Linguists are probably the least likely people to get upset at someone using the “wrong” word. they might pull out their notebook and start asking you questions though
I feel like any linguist upset by non-prescriptive language needs to maybe reconsider their life choices. Imagine telling someone they’re painting incorrectly or being mad at the discovery of a new species.
I meant to put the linguist at the end in quotes my bad on that. I was trying to refer to the self styled reddit “linguists” that you would see trying to correct people for using the wrong form of then/than where it was really not appropriate.
That one Merriam-Webster video that did the rounds on this topic years ago seems to have been retracted. I don’t think “technically correct” is right, since it is never really used, but more “arguably could have been”. And, as was even stated in that video, if you say octopedes nobody will know what you’re on about.
The video has been taken down, but they’ve published this article which ultimately recommends either “octopuses” or “octopi”, and reaffirms that if you say octopodes nobody will know what it means. Except octopodes nuts.
Well, we can’t have all the octopodes nuts having their secret octopodes (related?) discussions with their own secret language like the word “octopods”, now can we?
Depends on the language. Current standardized American English overwhelmingly list adds -s/-es to make a plural noun. So “octopuses” would be technically correct with “octopodes” and “octopi” also accepted.
If you’re writing Latin, you’d want octopi instead. If you’re writing Greek: octopodes.
But English is a democratic language, so feel free to vote often and early by using your preferred version.
To be pedantic, octopi comes from the misconception that octopus is a second-declension noun in Latin when it’s actually a third-declension noun. If you were writing Latin, you’d still want octopodes
*octopodes (yes I know octopuses is also correct but the technically correct version sounds cooler)
Octopodes nuts
I kinda love how this only works if you know the correct pronunciation. For those that don’t, it’s ock-top-uh-deez
I use all forms of octopi interchangeably just to piss off “linguists”.
Edit:linguists -> “linguists”
Linguists are probably the least likely people to get upset at someone using the “wrong” word. they might pull out their notebook and start asking you questions though
I feel like any linguist upset by non-prescriptive language needs to maybe reconsider their life choices. Imagine telling someone they’re painting incorrectly or being mad at the discovery of a new species.
I meant to put the linguist at the end in quotes my bad on that. I was trying to refer to the self styled reddit “linguists” that you would see trying to correct people for using the wrong form of then/than where it was really not appropriate.
Octopi, octopuses, and octopods are all valid pluralizations of octopus in American English.
Conversely, cacti is the only valid pluralization of cactus.
Don’t worry, language itself pissed us off long before you did.
octopiussi
That one Merriam-Webster video that did the rounds on this topic years ago seems to have been retracted. I don’t think “technically correct” is right, since it is never really used, but more “arguably could have been”. And, as was even stated in that video, if you say octopedes nobody will know what you’re on about.
The video has been taken down, but they’ve published this article which ultimately recommends either “octopuses” or “octopi”, and reaffirms that if you say octopodes nobody will know what it means. Except octopodes nuts.
Well, we can’t have all the octopodes nuts having their secret octopodes (related?) discussions with their own secret language like the word “octopods”, now can we?
We can’t keep letting them get away with it!
*Octopussies
Only Japanese ones
Depends on the language. Current standardized American English overwhelmingly list adds
-s/-esto make a plural noun. So “octopuses” would be technically correct with “octopodes” and “octopi” also accepted.If you’re writing Latin, you’d want octopi instead. If you’re writing Greek: octopodes.
But English is a democratic language, so feel free to vote often and early by using your preferred version.
at this point i feel the only sensible answer is to use the most nonsensical form that still sounds normal
Octothingies is my favorite
To be pedantic, octopi comes from the misconception that octopus is a second-declension noun in Latin when it’s actually a third-declension noun. If you were writing Latin, you’d still want octopodes
Octopi?
Dont you dare use a Latin pluralization of a Greek root word!
I’ll use whatever pluralodes I feel like!
Wow, look at all these plurapodes
There’s lodes of them!
Its origin is Greek, but it comes to us through Latin, so fuck it. Plus it’s language, and octopi is understood by fluent speakers
You want 8 pies? What?
Title fixed.