Can some please help me tell my girlfriend there is no such word as turbulences, as its just turbulence?

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I have been trying to tell my girlfriend there is no such word as turbulences just turbulence but she keeps going on saying a plane experiences turbulences. Can someone help me explain that a plane does not experience turbulences but turbulence

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  • > Can some please help me tell my girlfriend there is no such word as turbulences

    Nope, because she isn’t wrong.

    Although the non-count form “turbulence” is more commonly used in everyday speech, “turbulences” is also correct: “a turbulence” is an individual zone of turbulent air. Here are some examples from published books:

    “Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) turbulence sensors at the tip of the plane detect turbulences ahead of the plane, the FCS processes this input data and steers the control surfaces accordingly to counter the incoming turbulences” – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SbQ…

    “Multiple times, he had to set his documents down, as turbulences made the plane shift rapidly” – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_vJT…

    “a leading plane causes turbulences, called wakes, behind itself and a following plane can crash if it comes too close” – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Q-rIG…

    “Instead, he felt his plane rattle even stronger as the turbulences left by the fighters attacked his plane” – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BLGPD…

    “turbulences approaching the speed of sound rush through the air channel shown above on the wing of an F- Mustang” – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fiYDA…

    Source(s):
    Native UK English speaker, technical writer

  • You are correct there is no such word . Your gf is wrong ……
  • Turbulence and Turbulence is both the singular and plural form of the word turbulence.

    Source(s):
    http://www.chacha.com/question

  • Actually, if you are talking about something turbulent arising from different sources, you COULD use turbulences as a word.

    ‘ There was turbulence from the motor boat and turbulence from the water released from the dam, and those turbulences caused the buoy to bob crazily. ‘

    In general, however, you are correct. Most turbulence is considered to be from a single source in most contexts, so the plural wouldn’t be used very often.

  • She probably really knows, but if she’s not a native English speaker, it will be more natural for her to try to form a plural the only way she knows.

    But anyway, if it helps, yes, you are certainly right and she is wrong.

    Source(s):
    Retired English teacher and editor.

  • She may be beyond help and you are wasting your time. What she means is “bouts of turbulence “.
    This is a common problem as more and more people use abridged and euphemistic English , leading to literal meanings disappearing with the vernacular and pronunciation in constant change.

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