F/V Interchanges
Solomon Golomb, A&S '51
Many nouns ending in –F (or –FE) replace this ending with –VES when adding –S as a plural (e.g., WOLF to WOLVES), or when forming the third person singular of the corresponding verb (e.g., STRIFE to STRIVES). How many examples of this can you find? (12 = good, 15 = better, 18 = excellent)
Several verbs ending in –VE have related words (usually nouns) ending in –FT (e.g., GIVE/GIFT). How many of these can you list? (5 = good, 7 = better, 10 = excellent)
[Solutions below.]
GOLOMB'S ANSWERS
1
Belief/Believes
Calf/Calves
Dwarf/Dwarves^
Elf/Elves
Grief/Grieves
Half/Halves
Hoof/Hooves^
Knife/Knives
Leaf/Leaves
Life/Lives
Loaf/Loaves
Proof/Proves
Scarf/Scarves^
Self/Selves
Sheaf/Sheaves
Shelf/Shelves
Staff/Staves
Strife/Strives
Thief/Thieves
Wharf/Wharves
Wife/Wives
Wolf/Wolves
2
Bereave/Bereft
Cleave/Cleft
Drive/Drift
Give/Gift
Heave/Heft
Leave/Left
Live/Lift
Rive/Rift
Shrive/Shrift
Sieve/Sift
Thieve/Theft
Thrive/Thrift
Weave/Weft
^The trend toward "regularity" has made these plurals less common than simply adding –S.
