Comment on I love Octopuses by WishmasterAlchemist
Here's why I used "Octopuses" (from Wikipedia):
There are three plural forms of octopus: octopuses, octopi and octopodes. Currently, octopuses is the most common form in the UK as well as the US; octopodes is rare, and octopi is often objectionable.
The Oxford English Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order); it labels octopodes "rare", and notes that octopi derives from the mistaken assumption that octōpūs is a second declension Latin noun, which it is not. Rather, it is (Latinized) Ancient Greek, from oktṓpous, whose plural is oktṓpodes.
Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and the Compact Oxford Dictionary list only octopuses, although the latter notes that octopodes is "still occasionally used". Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary lists octopuses and octopi, in that order; Webster's New World College Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order).
Fowler's Modern English Usage states that "the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses" and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic.
Something similar happens for Hippopotamuses and Platypuses, the plural form in -uses is the most used worldwide and is preferred by scientists.
There are three plural forms of octopus: octopuses, octopi and octopodes. Currently, octopuses is the most common form in the UK as well as the US; octopodes is rare, and octopi is often objectionable.
The Oxford English Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order); it labels octopodes "rare", and notes that octopi derives from the mistaken assumption that octōpūs is a second declension Latin noun, which it is not. Rather, it is (Latinized) Ancient Greek, from oktṓpous, whose plural is oktṓpodes.
Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and the Compact Oxford Dictionary list only octopuses, although the latter notes that octopodes is "still occasionally used". Merriam-Webster 11th Collegiate Dictionary lists octopuses and octopi, in that order; Webster's New World College Dictionary lists octopuses, octopi and octopodes (in that order).
Fowler's Modern English Usage states that "the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses" and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic.
Something similar happens for Hippopotamuses and Platypuses, the plural form in -uses is the most used worldwide and is preferred by scientists.
My god, everything I know is a lie!
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It's just that sometimes English plural forms may be confusing... my experience with stamps tells me that there are often several names that refer to the same species... and I usually choose the most credited by scientists 