Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums Q&A about words Forums Calendar Active Threads Search Forum Help
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
#5614
08/24/00 08:25 AM 08/24/00 08:25 AMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 Max QuordlepleenOP
Carpal TunnelOP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Re: Virii - why not? #5615
08/24/00 09:43 AM 08/24/00 09:43 AMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 RhubarbCommando![]()
Pooh-Bah![]()
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Virii ?? why two "i"s ? (apart from hackneyed jokes about being able to see better)
Surely the plural of "virus" should be "viri": it could only be virii if the singular were virius (c.f. radius/radii)
It is the sort of question that bugs you, is it not?
#5616
08/24/00 10:08 AM 08/24/00 10:08 AMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 Max QuordlepleenOP
Carpal TunnelOP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Re: Virii - why not? #5617
08/24/00 11:22 AM 08/24/00 11:22 AMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 RhubarbCommando![]()
Pooh-Bah![]()
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
This is what is vulgarly referred to as "a cop out."
"Beauty is truth," you say; "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is an aphorism also well accredited. Put them together and you can deduce that truth is in the eye of the beholder.
Which gives "viruses" an equal claim, I aver.
Re: Virii - why not? #5618
08/24/00 12:06 PM 08/24/00 12:06 PMJoined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Marion NC TEd Remington![]()
Carpal Tunnel![]()
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Marion NC The plural is viri in Latin but viruses in English. I have seen it as viri in medical journals, but not anywhere else that I recall.
I suspect the reason for this apparent discrepancy is that viruses trips off the tongue better than do radiuses and hippopotamuses. The accented syllable (vir) is too close to the -i to be sonorous (at least in English).
Along those lines, most dictionaries show octopuses or octopi as the plural of octopus. In my view the latter is incorrect since octopus is not from Latin, but from Greek okto (eight) plus pous (foot).
TEd
Re: Virii - why not? #5619
08/24/00 03:06 PM 08/24/00 03:06 PMJoined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,538
this too shall pass tsuwm![]()
Carpal Tunnel![]()
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,538
this too shall pass >Along those lines, most dictionaries show octopuses or octopi as the plural of octopus. In my view the latter is incorrect since octopus is not from Latin, but from Greek okto (eight) plus pous (foot).
well, maybe we should compromise with octopodes then...
#5620
08/24/00 06:47 PM 08/24/00 06:47 PMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 Max QuordlepleenOP
Carpal TunnelOP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Re: Virii - why not? #5621
08/24/00 10:33 PM 08/24/00 10:33 PMJoined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
Melbourne, Australia lusy![]()
member![]()
member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 140
Melbourne, Australia well, maybe we should compromise with octopodes then...
Thanks yet again, tsuwm, for setting us all straight. My beloved Chambers even agrees with you!!
It gives "octpuses" as archaic, "octopi" as wrong, and "octopodes" as correct. And I have seen this form used often, can't remember specifically where or when.
Rgds, lusy
#5622
08/24/00 10:48 PM 08/24/00 10:48 PMJoined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 Max QuordlepleenOP
Carpal TunnelOP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Re: Virii - why not? #5623
08/25/00 08:11 AM 08/25/00 08:11 AMJoined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
Sydney Australia Bridget![]()
addict![]()
addict
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
Sydney Australia >, maybe we should compromise with octopodes then<
Can I infer from this that now I have moved to Australia I am living in an Antipus?
Shame, I always rather liked cats.....
Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
Moderated by Jackie
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,887Posts225,486Members9,074 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Delvillar_91, EmmaBird, Wordster, ipsydsea, somdcomputerguy
9074 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 1 registered members (1 invisible), 274 guests, and 3 spiders. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 29LukeJavan8 23
Top Posters(All Time) wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613tsuwm 10,538LukeJavan8 9,307wofahulicodoc 8,306Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Wordsmith.org