Fish or Fishes?

Question

A: What are you doing tomorrow?B1: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.B2: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fishes.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Fish. Save fishes for an ichthyological discussion.

Aperisic · Answer

WwwdotcomA: What are you doing tomorrow?

B1: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.
B2: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fishes.

Please give me some fish, around 4 lbs. fish = the flesh of a fish
Please give me two fish, around 4 lbs, if possible. fish = one or more whole fish

Please give me two fish(es), around 4 lbs, if possible.

some fish

some fish(es)

some

a specific several

= those you are going to catch

Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.

to eat the meat of fish

to count

fishes

Aperisic · Answer

WwwdotcomA: What are you doing tomorrow?

B1: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.
B2: Oh, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fishes.

BTW, though it is not incorrect, people tend to avoid a solo construction (you, he, she, it, we, they) I am going to go to in case when I am going to is sufficient. Your case would be among such, but look

Oh, I am going to the lake [and] catching some fish.

even if we include the preceding question What are you doing tomorrow?

What are you do(ing) = I am go(ing) to the lake

Only this question What are you going to do tomorrow? would, perhaps, require the full form I am going to go to...

However, I am going to go to is probably not good to omit when you have constructions like

When I have a day off from work, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.

This is just a lesser comment. Nothing relevant for what you were asking.

Wwwdotcom · Answer

I don't know what you mean by "solo construction".

I think that in a conversation where PERSON B is telling PERSON A about some planned event already understood by PERSON A previously, "go to" helps to reinforce this awareness:

A) What are you doing tomorrow?
B) Don't you remember? I am going to go to _________. (To me this comes off more as "I have been planning__")
A) Yea, that's right.

"I am going to" seems to be used more when it is already understood between both A and B:

A) Are you still going to the concert tomorrow?
B) Yea, I am still going (even that, I don't see a problem with "Yea, I am still going to go", it's just longer and probably not used as often). John can't go, so there's an extra ticket. Do you want to come?
A) Don't you remember? I am going to go to that seminar.
B) Yea, that's right.

Aperisic · Answer

WwwdotcomI don't know what you mean by "solo construction".

When I have a day off from work, I am going to go to the lake and catch some fish.

is not a solo construction becasue you have When I have a day off... before

Solo means, for example, that all you want to say is

I am going to London. but you say I am going to go to London

But, for example

I am not going to stay at home, I am going to go to London is fine.

And I said people tend, so there is nothing requisite there. All your points are fine.

Wwwdotcom · Answer

I am sorry, I am not understanding you. I still don't know what "solo construction" means.

"becasue you have When I have a day off... before" - I don't have the foggiest idea what that means.

WHEN = not "solo construction"? Where do you get this labeling from?

"Solo means, for example, that all you want to say is"

SOLO = all you want to stay (still confused)

Sorry, I don't understand.

Logicman · Answer

In general use of British English, 'fish' is the plural:

There are lots of good fish in the sea.
This tank is full of fish.

In any more technical use, 'fishes' applies to show we are talking about different kinds of fish.

This web site may help you to see the difference:
http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/what/fish.htm

Aperisic · Answer

SOLO = nothing else in the sentence except I am going to go to London. (or wherever)

Solo, single, only, nothing but, not related to anything else, simple

You read: I am going to go to Paris. it is single, simple, solo construction

When I finish this, I am going to go to London. this is not simple, solo construction, there is in the sentence one logical unit more, one thing more: When I finish this

Wwwdotcom · Answer

I am a native speaker and I am still baffled. I honestly can't see what is the solo construction. Is there a website, a book, or some common understanding of "solo construction"? Or is this something you use?

SOLO = nothing else in the sentence except I am going to go to London. (or wherever)

NOTHING ELSE THAN WHAT? I is singular and is solo in reference to only 1 person? I am picking at straws here, but all I see is one person is going, they are going solo?

"You read: I am going to go to Paris. it is single, simple, solo construction"

Because it is either I, he, or she as opposed to we or they?

"When I finish this, I am going to go to London. this is not simple, solo construction, there is in the sentence one logical unit more, one thing more: When I finish this"

This sentence uses "I", so now I am confused, I is singular but you say it is not solo? Why not? (still don't understand, sorry)

Aperisic · Answer

SOLO

A.

A is solo, alone (lonely

)

A and B.

now A is not a solo construction anymore

When B then A.

A is not solo again

If B then A.

A is not solo again

I was in London.

I was in London. is alone; a solo construction: the sentence has nothing more in it except I was in London.

When she was there, I was in London.

I was in London. is not alone anymore, it is not a solo construction because in the same sentence we have another sentence (or group of words) When she was there separated by a comma.

Fish or Fishes?

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