What's the plural of cable release?

[bobjames]

Is it cable releases or cables release?

[C. D. Keth]

Cable releases. Cable is describing what kind of release. You pluralize the noun.

[Bruce Watson]

Cable releases. Cable is describing what kind of release. You pluralize the noun.

Technically true. But the answer here is "confusion" because you can't easily tell which release is going to trip the shutter ;)

[Walter Calahan]

Cablus Releasi

Always go to the Latin root. Ha ha ha ha ha

Now where did I put all those cable releases? Grin.

[David R Munson]

The proper plural of "cable release" is "pain in the ass."

[GPS]

Release cables.

[Alan Davenport]

Cabeli releasi

[erie patsellis]

david,
wouldn't that be pains in the ass?

erie

[walter23]

It's obviously cables release, but make sure you use an apostrophe (to denote that it is plural):

cable's release.

[Ralph Barker]

Wouldn't a cable's release potentially gum up the shutter mechanism? ;)

I vote for GPS's solution which avoids the problem altogether.

[Helen Bach]

Well two cables is a fifth of a mile, and that means it's a fifth of a minute, and a fifth is quite a lot to drink at once, so I suggest sharing it with a friend.

[David R Munson]

david,
wouldn't that be pains in the ass?

erie

Well, it's a collective pain rather than individual pains approached in a plural fashion.

[Barry Trabitz]

My grandaughter calls one a clicker thingee. Therefore the plural is clicker thingees.

[John Kasaian]

I'll go with "cable releasers" :eek:

[Terence McDonagh]

Or is it like deer, and just remains cable release?

Or perhaps, since there would be two cables and two releases, cables releases?

[Steve Clark]

More than one cable release?

[effstop]

I generally say, "damn ! I lost BOTH of them !"

[Alan Davenport]

I generally say, "damn ! I lost BOTH of them !"

BTDT, LOL.

[domenico Foschi]

Shutter busters.

[PViapiano]

It's obviously cables release, but make sure you use an apostrophe (to denote that it is plural):

cable's release.

Apostrophes are never used to denote plurals, but are needed for contractions and to denote possession.

[Rafael Garcia]

Why have more than one? No need for plural form.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Why have more than one?
Because everybody should insist on using Prontor(s) Professional(s). And nothing else.

In French unlike English, the adjectives take the plural form. So we would say
"Deux déclencheurs souples pour ce Prontor, SVP, merci."

[chris jordan]

No plural term for cable release exists, because there there is no documented incident in which someone had more than one cable release in their possession, despite their best intentions. Quantum physicists are looking into the issue; the current theory is that "dark matter" is the aggregate lost-cable-release mass around which the rest of the universe turns. I am personally responsible for appoximately half of this.

[Colin Robertson]

No kidding, Chris. My record so far is six hours from getting the thing to losing it. Maybe that's where the name comes from, as in "go free, little cable, I release thee . . "

[Pat Kearns]

About 10 years ago I had one with the cloth covering that burst through it's side so I needed to replace it. Driving into Santa Fe about 8 o'clock on a Saturday night I stopped at a mall, went in and found a photo store. A stroke of luck I thought, then I asked the clerk if they sold a cable release. I got a blank stare. Then I asked again if they sold cable releases. Again, a blank stare. Then I asked again, cables releases? Again, a blank stare. After the fourth time asking, then I tried to explain what it was and it's purpose I finally gave up and left. When dust settles over the correct terminology please let me know. If I ever find myself in the same situation I will be able buy one.:D

[walter23]

Apostrophes are never used to denote plurals, but are needed for contractions and to denote possession.

Apostrophe's are commonly used to denote plural's, especially when the root word ends in a vowel, but also arbitrarily before any final "s". Think of this as an indication of social status and education. Those stuck in the middle rungs of grammatical mediocrity adhere to the strict rules of English; those in the lower bracket's don't know any better, and those in the highest levels have reached a state of enlightenment wherein humourless and pedantic adherance to linguistic convention is recognized as completely asinine.

Similarily, double quotation marks actually "are" an appropriate substitute for italics.

:D

[adrian tyler]

well as my language is spanish:

dis-parador (dis-paradores)
anything which starts a series of actions or reactions

not to be confused with:

desperados
a bold, reckless criminal or outlaw, esp. in the early days of the American West.

