Famine's Sunday Quiz

[Seanman]

Sunday as in tomorrow, I would imagine.

 

[911_Carrera]

Sunday as in tomorrow, I would imagine.

That's one exciting imagination ya got there bud.

 

[amp88]

Not too disappointed with where I ended up (expected a lot worse), but I reckon Octopi is more deserving of a point than Octopuses

http://googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=octopi&word2=octopuses

 

[Famine]

Octopuses won that Googlefight...

The rule for pluralising -us words is:
Latin-derived words: -us to -i
Greek-derived words: -us to -uses
Made-up words: -us to whatever the hell the person who made it up wants.

But octopus is two words. Octo = eight. Pus =Leg. The plural form of -pus is -podes and this very specific case is the exception. So while "octopuses" is acceptable, only "octopodes" is correct. Octopi is horse poo.

 

[amp88]

Octopuses won that Googlefight...

The rule for pluralising -us words is:
Latin-derived words: -us to -i
Greek-derived words: -us to -uses
Made-up words: -us to whatever the hell the person who made it up wants.

But octopus is two words. Octo = eight. Pus =Leg. The plural form of -pus is -podes and this very specific case is the exception. So while "octopuses" is acceptable, only "octopodes" is correct. Octopi is horse poo.

It was a close one though (the Googlefight)

Och, 'twas only a joke, but I learned something new from your explanation anyway

 

[amp88]

Hmmm...after a discussion with my friend...he's decided you're wrong.

He's insisting "octopuses" is correct and pointed me toward a few dictionaries. The only one we've got in the house (Collins English Dictionary) notes the plural of octopus as "octopuses".

If you could give me proof that he's wrong and you're right, I'd be eternally grateful.

 

[sn00pie]

Octopi is horse poo.

Have you ever tasted octo pie?

 

[Famine]

If you could give me proof that he's wrong and you're right, I'd be eternally grateful.

I am Famine.


But, if I must...

A note on the plural form: Fowler's Modern English Usage states that "the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses", and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic. Octopi derives from the mistaken notion that octopus is Latin, which it is not. Rather, it is (Latinized) Greek, from oktopous (ὀκτώπου&#962, gender masculine, whose plural is oktopodes (ὀκτώποδε&#962. If the word were Latin, it would be octopes ('eight-foot') and the plural octopedes, analogous to centipedes and millipedes, as the plural form of pes ('foot') is pedes. In modern, informal Greek, it is called khtapodi (χταπόδ&#953, gender neuter, with plural form khtapodia (χταπόδι&#945.

That said, Merriam-Webster and other dictionaries accept octopi as a plural form. The Oxford English Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi, and octopodes (the order reflecting decreasing frequency of use), stating that the last form is rare.

As I said, "octopuses" isn't wrong, but only "octopodes" is "correct". Hence 1 point for "octopuses", but the full two only for "octopodes".

 

[daan]

We've got the full Oxford English Dictionary at work (all 20 volumes of it) and it lists the plural as octopodes.

 

[sn00pie]

I am Famine.

Famine

 

[ceiling_fan]

I am Famine.

And here is a picture of you.

...damnit, I can't find that pic. It's in my thread somewhere. (the funny pic thread)

 

[Touring Mars]

I said octopii

 

[Sharky.]

Famine, now there's one too many "e"'s...