Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2018 March 29

= March 29 =

'Types of semiconductor diode' vs. 'Types of semiconductor diodes'
Regarding Types of semiconductor diode:

Why is it not Types of semiconductor diodes (plural of diode)?

--Mortense (talk) 17:59, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Perhaps a typo. First sentence in that section uses "types of [...] diodes" RudolfRed (talk) 18:38, 29 March 2018 (UTC)
 * The normal English version is "Types of semiconductor diode". Here, semiconductor diode is a category (singular), not a whole bunch of individual diodes. I have changed to the singular in the article. Akld guy (talk) 20:29, 29 March 2018 (UTC)


 * In my English both versions are normal and mean the same thing, but I would be more likely to use the plural. Perhaps this varies by country, in which case WP:ENGVAR would apply.  --69.159.62.113 (talk) 21:43, 31 March 2018 (UTC)
 * I do not much care for what your preference is. "Types of semiconductor diode" is referring to the category semiconductor diode and distinguishes it from other categories of diode, such as vacuum tube diode. The category is singular in each case. WP:ENGVAR shouldn't come into it. Akld guy (talk) 22:29, 31 March 2018 (UTC)