[PViapiano]

Apostrophe's are commonly used to denote plural's, especially when the root word ends in a vowel, but also arbitrarily before any final "s". Think of this as an indication of social status and education. Those stuck in the middle rungs of grammatical mediocrity adhere to the strict rules of English; those in the lower bracket's don't know any better, and those in the highest levels have reached a state of enlightenment wherein humourless and pedantic adherance to linguistic convention is recognized as completely asinine.

Similarily, double quotation marks actually "are" an appropriate substitute for italics.

:D

Walter,

Irony is lost on the internet. I couldn't find the damn smiley face when using "quick reply", however your use of the apostrophe on the first and seventh words of your reply above is totally incorrect, which I think you know but are pulling my chain here ;) (there it is!)

I forgot about plural possessives, though, and for this I apologize. So, as follows (from a Google search):

Plural Possessives

To make most nouns plural, add an -s or -es. The -es is added to words that end in an s or z sound.

Do not use an apostrophe.


Examples: lands dresses taxes quizzes
Incorrect: Twenty dog's were in the pack.

Correct: Twenty dogs were in the pack.


To make a plural noun possessive, simply add an apostrophe to the word. If the plural does not end in an s, then add an apostrophe plus s.


Examples: The girls' dresses
(The dresses belonging to the girls.)

The Wilsons' house
(The Wilsons live in the house.)

The men's room
(Plural does not end in s.)

And this lovely page:

Apostrophes with Italicized or Underlined Items

Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as themselves are italicized or underlined. See Underlining or Italicizing Items that Name Themselves for more on this.


When these items are made plural, the plural is shown by adding apostrophe s to the underlined or italicized item. The apostrophe and s are not italicized or underlined.

Some authorities make acronyms or abbreviations plural by adding apostrophe s. Not all authorities recognize this rule.

Other authorities make a date that names itself plural by adding apostrophe s. Not all authorities recognize this rule.

These three instances are the only times in English when adding an apostrophe plus s makes something plural.

Since not all authorities recognize the last two instances, whether you choose to add an s or to add an apostrophe s, be consistent.

Examples: Don't forget to dot your i's.
(Letter as a letter)
His 7's look like 2's.
(Number as number)

His &'s look like 8's.
(Symbol as symbol)

I find the thee's and thou's in older writing hard to follow.
(Words as words)

Recognized by some authorities: He has IRA's in several different banks.
(Plural of acronym or abbreviation)

The 1930's were called the Red Decade.
(Plural of year naming itself)

Recognized more widely or traditionally: He has IRAs in several different banks.
(Plural of acronym or abbreviation)

The 1930s were called the Red Decade.
(Plural of year naming itself)


Oh no! :eek: Now look what I've started...to sum up with an appropriate example:

The Ebony's lensboards were more expensive than the Linhof's but that didn't detract from the fact that the Copal 1s (or 1's) worked just as well in either one.

All's well that ends well...

[Jan_6568]

wezyki spustowe, in Polish....

Jan

[Jim Jirka]

I have more than one cable release.;)

[Kevin Thomas]

Well if we get to the nitty gritty are they not shutter releases?

Kev:)

[jnantz]

Why have more than one?
Because everybody should insist on using Prontor(s) Professional(s). And nothing else.

In French unlike English, the adjectives take the plural form. So we would say
"Deux déclencheurs souples pour ce Prontor, SVP, merci."

yes!
les deux

[Kirk Gittings]

a flock

[Mark Sawyer]

And how many cable releases does it take to screw in a light bulb?

[Marko]

How about cabled release? That should make plural easy... :)

[Rafael Garcia]

I have more than one cable release.;)

You, Sir, must be an insane madman! TWO cable releases?! :D
(I confess to having several myself, but have enough coordination to only use one at a time!)

[Rafael Garcia]

well as my language is spanish:

dis-parador (dis-paradores)
anything which starts a series of actions or reactions

not to be confused with:

desperados
a bold, reckless criminal or outlaw, esp. in the early days of the American West.

Of course, 'desperado' is an American word, not Spanish. It is a cowboy's shortening of the Spanish word 'desesperado' which literally means 'in despair'. In Puerto Rico, where I am from, we use the King's Spanish term 'cable release', which we consider more proper than 'disparador'!