Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

KevinG wrote: »

I'm late to the party but AFAIAC you were taught incorrectly.

Not according to my extensive research.

I was taught correctly, at the time, and it seems the rules on pluralisation have changed over the years, with 6 words being given exceptions.

Up until the 80's, "rooves" was still the taught word on the standard English curriculum - I've found evidence for this in Australia, but not UK at this time. However, of note, it is still the taught word in New Zealand for example.

Even NOW the word is taught as "rooves" here in the UK: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode116/languagepoint.shtml - although you could argue that is outdated somewhat?

This link suggests the word was taught until the late 19th Century, but I am not that old: http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_plural_form_of_roof_-_roofs_or_rooves

So, whilst doing my research I was horrified to learn that "leafs" is also OK?

Andy_WSM wrote: »

So, whilst doing my research I was horrified to learn that "leafs" is also OK?

What's the plural for more than 1 Nissan Leaf?

eg "I saw 3 Nissan ?????? parked next to several solar Nissen huts with panels on their [STRIKE]roofs[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]rooves[/STRIKE] walls?"

Mart.

Andy_WSM wrote: »

Please don't, I was just getting over the dumbing down. :rotfl:

"I saw 3 Nissan Leafses". - Proper, init.

I didn't enjoy English lessons when I was in school, but as I've got older I've learned to love the 'playability' of our language:

"He opened the door in his pyjamas, strange place to have a door!"

Then there's the use of a word to mean something different, eg extraordinary to mean exceptional, yet the word breaks down as:

"it's not just ordinary, it's extra ordinary"

Looking at your post, which is perfectly correct, but if we were getting dumber, wouldn't things be dumbing up, as in, the level of dumbness is increasing.

On a similar vein, I was recently watching an American cop show where one guy says to his speeding partner, "you'd better slow up", and it struck me that we mean exactly the same when we say "you'd better slow down".

I'm glad English is my first language, I'd hate to have to learn it as a second language.

Mart.

PS The sun's out.

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I'm glad English is my first language, I'd hate to have to learn it as a second language.

I _teach_ it as a second language...

"Teacher... why?"

"BECAUSE!"

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I'm glad English is my first language, I'd hate to have to learn it as a second language.

Me too mate, don't think I'd be able to understand if you said it in your own language, as in "llwhat's llthe llplural llfor llmore llthan ll1 llnissan llleaf"....lllol