D&D 5E Live Dungeons & Dragons Q&A Friday, June 6 Question Thread

[MoonSong]

Oh, I'm well aware. Which is why I take when I get it!

Oh well, I hope you are the only one, because if all English speakers suddenly decide to make it a regular and consistent language I'll be out of business and will have to resort to work on German or some other less popular language...

 

[Agamon]

Over here in Canada, eh, there's a hockey team that plays out of the center of the universe (sorry, centre of the universe) called the Maple Leafs. They aren't the Maple Leaves, because of the whole proper noun thing. So everyone is like, go Leafs! or Leafs suck! ...so, well, staffs doesn't sound so odd up here. But that don't mean it's right.

Anyway, the point is, if it's a proper noun, it's Staffs. If not, it's staves. Now take off, hoser.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Pick that mic up (or pick Mike up...)

Longsword, long sword, long-sword, all words, all interchangeable.

I prefer broadsword. Arming sword is also good.

 

[MoonSong]

Over here in Canada, eh, there's a hockey team that plays out of the center of the universe (sorry, centre of the universe) called the Maple Leafs. They aren't the Maple Leaves, because of the whole proper noun thing. So everyone is like, go Leafs! or Leafs suck! ...so, well, staffs doesn't sound so odd up here. But that don't mean it's right.

Anyway, the point is, if it's a proper noun, it's Staffs. If not, it's staves. Now take off, hoser.

No, it doesn't work like that. Language ain't a monolithic thingy. As long as it sound right for some people it is right -for those people at least.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Dunno why, but "long sword" resonates with me more. Longsword is like thunderbite goblins and fastclaw wolves and all that other compound noun tomfoolery.

The funny part? In Norwegian, you are supposed to compound the nouns, otherwise you quickly end up writing completely different from your intention. That English doesn't do it is just really confusing...

 

[Ichneumon]

Personally I prefer rouge to rogue. At first it was a mistake, but now I think I like it. It has that sexy "oojh" sound.

If I got those mixed up, I'd be blushing.

 

[Mistwell]

Maybe in your accent. Not in mine! "Staffs" sounds like toddler-speak to me.

Say what?

"The XYZ temp agency staffs our Newport warehouse for us." Staffs is an actual word, as the plural of staff, as in proving people employed by a company

 

[Talath]

If I got those mixed up, I'd be blushing.

I was going to respond in earnest until I realized you were being very clever.

 

[Morrus]

Say what?

"The XYZ temp agency staffs our Newport warehouse for us." Staffs is an actual word, as the plural of staff, as in proving people employed by a company

Actually no, in that context it's the verb "to staff", not the plural of the noun "staff". And it's OK there. And yes, I know you know that, and I know you're joking. Yet I still feel compelled to explain it to you in a mildly patronising manner.

What can I say? Internet. It breaks us.

 

[MoonSong]

Actually no, in that context it's the verb "to staff", not the plural of the noun "staff". And it's OK there. And yes, I know you know that, and I know you're joking. Yet I still feel compelled to explain it to you in a mildly patronising manner.

What can I say? Internet. It breaks us.

According to word reference both are equally valid as plurals of staff, they are geo-synonymous, with staves being the British name and staffs the American one. As I was tellin' language is a weird thing.