Question For Everyone...
This is annoying me a bit, so wondering if anyone can help?

Not quite sure how to put this, so i'll just give examples.

Singular Plural
Alumnus Alumni
Octopus Octopi
Platypus Platypi
Hippopotamus Hippopotami

My point is that the singular to these nouns ends in -us, but the plural ends in -i.

My question is thus, when referring to computers, is it Viruses, or Virii?
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 12:49, 23 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

According to Wikipedia
it's Viruses when talking about the biological kind.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_of_virus

It's Virii if you're talking about the computer kind.
( SuperWeasel slightly better than the average weasel, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 12:51, Reply)

What weasel said.
Also, I did a lot of invertebrate work on my degree, and I never once heard the word "octopi" used.
Octopusses a few times.
Most lecturers used "Octopus" as the plural, same as "sheep".
( Cawl, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 12:59, Reply)

I always say 'sheeps'
it confuses foreign types.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:01, Reply)

^
I do that, but with mouses...
( Moey, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:07, Reply)

^
I prefer 'meese'. Most confusing.
( SuperWeasel slightly better than the average weasel, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:07, Reply)

Hee hee; meese.
I like this.
( Moey, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:15, Reply)

I'm going to get confused
if I have to call mouses meese, I mean what should we call mooses and mousses in that case?

Oh, and HELLO!
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:17, Reply)

Bloody hell
Bert's back!

We thought you were dead, Bert. Except Kaol. Somehow he knew the truth.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:18, Reply)

I am dead
WoooOOOOOOoooooo.

Hiya K, how's things?

Kaol knew I wasn't dead because I've only just now escaped from his trouser-shaped prison.
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:20, Reply)

Ah, all is explained
I'm fine, ta. Just back from a lunchtime swim.

Come over to today's HSH thread and say hello.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:22, Reply)

Actually,
Apparently the plural of Octopus is Octipodes, as it's derived from Greek, instead of latin. One can also use Octopopuses.


/geek
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:23, Reply)

I hate barging in on other people's conversations though!
Oh, well. Never mind.
( Bert Monkeysex is waiting for the mods to delete him, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:24, Reply)

viruses
if anyone tells you different set them afire.

cunts.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:25, Reply)

As the Empress said
The "i" plural affix is only correct if the root word is derived from Latin. Therefore "octopi" and "hippopotami" are both incorrect, grammatically. Not sure of the root of the other two, so I'll keep quiet.

Besides which, since all of these are compound words borrowed from the original language, it's perfectly acceptable to say "octopuses"
( Kroney, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:28, Reply)

What Mime said
It always viruses.
( djtrialprice, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:58, Reply)

I'd say that.....
that AC should come to the pub tonight and discuss this in more detail :0)
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 14:22, Reply)

aha
But can anyone tell me the plural of whataclotamus?
(tarbin tarbis, tarbit, tarbamus, tarbimus, tarbant, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 14:24, Reply)

Oh, bums.
Is it then anus and anii?
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 14:53, Reply)

Virii is not a word.
Those claiming that it's a correct derivation obviously haven't looked at the word structure logically. There would only be fewer 'i's involved, surely. Methinks someone coined the word whilst trying to be clever.

If the correct Greek plural of octopus is octopodes, then the plural of hippopotamus should perhaps be hippopotamodes. I just say (hungry) hippos.

I'm off to do some work now, for I am addicted to workahol.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 15:41, Reply)

@Spike
I can't fella, have been dragged to congleton now, mates last night out before he goes to Uni!

Handily he's paying for my drinks, haha!
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 16:42, Reply)

ah
bagpuss, bagpi?
(happylittletulip helpless and delicious, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 20:06, Reply)

What I want to know is the Orange Juice plural
Should it be 'Orange Ji' ?
( Malaka omdz, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 21:59, Reply)

ooh, another one
toothbrush, toothbri
(happylittletulip helpless and delicious, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 22:01, Reply)