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G&T plural

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  • L Lost User

    I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

    Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

    OriginalGriffO Offline
    OriginalGriffO Offline
    OriginalGriff
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    AlcoholicBeverage GnT = Gin + Tonic;
    AlcoholicBeverage ForTwo = GnT * 2;
    Console.WriteLine("Gin{0} & Tonic{1}", ForTwo.GinCount() <= 1 ? "" : "s", ForTwo.TonicCount() <= 1 ? "" : "s");

    Clearly writes "Gins & Tonics". But...the correct phrase would be Gin and Tonics[^] And the plural "fish and chips" is clearly "fish and chips twice" :laugh:

    Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

    "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
    "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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    • P PaulowniaK

      I didn't think you could count such things as Gin and Tonic so I wouldn't have thought there was a plural form for it. The best you could say is "Two glasses of/servings of gin and tonic". As for Fish and Chips, since plural of fish is still fish (although you can say "fishes"), plural of Fish and Chips would still be Fish and Chips. :)

      Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...

      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriff
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      You can count such things: particularly when the constabulary ask "Have you been drinking, Sir?" However, your ability to precise as to the number decreases as the number itself increases, probably leading to the officer asking the question in the first place...

      Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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      • Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

        pwasser wrote:

        "fish and chips"

        It's perfect - you got only one fish but two or more chips!!!

        I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is. (V)

        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriff
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        Indeed, but that won't feed a family of four! You are going to have to increase the number of Cod / Haddock / Pollock fillets you purchase, and that requires pluralisation of the entire order... ;)

        Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

        Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK 1 Reply Last reply
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        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

          Indeed, but that won't feed a family of four! You are going to have to increase the number of Cod / Haddock / Pollock fillets you purchase, and that requires pluralisation of the entire order... ;)

          Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

          Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
          Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
          Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          OriginalGriff wrote:

          requires pluralisation of the entire order

          And that requires the pluralization of you incomes!!!

          I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is. (V)

          "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

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          • P PaulowniaK

            I didn't think you could count such things as Gin and Tonic so I wouldn't have thought there was a plural form for it. The best you could say is "Two glasses of/servings of gin and tonic". As for Fish and Chips, since plural of fish is still fish (although you can say "fishes"), plural of Fish and Chips would still be Fish and Chips. :)

            Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            Fish and chips I agree. Why shouldn't you count g&t's?

            Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

            J 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

              AlcoholicBeverage GnT = Gin + Tonic;
              AlcoholicBeverage ForTwo = GnT * 2;
              Console.WriteLine("Gin{0} & Tonic{1}", ForTwo.GinCount() <= 1 ? "" : "s", ForTwo.TonicCount() <= 1 ? "" : "s");

              Clearly writes "Gins & Tonics". But...the correct phrase would be Gin and Tonics[^] And the plural "fish and chips" is clearly "fish and chips twice" :laugh:

              Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)

              L Offline
              L Offline
              Lost User
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              Well the argument is that gin and tonic is a noun - just add an s for many. So what is the argument for "governors general"?

              Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

              N 1 Reply Last reply
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              • L Lost User

                I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                D Offline
                D Offline
                Dalek Dave
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                Gins and Tonic is correct. Like Courts Marshall or Professors Emeritus.

                --------------------------------- Obscurum per obscurius. Ad astra per alas porci. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.

                N 1 Reply Last reply
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                • L Lost User

                  Fish and chips I agree. Why shouldn't you count g&t's?

                  Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                  J Offline
                  J Offline
                  Jarek Kruza
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  pwasser wrote:

                  Why shouldn't you count g&t's?

                  Beasuse it is uncountable? As milk for example. You buy milk. Or two milks? Or maybe two bottles of milk? It's the same with G&T - how much is one G&T and how much two? 100ml may be the standard "one", but some of CPians would probably say it's much less than standard. :) You must count it in term of volume (in ml or glasses/bottles/buckets). So IMHO you drink two glasses of G&T not two gin and tonics...

                  L 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • L Lost User

                    I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                    Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                    C Offline
                    C Offline
                    CPallini
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    An unequalled authority, with strange Hungarian name, stated 'Gin and Tonic' is invariant, or better, the singular form is unused.

