Inspired by a nearby question, what is the grammatical term for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team not using 'leaves' as a plural but leafs as a nominal description? I haven't even come across this phenomenon elsewhere but would apply to any team using a word with an irregular plural form.

zbeckabee

The somewhat peculiar spelling of the word "Leafs" vs. "Leaves" is in actuality grammatically allowable, just as "dwarfs" is an alternative to the spelling "dwarves". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Leafs#Early_years_.281917-27.29 Also...See Question #44982 Oct 03 07, 5:57 PM

lanfranco

More than one word has two acceptable plurals in English, though some of these are foreign loan words: http://www.editpros.com/news1102.html#FEATURE Oct 03 07, 6:14 PM

queproblema

I think #44982 gives the correct answer, although unreferenced: "In this case Leaf is a proper noun. When making a proper noun plural it is incorrect to change the spelling of the singular name, which is why it is spelled Leafs and not Leaves." A reference is almost impossible to find. Here's one, but I disagree with some of the other rules on that page. "Don't change the spelling of proper nouns when making them plural." http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/styleguide/p.htm Here are two examples: http://www.thewoolfs.com/ http://www.philipwolfe.com/post.aspx?id=75 Couldn't find any "Wolfs." Oct 03 07, 6:36 PM

satguru

I think queproblema has it, as the Leafs in this case is not a plural and a proper noun. You are not describing a number of individual leaves but a single team called Maple Leafs. I know some people will know the member here who introduced me to the term in the first place back in the old days. Oct 03 07, 6:49 PM

queproblema

So, what's the term? Oct 03 07, 7:17 PM

satguru

Search me- I only asked the question! I think it's just a particular form of any proper name but as we weren't taught grammar at school the name of that form remains hanging. Oct 03 07, 7:27 PM

zbeckabee

I think this one is bound to have conflicting answers. Merriam-Webster.com approves of "leafs" as a plural for the noun leaf. Many others only accept "leafs" as the plural for the verb leaf. http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leaf Oct 03 07, 8:13 PM

satguru

Having alternative plurals for nouns is separate, it's only the treatment of proper nouns which are descriptive and not really pluralised as the context refers to a single family whatever the name is. It's only when the name coincides with an irregular verb you simply add an s instead of using the irregular ending as the word isn't being used as a word or actually being pluralised. Oct 04 07, 10:08 AM

zbeckabee

You lost me. Oct 04 07, 4:32 PM

satguru

I'm losing myself as well... Leafs can either refer to more than one leaf or a family/team 'The leafs'. The first either has a regular plural 'leaves' or alternative 'leafs' but all names which would have irregular plurals (leaf, wolf, child etc) would all just add an s if referred to as a collective proper noun. This is a grammatical rule unrelated to non proper nouns. Oct 04 07, 5:47 PM