Definition:
A plural form of a noun that is identical to the singular form. Zero plural marking refers to the absence of the plural markers -s and -es. See also: Plural Forms of Nouns.
Examples and Observations:
- "We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."
(General George S. Patton) - "In English, plurals of nouns are normally indicated by the ending –s or –es, or in a few cases by –en, as in children and oxen. Some vernacular varieties of English do not use plural endings in measurement phrases such as three mile and ten pound. This zero plural has a long history and was not formerly as socially stigmatized as it is today. . . . In adjectival constructions even Standard English has no –s plural: a five-pound box of candy is acceptable, whereas a five-pounds box is not. These adjective phrases derive from an –a suffix in Old English that marked plural adjectives. This ending has long since fallen away, leaving behind the unmarked root forms. The absence of –s in the plural form of animal names (hunting for bear, a herd of buffalo) probably arose by analogy with animals like deer and sheep whose plurals have been unmarked since the earliest beginnings of the English language."
("plural," The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2000) - "The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger--but recognize the opportunity."
(President John F. Kennedy) - "I'm horrified of lobsters. And shrimp and lobsters are the cockroaches of the ocean."
(Brooke Burke) - "Bluefin tuna contain higher levels of mercury than other species of tuna because they live longer and, like humans, accumulate more mercury in their body tissues."
(editorial, The New York Times, January 24, 2008)
