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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 |
More Is Less
A riddle attributed to British prime minister George Canning, among many others:
A word there is of plural number,
Foe to ease and tranquil slumber.
Any other word you take
And add an S will plural make;
But if you add an S to this,
So strange the metamorphosis,
Plural is plural now no more
And sweet what bitter was before.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Any other word you take
And add an S will plural make;
This is obviously not true. There are many words in English that do not take an -s plural.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I do know one plural that ends in -s such that when you add another s to it becomes singular. Not sure about the "[f]oe to ease and tranquil slumber" part.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963
old hand
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old hand
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963 |
I do know one plural that ends in -s such that when you add another s to it becomes singular. Not sure about the "[f]oe to ease and tranquil slumber" part. That's where I am.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 |
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,470 Likes: 11
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,470 Likes: 11 |
I do know one plural that ends in -s such that when you add another s to it becomes singular. Is it one of these? princes/princess ogres/ogress cares/caress bras/brass
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554 |
needles: foe to tranquil slumber? needless: bitter to sweet? Naw.  cares to caress...  Yeah, AC, I like that one.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I like that cares/caress. Good work, A C.
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