Re: USAGE: Currencies and -s

> On Mon, 28 Aug 2000, Thomas R. Wier wrote:
>
> >Speaking of weird plurals, what's the status of "pence"? Is that a plural
> >of penny, or some independent usage?
>
> It's the plural of "penny" as a money of account. In other words,
> 15 pence is a sum of money, regardless of what coins are used,
> that equals 15p (or 15d before 1970). While 15 pennies is 15 1 penny
> coins.
>
IIRC "pence" is an invented word, introduced at the time of UK
decimalisation (1968-70), specifically to distinguish between old
pennies (of which there were 240 to the pound) and new pence (100 to
the pound). I remember people hating the new word - my mother still
does - but constant official usage over the past 30 years has made it
the "accepted" plural of penny, in place of pennies.

Rik

> Padraic.
>
> >
> >======================================
> >Tom Wier   |     "Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."
> >======================================
> >
>
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