As a linguistic expert with a deep understanding of the intricacies of the English language, I can provide an insightful analysis of the plural forms of the word "child." The question of whether it is "child's" or "children's" is a common one, and it touches upon the fascinating aspects of English grammar and the evolution of language.

In English, the plural of "child" is "children," not "childs." This is a unique case in English, as most nouns form their plural by adding an "s" or "es" to the end. The reason for this lies in the history of the English language and its Germanic roots. The Old English word for "child" was "cild," which did not change its form for singular or plural, much like the word "sheep" in modern English. Over time, as the language evolved, the word "cild" became "child," and the plural form "children" emerged.

The use of "children" as the plural form is quite stable, and it is highly unlikely that it will ever be replaced with "childs." This stability is due to the fact that the plural form has been established for centuries and is deeply ingrained in the language. Additionally, the word "children" is a collective noun that refers to a group of offspring or descendants, which further solidifies its plural form.

When it comes to possessive forms, the rule in English is to add an apostrophe followed by an "s" to the end of the noun, regardless of whether the noun is singular or plural. Therefore, the possessive form of "child" is "child's," and the possessive form of "children" is also "children's." This is because the apostrophe and "s" indicate possession, and it is added to the end of the noun, whether it is in its singular or plural form.

In conclusion, the correct forms are "child's" for the possessive singular and "children's" for the possessive plural. The evolution of the English language has led to these specific forms, and they are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

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The plural form with r in children seems very stable. So it is improbable that children will ever be replaced with childs. The word in Old English is the neuter noun cild, which wasn't inflected for nominative and accusative, either singular or plural.Feb 21, 2016read more >>