NationStates Jolt Archive

For the n-th time, I've seen these plural forms:

Octopi (pl. of octopus)
Platypi (pl. of platypus)

The thing that really puzzles me, is that the -i plural is correct for latin words of the 2nd declination (ex. lup-us, pl. lup-i). But "octopus" and "platypus" come from ancient greek. "Octopus" is compound of "okto" (eight) and "pous" (foot) (3rd declination), and the same goes for "platypus". "Pous" (genitive singular "podos") should become "poda" in the plural (I think it's neuter, else its plural would be "podes").

So the plural form of "octopus" should be "octopoda", and the pl. of "platypus" should be "platypoda". Unless I'm mistaken about the gender of "pous", that is, if "pous" is masculine or feminine then the plural are "octopodes" and "platypodes".

What do you think?

English is notorious for not giving a flying-llama about 'correct' grammar.

Although it is often supposed that octopi is the 'correct' plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its 'correct' plural would logically be octopodes.

Other words ending in -us show a very varied pattern. Like octopi, the plural hippopotami is now generally taken to be either funny or absurdly pedantic, and the usual plural is hippopotamuses. Common usage appears to indicate a slight preference for termini rather than terminuses, but syllabuses rather than syllabi. Other usual forms include cacti and gladioli, and our files at the dictionary department show scarcely any examples of nucleuses or funguses. (Omnibi is simply a joke, and quite ungrammatical in Latin!)

Among words ending in -um it seems worth drawing attention to the word curricula, plural of curriculum, and warning against confusion with the adjective curricular (as in extra-curricular).

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/plurals?view=uk

Octopodes it is, apparently ;)

English is notorious for not giving a flying-llama about 'correct' grammar.Absolutely. Both penes and penises and accepted plurals of penis. But not penii. Never forget that.

In English there are many rules. But only a slight majority of words follow most of them.

In English there are many rules. But only a slight majority of words follow most of them.The English language is like a democracy, which ever gets used most is right. Rules are for the sheep. The people who need to be told how to live their life.

It's kind of the same, like when people pronounce "curriculum vitae" as "curriculum vae-tay" instead of "wee-tai"

Oh well. People will always append random latin plural endings (mostly -i and -ae) without realizing it in inappropriate ways.

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/plurals?view=uk

Octopodes it is, apparently ;)

The dictionary I looked it up in (the one on answers.com, American Heritage or something) said they were a pair of -usses. And that "octopi" was also correct (which it isn't, as we all know, but it is accepted). Not even dictionaries can get it sorted :D

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/plurals?view=uk

Octopodes it is, apparently ;)

Yes, my Latin teacher talked about this once and that's what she said it was.

The English language is like a democracy, which ever gets used most is right. Rules are for the sheep. The people who need to be told how to live their life.

Yer gadam yuuur ryite fok ve riwles theer toeatarlieh youshlef.

Yer gadam yuuur ryite fok ve riwles theer toeatarlieh youshlef.

I get, "Your goddamn your right, f*** the rules they're totally useless", am I right?

Yer gadam yuuur ryite fok ve riwles theer toeatarlieh youshlef.Fine, want to make a poll? I'll prove my point.

I think it's a little silly to dismiss the rules altogether. But perhaps they're more like guidelines: I started this sentence with a conjunction but nobody cares. Usage obviously changes the rules, and there can be conflicting rules in existence at the same time, which is why attempts to codify them are invariably inaccurate and quickly anachronistic. Such attempts are nevertheless interesting and useful if they tell us something about how language operates.
To sum up: yeah the rules change, but they're there and they're important, and to deny it is foolish.

For the n-th time, I've seen these plural forms:

Octopi (pl. of octopus)
Platypi (pl. of platypus)

The thing that really puzzles me, is that the -i plural is correct for latin words of the 2nd declination (ex. lup-us, pl. lup-i). But "octopus" and "platypus" come from ancient greek. "Octopus" is compound of "okto" (eight) and "pous" (foot) (3rd declination), and the same goes for "platypus". "Pous" (genitive singular "podos") should become "poda" in the plural (I think it's neuter, else its plural would be "podes").

So the plural form of "octopus" should be "octopoda", and the pl. of "platypus" should be "platypoda". Unless I'm mistaken about the gender of "pous", that is, if "pous" is masculine or feminine then the plural are "octopodes" and "platypodes".

What do you think?
It's too goddamn early in the morning for this stuff. :D

It's too goddamn early in the morning for this stuff. :D

Not THIS side of Okeanos, old chap.:D

Why would English follow the Ancient Greek rules of grammar? It doesn't even follow its own.

For the n-th time, I've seen these plural forms:

Octopi (pl. of octopus)
Platypi (pl. of platypus)

The thing that really puzzles me, is that the -i plural is correct for latin words of the 2nd declination (ex. lup-us, pl. lup-i). But "octopus" and "platypus" come from ancient greek. "Octopus" is compound of "okto" (eight) and "pous" (foot) (3rd declination), and the same goes for "platypus". "Pous" (genitive singular "podos") should become "poda" in the plural (I think it's neuter, else its plural would be "podes").

So the plural form of "octopus" should be "octopoda", and the pl. of "platypus" should be "platypoda". Unless I'm mistaken about the gender of "pous", that is, if "pous" is masculine or feminine then the plural are "octopodes" and "platypodes".

What do you think?
From what I was taught, "octopuses" is used when you are speaking about more than one octopus of the same species. "Octopoda" or "octopodes" would be used when you are speaking about different types of octopus.

My only source for this is my marine bio prof from college, though, and that man wore socks with sandals every damn day. So take it with a grain of salt.

For the n-th time, I've seen these plural forms:

Octopi (pl. of octopus)
Platypi (pl. of platypus)

The thing that really puzzles me, is that the -i plural is correct for latin words of the 2nd declination (ex. lup-us, pl. lup-i). But "octopus" and "platypus" come from ancient greek. "Octopus" is compound of "okto" (eight) and "pous" (foot) (3rd declination), and the same goes for "platypus". "Pous" (genitive singular "podos") should become "poda" in the plural (I think it's neuter, else its plural would be "podes").

So the plural form of "octopus" should be "octopoda", and the pl. of "platypus" should be "platypoda". Unless I'm mistaken about the gender of "pous", that is, if "pous" is masculine or feminine then the plural are "octopodes" and "platypodes".

What do you think?


Heheh it's English mate! Not Greek or Latin.

Heheh it's English mate! Not Greek or Latin.

Beat you to it :p

Damnnnnn Yooouu!:p

Ohh ohh or should that be damn yous?

Damneth thou*



Oh snap, timewarp.

Beat you to it :p

Damnnnnn Yooouu!:p

Ohh ohh or should that be damn yous?

It's kind of the same, like when people pronounce "curriculum vitae" as "curriculum vae-tay" instead of "wee-tai"

Oh well. People will always append random latin plural endings (mostly -i and -ae) without realizing it in inappropriate ways.

i think that also depends on if they studied church latin or classical latin. my father went to jesuit schools and pronounce it with a "v." i went to public school and studied classical latin, and pronounce it with the "w".

Ah well. If people followed the rules of grammar strictly, we wouldn’t be able to have so much beautiful poetry written in the English language. Or newspaper headlines, for that matter.

English is notorious for not giving a flying-llama about 'correct' grammar.
Because we are tired of making this bullshit language make sense. Now I'm going to go feed my herd of meese.

Me see many octopus swim in sea.

8 arm belong octopus give fish big hug.

Where's the problem, folks?