Sugar Please
Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2014
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Malay
- Home Country
- Malaysia
- Current Location
- Malaysia
Hi
I understand that some nouns look the same, whether in singular or plural, for example, the words "sheep", "deer" and "fish".
What I have trouble with are those nouns that, in their plural meaning, can either retain their singular form, or have a plural form, for example, the word "buffalo" in plural, can be "buffalo" or "buffaloes".
Is there a special / preferred circumstance in which I have to use the plural form that is identical to the singular form?
I came across these sentences and found them weird, although I assume they are correct (are they?)...
1) The Reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise with abundant elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebra.
2) Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago.
It would seem more natural (to me, at least) to write:
1) The Reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise with abundant elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions and cheetahs alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebras.
2) Troops of several hundred olive baboons appear alongside Sykes monkeys and short-eared galagos.
If both are correct, is there a preferred choice? And if written in the same paragraph or piece of writing, must one style be maintained throughout? :-(
I'd really appreciate some advice on this matter. Thanks
I understand that some nouns look the same, whether in singular or plural, for example, the words "sheep", "deer" and "fish".
What I have trouble with are those nouns that, in their plural meaning, can either retain their singular form, or have a plural form, for example, the word "buffalo" in plural, can be "buffalo" or "buffaloes".
Is there a special / preferred circumstance in which I have to use the plural form that is identical to the singular form?
I came across these sentences and found them weird, although I assume they are correct (are they?)...
1) The Reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise with abundant elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebra.
2) Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago.
It would seem more natural (to me, at least) to write:
1) The Reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise with abundant elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions and cheetahs alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebras.
2) Troops of several hundred olive baboons appear alongside Sykes monkeys and short-eared galagos.
If both are correct, is there a preferred choice? And if written in the same paragraph or piece of writing, must one style be maintained throughout? :-(
I'd really appreciate some advice on this matter. Thanks