As a non native I have been always puzzled by the word "mains".

The "s" at the end seems destined to denote a plural but, every time I run across that word, the context looks like it is applied to a singular noun.

Intrigued.

 

Hello,

From the wiki:

Terminology
In the US, mains electric power is referred to by several names including "household power", "household electricity", "house current", "powerline", "domestic power", "wall power", "line power", "AC power", "city power", "street power".

In the UK, mains electric power is generally referred to as "the mains". More than half of power in Canada is hydroelectricity, and mains electricity is often referred to there as "hydro". This is also reflected in names of current and historical electricity monopolies such as Hydro-Québec, BC Hydro, Manitoba Hydro, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, and Ontario Hydro.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity

Bertus

 

atferrari, don't feel bad about this, until coming to the forum, I as a life time US resident never heard it called "mains".

 

@bertus, at 17 I worked with 2 different cities running main water lines and tapping service to residences, my Father was in charge of one of the cities sewer distribution systems and plant operations. Water and Sewer lines are referred to as "Mains" meaning both in going and out going, I would think a residence dependent on outside grid systems would also be considered in this manner, makes me wonder? do telephone lines also fall into this reference or terminology?

kv

 

do telephone lines also fall into this reference or terminology?
kv

Not in UK it didn't.
Max.

 

It's English it doesn't have to make sense. Don't hurt yourself trying to force it to.

 

It's English it doesn't have to make sense.

I strongly resemble that!
Max.

 

The "s" at the end seems destined to denote a plural but, every time I run across that word, the context looks like it is applied to a singular noun.

Indeed, though this is a question of syntax, not semantics. One possible grammatical explanation is that we often add an 's' to the end of an adjective to signify that the word is behaving as a noun. For example, the adjective acoustic -- as in "acoustic energy" -- is transformed to the noun acoustics ("I studied acoustics in college"). So, in this sense, the adjective main ("The main pipe is behind that panel") becomes the noun mains ("We're getting no water pressure, let's check the mains").

Another possibility is that the terminating 's' simply reflects the plurality of the thing in question. In the context of utilities, the primary distribution lines -- whether pipes or wires -- come (at least) in pairs. So, "the main send and return lines" is shortened to "the [two] mains".

Of course, the catch-all answer is that English, like its users, is inconsistent, regionally biased, and weird. Math or maths, anyone?

 

atferrari, don't feel bad about this, until coming to the forum, I as a life time US resident never heard it called "mains".

Neither did I. In the casual lingo I'm familiar with, stuff gets powered by "the AC line" or by "line current" or is "plugged into the 110V outlet."

"Mains" are either for water or for sewage.

 

"Mains" is a pretty new word, early 1900's, and it does refer to both electrical and water/sewage distribution. We have no problem (in the US) with the idea of a "water main", but we never adopted it for electrical work.

The apparent plural, I think, is a British English way to create a collective noun that we American speakers generally don't use. It's not a plural, it's an uncountable mass thing.

 

Indeed, though this is a question of syntax, not semantics. One possible grammatical explanation is that we often add an 's' to the end of an adjective to signify that the word is behaving as a noun. For example, the adjective acoustic -- as in "acoustic energy" -- is transformed to the noun acoustics ("I studied acoustics in college"). So, in this sense, the adjective main ("The main pipe is behind that panel") becomes the noun mains ("We're getting no water pressure, let's check the mains").

Another possibility is that the terminating 's' simply reflects the plurality of the thing in question. In the context of utilities, the primary distribution lines -- whether pipes or wires -- come (at least) in pairs. So, "the main send and return lines" is shortened to "the [two] mains".

Of course, the catch-all answer is that English, like its users, is inconsistent, regionally biased, and weird. Math or maths, anyone?

My personal theory is that "mains" is a form of shorthand that originated in the words "main source" ... English language tends to do that. Whenever two words are frequently used in sequence, they become married to each other and live happily ever after ... often forgetting why they were put together in the first place.

 

As a non native I have been always puzzled by the word "mains".

The "s" at the end seems destined to denote a plural but, every time I run across that word, the context looks like it is applied to a singular noun.

Intrigued.

Be sure to put your pants on when you go outside. One pant might make the ladies do the same.

Lots of examples in our language. Scissors is another. And then there are words with a silent "s" at the end, like corps (pronounced like "kor").

 

Be sure to put your pants on when you go outside. One pant might make the ladies do the same.

Lots of examples in our language. Scissors is another. And then there are words with a silent "s" at the end, like corps.

... and a silent "w", like sword ...

 

As an American citizen since the 1950s, I can’t remember any widespread use for power in the house, other than “mains”.

Perhaps it is a regional difference? I lived all my life in the Northeast, specifically the south suburbs of Boston.

And we ARE know for our local dialect. For example, where am I going if I tell you I’m going to the packie? If something is wicked pisser (pronounced pissah), is it good, bad, or somewhere in between?

 

As an American citizen since the 1950s, I can’t remember any widespread use for power in the house, other than “mains”.

Perhaps it is a regional difference? I lived all my life in the Northeast, specifically the south suburbs of Boston.

And we ARE know for our local dialect. For example, where am I going if I tell you I’m going to the packie? If something is wicked pisser (pronounced pissah), is it good, bad, or somewhere in between?

Boston has always been bizzah.

 

Boston has always been bizzah.

No, that would be Wicked We-uh-d! (Weird)

 

No, that would be Wicked We-uh-d! (Weird)

In Southie, you are bizzah.

But Boston (metro) has accents for neighborhoods.

 

I was born and lived first half of my life so far, in UK, The British are well known for introducing new word/expressions to the vocabulary.
One only has to look as far as Cockney rhyming slang!.
Also one of the recent words introduced to the real estate sector, Gazumping!
As a trained Industrial Electrician there, I had no problem with 'Mains'
Max.

 

See post #30.
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/just-to-make-a-few-things-clear.110549/page-2#post-853835
Max.

 

See post #30.
https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/just-to-make-a-few-things-clear.110549/page-2#post-853835
Max.

That thread was unknown to me, Max. While you are at it, please revisit post #26; it made mi laugh!!