plural of premises, since is already plural

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Hookster  #268067  Sat, 16 Sep 06 09:40 PM

I understand that the word premises is the plural form of the word premise.  Which is odd because they mean nothing at all the same.  Anyways, can the word premises be plural?  Example:  (singular) I visited the premises. (plural) I visited multiple premises.

Thanks in advance

  
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Englishuser  #268076  Sat, 16 Sep 06 10:17 PM

Hi Hookster,

You wrote:

I understand that the word premises is the plural form of the word premise.  Which is odd because they mean nothing at all the same.  Anyways, can the word premises be plural?  Example:  (singular) I visited the premises. (plural) I visited multiple premises.

The word 'premises' (when you are referring to a house or building, etc.) is not the plural for of the word 'premise'. The two words have nothing at all to do with each other. 'Premises' is a plural noun; yet, you can say that you visited many different premises, for example.  

  
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Hookster  #268084  Sat, 16 Sep 06 10:50 PM

Merriam-Webster Dictionary entry:

Main Entry: 1prem·ise
Variant(s): also pre·miss /'pre-m&s/
Function: noun
Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English premisse, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin praemissa, from Latin, feminine of praemissus, past participle of praemittere to place ahead, from prae- pre- + mittere to send; in other senses, from Middle English premisses, from Medieval Latin praemissa, from Latin, neuter plural of praemissus
1 a : a proposition antecedently supposed or proved as a basis of argument or inference; specifically : either of the first two propositions of a syllogism from which the conclusion is drawn b : something assumed or taken for granted : PRESUPPOSITION
2 plural : matters previously stated; specifically : the preliminary and explanatory part of a deed or of a bill in equity
3 plural [from its being identified in the premises of the deed] a : a tract of land with the buildings thereon b : a building or part of a building usually with its appurtenances (as grounds)

  
Englishuser  #268109  Sat, 16 Sep 06 11:47 PM

Hi Hookster,

You, and your dictionary, are absolutely right. 'Premises' was listed in the Oxford Dictionary of English as a plural noun of its own; however, in the Oxford English Dicitonary, the foremost authority on the English language, 'premises' is given as a plural variant of 'premise'. My apologies for not checking this before. The singular form 'premise' did actually exist in the past.

  
Hookster  #268114  Sun, 17 Sep 06 12:06 AM

That is quite all right.  No apologies necessary.  Some of my employees still argue with me that since premises is the plural form, premise therfore should mean a single property.  A new spin on this ongoing debate is if premises is already in plural form, what is the plural form?  I guess then it could be used as plural as well.  As in the example of  s. fish pl. fish and s. deer pl. deer.

  
J Lewis  #268253  Sun, 17 Sep 06 08:47 AM
Fish and deer are examples of invariable nouns, a kind of irregular plural whose irregularity consists in being the same as the singular. It's a different question from premises and news, which are evolutions of plurals, often with changes in meaning.
  
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Englishuser  #268257  Sun, 17 Sep 06 08:52 AM

Hi Hookster,

You said:

Some of my employees still argue with me that since premises is the plural form, premise therfore should mean a single property.  A new spin on this ongoing debate is if premises is already in plural form, what is the plural form?  I guess then it could be used as plural as well

I totally agree with you.

  
Anonymous  #568189  Sat, 20 Sep 08 09:40 AM
Premises can be plural or singular, it depends on how many properties or buildings you are want to mention.

e.g. The premises of Flat 42, 4/F of *** building is owned by me.

e.g. The premieses of Flats 42, 43 44, 4/F of *** building are owned by me.
  
Anonymous  #568752  Sun, 21 Sep 08 04:07 PM
From:  Anonymous #5689189

Typing Mistakes Correction:

are want to mention:  should be corrected to WANT TO MENTION

premieses:  should be premises
  
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