Por que o Head não está no plural em "12,000 head of cattle"

Avatar do usuário anita 100 •2 Top Posters - 28 Mar 2011, 10:51
Hi, there. I was reading a text about the Gold Rush when I saw that certain guy "had 12,000 head of cattle". My question is: why isn't the word "head" in the plural form??? Is it a special use or something? Please, help!
Thank u!
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Avatar do usuário Marcio_Farias 12510 •1 •23 •210 Expert Member - 28 Mar 2011, 12:27
Hello anita. dictionary.com yielded, "10. a person or animal considered merely as one of a number, herd, or group: ten head of cattle." It apparently uses the word head in the singular.

So you can safely use the word in the singular, too.
Avatar do usuário Flavia.lm 3960 •1 •9 •90 Editor - 28 Mar 2011, 13:06
Macmillan confirma que a palavra 'head' usada neste contexto está no plural, ainda que sem o s

8[plural] used as a way of counting farm animals
300 head of cattle
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dict ... ad#head_25
Avatar do usuário anita 100 •2 Top Posters - 28 Mar 2011, 16:56
Wow, guys, that's news to me. Thank u so!
Avatar do usuário Henry Cunha 10050 •3 •16 •178 Expert Member - 28 Mar 2011, 17:03
It's a special use. I don't think there is any other similar case in English, so you just have to learn this one. Which is a good thing.

Btw, 12 heads of cattle would be the heads of 12 dead animals. Which might not be a good thing.
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