''Forces''

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

Does the meaning of ''force'' in the plural change into ''army'', and for example, ''air forces''?

 

[Rachel Adams]

No. Have you examples of sentences in which you think the plural form of the word changes the meaning?

There are no examples in my book. The book only says "force"="energy". "Forces"="army".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

There are no examples in my book. The book only says "force"="energy". "Forces"="army".

Ugh. That's too concise to be useful. You need a better book. (For example, air forces can only refer to the air forces of several countries. One country has one air force.)

Armed forces can just mean one branch of the military (army or coast guard or whatever): She's in the armed forces.

But we often use the term armed forces to combine military branches: All of her family had been in the armed forces — the army, the navy, the coast guard, and the marines.

And we can talk about how different forces can be at work in all kinds of situations: The forces that shaped the mountain range included wind, water, gravity, and glaciers.

 

[Rachel Adams]

No. Have you examples of sentences in which you think the plural form of the word changes the meaning?

Do you mean all the examples mentioned in Charlie Bernstein's post don't exist in BrE? "Air forces" of several countries and "air force" of one country, "She is in the armed forces".

 

[Rachel Adams]

Ugh. That's too concise to be useful. You need a better book. (For example, air forces can only refer to the air forces of several countries. One country has one air force.)

Armed forces can just mean one branch of the military (army or coast guard or whatever): She's in the armed forces.

But we often use the term armed forces to combine military branches: All of her family had been in the armed forces — the army, the navy, the coast guard, and the marines.

And we can talk about how different forces can be at work in all kinds of situations: The forces that shaped the mountain range included wind, water, gravity, and glaciers.

Regarding the last passage. Can the word "force" be used in the singular in this meaning?

 

[Rachel Adams]

No, I don't mean that.

Did you mean "force" doesn't only change into "army"?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Regarding the last passage. Can the word "force" be used in the singular in this meaning?

Yes. It's the same meaning.

 

[GoesStation]

Ugh. That's too concise to be useful. You need a better book. (For example, air forces can only refer to the air forces of several countries. One country has one air force.)

Before the United States Air Force was separated from the Army, the units it comprised were called the US Army Air Forces. That's the only example I can think of where a unit of an army is referred to as "forces".

 

[Rollercoaster1]

Armed forces can just mean one branch of the military (army or coast guard or whatever): She's in the armed forces.

Wouldn't it mean that she serves in more than one armed forces? How about 'She is in one of the armed forces of the US?'

 

[emsr2d2]

Wouldn't it mean that she serves in more than armed forces?

No, you can't serve in more than one of the armed forces at the same time. If we say "She's in the armed forces", we mean "She's in either the British Army, the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force". If you wanted to know which one, you would have to ask for more information.

(I have used the British armed forces in my example. Obviously, they would be different in different countries.)

 

[Rachel Adams]

No, you can't serve in more than one of the armed forces at the same time. If we say "She's in the armed forces", we mean "She's in either the British Army, the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force". If you wanted to know which one, you would have to ask for more information.

(I have used the British armed forces in my example. Obviously, they would be different in different countries.)

So in BrE "forces" is used when talking about army, navy or "air force". Each of them is referred to as "force" all three make "forces". Right?

 

[GoesStation]

So in BrE "forces" is used when talking about army, navy or "air force". Each of them is referred to as "force" all three make "forces". Right?

No.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I was in the Royal Air Force in my youth. I was in the forces, not 'a force'.

Interesting to know. It might be a trans-Atlantic difference. Thanks!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Wouldn't it mean that she serves in more than one armed forces? How about 'She is in one of the armed forces of the US?'

Either way is fine.

 

[Rover_KE]

Interesting to know. It might be a trans-Atlantic difference. Thanks!

Yes — Vera Lynn was known as the Forces' Sweetheart.