Why isn't the plural of moose,meese, when the plural of goose is geese?
2006-07-30 10:52:15 · 16 answers · asked by sailfido 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Because goose is an old word in the Germanic languages and developed its plural a couple thousand years ago, about the same time that the man/men, mouse/mice pairs were developing as well. Moose was borrowed into English in the 17th century in North America (it is a Micmac word), long after the vowel-change plurals had become exceptions to the rule instead of the rule.
2006-07-30 11:09:55 · answer #1 · answered by Taivo 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
It is not acceptable to use purrings. Purr, the noun (as in 'the purr of the cat was soothing'), is what we would call an uncountable noun. Countable nouns are things you can count 0-- like cups. Uncountable nouns are things you can't count--like coffee. You can count cups, bags, tins, cans, jars of coffee but notice that the thing you count is the container--not the coffee. In the same way you can count cats who purr, but purring is a continuous sound and therefore is uncountable--like coffee is a mass and can't be counted. Purring is the gerund form of a verb, which makes it a noun. So, no, purrings is not acceptable--except perhaps in a poem where one would be taking what is called poetic license--in order to make a special point. Maggie
2016-03-27 07:30:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it doesn't make sense...
The word "moose" came to us from Algonquian Indians. Consequently its plural, instead of being "mooses" or "meese", is the same as the singular. That is true of most Indian names whether of a tribe, such as the Winnebago and Potawatomi, or of an object such as papoose. It is also true of many wildlife names not of Indian origin -- for example: deer, mink and grouse.
2006-07-30 12:17:49 · answer #3 · answered by gek_meisje05 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Language is a fasinating subject. Many English words get their root from other languages so it is a very complicated languages where in some cases rules apply , but in others you simply have to learn to accept that is just the way it is. This is a case where you just have to memorize the words; rather than try to make sense of them.
2006-07-30 10:58:47 · answer #4 · answered by ruthie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they come from different languages, each of which languages has its own plurality conventions. English is a hodgepodge of words borrowed from other languages.
2006-07-30 10:57:16 · answer #5 · answered by Maureen F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Meese' sounds too much like the plural for 'mouse.' LOL!
H
2006-07-30 12:39:42 · answer #6 · answered by H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the moose don't like to be called meese. They think it is stupid.
2006-07-30 10:55:38 · answer #7 · answered by Gwen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
And why isn't the plural of "booth" "beeth" when the plural of "tooth" is "teeth"?
2006-07-30 15:43:45 · answer #8 · answered by twisted illusions 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about words that are the same in singular and in plural?
SHEEP vs. SHEEP.
2006-07-31 00:26:46 · answer #9 · answered by Hi y´all ! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know...why isn't the plural of deer - door? :)
2006-07-30 10:55:49 · answer #10 · answered by Julia L. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