Comments on: The Plural of “Calf” is “Calves,” or is it? http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: Tony Hearn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/comment-page-1/#comment-204720 Tony Hearn Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:57:53 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1395#comment-204720 Yet again we have the dialect versus standard issue. Standard English is by and large a construct, an artificial dialect, in fact. So long as the media and the education system were prepared to buy into it it flourished. This is now waning and the spoken vernaculars are reaffirming themselves. The printed language is more conservative and will maintain the standard longer, that is respond to change more slowly. In practice, those of us brought up against a fairly literary and educated background, wit parents who spoke a form of the standard language are going to feel more at home with ' knives, wives, leaves,' etc. For many the spoken form is, and doubtless long has been, 'knifes, wifes, leafs' On 'calves' by the way, there is a marked difference of vowel length between the British (for the most part) and American speakers. In Britain we use a long vowel in calf, half etc., so we would say 'cahves or caafs', but not 'kaffs'. Yet again we have the dialect versus standard issue. Standard English is by and large a construct, an artificial dialect, in fact. So long as the media and the education system were prepared to buy into it it flourished. This is now waning and the spoken vernaculars are reaffirming themselves. The printed language is more conservative and will maintain the standard longer, that is respond to change more slowly. In practice, those of us brought up against a fairly literary and educated background, wit parents who spoke a form of the standard language are going to feel more at home with ‘ knives, wives, leaves,’ etc. For many the spoken form is, and doubtless long has been, ‘knifes, wifes, leafs’
On ‘calves’ by the way, there is a marked difference of vowel length between the British (for the most part) and American speakers. In Britain we use a long vowel in calf, half etc., so we would say ‘cahves or caafs’, but not ‘kaffs’.

]]> By: Sheila http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/comment-page-1/#comment-93476 Sheila Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:19:13 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1395#comment-93476 LuAnn: "I still believe that we gave up quality education when we stopped teaching phonics and word origins for rote memorization…" Could I add diagramming sentences to that? LuAnn:
“I still believe that we gave up quality education when we stopped teaching phonics and word origins for rote memorization…”

Could I add diagramming sentences to that?

]]> By: LGW http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/comment-page-1/#comment-72846 LGW Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:21:21 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1395#comment-72846 I doubt I'll ever understand where "beeves" comes from - it's sometimes used at the plural of beef, or perhaps of "cow destined to become beef". Perhaps it's just a technical term, with no explanation beyond that. Tolkien was asked once about "dwarves vs dwarfs" and made some comment that perhaps the proper plural was "dwarren". Of course, he may have been joking. I doubt I’ll ever understand where “beeves” comes from – it’s sometimes used at the plural of beef, or perhaps of “cow destined to become beef”. Perhaps it’s just a technical term, with no explanation beyond that.

Tolkien was asked once about “dwarves vs dwarfs” and made some comment that perhaps the proper plural was “dwarren”. Of course, he may have been joking.

]]> By: Alex http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/comment-page-1/#comment-68073 Alex Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:08:46 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1395#comment-68073 As a non-native speaker, I would write calves and not calfs, but I'm not aware of the different pronunciation. I think I wouldn't have 'detected' the mistake, mainly because in German, V is really pronounced as F/PH. The word "von" is really pronounced as "fon", so I'd pronounce calves and all the other -ves plurals probably as -fs :P And of course, I'm aware that the correct form should be dwarfs, but since Tolkien introduced Dwarves as the plural for the race in contrast to just the condition of being of short height, I do like how Dwarves looks... but I probably pronounce it 'dwarfs' anyway. As a non-native speaker, I would write calves and not calfs, but I’m not aware of the different pronunciation. I think I wouldn’t have ‘detected’ the mistake, mainly because in German, V is really pronounced as F/PH. The word “von” is really pronounced as “fon”, so I’d pronounce calves and all the other -ves plurals probably as -fs :P

And of course, I’m aware that the correct form should be dwarfs, but since Tolkien introduced Dwarves as the plural for the race in contrast to just the condition of being of short height, I do like how Dwarves looks… but I probably pronounce it ‘dwarfs’ anyway.

]]> By: LuAnn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-plural-of-calf-is-calves-or-is-it/comment-page-1/#comment-68030 LuAnn Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:09:48 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1395#comment-68030 Perhaps some of the confusion stems from using some of the words as verbs..... ...when the tree leafs out.... ...when he roofs the addition..... I still believe that we gave up quality education when we stopped teaching phonics and word origins for rote memorization..... Our language skills have spiraled downhill ever since. Perhaps some of the confusion stems from using some of the words as verbs…..

…when the tree leafs out….
…when he roofs the addition…..

I still believe that we gave up quality education when we stopped teaching phonics and word origins for rote memorization….. Our language skills have spiraled downhill ever since.

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