Richard Moore Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 I was reporting on sewer gases/gasses entering a basement today and suddenly couldn't make up my mind if it was "gases" or "gasses". A quick check online left me with the impression that "gases" is the preferred plural but that "gasses" is also acceptable, especially in the US. Dumb thing is that now BOTH look wrong to me! Not a big deal, but I'm curious what you go with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 gas' [] OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 gases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 sewer funk is also acceptable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 Why does it have to be plural? Sewer gas works just fine. My son is in 4th grade and is working on irregular plurals now. Several of them are incorrectly spelled in his text.[:-banghea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Moore Posted November 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 Why does it have to be plural? Sewer gas works just fine. My thought on that is that there is no one, particular sewer gas. Yeah, it's mostly methane but who knows what the neighboring idiot poured down his toilet. So I do like the plural in this case. But, as I said, no big deal. I just had a sudden brain fart on the word. Those, and the normal farts, seem to be coming much more frequently as I age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 Just be careful, if both happen simultaneously you could implode[:-dev3] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 But, as I said, no big deal. I just had a sudden brain fart on the word. Those, and the normal farts, seem to be coming much more frequently as I age.Richard Moore Just be careful, if both happen simultaneously you could implode[:-dev3] In which case, would he be passing gases, or just gas? Speaking of gas, does swamp gas smell like rotten eggs? 7 Canadians killed in Mexico and they are blaming it on the swamp below the building. One survivor said they smelled rotten eggs similar to the pulp mill back home before the blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHI in AR Posted November 16, 2010 Report Share Posted November 16, 2010 Originally posted by Tom Raymond But, as I said, no big deal. I just had a sudden brain fart on the word. Those, and the normal farts, seem to be coming much more frequently as I age. You're still safe, Richard. From what I hear, when you are REALLY old you are so dried out that you only fart dust. Admittedly I don't have firsthand knowledge. But in the meantime, to avoid alienating those around you I suggest you stay away from cabbage and beans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 I was reporting on sewer gases/gasses entering a basement today and suddenly couldn't make up my mind if it was "gases" or "gasses". A quick check online left me with the impression that "gases" is the preferred plural but that "gasses" is also acceptable, especially in the US. Dumb thing is that now BOTH look wrong to me! Not a big deal, but I'm curious what you go with. Didn't we go through this one before? Either is fine, but gasses looks really strange to me. Why is the second s there? Is there any other word in English that's made into a plural by adding ses to the end? I always use gases. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Yes, we did. I wonder why one would pluralize it in the first place. Is there more than one type of sewer gas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 Yeah, I think it came up when discussing buses in service panels. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Simon Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 My son is in 4th grade and is working on irregular plurals now. Several of them are incorrectly spelled in his text.[:-banghea i before e except after c. Weird . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Booth Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 i before e except after c. Weird . . . .......and sometimes "y". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 My son is in 4th grade and is working on irregular plurals now. Several of them are incorrectly spelled in his text.[:-banghea i before e except after c. Weird . . . I thought so. Since spelling and punctuation count toward his grade in every subject, you'd think his vocabulary text would actually use proper spellings and not acceptable alternates. My kid spells really well, I don't like the school system breaking that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted November 17, 2010 Report Share Posted November 17, 2010 I was reporting on sewer gases/gasses entering a basement today and suddenly couldn't make up my mind if it was "gases" or "gasses". A quick check online left me with the impression that "gases" is the preferred plural but that "gasses" is also acceptable, especially in the US. Dumb thing is that now BOTH look wrong to me! Not a big deal, but I'm curious what you go with. Didn't we go through this one before? Either is fine, but gasses looks really strange to me. Why is the second s there? Is there any other word in English that's made into a plural by adding ses to the end? I always use gases. - Jim Katen, Oregon "Bases are loaded! Asses are on the line!" I feel some pity for our ESL clients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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