Gear is already plural, you wouldn't say Chineses would you?

John Glover said:

Shouldn't it be "gear are already plural...." ;-)

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freetiegui said:

LynniePad said:

hesbehindyou said:

And don't get me started on apostrophes. I know the contradictory and arbitrary rules surrounding them but as most of my countrymen don't they're pointless except as a trap for pedants.

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The rules aren't arbitrary, it's just a matter of education.

My favourite is the Americanism of saying... "Don't loose your lens cap". -You see that alot.

-

As an exercise, punctuate this sentence so that it makes sense...

Jim where John had had had had had had had had had had had the teacher's approval.

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Oh we say that here in the UK too - drives me bananas! Even people who seem quite intelligent do it.

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freetiegui said:

But in the case of the OP's rant, it's just a mistake by someone for whom English isn't his first language. No need for a rant.

I've never heard an English native speaker say 'gears'.

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Aberaeron said:

freetiegui said:

LynniePad said:

hesbehindyou said:

And don't get me started on apostrophes. I know the contradictory and arbitrary rules surrounding them but as most of my countrymen don't they're pointless except as a trap for pedants.

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The rules aren't arbitrary, it's just a matter of education.

My favourite is the Americanism of saying... "Don't loose your lens cap". -You see that alot.

-

As an exercise, punctuate this sentence so that it makes sense...

Jim where John had had had had had had had had had had had the teacher's approval.

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Oh we say that here in the UK too - drives me bananas! Even people who seem quite intelligent do it.

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Not 'we'. Some may do. Probably a small minority that should know better.

Aberaeron said:

But in the case of the OP's rant, it's just a mistake by someone for whom English isn't his first language. No need for a rant.

I've never heard an English native speaker say 'gears'.

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My car has many gears.

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FrankieJ said:

sjagoda said:

Hahha!! Hilarious! I love this quote from you, it's like teeth is already plural it wouldn't be added with tooths paste! what is a native english speaker speak, it is not necessarily we should make it perfect as non native. It is Okay to make mistakes, right ? Even my fave native teacher in Preply told me the same tone. http://preply.com/en/skype/english-native-speakers

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It's perfectly ok to make mistakes, I know that if I were not using a language term properly that I would want to be corrected, that's how I improve myself. =)

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FrankieJ said:

John Glover said:

Shouldn't it be "gear are already plural...." ;-)

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cutterpup said:

FrankieJ said:

John Glover said:

Shouldn't it be "gear are already plural...." ;-)

--
John Glover
WSSA #141PX

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Here's my take - if the reference was towards multiple pieces of equipment, then sure, gear are.
But in a linguistic discussion about the noun Gear I am referring to a singular item not a collective so gear is works most correctly. But you may be right - it pales compared to people who say waiting ON line, when they are waiting single file to gain admission to someplace, jeez. What, is there an imaginary painted line that they are referring to?

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This was our largest argument when my husband I first started dating. He was from Long Island, as in NY, and insisted it was ON line. Whereas I was from RI and I always had to wait IN line.

--
Yes Cathy, "There really is a Pink-footed goose, and I have the pictures to prove it." As told to my boss after she had seen "The Big Year"

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D Cox said:

Barleyman said:

apathyman said:

SoCalWill said:

I had one len, now I got two lens.

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No - you have two len's ;-)

Cheers

Brian

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So you have Len's lenses? He was asking about them over on the Canon forum.

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Let's have less of Len losing his lenses.

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