What Is the Plural of Phenomenon? A Grammar Deep Dive

Have you ever come across phenomenon in a written piece and thought about how to create its plural form? If you face this problem, it happens to many people. Sometimes even professionals and people whose native language is English get uncertain about the difference between “phenomenon,” “phenomena,” and “phenomenons.” You will learn about phenomenon’s origin, some rules for its plural and the mistakes you should avoid in this article.

Understanding the Word “Phenomenon”

First, we should look at what the word phenomenon really means before diving into plurals.

A phenomenon means something that can be observed or noticed as important. You can explainromance by looking at auroras, daily social habits or unique persons or objects. For example:

• The Northern Lights are a wonderful sight in the natural world.
• The way she became famous was a reaction from the culture.

The word usually suggests that something is one of a kind, scarce or purposeful. Talking about more than one thing makes the issue more complicated.

Why Do People Say “Phenomenons”?

Still, some people use phenomenons in their writing or speech, but since adding an “s” is only correct in regular English, it is not commonly accepted.

Many language experts and manual publishers state that phenomenon is the best choice when talking about both singular and plural forms. Even though you may use form phenomenons in informal language, it is still wrong.

Historical Roots: Greek Origins and Evolution

We need to study its origins to understand why phenomenon turns into phenomena. The word phenomenon originates from the Greek word phainomenon which means “something that appears to be seen.” The word comes from phainein which is the Greek word for “to show.”

Some of the Greek words introduced into Latin kept the same form in the plural when they entered English. Thus, the term phenomena replaces phenomenons and criterion is used in place of criterion.

People in those centuries were more exposed to Latin and Greek plurals because learning these languages was common. Since fewer individuals learn these ancient languages, there are more people confused by words such as phenomenon.

Usage in Modern English: Formal vs. Informal

In academic writing, the rule is that when you have one of two phenomena, you must use the plural form of the word. Science, philosophy, sociology and other fields use this term to explain various things that people notice.

Formal examples:

• Scientists who study climate and weather are studying global warming and its effects.
• Urban culture is addressed in this piece of academic writing.
• Although the rules are less strict in everyday talk or in journalism, people still do not use phenomenons as a word. Instead, a number of writers prefer not to mention the term or they change the words in their sentences to work around it.

Example:

Instead of talking about “Various phenomena,” look for “Various events” in the text.

Yet, if you wish to be precise and proper during academic or professional work, I suggest using phenomena instead of phenomena.

Singular Confusion: When “Phenomena” Gets Used as Singular

The next issue is that some people use phenomena as if it refers to only one thing. You could come across someone saying:

• That is certainly an odd thing to happen.
• This sentence uses incorrect grammar. It is preferred to write it in this form:
• “It seems like an unusual thing.”

Such mistakes are often made when someone tries to impress others by sounding misleadingly complicated, but actually gets the grammar rule wrong. It’s used quite frequently in normal conversations and in movies too. Yet, professionals will notice this error right away.

Phenomenon vs. Phenomena in Different Contexts

Let’s observe how different phenomena and the concept of phenomenon appear in many domains. Even though calms down, it always holds its own traits depending on the situation.

1. Scientific Context

As scientists keep working, they commonly observe things and call them phenomena.

Life on Earth depends on photosynthesis which is a natural process.

“Experts find quantum entanglement and gravitational waves to be some of the most curious facts in this field.”

2. The connection between Health and Mental Wellbeing

Many times, practitioners use the word phenomena to explain symptoms or behaviors.

A lot of individuals experience sleep paralysis which is a psychological issue.

It was observed during the test that participants had hallucinations.

3. The sociological and cultural environment at the time

In sociology or media studies, phenomena are patterns, trends or actions that can be noted by people.

Today’s social media issues can be understood around the world.

Entertainment industries are changing due to the cultural force of fandom.

4. How we use it every day and in popular language

The term phenomenon pops up in ordinary talks about society as well.

“Look at that singer; she’s really something special, as she appeared without notice.”

Viral memes and other pop culture trends play a big role in our communication.

Grammar Tips: Using “Phenomenon” and “Phenomena” Correctly

To become good at using this word, use these guidelines:

Use phenomenon in cases when you refer to just one occurrence.

For example, lightning is an impressive sight.

Use the term phenomena to describe two or more things.

An example is how many scientists are curious and interested in hurricanes and earthquakes.

Most writing projects, other than creative ones, do not allow you to use the word phenomenons.

Make sure the verbs are used in the right form for each activity.

“I find this interesting.”

Experts are examining these phenomenon.

Misuse in the Media: A Common Slip

Sometimes even professionals make mistakes with psychological terms. Sometimes because there’s not enough time or a proper grammar check, publications, blogs and TV shows have errors.

While language keeps evolving and slang finds its way to mainstream media, this much is not likely to be dropped anytime soon. The New York Times, Scientific American and National Geographic always use phenomena in the plural when writing about them.

When you are producing work for a blog, newspaper or journal, this rule is very important for your credibility.

When to Avoid the Word Altogether

Sometimes, instead of using phenomenon or phenomena, it’s good to pick a more basic alternative if you are writing for a general reader.

• Instead of using this expression:
• This situation is growing at a very fast rate.

It’s suitable to say:

• The spread of this trend is speeding up.

Here are a few alternatives as well:

• Event
• Incident
• Occurrence
• Trend
• Situation
• Development

While these words might not work well in science, they are useful for every day communication.