So the plural of ethos is....?

[NooNoo]

I was asked what the plural of ethos is .... and I got stuck... Googling reveals nothing more than discussion and arguement..

Is ethos like information in that the same word it is used in the singular and in the plural?

Anyone have an authoratative reference?

[geoscomp]

Since ethos is used to describe the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution there can't be a plural..it encompasses the entire belief system, etc. not a single belief. A group can't have more than one distinguishing character, since distinguishing character encompasses all the individual bits that go to make up the distinguishing character. The only authoritative reference that i can give is that no dictionary I can find gives a plural or a plural use for the word.

[houseisland]

Since ethos is used to describe the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution there can't be a plural..it encompasses the entire belief system, etc. not a single belief. A group can't have more than one distinguishing character, since distinguishing character encompasses all the individual bits that go to make up the distinguishing character. The only authoritative reference that i can give is that no dictionary I can find gives a plural or a plural use for the word.

I believe that you are right. The full OED lists no plural form. The Longman Dictionary of Comtemporary English lists it as a singular noun.

_____________________________________________



It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

[Platypus]

Maybe the closest to a plural equivalent is ethics

Both ethos and ethic derive from the Greek ethos - "character"

[geoscomp]

But ethics can refer to a particular belief, and ethic is the singular, while ethos refers to a group of beliefs taken as a singular entity..not the same thing at all (liguistically speaking that is)

[NooNoo]

Since ethos is used to describe the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution there can't be a plural..it encompasses the entire belief system, etc. not a single belief. A group can't have more than one distinguishing character, since distinguishing character encompasses all the individual bits that go to make up the distinguishing character. The only authoritative reference that i can give is that no dictionary I can find gives a plural or a plural use for the word.

So if you have several groups, each displaying their own ethos... then you have to talk about each group? You cannot write or talk about the ethoses / ethoi of the groups? Interesting.

[Platypus]

That's what we're stuck for, regardless of the actual implication of the word, when we want to use it in a sentence:

"The Greeks had a different ethos to the Romans, so let's compare the two... what? Ethoses? Is it still ethos for plural: "compare the two ethos."?

[rgharper]

That's what we're stuck for, regardless of the actual implication of the word, when we want to use it in a sentence:

"The Greeks had a different ethos to the Romans, so let's compare the two... what? Ethoses? Is it still ethos for plural: "compare the two ethos."?

Or you could just cheat: "...so let's compare the two cultures."

[Platypus]

Or you could just cheat: "...so let's compare the two cultures."

There are certainly ways around it, in my example you could just let it be understood: "lets compare the two."

It doesn't provide an answer to NooNoo's question though...

[NooNoo]

There are certainly ways around it, in my example you could just let it be understood: "lets compare the two."

It doesn't provide an answer to NooNoo's question though...

You missed the apostrophe

[Platypus]

You missed the apostrophe

I'm so ashamed...

Laptop keyboard syndrome claims another victim...

[geoscomp]

So if you have several groups, each displaying their own ethos... then you have to talk about each group? You cannot write or talk about the ethoses / ethoi of the groups? Interesting.

I'm thinking that sice the ethos is a grouping of things, you would have to compare each individual part to each individual part. (Besides, weren't the Ethoi those things in HG Wells Time Machine? )

[NooNoo]

[Platypus]

In Australia it's about wombats...

[NooNoo]

I'm thinking that sice the ethos is a grouping of things, you would have to compare each individual part to each individual part.

OK, but can an ethos be broken down into its parts? Isn't ethos a kind of gestalt?