2007-08-14 18:48:14 · 11 answers · asked by sanjay j 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Both are proper plural forms, BUT they are NOT interchangeable.
"A group of fish of the same species are called fish. Two or more species of fish are called 'fishes'."
Actually, I believe it is ALWAYS correct to use "fish" for a plural, without regard to whether they are all of the same species or not. But "fishes" MUST refer to different species. (If you need to make a point of the fact that you are listing various species, use "fishes".)
Note that this is a more recent distinction. The KJV Bible (1611) speaks of "five loaves and two fishes" and is not referring to different species of fish.
http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/what/fish.htm
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/english/2005/02/fish_or_fishes.html
2007-08-14 23:53:55 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fish
2007-08-15 01:55:42 · answer #2 · answered by Just Somebody 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Though often used interchangeably, these pairs of words actually mean different things. Fish is used either as singular noun or to describe a group of specimens from a single species. Fishes describes a group containing more than one species. Hence, as plurals, these words could be used thus:
My aquarium contains three different fishes: guppies, platies, and swordtails.
The North Atlantic stock of Gadus morhua is estimated to contain several million fish.
2007-08-15 01:53:30 · answer #3 · answered by Alia 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Fish can be a singular count noun, and its usual plural is also fish.
Here are some examples:
Bob and I went fishing, and we caught 17 fish.
There are four or five fish swimming around in my fish tank.
2007-08-15 02:36:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
the plural of fish is just like that of deer or moose. it's just fish. saying fishes sounds a little... immature, don't you think?
2007-08-15 01:55:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It can be either, depending on context. If you're talking about lots of the same kind of fish, then it's still "fish." If you're talking about lots of different species, then it's "fishes." Gotta love the English language! ;-)
2007-08-15 01:56:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
its fish
not fishes
just like deer
its not deers
its just deer
2007-08-15 02:11:27 · answer #7 · answered by CandiiBabii 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't know fishes
2007-08-15 01:52:12 · answer #8 · answered by howuderrn! 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
fish. just fish.
2007-08-18 22:04:34 · answer #9 · answered by Fred 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure it's either, which one you use depends on the context of the sentence.
2007-08-15 01:56:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