|
The plural of furbearers
#7068044
11/30/20 07:07 AM
11/30/20 07:07 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
James
OP
"Minka"
|
OP
"Minka"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
|
I'm working on a novel with an Alaskan guy who hunts, fishes, and traps. I wrote the following excerpt, then I got stuck trying to figure out whether to say "minks" or "mink," "foxes" or "fox" when there is more than one.
Here is what I wrote:
"By the end of November Kyle had caught sixteen martens—known as sable in the fur trade—seven lynxes, seven foxes, three minks, an otter, and two coyotes. No wolves or wolverines. He could have picked up a few beavers, but beaver trapping was too time-consuming for the limited daylight available. Maybe in February, when the light was coming back."
Am I correct?
Jim
Forum Infidel since 2001
"And that troll bs is something triggered snowflakes say when they dont like what someone posts." - Boco
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068056
11/30/20 07:18 AM
11/30/20 07:18 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,201
Eau Claire Wi
Trap Setter
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,201
Eau Claire Wi
|
No it's wrong and reads like falling down stairs
Life sure is tough when you don't learn from the mistakes of others.
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068059
11/30/20 07:22 AM
11/30/20 07:22 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
James
OP
"Minka"
|
OP
"Minka"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
|
I think the dictionary allows either way. I'm looking for what sounds right for a trapper to say.
Jim
Forum Infidel since 2001
"And that troll bs is something triggered snowflakes say when they dont like what someone posts." - Boco
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068065
11/30/20 07:30 AM
11/30/20 07:30 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,889
williamsburg ks
danny clifton
"Grumpy Old Man"
|
"Grumpy Old Man"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,889
williamsburg ks
|
Depends on your character. Is the narrator an educated person or someone that took a job at 14? Its your story which one fits?
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068069
11/30/20 07:35 AM
11/30/20 07:35 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,052
PA
marathonman
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,052
PA
|
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: danny clifton]
#7068077
11/30/20 07:42 AM
11/30/20 07:42 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
James
OP
"Minka"
|
OP
"Minka"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
|
Depends on your character. Is the narrator an educated person or someone that took a job at 14? Its your story which one fits? The protagonist and point-of-view character has a high school degree but probably a college-equivalent education because he reads a lot. Does it make a difference? Jim
Forum Infidel since 2001
"And that troll bs is something triggered snowflakes say when they dont like what someone posts." - Boco
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: marathonman]
#7068081
11/30/20 07:44 AM
11/30/20 07:44 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
James
OP
"Minka"
|
OP
"Minka"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
|
Now that I keep looking at it, I think you're right. Except for coyotes, wolves, and wolverines. Jim
Forum Infidel since 2001
"And that troll bs is something triggered snowflakes say when they dont like what someone posts." - Boco
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068082
11/30/20 07:46 AM
11/30/20 07:46 AM
|
J Staton
Unregistered
|
J Staton
Unregistered
|
Marten, lynx, fox, and mink sounds right to me used in conversation.
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068085
11/30/20 07:48 AM
11/30/20 07:48 AM
|
J Staton
Unregistered
|
J Staton
Unregistered
|
Does having a numerical value describing a noun change the plural form of such word?
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068088
11/30/20 07:50 AM
11/30/20 07:50 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
James
OP
"Minka"
|
OP
"Minka"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,379
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
|
I don't think so, J Staton.
Jim
Forum Infidel since 2001
"And that troll bs is something triggered snowflakes say when they dont like what someone posts." - Boco
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068108
11/30/20 08:22 AM
11/30/20 08:22 AM
|
Mark June
Unregistered
|
Mark June
Unregistered
|
I'm working on a novel with an Alaskan guy who hunts, fishes, and traps. I wrote the following excerpt, then I got stuck trying to figure out whether to say "minks" or "mink," "foxes" or "fox" when there is more than one.
Here is what I wrote:
"By the end of November Kyle had caught sixteen marten—known as sable in the fur trade—seven lynx, seven fox, three mink, an otter, and two coyotes. No wolves or wolverines. He could have picked up a few beavers, but beaver trapping was too time-consuming for the limited daylight available. Maybe in February, when the light was coming back."
Am I correct?
Jim Fixed.
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: James]
#7068113
11/30/20 08:26 AM
11/30/20 08:26 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,944
PA
elkaholic
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,944
PA
|
To me the only one that reads right in that is "coyotes". All the others I wouldn't use an "S" in speaking them. I actually had to read it twice to say them with the "s". I automatically removed them when reading. I had to consciously add the "S" when reading the second time through.
Millions of trees die every year to print environmentalist publications
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: ]
#7068115
11/30/20 08:26 AM
11/30/20 08:26 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,963
Central Ontario, Canada
Crit-R-Dun
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,963
Central Ontario, Canada
|
I'm working on a novel with an Alaskan guy who hunts, fishes, and traps. I wrote the following excerpt, then I got stuck trying to figure out whether to say "minks" or "mink," "foxes" or "fox" when there is more than one.
Here is what I wrote:
"By the end of November Kyle had caught sixteen marten—known as sable in the fur trade—seven lynx, seven fox, three mink, an otter, and two coyotes. No wolves or wolverines. He could have picked up a few beavers, but beaver trapping was too time-consuming for the limited daylight available. Maybe in February, when the light was coming back."
Am I correct?
Jim Fixed. If the goal was to actually sound like a trapper you could even drop the S on beaver, but it sounds fine either way compared to the others.
|
|
|
Re: The plural of furbearers
[Re: elkaholic]
#7068117
11/30/20 08:28 AM
11/30/20 08:28 AM
|
Mark June
Unregistered
|
Mark June
Unregistered
|
Beaver as a noun can go either way. Beaver (plural) or beavers (plural). Most would use beaver. Or what elkaholic did 
|
|
|
|
|
