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Subject:Incidences:Webster's 3rd From:Scott Goodhue <goodhue -at- SMTPGATE -dot- DISCLOSURE -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 7 Jun 1995 10:09:57 EST
Although I've received a message claiming that this message has been
posted, I have not seen it in the 6/7 digest. In an attempt to
finally resolve this controversy, I'm giving it another whirl:
Golly, all this fracas over incidents/incidences...Webster's 3rd
Edition is considered America's OED, #1 in 'Merican academics. Well
here's the proof from the pudding:
Look at page 1142 for the definition of incidence. There you will
find incidence/[pronunciation]/N [in italics] -s.
That "-s" at the end indicates that to make incidence plural, ad an
"s".
How do I know that -s is what I say it is? Refer to explanation 15A
under inflectional forms, section 4.4 and 4.5:
"...a noun that has only a regular English plural formed by adding the
suffix -s or the suffix -es or by changing the final -y to -i- and
adding the suffix -es is indicated by an -s or -es following the label
N [italics]...[examples] bird...N[italics] -s, love...N[italics]
-s...."
"...all standard English nouns can have regular English plurals...such
endings are give analogically in this dictionary to nouns that may
little be used in the plural...All that their presence means in cases
of doubtful frequency is that these plurals are available for use if
needed..."
You'll find that most nouns in the English language are made plural by
adding an -s or -es. Naturally, there are exceptions such as those
that end in "f," "ff," or "fe."
Oh, by the way, "remember his past negligences" is used in the
definition of negligence!
