Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[kerstin]

There's a tendency among cautious* folk* to regard anything that might be offensive as offensive.

Why is that not spelled plural when it can be talk about a lot of people?

Thank you

[CP]

One if by land and two if by sea,
And I on the opposite shore shall be
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middle s e x village and farm
For the country folk to be up and to arm.

(From "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere)

"Folk" is one of those words that can be plural either with or without the final "s." Lots of folks call their parents their folks. The folks who love dogs don't always love cats. There are nice folks and grumpy folks.

At the same time, you will hear people talk about Leprechauns and call them the "wee folk." I think it comes straight from the German for people, Volk. (A Volkswagen is literally "the people's car.")

Often when we speak of people who are a little strange or special, we seem to refer to them as folk. Your example is about cautious folk -- as if it is a species or specific group of people.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[missdaredevil]

Is there a technical term for a noun that can be singular and plural?


Thanks

[CP]

There should be a term for nouns that can be plural in meaning when either singular or plural in form, but I have never heard of it. Someone must know it. . . .

Several of the words that use the same form for singular and plural are animals: elk, moose, salmon, shrimp, deer, bison, swine, grouse, quail. They are just irregular plurals, I guess. But quail also can be pluralized as quails.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[Anuradha Chepur]

Also note that 'folk' always means people and it is not used to talk about a single person. So the plural marker is kinda redundant, neverthless allowed as a choice.

[CP]

Yes, and see also

http://www.answers.com/topic/plural

where the "Our Living Language" article refers to unmarked plurals of class nouns.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb