‘WHEREABOUTS’ AND OTHER PLURALE TANTUMS

 

‘WHEREABOUTS’ AND OTHER PLURALE TANTUMS

          Whereabouts could be used as a noun or an adverb and it means:

(i)               The place where a person or thing is; or

(ii)             The place where a person or thing may be found.

Whereabouts is a Plurale Tantum (Latin) and that means ‘Plural Only’ (in

English).  Plurale Tantum is a noun or word that appears only in the plural form and does not have a singular variant for referring to a single object.

In the same vein, we have the plural form of Plurale Tantum which is

Pluralia Tantum.  Pluralia Tantum is a word which denotes objects that occur or function as pairs or sets, such as scissors, and is not normally used in singular form.

Examples on the Usage of Whereabouts:

1.                 The whereabouts of John Kukuruku, the expelled student, is not known.

2.                 I have not seen Billy, our dog, today.  Do you know its whereabouts?

3.                 The Federal Government of Nigeria is ready to give 10% (ten percent) to anybody who discloses the whereabouts of any public money that was stolen and hidden.

          Now let us discuss more of words which are always in plural form even though they are used in singular sense (plurale tantum) and those that denote objects that occur or function as pairs or sets (pluralia tantum) with some clarifying examples.

2.      HEADQUARTERS

Headquarters is used to refer to:

i.                   The centre of an organisation’s operations or administration; or

ii.                 A place of concentrated activity or influence.

Examples on the Usage of Headquarters:

a.      The headquarters of Nigeria was moved officially from Lagos to Abuja in December, 1991.

b.     Most of the multi-national oil companies operating in Nigeria have their headquarters in America and Europe.

c.      Delta State was created in 1991 with headquarters in Asaba.

d.     The new world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses is located in Warwick in the United States of America.

3.     QUARTERS (RESIDENTIAL/LIVING QUARTERS)

Although the word ‘quarter’ can be used without ‘s’ to express other things

or ideas, but when used in the sense of residence or living accommodation, it must have ‘s’ at its end.  Thus, we have ‘residential quarters’, ‘living quarters’ etc.

Examples on the Usage of Quarters:

a.      The headmaster has been allocated anotherliving quarters.

b.     The new quarters for our manager is a storey building.

c.      Please text me the address of your residential quarters.

4.    AMENDS

Amends stands for:

i.                   Compensation for loss or injury;

ii.                 Recompense; or

iii.              Reparation.

Examples on the Usage of Amends:

a.      The two warring factions decided to make amends after their conflict.

b.     ‘Can we make amends after our long separation’?  Mr. Brown asked his estranged wife.

c.      The Holy Bible recommends that Christians should always make needed amends so that their worship would be acceptable.

5.    TROUSERS

As we all know, trousers have two parts for the two legs of the wearer.  This

is why it always have a plural spelling, trousers or a pair of trousers.

Examples on the Usage of Trousers:

a.                  Okoro gave a pair of jeans trousers to his son, Jack, for his farm work.

b.                  A middle-age woman who claims to be married, put on indecent trousers to our office yesterday.

c.                  It is imprudent for a mature person to wear a tight-fitting pair of trousers.

6.    SCISSORS       

It is well known that a scissors has two cutters that are hinged together in the

middle to enable the user manipulate it for cutting.  And owing to this fact that the tool (scissors) is a pair, the name is always in plural form even though the unit is one.

Examples on the Usage of Scissors:

a.      The pupils in Primary Three were asked to buy a pair of scissors each, for their Needle Work.

b.     A big pair of scissors can be used to cut zinc roofing sheets.

c.      Some people use the mini-size scissors to cut their finger nails.

7.    GLASSES (LENS OR EYE GLASSES)

Although there are different types of glasses with some used in singular

sense and form, but eye glasses or medicated lens are always two or in pairs for both eyes of the wearer.  This is why we use the plural form, glasses, for such, even though the unit is one.

Examples on the Usage of Glasses (Lens or Eye Glasses):

a.      Chief Tom Asikoro always clean his glasses before using it.

b.     The glasses for myopia is usually more expensive than the one for presbyopia.

c.      Do you know who invented the glasses?

Note: The Plurale Tantum and Pluralia Tantum words discussed above are examples. There are still other words in the two categories which are not mentioned here because of time and space.  You are encouraged to do some research so as to know more of them.