Kilt versu Kilts

[Phil]

Dont think Hamish would be happy describing his kollection as xx kilt. Not everything in Wikipedia is always accurate and I would always regard the plural of kilt as kilts. My daughter always used to talk about "Look - sheeps".

[Macman]

When referring to them universally, it is the kilt. When referring to them in the particular, its kilts.

"I love wearing the kilt." or "Which of these kilts do you like better?"

I think you and Beloitpiper have it right.

[Farlander]

From another current XMTS thread 'Hands Aff Oor Kilts!', they mention an article by The Independent titled "Hands off our kilts: Scots bid to copyright their national dress". Yet, at the end of the article, it states:
"Traditionalists insist that the plural of kilt is also kilt, rather than kilts."

I am with Phil (and most of the other posters here so far). To my ear, saying "I own three kilt" does not sound quite right.

[Scotus]

I am somewhat perplexed by this thread. There is a plural for both kilt and beer; that is, kilts and beers.

1. I am wearing a kilt.
2. I own three kilts.

1. I will have a beer.
2. I have had three beers.

[Tetley]

This is how the word is listed in MSN Encarta:

kilt [ kilt ] (plural kilts)

noun
Definition:

Scottish garment: a knee-length wraparound tartan garment that is part of the traditional Scottish highland dress for men and is also worn by women and girls

[Mid-18th century. < dialect kilt "tuck up, gird" < N Germanic]

kilt·ed adjective

You actually believe anything written by Microsoft with checking it first? Brave man!!

Mark

Sorry, that was a bit cynical, but I deal with MS everyday, so perhaps I have reason to be.

[Tetley]

I don't know who these "traditionalists" (cited on the Wiki article) are.

Maybe they only have one to begin with!

But using kilt as a plural sounds wrong in many contexts.

If you say "the Tartan Army were wearing their kilt" or "my wardrobe has 24 kilt" it just doesn't convey the plural at all.

That's not the point. Kilt is both singular and plural, just like scissors, sheep, fish and many other English words. Just because it doesn't sound right to you or anyone else, does not make it wrong. Both of the example you gave sound entirely correct to me.

My pond has 24 fish.
My field has 24 sheep.
My wardrobe has 24 kilt.

All correct and no ambiguity.

Mark

[Tetley]

When referring to them universally, it is the kilt. When referring to them in the particular, its kilts.

"I love wearing the kilt." or "Which of these kilts do you like better?"

Not in the UK or at least not that I've been taught. I'd ask "Which of these kilt do you like better?", if I ever asked anyone, that is

[Tetley]

I am somewhat perplexed by this thread. There is a plural for both kilt and beer; that is, kilts and beers.

1. I am wearing a kilt.
2. I own three kilts.

1. I will have a beer.
2. I have had three beers.

1. I own a sheep.
2. I own three sheeps.

Sorry, it doesn't work that way. Simply adding an "s" to form the plural is incorrect in many cases.

Technically, the word 'kilt' is both singular and plural, or it was when I was taught English.

Mark

[Tetley]

From another current XMTS thread 'Hands Aff Oor Kilts!', they mention an article by The Independent titled "Hands off our kilts: Scots bid to copyright their national dress". Yet, at the end of the article, it states:
"Traditionalists insist that the plural of kilt is also kilt, rather than kilts."

I am with Phil (and most of the other posters here so far). To my ear, saying "I own three kilt" does not sound quite right.

However, it does sound right to me and many others. Just because it sounds does not make it wrong.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Sorry, that was a bit cynical, but I deal with MS everyday, so perhaps I have reason to be.

I work with kilts every day and I've never heard anyone (before this Wikipedia article) suggest that the plural should be "kilt."

My collegues in tartan academia say "kilts."

My collegues in the tartan industry say "kilts."

The people I correspond with in America say "kilts."

The people I correspond with in Canada say "kilts."

The people I correspond with in Scotland say "kilts."

The (many) books on Highland dress I have read all use the term "kilts."

So where does this suggestion arise that "kilt" is the proper plural? I just do not see it used that way at all. Regretably, my Concise Scots Dictionary is not at hand, or else I would see what it had to say on the matter. Perhaps "kilt" is an archaic plural, but I daresay it is not in common usage any longer.