Re: Chinese-style measure words in English?

From: Stewart Gordon (smjg_1998_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 12/29/04 

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 15:20:48 +0000

Peter T. Daniels wrote:
<snip>
> You can say "42 cows" or "42 bulls" but not "42 cattle."
<snip>

When I went to school, "cattle" was simply a plural, the difference from
"cows" or "bulls" being that the singular has somehow become lost.
Hence "the cattle are lowing" rather than "the cattle is lowing".

But that's before you consider other plural nouns like "police" and
"staff". Of course, those like "trousers" are different again - maybe
this is one instance in which "pair" really is a measure word?

Stewart. 

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