chicken grammer question

[AquaEyes]

Technically, "chicken" already is plural. The original derivation was "chick" for one and "chicken" for more than one. It is from a Germanic language, and works the same as "ox" and "oxen." In common English, however, "chicken" has come to mean the singular for the species, with "chickens" being the plural. "Chick" has come to mean virtually any baby bird.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/noun-as-adjective.html
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/nouns-group-adjective.htm

In "chicken coop" the noun "chicken" acts as an adjective, not as a noun in htat it modifies the noun "coop."

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/coop

 

[welsummerchicks]

Chicken coop - chicken is an adjective. To coop. So it's singular. Shoe store. Button basket. Adjectives are always singular. The noun they are modifying gets the plural-ness.

And we say cat harnesses, too, because if something goes plural, its the thing the adjective is describing, not the adjective that goes plural.

Chicken for dinner - chicken is an indefinite noun. Too, most of the words for things-on-the-table are singular because they are indefinite.

Things/nouns that we're likely to say 'some' with, are generally indefinite. 'Some chicken'. I'm buying some chicken. I'm buying chicken - about equivalent.

I might say I'm going to buy some chicken THIGHS or WINGS - again, thighs or wings is the noun, chicken is the adjective.

We don't say I'm going to the store to buy some beefs, or porks. We say hot dogs, or roasts, or t bone steaks, though, because those are units.

 

[Spookwriter]

As another thread pointed out, English is a complex language
where the context of the word in question may change.

Chicken coop is a singular useage word referring to one single coop.
You could leave "chicken" out of the sentence completely and the sentence
would be the same.

Chicken is an adjective describing the purpose of the single coop.

Chicken coops would be the pural form indicating more that one single coop.

Chicken is acceptable in modern usage as referring to one single adult chicken.
Chickens with an "s" is the pural form.

But it is not acceptable as the chickens coop. Neither is it the chicken's coop unless
the chickens own it.

It is in the context of the meaning.

The coop.

What coop?

The chicken coop.

Who's chicken coop?

The Smith's chicken coop.

Which Smith's chicken coop?

John Smith's chicken coop.

I thought he had two chicken coops?

He does.

Then which one of John Smith's chicken coops are you asking about?

The one with all the chickens in it.

What does he have in the other coop?

A rubber chicken.



It's all in the context. ( I think)

 

[darkmatter]

English--------------I see, said the blind man to the deaf dog as he picked up a hammer and saw.

 

[KDailey]

As to the question of why it wouldn't be chickenS coop instead of chicken coop:

Why not a dogS house instead of dog house?
Why not horseS barn instead of horse barn?

 

[Casey3043]

No one mentioned that "grammar" is spelled incorrectly in the thread title.

Just wondering whether spelling is not just as important as usage.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:

 

[Criskin]

Quote:
I checked my Brewer's Dictionary to see if it had anything to say and it concurs chicken is indeed singular. Here is a link to the relevant entry online: http://www.bartleby.com/81/3472.html From what I can gather elsewhere, "chick" is a contraction of "chicken" which in itself is the diminuative for the OE word for rooster. You're right, though, all the root words seem to be either Germanic or cognates.


On a side note, I make it a point not to correct someone's spelling unless asked. Not only does it make me feel mean, but it also reminds me of my own Spell Check dependence.

 

[fuzziebutt]

Quote:
I noticed that too! Is grammar plural or singular? Hmmmm