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offspring

English translation: offspring

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:offspring
Selected answer:offspring
Entered by: Rutie Eckdish

05:24 May 6, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law: Contract(s) / legal language
English term or phrase: offspring
if there is more then one child do you use OFFSPRINGS or does it stay OFFSPING (PL Noun)?
Rutie Eckdish
United States
Local time: 13:56
offspring
Explanation:
http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=55118&dic...

offspring; progeny (both same in plural) New individual organisms that result from the process of sexual or asexual reproduction.



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Note added at 22 mins (2006-05-06 05:47:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Interesting, Merriam-Webster says the plural can be "offspring" or "offsprings."

http://www.bartleby.com/68/44/4244.html

Here's what bartleby's says: offspring (n.)

is Standard as both a singular, as in His offspring is about three and looks much like her father, and a plural, as in Her offspring were both present. A regular plural form, offsprings, occurs occasionally but is uncommon in Standard English.

Myself, I'd go with "offspring." While it may technically ok to use "offsprings," I've never heard it used.


Selected response from:

Kurt Porter
Local time: 22:56
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +24offspring
Kurt Porter
4 +2offsprings
Ghyslaine LE NAGARD


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
offsprings


Explanation:
being a noun plural is offprings at least that's what Collins, Harrap's and a couple of others say!

Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
New Caledonia
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Edith Kelly
1 min
  -> Thanks
agree  Morad Safe (X)
2 hrs
  -> Tahnks
neutral  Will Matter: The dictionary may say so but any educated native speaker can tell you that it is absolutely incorrect.
12 hrs
  -> I find it quite interesting and amusing to imagine an educated person arguing with numerous highly recognised reference dictionaries ! And it is not because a word is commonly used that it is correct, it just make it common.
neutral  RHELLER: never saw it as a plural
1 day 1 hr
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +24
offspring


Explanation:
http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=55118&dic...

offspring; progeny (both same in plural) New individual organisms that result from the process of sexual or asexual reproduction.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2006-05-06 05:47:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Interesting, Merriam-Webster says the plural can be "offspring" or "offsprings."

http://www.bartleby.com/68/44/4244.html

Here's what bartleby's says: offspring (n.)

is Standard as both a singular, as in His offspring is about three and looks much like her father, and a plural, as in Her offspring were both present. A regular plural form, offsprings, occurs occasionally but is uncommon in Standard English.

Myself, I'd go with "offspring." While it may technically ok to use "offsprings," I've never heard it used.




Kurt Porter
Local time: 22:56
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Woodstock (X): I've never heard or seen it used with a plural 's', either, only singular.//Not saying it's not possible, just not common (I have a literature background).//Sure, glad to help if I can.
38 mins
  -> I'm going to send you an e-mail later. I hope to discuss work opportunites in Germany (not for me, for son who finishes school in Milan this year). Kind of "how/where to look information."
agree  Jack Doughty: Never seen it with an "s" on this side of the pond.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Jack. Really, I had no idea it was even possible. But again, I'd just go with "offspring."
agree  Morad Safe (X)
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Morad.
agree  Refugio: Especially in a legal document.
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Ruth.
agree  Anna Quail: Never seen or heard it with an 's' either, and if I had, I would have thought it was a mistake!
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  LJC (X)
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Brie Vernier
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Suzan Hamer: and with FrenchtoEnglish
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  cmwilliams (X): most references I've seen say that the plural stays the same. I've never seen it used with an 's'.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  MikeGarcia: In legalese, it's offspring, no doubt about it.-
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, MIguel.
agree  CHEN-Ling
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Minoer.
agree  Peter Shortall
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Peter.
agree  Christine Andersen: Sounds completely wrong to me with an s at the end, no matter what the dictionaries say!
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Christine. Me too.
agree  Asghar Bhatti
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Asghar.
agree  Can Altinbay: Never seen it with an "s" on this side of the pond, either.
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, Can.
agree  Tatiana Nero (X)
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, Tatiana.
agree  Raging Dreamer
9 hrs
  -> Thank you, Raging Dreamer.
agree  NancyLynn: My Webster's Encyclopedic Edition only lists offspring, and I have never seen it with an s. I would definitely leave it in the singular form.
11 hrs
  -> Thank you, NancyLynn.
agree  Will Matter: It's "offspring" in both the singular and the plural. "I have three offspring, two boys and a girl" is definitely natural & correct. "I have three offsprings" sounds funny and is definitely incorrect, regardless of what any dictionary says.
12 hrs
  -> I agree, on all counts..and thank you, Will.
agree  humbird: With willmatter, especially in that dictionaries are sometimes not quite attuned to real-world usage.
12 hrs
  -> Yes, I was kind of suprised to see the "s" plural even in the dictionary....and thank you.
agree  jccantrell: I prefer 'issue' to offspring anyway!
12 hrs
  -> Hah! :) Thank you.
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 4 mins
  -> Thank you, Marju.
agree  RHELLER: absolutely
1 day 1 hr
  -> Thank you, Rita.
agree  Isodynamia
2 days 2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Constantina.
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