proper Names

These are usually pluralized by adding _s_; as, _the Stuarts, the Caesars, the Beechers, the Brownings._

Titles with Proper Names

Shall we say _the Miss Browns, the Misses Brown,_ or _the Misses Browns?_ Great diversity of opinion prevails. Gould Brown says: “The name and not the title is varied to form the plural; as, _the Miss Howards, the two Mr. Clarks.”_

Alexander Bain, LL. D., says: “We may say _the Misses Brown,_ or _the Miss Browns,_ or even _the Misses Browns.”_

The chief objection to the last two forms is found when the proper name ends with _s_, as when we say, _the Miss Brookses, the Miss Joneses, the Miss Pottses, the_ _Miss Blisses._ The form _the Misses Brooks_ is objected to by some on the ground that it sounds affected. On the whole the rule given by Gould Brown is the best, and is quite generally observed.

Knight Templar

Both words are made plural, _Knights Templars,_ a very unusual way of forming the plural.

Plural Compounds

The plural sign of a compound word is affixed to the principal part of the word, to the part that conveys the predominant idea; as, _fathers-in-law, man-servants, outpourings, ingatherings._ In such words as _handfuls, cupfuls, mouthfuls,_ the plural ending is added to the subordinate part because the ideas are so closely associated as to blend into one.

Beaus, Beaux

Some words ending in _eau_ have only the English plurals, as _bureaus, portmanteaus;_ others take both the English and the French plurals, as _beaus, beaux; flambeaus, flambeaux; plateaus, plateaux;_ and still others take only the foreign plural; as, _bateaux, chateaux, tableaux._

Pair, Couple, Brace

After numerals, the singular form of such words as these is generally employed; as, five _pair_ of gloves, eight _couple_ of dancers, three _brace_ of pigeons, five _dozen_ of eggs, four _score_ years, twenty _sail_ of ships, fifty _head_ of cattle, six _hundred_ of these men, two _thousand _of these cattle, etc.

After such indefinite adjectives as _few, many, several,_ some of the above words take the plural form; as, several _hundreds,_ many _thousands._

Index, Appendix

_Indexes_ of books; _indices,_ if applied to mathematical signs in algebra. _Appendixes_ or _appendices._

Fish, Fly

The plural of _fish_ is _fishes_ when considered individually, and _fish_ when considered collectively. “My three pet _fishes_ feed out of my hand.” “Six barrels of _fish_ were landed from the schooner.”

Most words ending in _y_ change this termination into _ies,_ as _duties, cities,_ etc. The plural of _fly,_ the insect, is formed in the usual manner, but fly, a light carriage, adds _s_; as, “Six _flys _carried the guests to their homes.”

Animalcule

The plural of this word is _animalcules._ There is no plural _animalculae._ The plural of the Latin _animalculum_ is _animalcula._

Bandit

This word has two plural forms, _bandits_ and _banditti._

Brother

Plural _brothers,_ when referring to members of the same family; _brethren,_ when applied to members of the same church or society.

Die

Plural _dies,_ when the stamp with which seals are impressed is meant; _dice,_ the cubes used in playing backgammon.

Herring

The plural is _herrings,_ but _shad, trout, bass, pike, pickerel, grayling,_ have no plural form. “I caught three _bass_ and seven fine _pickerel_ this morning.”

Grouse

The names of game birds, as _grouse, quail, snipe, woodcock,_ usually take no plural form.

Pea

Considered individually the plural is _peas;_ when referring to the crop the proper form is _pease._

Penny

“He gave me twelve bright new _pennies,”_ referring to the individual coins. “I paid him twelve _pence,”_ meaning a _shilling._

Wharf

Plural, generally _wharves_ in America; _wharfs_ in England.