Learn English Language: Lesson 46 - 50

Lesson 46

Some words have no corresponding singular.

• aborigines
• amends
• annals
• assets
• antipodes
• scissors
• thanks
• spectacles
• vespers
• victuals
• matins
• nuptials
• oats
• obsequies
• premises
• bellows
• billiards
• dregs
• gallows
• tongs

Sometimes, however, a few of these words have the construction of singular nouns. Notice the following:

• They cannot get on without each other any more than one blade of a scissors can cut without the other.
• A relic which, if I recollect right, he pronounced to have been a tongs.
• Besides this, it is furnished with a forceps.
• The air,—was it subdued when...the wind was trained only to turn a windmill, carry off chaff, or work in a bellows?

In Early Modern English thank is found.

• What thank have ye?

Lesson 47

Three words were originally singular, the present ending -s not being really a plural inflection, but they are regularly construed as plural: alms, eaves, riches.

Lesson 48: Two Plurals

A few nouns have two plurals differing in meaning.

• brother—brothers (by blood), brethren (of a society or church).
• cloth—cloths (kinds of cloth), clothes (garments).
• die—dies (stamps for coins, etc.), dice (for gaming).
• fish—fish (collectively), fishes (individuals or kinds).
• genius—geniuses (men of genius), genii (spirits).
• index—indexes (to books), indices (signs in algebra).
• pea—peas (separately), pease (collectively).
• penny—pennies (separately), pence (collectively).
• shot—shot (collective balls), shots (number of times fired).

In speaking of coins, twopence,sixpence, etc., may add -s, making a double plural, as two sixpences.

Lesson 49: One plural, two meanings

Other words have one plural form with two meanings,—one corresponding to the singular, the other unlike it.

• custom—customs: (1) habits, ways; (2) revenue duties.
• letter—letters: (1) the alphabet, or epistles; (2) literature.
• number—numbers: (1) figures; (2) poetry, as in the lines,
• I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came.
• Tell me not, in mournful numbers.

Numbers also means issues, or copies, of a periodical.

• pain—pains: (1) suffering; (2) care, trouble,
• part—parts: (1) divisions; (2) abilities, faculties.

Lesson 50: Two classes of compound words

Compound words may be divided into two classes:

(1) Those whose parts are so closely joined as to constitute one word. These make the last part plural.

• courtyard
• dormouse
• Englishman
• fellow-servant
• fisherman
• Frenchman
• forget-me-not
• goosequill
• handful
• mouthful
• cupful
• maidservant
• pianoforte
• stepson
• spoonful
• titmouse

(2) Those groups in which the first part is the principal one, followed by a word or phrase making a modifier. The chief member adds -s in the plural.

• aid-de-camp
• attorney at law
• billet-doux
• commander in chief
• court-martial
• cousin-german
• father-in-law
• knight-errant
• hanger-on

NOTE.—Some words ending in -man are not compounds of the English word man, but add -s; such as talisman, firman, Brahman, German, Norman, Mussulman, Ottoman.

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