http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/2010/02/fox-news-comprehension/ Fighting the War on Error Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:12:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/2010/02/fox-news-comprehension/#comment-128 Jimbeaux Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:01:26 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/?p=861#comment-128 Hi, My earlier comment on this subject seems to have been expurgated, so let me try again -- First, I don't agree that tsunami is "both singular and plural." It's probably more accurate to say that tsunami, like all nouns in Japanese, is neither singular nor plural. I know it's metaphysical-sounding, but singularity or plurality (of the noun) is meaningless when the word undergoes no change at all. Whether the concept (not the word) is plural depends on context. More importantly, tsunami is undoubtedly a loanword in English. Thus, it is an English word, and should, by and large, obey English rules of inflection. And one of these rules is, yes, the affixing of "s" to the end of it to denote plurality. It's particularly odd when you think of loanwords like kimono. In English, kimono demonstrates plurality with an "X." Hi,
My earlier comment on this subject seems to have been expurgated, so let me try again —
First, I don't agree that tsunami is "both singular and plural." It's probably more accurate to say that tsunami, like all nouns in Japanese, is neither singular nor plural. I know it's metaphysical-sounding, but singularity or plurality (of the noun) is meaningless when the word undergoes no change at all. Whether the concept (not the word) is plural depends on context.
More importantly, tsunami is undoubtedly a loanword in English. Thus, it is an English word, and should, by and large, obey English rules of inflection. And one of these rules is, yes, the affixing of "s" to the end of it to denote plurality. It's particularly odd when you think of loanwords like kimono. In English, kimono demonstrates plurality with an "X."

]]> http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/2010/02/fox-news-comprehension/#comment-127 Jeff Puthuff Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:05:05 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/?p=861#comment-127 I stand by my assertion (and I'm not alone) that tsunamis is improper. If people started using "sheeps," "gooses" (as a noun), and "scissor," should we acquiesce and allow it as proper? I stand by my assertion (and I'm not alone) that tsunamis is improper. If people started using "sheeps," "gooses" (as a noun), and "scissor," should we acquiesce and allow it as proper?

]]> http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/2010/02/fox-news-comprehension/#comment-126 goofy Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:54:47 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutgrammar.com/?p=861#comment-126 The OED has a number of citations of "tsunamis" or "tunamis". According to M-W, the plural can be "tsunami" or "tsunamis". The OED has a number of citations of "tsunamis" or "tunamis". According to M-W, the plural can be "tsunami" or "tsunamis".

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