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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

white-goods appliances vs. white-good appliances

English answer:

just "white goods"

Added to glossary by KathyT
Apr 10, 2006 19:08
18 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

white-goods appliances vs. white-good appliances

English Marketing Marketing
Hi All,

Are both the terms "white-goods appliances" and "white-good appliances" correct?
The former gets more hits on Google but somehow doesn't 'feel' right to have this plural form of the adjective. Could somebody tell me definitively whether one is "more correct" than the other?
(I understand that both seem to be "acceptable" in current usage, if Google is any indication, but as we know that doesn't necessarily mean it must be biblically true!)
Many TIA
Responses
4 +13 the correct term is simply "white goods"
Change log

Apr 16, 2006 16:04: Konstantin Kisin changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Discussion

Konstantin Kisin Apr 10, 2006:
Give them the link to this question.
Refugio Apr 10, 2006:
Be that as it may, it would never be correct to say "white-good appliances".
Refugio Apr 10, 2006:
Just think of "goods" as a synonym for "merchandise".
Refugio Apr 10, 2006:
I can see how it might sound wrong (we don't say hot dogs cart, for example, but hot dog cart). However, goods is not a true plural because there is no such thing as a "white good". Thus "goods" must stand, even when the singular would ordinarily be used.

Responses

+13
5 mins
Selected

the correct term is simply "white goods"

Don't need appliances there. :)
Peer comment(s):
agree Marian Greenfield
0 min
agree Jack Doughty
3 mins
agree Laurel Porter (X) : I agree - as a Californian, I had never heard the term before moving to the UK; it's "appliances" in California, "white goods" in the UK, as far as I know.
15 mins
yep - one or the other, but not both :)
agree Raging Dreamer
26 mins
agree Isodynamia
36 mins
agree Rachel Fell : but if you hyave to add appliances, it should be "white goods appliances" http://www.uniongas.com/home/ngforhome/energysavings/whitego...
37 mins
agree Refugio
38 mins
agree Tony M : Yes, it cannot be singular; this is 'goods' (non-countable plural) = 'merchandise'
46 mins
agree Angela Dickson (X) : yes, there's no point using both
48 mins
agree Peter Shortall
1 hr
agree Clair Pickworth
1 hr
agree Armorel Young : Definitely. White goods are always appliances. I mean, we don't talk about brown dog animals or tall women people, do we?
1 hr
lol :)
agree Mikhail Kropotov : What a helpful answer response from a smart man person :)
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Special thanks also to Ruth, Rachel and Tony for additional helpful comments. "
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