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From: kthier@festival.ed.ac.uk (K Thier)
Subject: Re: German spelling reform
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References: <1995Jan25.144141.1493@midway.uchicago.edu>
Message-ID: <D32pnz.Cwq@festival.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Edinburgh University
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 16:55:10 GMT
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Daniel von Brighoff (deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu) wrote:
: In article <3g48lg$hi9@nic.umass.edu> smailer@twain.oit.umass.edu (Ira Smailer) writes:

: >I think "Viech" (beast, as in cattle, etc) is rather non-official.
: >Viecher however, is a perfectly proper plural of Vieh.
: >(I mean, it's not Vieher, or anything).

: No, the plural is "Vieh."  Das Vieh, die Vieh.  "Das Vieh" usually
: has a collective sense anyway (thing of "Das liebe Vieh" = "All 
: Creatures Great and Small").  "Viecher" is the plural of "Viech."
: "Viech" is the form most often taken by "Vieh" when it refers to a
: person; it is considered colloquial and derogative and as such not
: normally written.
The (official) word Vieh (das Vieh ) has no plural at all
(grammatically) or, if you prefer, no singular (in meaning).
"*Die Vieh" existiert nicht. one of the collective is "ein Stu"ck Vieh"
"Das Vieh" (or "Viech") in the singular, pl "die Viecher" is colloquial
for animals and even people, and as the quote says, derogatory.

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