Friday, November 22, 2019

grammatical number - What is the plural of "brother", "brothers" or "brethren"?


In English books, I read that the plural of brother was given as brethren, but I hear people in movies or serials using brothers.


Which one is correct?


Is it the difference due to difference in American and British English?



Answer



Use brothers in both speech and writing.



Brethren is a very old plural which is no longer in use, except in very narrow contexts: in works of fiction which depict historical times, or try to create a similar 'atmosphere'; in religious (or quasi-religious) works which embrace the language of the King James Bible; and in works which allude to uses of this sort, either mockingly or affectionately.


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