80 percent

[angliholic]

Female teachers represent 80 percent of the school staff.


Why not 80 percents since it's plural? Thanks.

[Casiopea]

In that context it doesn't have a plural form.

From dictionary.com,

—Usage note Percent is from the Latin adverbial phrase per centum meaning “by the hundred.” The Latin phrase entered English in the 16th century. Later, it was abbreviated per cent. with a final period. Eventually, the period was dropped and the two parts merged to produce the modern one-word form percent.

percent - Definitions from Dictionary.com

[angliholic]

Thanks, Casiopea.
I'm wondering whether native speakers have to know this rule or source before they can use "percent" correctly.

[Casiopea]

Intuitively, yes, they know. The reason being, nobody uses percents in that context. (I knew because, well, language is a hobby of mine: I, too, wanted to know, so I looked it up.)

All the best.

[Harry Smith]

Intuitively, yes, they know. The reason being, nobody uses percents in that context. (I knew because, well, language is a hobby of mine: I, too, wanted to know, so I looked it up.)

All the best.

Do you mean English is or learning languages in general is a hobby of yours? How many languages do you speak? I know native English speakers have difficulty in learning foreign languages. What do you think?

[angliholic]

Intuitively, yes, they know. The reason being, nobody uses percents in that context. (I knew because, well, language is a hobby of mine: I, too, wanted to know, so I looked it up.)

All the best.

Thanks, Casiopea, for your sharing experience with us.

[Casiopea]

Do you mean English is or learning languages in general is a hobby of yours?

Language with a capital L.

How many languages do you speak?

I know many but I'm not fluent in any. (Psst. I'm almost fluent in English. )

I know native English speakers have difficulty in learning foreign languages. What do you think?

It's my understanding that if a speaker - no matter the first language - has difficulty learning a second or other language, lack of opportunity and exposure are most likely the reasons. (I grew up in a bilingual home and was raised in a multi-lingual city. Opportunity and exposure were ever present.)

All the best.

[Harry Smith]

Language with a capital L. I know many but I'm not fluent in any. (Psst. I'm almost fluent in English. ) It's my understanding that if a speaker - no matter the first language - has difficulty learning a second or other language, lack of opportunity and exposure are most likely the reasons. (I grew up in a bilingual home and was raised in a multi-lingual city. Opportunity and exposure were ever present.)

All the best.

Ok. Thanks for the information. I also grew up in a bilingual home and learnt a third and a fourth language surprisingly easily. I just wanted to say Native English Speakers see all the others try to speak English and concequently they become a bit lazy and don't make an effort to learn other languages. Or maybe they study German, French, Spanish and Russian very hard. Do they?

[Casiopea]

I just wanted to say Native English Speakers see all the others try to speak English and concequently they become a bit lazy and don't make an effort to learn other languages. Or maybe they study German, French, Spanish and Russian very hard. Do they?

It's an interesting question, indeed. Why not repost it in the Discussion Forum?

I'll see you there.

All the best.