Korrekt ist eigentlich 'die' wenn's nur einer ist. 'dice' ist der Plural. Wird aber gerne falschgemacht (und oft geht es ja auch um Plural)

Na ja, normalerweise wird halt mehr als nur ein Würfel benutzt, insofern ist "dice" nicht unbedingt falsch. Hier allerdings "die."

dice noun (plural dice) 1 a small cube with a different number of spots, from 1 to 6, on each of its sides or faces, used in certain games of chance. 2 a game of chance played with one or more dice. See also die2. verb (diced, dicing) 1 to cut (vegetables, etc) into small cubes. 2 intrans to play or gamble with dice. dice with death to take a great risk. no dice colloq used to indicate a negative answer or unsuccessful outcome.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: originally the plural of die2.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/...

dice noun (plural dice) 1 a small cube with a different number of spots, from 1 to 6, on each of its sides or faces, used in certain games of chance. 2 a game of chance played with one or more dice. See also die2. verb (diced, dicing) 1 to cut (vegetables, etc) into small cubes. 2 intrans to play or gamble with dice. dice with death to take a great risk. no dice colloq used to indicate a negative answer or unsuccessful outcome.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: originally the plural of die2.
http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=di...

1dice noun \ˈdīs\
: a small cube that is made of plastic, wood, etc., that has one to six dots on each side, and that is used usually in pairs in various games
: a gambling game played with dice
: a small cube
plural dice
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dice

Feel free to use "dice" even if there's only one of them.

Danke für eure Antworten! =)
Bin leider immernoch ganz verunsichert... Wie kann es sein, dass man in 20 Jahren Englisch lernen / hören noch nie "Roll the die." begegnet ist?

Vielleicht hat ja noch jemand eine Meinung dazu?
Bin sogar auf "Roll a dice" bei meiner Recherche gestoßen.

Wie kann es sein, dass man in 20 Jahren Englisch lernen / hören noch nie "Roll the die." begegnet ist? Probably because "roll the dice" is correct.

Thanks a lot, SD 3! Sounds convincing!

LOL

The word "dice" is much more familiar than "die". Some people do distinguish between die and dice, but many people just use dice for singular and plural.

Here's what one website says:

Historically, dice is the plural of die, but in modern standard English, dice is both the singular and the plural: throw the dice could mean a reference to two or more dice, or to just one. In fact, the singular die (rather than dice) is increasingly uncommon.http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definiti...

From another website:

If dice is treated as singular often enough, we may simply have to accept that the word has changed. But, for now, careful writers still keep dice and die separate.http://grammarist.com/usage/dice-die/

You're the best! Thanks, thanks, thanks!

I support #8, including especially the last part.

Please define "correct," SD3.

Na gut, ich sag ja auch nicht mehr 'datum'. Aber es war mal falsch, in grauer Vorzeit ;-)

dude, please see #3 (Oxford, Chambers, and Merriam Webster).

Here's an interesting take on the problem:
http://books.google.com/books?id=2WsCAAAAQAAJ...
Two nouns, die and penny, have each two forms of the plural : one regular, die-s, pennie-s ; the other irregular and collective, dice, pence. The expression " six pennies" means six of the coins called pennies.; "six-pence" a sum the value of six pennies. So the word dice means the set of four dies used in play.

Granted, the book, "The elements of the English language" by Ernest Adams," was first published in 1858, but I think it goes quite a way in explaining modern usage.

Interesting, maybe, but modern usage doesn't have 'dies' as a plural at all, does it? Except of course in the other meaning (diecasting, etc.).

If I were writing instructions for a board game that was going to be used by young children (since I can't think of any other game where you would only use one die), I think I would indeed write 'Roll the die,' even though it sounds a little funny to say it. On balance it seems better to me to model the correct singular form, even though it's less frequently used.

We had a discussion on this only a month or two ago:

die vs dice

and there are several other forum discussions listed in the Leo dictionary.

... but modern usage doesn't have 'dies' as a plural at all, does it? No, not to my knowledge, but that's what I meant when I said that passage goes a long way in explaining modern usage. Obviously games played with dice are usually played with a set of dice. One wouldn't count the individual "dies," would one?

--- edit ---

Wie kann es sein, dass man in 20 Jahren Englisch lernen / hören noch nie "Roll the die." begegnet ist?

Obviously you've never played Dungeons and Dragons - I haven't either, let's make that clear, but I knew a lot of people who did back in the day. Most game instructions that I've seen that involve the use of one die now and then differentiate between dice and die. Off hand, I can't remember those other games, but I'm sure I've seen it a few times.

http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Dungeons-and-Dragons
Dice are referred to by number of sides, so a d20 refers to a twenty-sided die. Some times you will need a d2 or d3, since these do not exist use a d6 with 1,2,3=1 and 4,5,6=2 or just a fair coin (d2) and 1,2=1; 3,4=2 and 5,6=3 (d3). The number preceding the "d" is the number of dice; so 3d6 is three six-sided dice.

Who says a dice? Or one dice?

Jurist, I'm with you here--in spirit. That is, I agree that people shouldn't say that.

