repercussion noun 1 (usu. repercussions) an unintended consequence occurring some time after an event or action, esp. an unwelcome one : the move would have grave repercussions for the entire region. 2 (archaic) the recoil of something after impact. 3 (archaic) an echo or reverberation.
it's pretty clear to me that nobody ever uses this word in the singular.
the name of the game is guess MY word. as in the word of me, joon. my word is repercussions, a normal word that people use all the time (15 million google hits). my word is not repercussion, a stilted-sounding singular that you'd rarely actually use in a sentence (700,000 google hits), and even then only if you were singling out one of many repercussions (as al cleverly did above). can you imagine talking about "a repercussion"? i can't. the word itself has implied plurality, in much the same manner as "smithereens" or "scads".
if the protests continue, i might resort to actually picking arbitrary inflected forms just out of spite.
Loved muskrat--my husband and I like to tease our teenagers about some of the "hits" of our childhood and Muskrat Love is certainly on that list. Add troglodyte to your word list and my week would be complete!
Sssssss!
ReplyDeleterepercussion
ReplyDeletenoun
1 (usu. repercussions) an unintended consequence occurring some time after an event or action, esp. an unwelcome one : the move would have grave repercussions for the entire region.
2 (archaic) the recoil of something after impact.
3 (archaic) an echo or reverberation.
it's pretty clear to me that nobody ever uses this word in the singular.
I'm with Dan. The name of the game is "Guess My Word," not "Guess My Usage."
ReplyDeleteOTOH, it's your game and your rules. I'll accept that.
One repercussion of Joon's going with the plural will be an increase in the number of comments for the day :-)
ReplyDeletethe name of the game is guess MY word. as in the word of me, joon. my word is repercussions, a normal word that people use all the time (15 million google hits). my word is not repercussion, a stilted-sounding singular that you'd rarely actually use in a sentence (700,000 google hits), and even then only if you were singling out one of many repercussions (as al cleverly did above). can you imagine talking about "a repercussion"? i can't. the word itself has implied plurality, in much the same manner as "smithereens" or "scads".
ReplyDeleteif the protests continue, i might resort to actually picking arbitrary inflected forms just out of spite.
Loved muskrat--my husband and I like to tease our teenagers about some of the "hits" of our childhood and Muskrat Love is certainly on that list. Add troglodyte to your word list and my week would be complete!
ReplyDeleteAre we truly to expect small-minded repercussions when one or two faithful participants voice a quibble? Now, THAT would be pitiful--and unworthy.
ReplyDeleteno, of course i wasn't serious. just grumpy and a little defensive.
ReplyDelete