The plural of "moose" is ...

[Charles C Doyle]

"They were hunting quail."

?"They were hunting duck."

*"They were hunting bird."

--Charlie

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From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Joel S. Berson [Berson at ATT.NET]
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 8:19 AM

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At 8/18/2010 08:50 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>But I thought we knew that. I mean the correct plural of "moose."
>
>But if that's news, did you know that the plural of any animal is the
>singular if you're hunting it/them?
>
>"Whatcha huntin', Clem?"
>"Aardvark. En yew?"
>"Tuatara. Them's mighty fine eatin'."
>
>The pattern might not work for bugs though.

Or mouses?  Do we say "My cat is hunting mouse in the
house"?  Perhaps it's only the reputable, mountable, big-game animals
hunted by humans that are singular when hunted?  But what do they say
about hunting squirrel?  Is it (are they) reputable and mountable?

Joel

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