1) Dates of births 2) Date of births 3) Dates of birth

[farhankhan2007]

Could someone please let me know when to use the below or the difference between these three?

1) Dates of births
2) Date of births
3) Dates of birth

If I have to ask more than one person, is it right to ask "what are your dates of birth?"
As I understand birth is an one time event, so births would not seem right.

Thankyou in advance

 

[GoesStation]

You're right. Number 3 is the phrase to use. "Date of birth" is a noun phrase where "of birth" modifies "date". The adjectival "of birth" is unchanged when the base noun "birth" is pluralized.

Don't be surprised to see native speakers miss this, though. English doesn't use this structure very widely, so native speakers tend to just slap an S on the end of the whole phrase. I work in an industry where bills of lading are used. I'm the only one at the office who uses that plural, though; these documents are universally known there as bill of ladings.

 

[Rover_KE]

Could someone please let me know when to use the phrases below or the difference between these three?

1) Dates of births
2) Date of births
3) Dates of birth

If I have to ask more than one person, is it right to ask "What are your dates of birth?" Yes.
As I understand it, birth is a one time event, so "births" would not seem right.

`

 

[teechar]

bill of ladings.

That's slack.

 

[andrewg927]

You might hear 2 or 3 but I doubt anyone would use 1.

 

[GoesStation]

That's slack.

I agree. It's a sign of the times. Have you noticed that they don't make nostalgia like they used to?

 

[GoesStation]

That's slack.

I just heard the English comedian John Oliver use mother-in-laws as the plural of "mother-in-law". Apparently gaining US permanent residency has impaired his English.

 

[andrewg927]

Are you suggesting the English say "mothers-in-law" instead? Is that true?

 

[SoothingDave]

I work in an industry where bills of lading are used. I'm the only one at the office who uses that plural, though; these documents are universally known there as bill of ladings.

Plurals that bad should be reported to the various states' attorney generals.

 

[GoesStation]

Are you suggesting the English say "mothers-in-law" instead? Is that true?

Careful English speakers everywhere do.

 

[andrewg927]

Careful English speakers everywhere do.

And how do you deal with a possessive? I hope not "mothers-in-law's".

 

[andrewg927]

Plurals that bad should be reported to the various states' attorney generals.

I just read an article that stated the British prefer "attorney-generals" so it might not be wrong after all with a hyphen.

http://abovethelaw.com/career-files...ey-general-and-what-is-the-plural-possessive/