Is goa'uld plural?

[Jafana]

I was wondering, every few eps the use of the name goa'uld changes.

sometimes goa'uld is used as a plural, and sometimes they add an 's to the end.

so whats the deal?

[Mr Prophet]

A Goa'uld.
The Goa'uld.
Some Goa'uld.

Goa'uld seems to be both singular and plural, but I think some characters use the false construction Goa'ulds idiomatically. It's a perfectly acceptable example of dialect, really; like saying goold instead of go-a-oold.

[Merit]

In the first seasons, goa'ulds was used quite frequently, even by Tea'lc, who should know how to say it correctly. Since then, everyone has settled into goa'uld for both the singular and plural.

[Torley]

Yeah, either way I'd say is correct, including the MANY variations on pronunciation I'd chalk up to "altered dialect"

Goa'uld
Gooood
Ghouled
etc.

[Anubis]

I don't think it really matters how the term is used. In Full Circle, Jack says to Jonas


"He's a Goold"


Well, something along these lines. My guess is that it doesn't really matter. A interesting question though

[SGSlugger]

Languages evolve. Perhaps it started out as Goa'ulds, and then became Goa'uld.

Wasn't "Goold" originally coined by Hammond?

[Torley]

Haha... in any case, we know what is meant when they use it in context.

Hammond has a hilarious pronunciation of it. Teal'c obviously says it the most crisply and distinctively. Some characters mix up the pronunciation depending it they're in a rush to get it out

[SaharaGate]

I would say it is both singular and plural.

Just like Sheep.

Hmmm....coinincidence?

It seems they were still figuring a few things out in the few seasons - like whether you can step back through an open wormhole.

Out of curiosity, which ep did you notice this in Jafana?

[Jafana]

lol
i cant remember.
it's either season one, three, six or seven.



coz they're the ones i own.

and I've been jumping from season to season the last week or so.

mostly though, seasons one, six and seven.

the reason I asked I think is because in the first few seasons it wouldnt have bothered me, so I believe it would have been an ep in the later seasons..

ohhhh wait, now I remember, it was Full Circle.
they're all locked up in the cell and they're talking to the Jaffa dude.

thats what got to me. I would have thought that by now they would have settled on a way?

[JustinZZR600]

I'll miss the way Hammond says it... goolds /w Texas accent of course. Pronounced with 1 syllable. I think its all a matter of tact. Using 3 syllables makes you sound more sophisticated. So it would depend on the character. hmmm so I guess Hammond isn't sophisticated enough hehe

[SGSlugger]

I thought it was because they are just lazy. People where I live slur a lot of stuff.