Nouns Used Only in the Plural

A number of nouns are used only in the form of the plural. With these nouns the plural does not indicate several objects but denotes a composite whole.

To the group of nouns which are used only in the plural form belong:

a) The names of things which consist of two similar halves such as scissors, trousers, spectacles, scales (весы), eye-glasses, tongs (щипцы):

These scissorsare sharp. Your spectacles are on the table. Your opera-glasses are very good.

b) Nouns which have collective meaning (concrete or abstract):

1. Concrete: stairs, goods, eaves, slums, outskirts, tropics, memoirs, victuals [vitlz] (провизия), supplies, clothes, sweepings, slops (помои), preserves (консервы), parings (кожура), sweets, lodgings (sometimes) lodging; but always board and lodging), etc.:

The car went smoothly and swiftly through the outer suburbs.. Beads of water still dripped from the eaves… At last they reached the outskirtsof the forest… «Got any lodgings – «No.» «Come, hand in eatables.» My clothes were my Sunday best. «I say, can you let a lodging?»

2. Abstract: holidays, tidings, goings-on (поступки), begin nings (also beginning), earnings, wages (often in the singular, especially in the following combinations: a living wage, a fixed wage, a minimum wage), contents, etc.:

She tried to adjust herself to her new surroundings. These are indeed happy tidings.We get good wages. They spent their holidaysin the mountains. Bad beginningsmake good endings(первый блин комом). «Well,» said Wardle, «here are pretty goings-on…» He told me of some of his doings.

3. In some nouns the final – s loses the meaning of the plural inflexion and the noun is treated as a singular. This is the case with the names of sciences and occupations in – ics: mathematics, phonetics, optics, which are usually considered as singular:

Phoneticsis the science of sounds. Mathematicsis his strong point. Opticsis a branch of physics;it treats of light.

These nouns are treated as plurals when practical application is meant:

His phonetics areexcellent. The acousticsof this hall aregood.

Politics, tactics, gymnastics, athletics are generally regarded as plurals.

«The only politicsI understand,» answered Magnus sternly, «are honest politics.»

4. With some nouns the usage wavers, and the noun is treated either as a singular or as a plural:

The gas-worksis (are)situated on the river. Price's workswas small. To-day we are going to visit a great smelting-works…

It should be noted that with regard to nouns used only in the plural the English and the Russian usage sometimes differ. Thus the noun opera-glasses is used in English only in the plural, whereas in Russian бинокль has both numbers. The noun сани is used in Russian only in the plural; in English sledge has both numbers. Other nouns are used in one language only in the plural, in the other – only in the singular. Thus in Russian the noun сумерки is used only in the plural, whereas in English the noun twilight is used only in the singular.

Nouns Used in the Plural in a Special Sense

In some cases the plural form of the noun does not express were pluralities (as in tables = table + table…) but acquires a special meaning. Very often the plural form, besides this specific meaning, may also retain the exact meaning of the singular thus resulting in two homonymous words:

colour = tint, colours = 1) plural of tint, 2) flag:

«I do not mean regimental colours,but the watercolours.»

custom = habit, customs = 1) plural of habit, 2) duties:

Many old customsare dying out. Customs(пошлины) are duties imposed by law on goods imported and exported.

pain = suffering, pains = I) plural of suffering, 2) effort:

She enlivened our journey by describing to us… the various pains she had in her back. «I have examined Adele… and find you have taken great painswith her…

quarter = fourth part, quarters = 1) plural of fourth part, 2) lodgings:

I have read three quartersof the book. We found him ire his old quarters.

work = toil, labour; works in various senses: the works of a watch (механизм часов), works of art, etc.

Double Plural Forms

Some nouns have double plurals used with some difference of meaning:

f 1) brothers (sons of one mother) brother – y 2) brethren (members of one community)

J 1) geniuses (men of genius) genius ^ 2) genii (spirits)

f 1) pennies (number of coins) penny – y 2) pence (amount of pennies in value)

(1) staffs (military staffs [штаб], staffs [штат] of an staff institution)

I 2) staves (sticks)

II) cloths (kinds of cloth) cloth – clothes (articles of dress)

J I) indexes (tables of contents) index – indices (in mathematic)

List of references:

1. Allen W.S. Living English Structure. – Longmans, 1960.

2. Beard, R. (1992) Number. In W. Bright (ed.) International Encyclopedia of Linguistics.

3. Corbett, G. (2000). Number. Cambridge University Press.

4. Croft, William. 1993. «A noun is a noun is a noun – or is it? Some reflections on the universality of semantics.» Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society» Berkeley: Berkeley Linguistics Society.

5. Eckersley С E. and Eckersley J.M. A Comprehensive English Grammar For Foreign Students. – Longmans, 1966.

6. Francis W.N. The Structure of American English. – New York, 1958.

7. Fries Ch. С and LadoR. English Sentence Patterns.-The U-y of Michigan Press.

8. Greenberg, Joseph H. (1972) Numeral classifiers and substantival number: Problems in the genesis of a linguistic type.

9. Hornby A.S. The Teaching of Structural Words and Patterns. – Oxford University Press, 1959.

10. Jespersen 0. Essentials of English Grammar. – Allen and Unwin, 1953.

11. Joos Martin. The English Verb. – The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison and Milwaukee, 1964.

12. Kelly B. An Advanced English Course for Foreign Students. – Longmans, 1962.

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