Hi,
I have two question for the word “sky”:
1/ It seems to me that people just say “in/into/at the sky” and never “on the sky”. Have you any idea why?
2/ When should we use “sky” in the plural (skies) instead of in the singular?
Many thanks
Nessie.
-
Actually you can never be on it, can you, nessie?
-
When you want to express more than one sky over more than one area: Mediterranean and Aegean skies.
I’d say it’s pretty idiomatic, that plural use of skies, when we talk about the weather.
Typical weather forecast: “We’re looking at clear skies all day today, so it’ll be a great beach day.” Yet, we would say “The sky is clear.”
Hi Barb,
So we just use “skies” when refering to the weather? But what do you think about these examples (taken from the OALD):
◆ cloudless skies
◆ a land of blue skies and sunshine
◆ The skies above London were ablaze with a spectacular firework display.
Hi Haihao,
What do you think if we’re talking about those who can be on it? 
- fairy tales
(angels, for example :P)
Angels are on clouds, IMO.
In Russian/Belarusian we say ‘on the sky’. 
And the angels in Belarus live on the skies. (more probably on heaven? But again English equivalent is in heaven)
“in the heavens” (= in the sky) would be better, I think, Inga. “in heaven” could mean “died”.
- ?
That’s exactly what I meant, or what? Have you ever seen an angel?
(or in England they live in the heavens, literary in the sky? However, I may be wrong, I’m not sure.)
Like I said, highly idiomatic. The only one that sounded odd to me was the one about the skies over London and the fireworks - to me, that would be “sky.”
“Cloudless skies” can certainly be very natural in context - it’s the same as clear skies in my original.
A land of blue skies sounds natural to me.
There’s a place known as “Big Sky” in Montana.
In Old Norse, “sky” meant “cloud”. This carried over into Middle English, where “skies” could mean “clouds”. I think “skies” (as in the London example) now though has a sense of “upper regions”.
(I would say that even in ordinary conversation it retains a faintly literary or poetic quality.)
MrP
Thanks a lot, everybody
However I’m not quite sure I’ve clearly understood when to use “sky” in the plural and when in the singular :shock:
Barb said “skies” is just used when referring to the weather, but “A land of blue skies” (which has nothing to do with the weather) sounds natural to her. I don’t get this :shock:
P.S: by the way, in my line above, should I say “the weather” or “weather”? When should we use “weather” with “the” and when without “the”?
Many thanks
Nessie.
As a rule of thumb, you would use “sky” in ordinary contexts, and “skies” where you wanted to be a little more flowery, poetic, literary, portentous, decorative, etc.:
-
The sky looks very dark. [You are wondering whether to take an umbrella.]
-
I looked into the sky and saw a distant hovering object. [You are a bird-watcher and have just spotted a rare kind of kestrel.]
-
I looked into the skies and saw a distant hovering object. [You are a crank and imagine that you have just seen a UFO.]
-
Blue skies, smiling at me…nothing but blue skies do I see. [You are Irving Berlin.]
MrP
Thanks a lot, MrP, that really makes things much clearer 
However, what about the case of using “skies” for the weather (which Barb mentioned)? (Do you think they use the plural to mean something portentous?)
And what about my last question about “weather” and “the weather”? May I know your idea, please?
P.S: By the way, who is that Irving Berlin? 
and how can we pronounce “Irving”? Is it /ai ər viŋ/? 
Hello Nessie,
That’s an interesting one. The weatherman tells me to expect clear skies; but I think to myself, “yes, the sky is clear”. Wild guess: perhaps “skies” there relates to all our different experiences of “sky”.
Either would be fine, there; but perhaps “the weather” would be more usual. Perhaps “weather” would be “weather in general”; “the weather”, “the weather one experiences”.
He’s a writer of well known songs, from c. 1910 onwards. If you see an old Hollywood musical on tv, it’s very likely to contain some of his songs. (You pronounce his name to rhyme with “unnerving”, which is what he very rarely is.)
Best wishes,
MrP
Either would be fine, there; but perhaps “the weather” would be more usual. Perhaps “weather” would be “weather in general”; “the weather”, “the weather one experiences”.
[color=violet]=> this is still not very clear, MrP. I think they often refer to the weather in general (all the time?) So it’ll be much better if you give some examples 
- thank you in advance
Hi, Nessie
The definite article is used with uncountable nouns when they are modified by a limiting attribute, which may be expressed in different ways. Sometimes the limitation is clear from the context. Notice the sentence patterns with ‘weather’:
The weather is fine (cold, etc.).
What is the weather like today?
If the weather changes …
We are having fine weather.
What cold weather we are having!
I wouldn’t like to go out in such (bad) weather.
The flight was cancelled because of (the) bad weather.
- Weatherman B: We can expect a clear sky tonight.
- Weatherman A: We can expect clear skies tonight.
To me, #1 suggests that all the tv viewers share the same sky; and it will be clear for all of us.
#2 however suggests that Mr X in London sees one portion of sky, and Ms Y in Manchester sees a different portion of sky. Both can expect a “clear” sky; but of course each will see a slightly different set of celestial phenomena, at any given moment. Hence my perhaps “skies” there relates to all our different experiences of “sky”.
It may be that another member will interpret the difference differently, though!
Best wishes,
MrP