                    Veni, vidi, vici.

                    J 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • J Jarek Kruza

                      pwasser wrote:

                      Why shouldn't you count g&t's?

                      Beasuse it is uncountable? As milk for example. You buy milk. Or two milks? Or maybe two bottles of milk? It's the same with G&T - how much is one G&T and how much two? 100ml may be the standard "one", but some of CPians would probably say it's much less than standard. :) You must count it in term of volume (in ml or glasses/bottles/buckets). So IMHO you drink two glasses of G&T not two gin and tonics...

                      L Offline
                      L Offline
                      Lost User
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      Well in a pub the gin will always be a standard measure. So you can ask: "Two gins and tonic, make one a double please".

                      Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                      J 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • L Lost User

                        Well in a pub the gin will always be a standard measure. So you can ask: "Two gins and tonic, make one a double please".

                        Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                        J Offline
                        J Offline
                        Jarek Kruza
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #15

                        That's correct. But be careful, following this path may end in ordering two whiskys and getting the well known brand cat food instead. :)

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                        • L Lost User

                          Well the argument is that gin and tonic is a noun - just add an s for many. So what is the argument for "governors general"?

                          Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                          N Offline
                          N Offline
                          Nagy Vilmos
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          In that example, general is a post positional adjective.

                          speramus in juniperus

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                          • D Dalek Dave

                            Gins and Tonic is correct. Like Courts Marshall or Professors Emeritus.

                            --------------------------------- Obscurum per obscurius. Ad astra per alas porci. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.

                            N Offline
                            N Offline
                            Nagy Vilmos
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #17

                            Wrong. It is gin and tonics. The two examples you give are both post positive adjectives[^]

                            speramus in juniperus

                            L 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • C CPallini

                              An unequalled authority, with strange Hungarian name, stated 'Gin and Tonic' is invariant, or better, the singular form is unused.

                              Veni, vidi, vici.

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              Johnny J
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              I didn't think he even knew what "tonic" was? :confused:

                              Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
                              Anonymous
                              -----
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                              • N Nagy Vilmos

                                Wrong. It is gin and tonics. The two examples you give are both post positive adjectives[^]

                                speramus in juniperus

                                L Offline
                                L Offline
                                Lost User
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                I agree but for example "whisky and sodas" just sounds wrong.

                                Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

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                                • L Lost User

                                  I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                                  Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                                  L Offline
                                  L Offline
                                  Lost User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #20

                                  pwasser wrote:

                                  how about "fish and chips".

                                  A normal portion is a single piece of fish with a bag of chips (what foreigners call fries or frites) added.

                                  Veni, vidi, abiit domum

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                                  • L Lost User

                                    I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                                    Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                                    R Offline
                                    R Offline
                                    Rob Grainger
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #21

                                    Over here (UK), the norm is Gin & Tonics. Frequently shortened to "two G&Ts". I've never, ever, heard anyone ask for 2 Gins and Tonics (they'd probably get 2 gins and 2 tonics separately if they did). I guess its hard to parenthesise in speech "2 (gin and tonic)s".

                                    "If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.

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                                    • L Lost User

                                      I agree but for example "whisky and sodas" just sounds wrong.

                                      Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                                      R Offline
                                      R Offline
                                      Rob Grainger
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #22

                                      Sounds exactly correct to me.

                                      "If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.

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                                      • L Lost User

                                        I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                                        Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                                        D Offline
                                        D Offline
                                        Dan Neely
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        There's a simple solution if you mix a second gin and tonic you now have 2 milli-Nagy's.

                                        Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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                                        • L Lost User

                                          I'm curious about the plural form of "gin and tonic". Is it gins and tonic, gin and tonics or gins and tonics? I lean to gins and tonic but that does not seem to agree with the accepted wisdom. When we sort that out how about "fish and chips".

                                          Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa

                                          G Offline
                                          G Offline
                                          Gregory Gadow
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #24

                                          This is a situation where you have two nouns that, together, describe a single thing. So the plural goes on the second noun: gin and tonics. There are situations where you will have a noun followed by an adjective or other attributive, such as "power of attorney" and "notary public." In these cases, you pluralize the one noun in the phrase: powers of attorney and notaries public.

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