chris  +  2132 Tue, 15 Jul 03 05:48 PM Today's question - How many words can the forums think of that only exist in the plural form? For example, the word scissors can only be in the plural form. chris Joined on Mon, Apr 7 2003 Malta Contributing Member 1,105 Plurals

	Woodward  +  2154 Wed, 16 Jul 03 05:05 AM Cattle, trousers, pants, shorts, binoculars, jeans, pyjamas, pliers. Woodward Joined on Tue, Jun 24 2003 A New Zealander in Chile Senior Member 2,764 Don't let schooling interfere with your education. www.grammar.cl - www.vocabulary.cl

	Elena  +  4957 Tue, 19 Aug 03 01:16 AM Woodward, I can understand that 'cattle' is 'plural' because it refers to several animals, but why the other words like 'scissors' are considered 'plural'? To me they are just words that end by 's' as much they are naming things which have two parts but they are only one thing, the half of 'trousers' is nothing, the half of 'glasses' is nothing while a part of the cattle is something, and to get 'plural' you have to have more than a thing. I am saying something weird? Maybe there is a formal linguistic word to call theses kind of plurals like 'semi-plural' or 'odd-plural' he he or 'godwhatakindofpluralisthis' Sorry. Tell me please, I think there is one but i don't remember. Elena Joined on Thu, Jul 31 2003 Regular Member 827 Enjoying my English study Plurals

	Woodward  +  4967 Tue, 19 Aug 03 05:38 AM To have a 'plural' you have to have more than a thing is not necessarily True. Some words are considered only in a plural form. Normally before these words you can say: a pair of glasses or a pair of trousers but in reality you are talking about one. These are just one of the many exceptions that exist in English. The specific name of the plural...I don't know if there is a specific word for it. Consider your own language, Spanish. Isn't it the same in that too. You refer to one thing though you say it in plural. The following nouns are always considered/said in plural form even though we are talking about 'one': clothes pants pyjamas trousers binoculars glasses pliers scales scissors shears savings earnings surroundings stairs premises valuables ... ... Woodward Plurals, Nouns

	Elena  +  4978 Tue, 19 Aug 03 10:45 AM Yes, in Spanish is the same even more patent because we have plural form for the article , 'las tijeras' (the scissors) And if I wanted to be fussy with the whims of real language I've could focused in 'cattle' rather than the other kind of plurals that , at least, have plural linguistic form as much they are expressing an only thing. Curious thing: Greek have 'dual' form, so, to get common plural word (I don't know about the whims) they need more than two things. Do you know other languages with 'dual'? Thanks for make me to stop my worry about this silly thing that was spinning in my mind. Elena Plurals, Articles, Plural Words

	Woodward  +  5024 Tue, 19 Aug 03 10:18 PM Arabic has dual forms. Trying to conjugate verbs is a nightmare! Woodward Plurals, Verbs