science term

[Marina]

Is it octopi or octopuses?

<pedant>

Isn't the "pus" part from the Greek for foot? In that case the plural should be "octopodoi"

</pedant>

Edit: This proves my point

[Platypus]

The way the septics say "Caribbean" winds me up.

Interesting in that I had a convo with my kids about this just the other day - we decided that the US way is prob correct as Caribbeans themselves tend to say it that way.

[Platypus]

Edit: This proves my point

Well, the Oxford dictionary folks differ with you

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

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexper...rammar/plurals

Edit: upon further investigation, it seems that octopuses is in fact the widely accepted form, including by the OED.

[NickFitz]

Edit: This proves my point

A comment on a random Canadian blog cannot be said to "prove" anything

[HairyArsedBloke]

Interesting in that I had a convo with my kids about this just the other day - we decided that the US way is prob correct as Caribbeans themselves tend to say it that way.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that what winds me up the most is that they are probably correct.

As for the locals say it that way too is due to the influence of the septics, no more. The Carib people died out centuries ago.

[NotAllThere]

... the plural of Dobermann is not Doberleute or even Dobermänner.

Is it Döbermann?