Plurals...

[Killswitch]

Something on Slashdot annoyed me today and I want to know people's opinion on it. I'm something of a grammar/spelling nazi, although I think that ties in with the whole Aspergers/OCD thing I have going on.

The plural of Mouse (as in "squeak squeak") is, of course, "mice". However I think it's well established now that the plural of Mouse (as in a computer mouse) is "mouses". This is because the plural form is specific to the animal.

Now, someone slagged off a guy on Slashdot for saying "viruses" and not "virii". Now, the plural of viruses (as in "atchoo!") is, quite definitely, "virii" but surely, by the mouse logic, a computer with multiple infected files would have "viruses".

This has been really bugging me all morning! Perhaps I think about things too much, who knows? I NEED AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE GRADUATE, STAT!

Slow morning at work...

 

[Sparx]

I dont say mouses, you sound 5 year old. I say Mice in any sense

You used too many commas in the third paragraph.

Pow Grammar Nazi deflect

 

[Ch3tan]

You sound like a shit grammar nazi, like sparx I never use "mouses", "mice" is the correct word.

 

[Cadelin]

Now, someone slagged off a guy on Slashdot for saying "viruses" and not "virii". Now, the plural of viruses (as in "atchoo!") is, quite definitely, "virii" but surely, by the mouse logic, a computer with multiple infected files would have "viruses".

I just looked in a dictionary (physical and online) and they both said the plural of virus was viruses although one said virii was also acceptable.

Maybe somethng like this just happened to you:

 

[Killswitch]

You sound like a shit grammar nazi, like sparx I never use "mouses", "mice" is the correct word.

But...mice is provably NOT the correct word, unless you're talking about actual running-around-going-squeak mice. The collective noun for a group of bats is a "colony". I'm pretty sure it would be wrong to refer to a group of baseball or table-tennis bats as a "colony" though!!

Apparently the collective noun for mice is a "mischief". Again, I doubt you'd refer to a pile of Logitech MX518s as a "mischief". Believe it or not, rules pertaining to nouns do change depending on the subject.

Although...having done some quick Googling, I can't find a reference to back up my particular argument! You could argue that "mice" is actually the incorrect word, it's an irregular plural based (presumably) on common usage. The correct form would be "mouses" (as in houses and louses). Irregular plurals tend to be specific (like oxen, for example).

Okay, so let's assume both "mice" and "mouses" are correct, until I can find a definitive reference. Where does that leave us with "virii" against "viruses"? Surely the common usage would be viruses...does that make me sound like a 5 year old too?

Also, my use of commas is syntactically and grammatically fine, although modern writing tends to use them less and less to represent breaks in the flow of a sentence. I find things easier to read that use more commas than less, but that might just be me. Saying there are "too many" isn't right though

 

[Killswitch]

I just looked in a dictionary (physical and online) and they both said the plural of virus was viruses although one said virii was also acceptable.

Maybe somethng like this just happened to you:

More XKCD on FHOT please!

 

[Ch3tan]

Nope I never argued your "virii" argument, viruses works fine. Mouses however does not work, it reads badly.

 

[Sparx]

I didnt mean you per say. I meant saying it out loud made, for example me, sound like a 5 year old.

Rather than using so many commas you should have broken the paragraph up with full stops and commas, rule of thumb you shouldn't use more than 2 (i believe, someone correct me) in a sentence. Unless you are using them in the place of brackets, even then you shouldn't do twice in a sentence like you done above.

Just so you are aware i am in no way a grammar nazi, i hate grammar nazis. You started your post proclaiming to be of the said third reicht movement then proceeded to make mistakes yourself.

EDIT: Reading the comma problem again, it seems you have done what most people do. Try so hard not to make a gramatical mistake you over compensate and use too many.

 

[Killswitch]

i R make misteaks???? rly?

oh noes!



(sorry...couldn't resist!)
(note the excellent use of the much-maligned ellipsis in the previous apology)
(___|___)

 

[Sparx]

Imgormiel is our resident wordsmith, he shall show us the correct way

 

[Sparx]

Although...having done some quick Googling, I can't find a reference to back up my particular argument! You could argue that "mice" is actually the incorrect word, it's an irregular plural based (presumably) on common usage. The correct form would be "mouses" (as in houses and louses). Irregular plurals tend to be specific (like oxen, for example).

Okay, so let's assume both "mice" and "mouses" are correct, until I can find a definitive reference. Where does that leave us with "virii" against "viruses"? Surely the common usage would be viruses...does that make me sound like a 5 year old too?

Not picking anything apart just thinking if only the English language was this simple to understand.

 

[BloodOmen]

Couldn't resist

 

[Calaen]

I didnt mean you per say. I meant saying it out loud made, for example me, sound like a 5 year old.

Rather than using so many commas you should have broken the paragraph up with full stops and commas, rule of thumb you shouldn't use more than 2 (i believe, someone correct me) in a sentence. Unless you are using them in the place of brackets, even then you shouldn't do twice in a sentence like you done above.

Just so you are aware i am in no way a grammar nazi, i hate grammar nazis. You started your post proclaiming to be of the said third reicht movement then proceeded to make mistakes yourself.

EDIT: Reading the comma problem again, it seems you have done what most people do. Try so hard not to make a gramatical mistake you over compensate and use too many.

ah I almost had you on your edit fucker, but then I realised that I had not seen other posts below

 

[Sparx]

Thats the great thing about someone being a Grammar Nazi. Everyone gets involved and tries to pick each others posts apart.

Luckily it only stays in one thread.

 

[Sparx]

Couldn't resist

Am i doing it right?

 

[DocWolfe]

I think that the plural of computer mouse is computer mice.

Wikipedia states it can be either however... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_(computing)

 

[Raven]

It is mice and viruses. Maybe it's not grammatically correct to use them but then that's the English language for you

 

[Sparx]

I use mice and viruses on a daily basis in my job, and so do nearly every techie i know

 

[Golena]

Wat happens if I has one computer mouse and one rodent?

 

[Nate]

The English language was not created to make sense. Stop trying!

 

[Ch3tan]

Wat happens if I has one computer mouse and one rodent?

Then you have a mouse and a rat.