Why don't we put an "S" after Sheep when it is a plural?

Answer 1

It's just one of those weird inconsistencies of English. Because the English language has been influenced by so many languages by 'visiting' neighbours over the years (Saxons, Vikings, Normans), it has picked up many idiosycracies from all of those langauges - as well as retaining a few (but not many) from the original 'British' languages which existed before the various invasions.

The origins of the word 'sheep' are uncertain, although it appears as 'skeap' and 'skep' in Old English. You will notice that the many words that have their singular and plural forms the same are all names of animals: deer, fish, moose, swine. Quite often, these anomalies in English language occur through spelling errors. Until quite recently, English spelling was fluid (Shakespeare spelt his name several ways, for example) and when spelling became standardised, some of the subtle differences in meaning of certain words was lost.

And to the fool that made the comment about 'data' - don't you know that 'data' is already a plural? The singular is 'datum' and it always annoys me when people use 'data' as singular, just as 'media' is the plural form of 'medium'.

Hope this helps at least a little.

Answer 2

The Best Answer:

We don't put an "S" after Sheep when it is a plural because
(3 reason):

1) Hard to tell / talk, the sound like this "shee...pes..."
2) We rarely saw one sheep stand alone, usually sheep life in a group, so, we don't put an "S"
3) To differentiate between ship and sheep

Answer 3

Sheep is the plural already.
The English language is the hardest language in the world to learn. Plurals can be funny sheep is just like fish or reindeer.
Although fish can also be fishes and still be correct.
It is just like eg the sound "ou" it can be pronounced differently in different words such as.....
wound (this can be pronounced two different ways)
court
count
This is just one example of many
Have a good one!!!

Answer 4

I don't know, but it's one of those words, like fish, whose plural is the same as it's singular form.

However, not all wards add an 's' to form their plural. Datum becomes data, formula becomes formulae, medium becomes media, and so on. It depends a lot on the language the word comes from.

Answer 5

interesting isn't it with english words anyway

Consider these sentences:
The recipe called for two teaspoonsful of sugar.
The recipe called for two teaspoonfuls of sugar.

The farmer sold one sheep or two sheep"S"

"To form the plural of noun phrases, you need to ask yourself which word in the phrase is most important (or significant) to the meaning. Make that word plural. Sometimes the first word in the phrase is the more significant word:

Attorneys general (general tells us what kind of attorneys they are).
Daughters-in-law (in-law tells us what kind of daughters).
Chiefs of staff.
Passers-by.
Sergeants major.
Other times, another word in the phrase is more important:

Deputy sheriffs (deputy tells us what kind of sheriff).
Assistant district attorneys (assistant district tells us what kind of attorneys).
Forming the plural of compound words is another area in which some language scholars think the language is evolving. Eventually, some of them say, attorney generals and daughter-in-laws will be acceptable. For now, though, they are not.

Source: Lori Demo "

Answer 6

You can, of course, use 's' after sheep to indicate its plural sense, but then, you look a bit sheepish to who you say that.

Answer 7

Because it is a mass noun. A noun that is the same plural or singular. Like fish.

Answer 8

because sheep is already plural, like teeth.

Answer 9

because the english language is meant to confuse you!

We ship by truck but send cargo by ship.
We have noses that run and feet that smell.
We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a
wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

if you want more from this article,there is more!

Answer 10

Ask from sheeps. Then tell us