Nevertheless, I know lots of people who do say that.

re #21: I do: one dice, two dice, three dice...
[BE]

So do I. Using "die" sounds hypercorrect/affected to me.

FWIW, I'd use "die" and not worry about sounding "affected." I think I'm manly / rough-and-tumble enough to get away with it. :-)

As I've usually seen "a die" in older texts, I'll add "old-fashioned"/"dated" to my #24.

Admittedly, I may be somewhat old-fashioned (having been accused of that at times by my oh so hip daughters), but as I'm looking through google, I see lots of examples that use "roll the die" or a variation thereof, and most of them seem to be pretty modern usage. So maybe there's a BE/AE difference, too?

Maybe, but I would also say "roll the die" if there's only one.

So are you old-fashioned, too, Spike?

If you're really old-fashioned, you probably say "cast the die" (Rubicon and all that . . .). (;-)

#29: in some things, undoubtedly!

Three more dictionary definitions of "dice""

dice - definition

noun British English pronunciation: dice /daɪs/ Word Forms

Related dictionary definitions
dice verb
dice
dice up
slice and dice
dice with death

1
[countable] a small block of wood or plastic with six sides marked with spots, that you roll or throw to play a game
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of dice

a.

[uncountable] a game that is played with dice, especially in order to win money
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of dice

2
[plural] small square pieces of food
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of dice
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary...


English definition of “dice”
 
dice
noun [C] (GAME) /daɪs/ (plural dice)

C2 (US also or old-fashioned die) a small cube (= object with six equal square sides) with a different number of spots on each side, used in games involving chance:

We need two dice to play the game.

You roll/throw the dice and whoever gets the highest score goes first.

› [U] any game involving chance in which dice are thrown:

Let's play dice.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/br...


dice (daɪs Pronunciation for dice )

Definitions

plural noun

1.cubes of wood, plastic, etc, each of whose sides has a different number of spots (1 to 6), used in games of chance and in gambling to give random numbers

2.Also called: die (functioning as singular) one of these cubes

3.small cubes as of vegetables, chopped meat, etc

4. See no dice

verb
5.to cut (food, etc) into small cubes
6.(intransitive) to gamble with or play at a game involving dice
7.(intransitive) to take a chance or risk (esp in the phrase dice with death)
8.(transitive) (Australian, informal) to abandon or reject
9.(transitive) to decorate or mark with dicelike shapes
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/e...

I've been looking for an English dictionary that does not accept "dice" as singular. No luck so far!

I keep looking for dictionaries that have a usage panel or otherwise take positions or otherwise give guidance as to word choice, register and usage. (Not that I would likely get a lot of support in this case from most current dictionaries as opposed to style or usage resources.)

Garner's Modern American Usage has:
"dice. In formal usage, the numbered cube used in games of chance is called a die, and two or more are dice. But the word dice is often used sloppily as a singular--e.g. ..."

Re #32.
I've been looking for an English dictionary that does not accept "dice" as singular. No luck so far!

That, then, will be very good news for everyone who attends my extended-family's annual family reunion.

I can honestly say that hearing "dice" used as a singular noun does not much bother me (I have heard it so used all of my life). However, I do think "dice" is (properly) plural--and these online dictionaries seem to agree, defining it--as a noun--to be (only) the plural of "die":

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language:

NOUN:
1. Plural of die.
2. pl. dice, also dices
A small cube, as of food.
A dish of diced food.

===

Collins English Dictionary:

[This definition is quoted in #32, and seems to support “dice” only as a plural.]

====

Vocabulary.com:

Dice are what you roll when you're playing Yahtzee or Monopoly; they are two cubes marked with dots on each side that represent the numbers one through six.
The noun dice is the plural form of the singular die. Although many people use the word dice when they're talking about a single die, it's actually only correct to call two or more of the dotted cubes dice. You can also use the word as a verb to mean "chop into tiny pieces or cubes." You might, for example, read a recipe instruction that says: "Dice three tomatoes."

=====


All things considered, my view is that one should not worry too much about this one. It’s clear that “dice” is widely accepted as both a singular and a plural noun.

 

Fowler's 3rd ed.:
"The small cubes with faces bearing 1-6 spots used in games of chance are the dice (pl.); and one of them is also called a dice.

Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage:
"The use of dice as a singular for one of the small cubes thrown in various games has been the object of some discussion . . . . [lots more]. The OED shows that the singular dice has been in use since the 14th century. It is apparently primarily in spoken use, for it is fairly rare in print. If dice players scorn die as a singular in speech, they (or their editors) seem to prefer it in print."

My usage also conforms with that.

I think this discussion has been excellent, and it should be accessible among the forum discussions on "dice." Currently it is not so included.

Someone (who knows how--I don't) should add this thread as a link in one of the existing threads that can be conjured up by searching for "dice."

Re #35: 'In print' is exactly where I balk at using the plural as singular, so for once, maybe M-W describes my usage as well.

As for Fowler, I vote the other way with Garner (#33), not for the first time -- but that may also reflect a degree of AE/BE difference accurately, since Spike seems in a smaller minority among BE speakers.