[ai0tron]

Hey heres a good one...

Who gives a damn!! EQ the pluralization out!!!

 

[jude]

The world renowned, ultimate authority on grammar is Courtney. And Courtney says this.

Okay, okay, I have no idea who Courtney is (I found that page with a search engine), but it's what Courtney says.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Oh, man, I'm not sure where I stand on this issue....but I guess I'll get back to listening to my MDR-V6's, HD-600's, and ER-4S's.

et tu, jude?

 

[ai0tron]

Courtney...??

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by redshifter et tu, jude?

Though you're doing so proudly, and with an air of confidence that would almost convince me, I believe you stand quite alone on this one!

Honestly though, I don't know enough to say with great certainty who's wrong or right, but until I'm convinced otherwise, it's HD-600's for me.


Quote:

Originally posted by ai0tron Courtney...??

ai0tron, I have no idea who Courtney is. Had I planted my tongue any more firmly in cheek, I'd have busted through cheek with tongue.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by kwkarth Chicago Manual of Grammatical Style...We watch da Bearss whiles we's eats da brotts. That's stylin!!

LOL!


BTW, another reason to use the singular form of the model number (V6, HD600, ER4S) is so that adding the "s" really makes them plural. Example:

"I love listening to my ER4P's"

If some people use 's for a single pair, there's no way of knowing whether the above person is talking about one set of ER4P, more than one, or some other headphone that happens to belong to the ER4P

However, if you only use "s" for plurals, the following two sentences are clear:

"I love listening to my ER4P"

"I love listening to my ER4Ps"

The first person has a single pair of ER4P, the second person has more than one.

Actually, for those who are truly interested in this topic, I'll put on my anal-retentive hat, and get out the the Chicago Manual.

There are two issues here: 1) whether or not a headphone model number is plural in and of itself; and 2) if the model number is singular, how to make it plural.


1) The Chicago Manual doesn't talk specifically about headphones (surprise!). However, other "plural nouns" (a pair of pants, a pair of scissors) are considered plural, even when talking about a single "pair" (e.g. My Levis are blue), so I would contend that a "pair of headphones" is also a plural noun.

2) If you disagree with me

and really want to make it plural using an "s" then you would do so without using an apostrophe:

Sec 6.16:
Quote:

numbers used as nouns (whether spelled out or in numerals) form the plural by adding s alone

Sec 8.64:
Quote:

The plurals of numerals are formed by adding s alone

Additionally, according to sec 6.11:
Quote:

the apostrophe is never used to denote the plural of a [/b] name

You can now wake up from your nap

 

[huy_ha]

Hmmm...since the MLA changes every year, I don't think I'll weigh in with a conclusion on the 'postrophes. "Pair of headphones" sounds right. There is one headphone for the right channel and one for the left channel, thus a pair. Model number connotes the whole kit, so "I use model SR125" would make sense, but that would make "I own a pair of SR125s" mean owning two sets. Perhaps we can ask Dan Quayle if the plural of Grado is Grados or Gradoes. Ay.

 

[ILoveGrado]

When we refer to headphone, do we refer to them as a whole object (singular:headphone), or do we refer to them as a pair (of its phones, plural: headphones)?

Here's what I think:
Just like "a pair of speakers", the word "a pair of headphones" suggest that there are two headphones.

Formal usage:

Singular: "I have a Sony MDR V6 headphone"
Plural: "The store sells Sony MDR-V6 headphones"

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

2) If you disagree with me and really want to make it plural using an "s" then you would do so without using an apostrophe: Sec 6.16: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- numbers used as nouns (whether spelled out or in numerals) form the plural by adding s alone -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sec 8.64: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The plurals of numerals are formed by adding s alone --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

well, at least macdef and the chicago manual are on my side.

Quote:

If some people use 's for a single pair, there's no way of knowing whether the above person is talking about one set of ER4P, more than one, or some other headphone that happens to belong to the ER4P However, if you only use "s" for plurals, the following two sentences are clear: "I love listening to my ER4P" "I love listening to my ER4Ps" The first person has a single pair of ER4P, the second person has more than one.

i already mentioned that earlier:
Quote:

plus when you use the singular you have the option of referring clearly to a single headphone or multiple headphones. when a single headphone is referred to as "headphones" it less clear if you are speaking of multiple headphones or not.

 

[jude]

I'm confused.

http://home.earthlink.net/~champions/tw8.htm

Quote:

Don't use apostrophes to make titles, abbreviations, and acronyms plural except to avoid confusion.

Wrong or right, I refer to the headphones on my head as HD-600's when I'm talking. That is, there's an "S" at the end when I say it. I think a lot of us do this.

Given that so many of us do this, I think the apostrophe-S combination is used to avoid confusion.

For example, the Etymotic ER-4S. If one feels compelled to say it in plural (like me), then when typing it out, the apostrophe is inserted to avoid confusion:

ER-4S's versus ER-4Ss

Anyway, I'm sticking to how I've been doing it for the bazillion posts I've racked up here at Head-Fi and at HeadWize. And, again, that is HD-600's, SR-80's, V6's, and ER-4S's.

If ever there was a time for a poll!

 

[redshifter]

from sennheiser's website:

Quote:

The HD 600 are audiophile-quality, open dynamic hi-fi/professional stereo headphones.

[emphasis added]

as macdef and i have been saying, the model number is written without any added s or 's, but with the implied plural in the verb.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by redshifter from sennheiser's website: [emphasis added] as macdef and i have been saying, the model number is written without any added s or 's, but with the implied plural in the verb.

I'll have to continue my renegade ways then.

 

[redshifter]

it's all in fun. i don't really care how anyone refers to cans, i just enjoy seeing exactly how geeky i can get about this stuff. i'm sitting in a computer lab in the middle of microsoft right now and am too ashamed to even tell my geek coworker about this thread.

-mark (noticing his er-6 are sounding pretty good right now with brian eno playing).

 

[gaineso]

Quote:

Originally posted by redshifter okay, what does v6 + v6 equal?

W12. BRM built some in the early 60's for Formula One racing.

 

[gaineso]

Quote:

Originally posted by jude I'm confused. http://home.earthlink.net/~champions/tw8.htm Wrong or right, I refer to the headphones on my head as HD-600's when I'm talking. That is, there's an "S" at the end when I say it. I think a lot of us do this. Given that so many of us do this, I think the apostrophe-S combination is used to avoid confusion. For example, the Etymotic ER-4S. If one feels compelled to say it in plural (like me), then when typing it out, the apostrophe is inserted to avoid confusion: ER-4S's versus ER-4Ss Anyway, I'm sticking to how I've been doing it for the bazillion posts I've racked up here at Head-Fi and at HeadWize. And, again, that is HD-600's, SR-80's, V6's, and ER-4S's. If ever there was a time for a poll!

IMNSHO, Jude is Forum Administrator, therefore Jude is boss. Therefore, I never really cared how they do it in Chicago anyway. Therefore, since we add the apostrophe in the South and therefore since I live in the South and therfore, since Boss Jude agrees with me, or maybe I agree with him, I'm listening to my HD600's.

Therefore, I think I've used therefore enough.

Bye now. Ya'll quit arguin' now, ya heah.

EDIT: Jude, The Sennheiser web site is translated from German. They don't use the same idiosyncratic, rule bending, rule ignoring if it sounds better, English that we do.