Three plurals for octopus comes from the different ways that the English language uses plurals. octopus is the oldest plural of octopuscomes from the belief that words of Latin origin should have a Latin ending. octopus is the next plural, giving the word an English ending to accommodate its use as an English word. Final, octopus rooted in the belief that because octopus of Greek origin, it must have a Greek ending.
There are many ways for English to engage speakers, both native and non-native speakers. One of the most effective of these is the diversification method that often follows a set of rules, but sometimes behaves unpredictably.
Our language comes from a variety of sources; generally when a noun enters English, it is pluralized as an English word, rather than in its native form. However, sometimes words will change to English and keep their original language endings, especially if the original language is Latin. Thus, the plural of bacteria To be bacteriamore than bacteria. And just to keep everyone’s attention, some Latin extracts can be pluralized with an English or Latin ending: many stadium Maybe stadium or stadium.
Rule of thumb: if English has a chance to give you a hard time, it will.
The current champion in the Trouble Plural Battle is octopusdepending on the dictionary looked up, can be written in three different ways: octopus, octopusAnd octopus. Such a range of options can make even the most patient language learner say “what the hell? Come on, English, let’s act together.” This situation is not the fault of the English language but the fault of its speakers, who are debating the proper way to convert the plural. octopus For a very long time. An article from more than 140 years ago, “Octopus Philology” (titled the clickbait of that era) offered three possibilities, admittedly mocking two of them:
But as Octopus grew and multiplied, it became necessary to speak of him in the plural; and here a series of difficulties arise. Some daring souls with little Latin and little Greek, rush in octopus; for octopus, a man would soon be thinking of devouring one of the animals described as pronouncing such a word at a venerable tea table. Given the circumstances, we’re pleased to hear that some adamant people have already started talking about Octopods, which is, of course, the closest British approach to the proper plural.— Bradford Observer (West Yorkshire, England), 7 November 1873
Since most people don’t often come across many specimens of this genus of cephalopods, you’ll never find yourself suddenly needing to decide which plural is correct. But you’d better have your irregular pseudo-classical plurals ready—really good advice for life in general—so here’s a brief explanation of your options.
Latin Endings for Latin Words
octopus seems to be the oldest of the three major plural forms, dating back to the early 19th century. The -I ending comes from the belief that words of Latin origin should have a Latin ending in English (while octopus may eventually come from Greek, it stayed in New Latin before coming here).
PACKAGING BY QUOTE. How Octopi possessed Schooner. Incident during a cruise in the Banda Sea—An octopus injured by a sailor calls for help from his companions—They respond immediately and a group of octopuses take control of the deck, bringing the crew Group down below.— (title and footnote) Chicago DailyJanuary 15, 1888
It is certain that octopuses reach great size in Indian waters; and nothing is impossible when they grab a man and drown him.— Penny magazine for the dissemination of useful knowledge (London, England), August 23, 1834
English endings for English words
octopus (can rarely be found displayed as octopus) appeared a little later in the 19th century, and is based not so much on belief but on the habit of placing English words with English endings. While it may sound odd to some, there is nothing wrong with this formation. When octopus used figuratively (“something like an octopus, especially with many branches towards the center”) this seems to be the preferred plural form.
The Standard Oil Company was, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, one of the giant octopuses of time, absorbing everything within its reach and killing everything in its own business by competing. .—
Macon telegraph (Macon, GA), June 24, 1880. 2015He talks deviously for fifty minutes in a long and rambling sequence … embellished with gloomy omens of a near time when he, along with all the other toiling sons, (his hands are beautiful and white, by the way) will be enslaved, and their children denied education by “octopuses”, “millionaires”.— The Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, AR), October 20, 1886
Greek Endings for Greek Words
The rarest of the three, octopus got its ending from some people’s belief that this is a Greek word and should have a Greek ending (and also from the belief that there is no word that can’t be improved by doing make it more confusing).
It seems that the watchman, while cleaning the tank occupied by the octopuses, was suddenly grabbed by the largest octopus (luckily he was wearing beach boots), which tied four tentacles of him around the octopus’s leg. and with the other four clung firmly to the rocks forming the back of the tank.— North East Gazette (Middlesbrough, England), September 5, 1879
There will be no giant tanks filled with mere “show” monsters—bathing dolphins, angelic turtles, and ferocious octopuses.— Daily telegram (London, England) April 16, 1873
All three of these have been criticized in the past, some more than others. If you are interested in choosing the word that is most likely to be considered by your audience to be accurate and easy to understand, you should choose one of the two. octopus or octopus. octopus, it should be noted, has a slightly different pronunciation than the other two, with emphasis on the second syllable, rather than the first. It more or less rhymes, appropriately enough, with “please don’t say that.”
PLUS: A Drudge of Lexicographers Presents: Collective Nouns
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
