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Mr. Tom Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Native speakers and the use of "fish"

Hi

Please tell me if native speakers stumble on the use of the word "fish". I mean, using it in plural or incorrectly at places.

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

The normal plural of fish is fish, as in he caught two huge fish; however the older form fishes is still used when referring to different kinds of fish: freshwater fishes of the British Isles. view=uk

— Fandorin

  • The normal plural of fish is fish, as in he caught two huge fish; however the older form fishes is still used when referring to different kinds of fish: freshwater fishes of the British Isles.
  • view=uk
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4 Answers
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The normal plural of fish is fish, as in he caught two huge fish; however the older form fishes is still used when referring to different kinds of fish: freshwater fishes of the British Isles.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fish_1?view=uk
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"Fishes" is technically correct but archaic, "fish" is indeed the (much) more favored plural. Nowadays "fishes" very definitely implies more than 1 kind of fish in the object (boat, group, net, bunch, book, pan, etc.).

"Fishes" is also used in Biblical phrases, as in the story of the loaves and fishes . But the Biblical translators (King James version especially) were working wi
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Mr. Tomtell me if native speakers stumble on the use of the word "fish"
They do not.

CJ
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Hi,

The word 'fishes' seems to both trouble and fascinate many of the English learners on this Forum.

In my experience, native speakers rarely use this word. I don't remember the last time I used it (other than when writing explanations on this Forum).

Best wishes, Clive
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