[Gllug] Plurals

[Rev Simon Rumble]

<game status=on>

On Thu 19 Jun, t.clarke bloviated thus:
> Just to be pedantic, on the subject of the correct plural for anatomical
> features previously mentioned,  I believe that the rule is basically,
> using the example of 'cactus',

Actually, no.

The rule for plurals of "us" words depends on the origin of the word.
Hence "viruses".

Not all Latin words ending in "-us" had plurals in "-i".
"Apparatus", "cantus", "coitus", "hiatus", "impetus", "Jesus",
"lapsus linguae", "nexus", "plexus", "prospectus", "sinus", and
"status" were 4th declension in Latin, and had plurals in "-us" with
"genus", and "opus" were 3rd declension, with plurals "corpora",
"genera", and "opera".  "Virus" is not attested in the plural in
Latin, and is of a rare form (2nd declension neuter in -us) that
makes it debatable what the Latin plural would have been; the only
plural in English is "viruses".  "Omnibus" and "rebus" were not
nominative nouns in Latin.  "Ignoramus" was not a noun in Latin.

>From the alt.usage.english FAQ:
http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxplural.html

Now we were talking about the word "clitoris", a different form
again.  According to this alt.usage.english, the plural is
"clitorides".

http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxplural.html

</game>

Back to Linux, shall we?

-- 
Rev Simon Rumble <simon at rumble.net>
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