Just in case your undecided

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May 3rd 2010, 9:15 am

#16

JackTheLad

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

Question just occurred to me, don't know why but I think it's one of those unanswerables - why do we say 'Conservatives', 'Liberals' or 'Greens' but 'Labour' is always singular?

Because the plural of Labour is Labour, just like the plural of Sheep is Sheep.

JTL

May 3rd 2010, 9:15 pm

#17

Vash the Stampede

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Re: Just in case your undecided

That's so crazy it just might be true!

May 3rd 2010, 9:30 pm

#18

moneypenny20

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Because the plural of Labour is Labour, just like the plural of Sheep is Sheep.

JTL

Why? Sorry, in one of those moods

May 3rd 2010, 9:37 pm

#19

Pollyana

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

Why? Sorry, in one of those moods

Oh god, not you as well .... its gonna be a long night

May 3rd 2010, 9:49 pm

#20

moneypenny20

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Oh god, not you as well .... its gonna be a long night

Words fascinate me

Why is Labour both singular and plural? Why is the colour Red called Red? Who decided? I can bore for England on stuff like that (or on anything else come to that

)

May 3rd 2010, 9:55 pm

#21

Pollyana

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

Words fascinate me

Why is Labour both singular and plural? Why is the colour Red called Red? Who decided? I can bore for England on stuff like that (or on anything else come to that

)

Tis an intriguing subject, I have to say....why is a sheep the same as several sheep......and whats the plural of mongoose? Is it mongeese? or mongi? Had that discussion somewhere else eecently too, don't think we ever foudn the right answer

May 3rd 2010, 10:02 pm

#22

Alfresco

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

It's mongooses FTR.

May 5th 2010, 4:16 am

#23

JackTheLad

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Whats the plural of Octopus?

Hint: Its a greek word, so its not the Latin plural which would be octupii, and its not the anlo-saxon which would be octopusses.

JTL

May 5th 2010, 6:10 am

#24

Paula31

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Because the plural of Labour is Labour, just like the plural of Sheep is Sheep.

JTL

What about the Labours of Hercules? That's plural with an s. Why is it not the Labour of Hercules?

May 5th 2010, 8:40 am

#25

JackTheLad

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paula31

What about the Labours of Hercules? That's plural with an s. Why is it not the Labour of Hercules?

Its past tense.

The labour of our soldiers in Iraq.

The labours of our soldiers on the beaches of Normandy.

JTL

May 5th 2010, 9:48 am

#26

Paula31

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Its past tense.

The labour of our soldiers in Iraq.

The labours of our soldiers on the beaches of Normandy.

JTL

Thank you. Now it makes sense.

May 5th 2010, 10:33 am

#27

Pollyana

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

Whats the plural of Octopus?

Hint: Its a greek word, so its not the Latin plural which would be octupii, and its not the anlo-saxon which would be octopusses.

JTL

Octopodes (apparently!! Yes, I had to look it up

)

May 5th 2010, 10:41 am

#28

JackTheLad

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Re: Just in case your undecided

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Octopodes (apparently!! Yes, I had to look it up

)

Yeah it was a QI question one time. The plural of Ocutopus is Octopodes But I don't know what a collection of Octupodes are called.

I'm guessing a 'forum' of Octupus

JTL