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Mike in Japan Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Sweet tooths or a sweet tooth
Should we say 'those girls have a sweet tooth for ..." or "those girls have sweet tooths for ..."?
Thanks,
Mike
Thanks,
Mike
Top answer
Hello MiJ I would say either. The second version has a slightly more 'humorous' feel, to my ears, but it seems grammatically sound, by analogy with 'pond/low lifes' (not pond lives/low lives), 'Walkmans' (not 'Walkmen', more's the pity), etc. I look forward to the pleasing jingle of other 2¢s...
- Hello MiJ I would say either.
- The second version has a slightly more 'humorous' feel, to my ears, but it seems grammatically sound, by analogy with 'pond/low lifes' (not pond lives/low lives), 'Walkmans' (not 'Walkmen', more's the pity), etc.
- I look forward to the pleasing jingle of other 2¢s...
- MrP
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4 Answers
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Hello MiJ
I would say either. The second version has a slightly more 'humorous'
feel, to my ears, but it seems grammatically sound, by analogy with
'pond/low lifes' (not pond lives/low lives), 'Walkmans' (not 'Walkmen',
more's the pity), etc.
I look forward to the pleasing jingle of other 2¢s...
MrP
I would say either. The second version has a slightly more 'humorous'
feel, to my ears, but it seems grammatically sound, by analogy with
'pond/low lifes' (not pond lives/low lives), 'Walkmans' (not 'Walkmen',
more's the pity), etc.
I look forward to the pleasing jingle of other 2¢s...
MrP
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I'd say "a sweet tooth", certainly not "sweet teeth". "sweet tooths" isn't talking to me, either, but I would probably accept it if someone else said it.
In the first example cited, I sense the meaning "[each of] those girls have/has a sweet tooth", not that the girls together are sharing one sweet tooth! For this reason, my brain is not pressing me to use a plural, whether regular or
In the first example cited, I sense the meaning "[each of] those girls have/has a sweet tooth", not that the girls together are sharing one sweet tooth! For this reason, my brain is not pressing me to use a plural, whether regular or
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'Sweet teeth' is indeed an unusual concept.
An ogress might say of her child: 'he has such sweet teeth!'
'Sweet tooths' would be quite quirky. It provokes an auditory
double-take.
MrP
An ogress might say of her child: 'he has such sweet teeth!'
'Sweet tooths' would be quite quirky. It provokes an auditory
double-take.
MrP
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Laugh Out Loud!!!
Mr. P, you seem to outdo yourself every time! I look forward to what you might come up with next!
Regards,
CJ
Mr. P, you seem to outdo yourself every time! I look forward to what you might come up with next!
Regards,
CJ
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