When should we use 'sky' in the plural (skies) instead of in the singular?

[Nessie]

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.
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[Haihao]

1. Actually you can never be on it, can you, nessie?

2. When you want to express more than one sky over more than one area: Mediterranean and Aegean skies.

[Barb_D]

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."

[Nessie]

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,

[Haihao]

Angels are on clouds, IMO.

[Inga]

[Haihao]

"in the heavens" (= in the sky) would be better, I think, Inga. "in heaven" could mean "died".

[Inga]

[Barb_D]

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.

[MrPedantic]

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

[Nessie]

[MrPedantic]

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.:

1. The sky looks very dark. [You are wondering whether to take an umbrella.]

2. 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.]

3. I looked into the skies and saw a distant hovering object. [You are a crank and imagine that you have just seen a UFO.]

4. Blue skies, smiling at me...nothing but blue skies do I see. [You are Irving Berlin.]

MrP

[Nessie]

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? :D and how can we pronounce "Irving"? Is it /ai ər viŋ/? :P
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[MrPedantic]

Hello Nessie,

[Nessie]

[quote="MrPedantic"]Hello Nessie,