Find English Teachers
Le Thi Anh
Community TutorWhy staff members instead staves (staffs)
I don't understand why say 'Newly-recruited staff members' instead 'Newly-recruited staffs' because MEMBER or STAFF, which are the same mean
Jul 11, 2014 6:06 AM
Answers · 3
4
Because staff is a collective noun referring to a group of people and is therefore already plural. The sentence works with the members as 'newly recruited staff'. You can however work with several staffs if you are working with entire groups from different companies.
The plural staves you refer to only applies to to a different kind of staff which is like a large stick. If you have several large sticks then they are staves.
July 11, 2014
2
As you pointed out in the title, "staffs" doesn't exist: it's either "staff" or "staves". The staff/staves designate the entire "crew" (group of people/the employees), that's why you need to add "member(s)" to refer to some specific people within that group.
July 11, 2014
1
Staff is an uncountable noun, so it can't take an 's'.
Think of 'staff' as having the same meaning as 'team'. If there are 11 players in a football team, these 11 people are not all 'teams', are they? They are 'members of the team' or 'team members'. And the word 'staff' is just the same. If there are 20 people working in a company, together these people make up the 'staff'. And - just like with the football team - these 20 people are 'members of staff'.
Take my advice - forget about the word 'staffs' and 'staves'. They might be in your dictionary, but all they have done is confuse you. They are very unusual words - I have never said or written either of them in my whole life. Sometimes dictionaries cause problems rather than solve them.
July 11, 2014
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Le Thi Anh
Language Skills
English, French, Vietnamese
Learning Language
English, French
Articles You May Also Like

Speak More Fluently with This Simple Technique
11 likes · 2 Comments

How to Read and Understand a Business Contract in English
16 likes · 3 Comments

6 Ways italki Can Help You Succeed in Your School Language Classes
12 likes · 7 Comments
More articles