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It's hard because the plural form of "fish" is usually "fish." I think we allow "fishes" when "fish" is ambiguous, like my example. Maybe we should just change
by coldpie 11y ago
It's hard because the plural form of "fish" is usually "fish." I think we allow "fishes" when "fish" is ambiguous, like my example. Maybe we should just change to "fishes" all the time :)
- alex_young 11y agoDeep in the weeds here, but the plural of a single species of fish is 'fish', while multiple species of fish are 'fishes'. 'Swimming with the fishes' means you must have wound up on the wrong side of a boat in a diverse body of water. It would be a shame to have to 'swim with the fish'. So ambiguous.
- coldpie 11y agoLearn something new every day :)
- js2 11y agoThe plural "fish" is more than one fish of the same species. The plural "fishes" is multiple species. At least biologists make that distinction. edit: what Alex Young said.
- csn 11y ago"Fishes" is the word used to describe different species of fish. Edit: late for the party. "Deeres" and "sheepes" follow the same pattern, I presume.