An English Grammar. James Witt Sewell
means, I say, riches will accumulate.—Goldsmith.
Politics plural.
Cultivating a feeling that politics are tiresome.—G. W. Curtis.
The politics in which he took the keenest interest were politics scarcely deserving of the name.—Macaulay.
Now I read all the politics that come out.—Goldsmith.
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
Occasionally singular words.
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.—J. L. Laughlin.
A relic which, if I recollect right, he pronounced to have been a tongs.—Irving.
Besides this, it is furnished with a forceps.—Goldsmith.
The air—was it subdued when … the wind was trained only to turn a windmill, carry off chaff, or work in a bellows?—Prof. Dana.
In Early Modern English thank is found.
What thank have ye?—Bible
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.
two plurals.
48. 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.
One plural, two meanings.
49. 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. —Pope.
Tell me not, in mournful numbers. —Longfellow.
Numbers also means issues, or copies, of a periodical.
pain—pains: (1) suffering; (2) care, trouble,
part—parts: (1) divisions; (2) abilities, faculties.
Two classes of compound words.
50. 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.
51. Some groups pluralize both parts of the group; as man singer, manservant, woman servant, woman singer.
Two methods in use for names with titles.
52. As to plurals of names with titles, there is some disagreement among English writers. The title may be plural, as the Messrs. Allen, the Drs. Brown, the Misses Rich; or the name may be pluralized.
The former is perhaps more common in present-day use, though the latter is often found; for example—
Then came Mr. and Mrs. Briggs, and then the three Miss Spinneys, then Silas Peckham.—Dr. Holmes.
Our immortal Fielding was of the younger branch of the Earls of Denbigh, who drew their origin from the Counts of Hapsburgh.—Gibbon.
The Miss Flamboroughs were reckoned the best dancers in the parish.—Goldsmith.
The Misses Nettengall's young ladies come to the Cathedral too.—Dickens.
The Messrs. Harper have done the more than generous thing by Mr. Du Maurier.—The Critic.
53. A number of foreign words have been adopted