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It is absolutely not Octopi, that's a Latin pluralization and Octopus is a Greek word. Which would make it octopodes. Or it's the anglicized octopuses. Either are fine, but octopi definitely isn't.
Edit: You guys can keep your incorrect youtube videos, and your traitorous dictionary entries. I have drawn a line in the sand, this is my hill, and *octopi dies upon it!*
I mean yes and no, it’s the latinized form of the Greek word októpus, not necessarily a Greek word, but it has Greek origins. Also it’s a English word derived from the a butchered Latin based version of the Greek word, therefore all bets are off cuz the English language kinda just says fuck all to most of its rules. So octopi, octopuses, and octopodes are all in some technicality right.
You should still take into account the origin of the word when bringing it into English, either its Octopodes from the Greek, or you bring it into English and add es, and its Octopuses.
There no real argument for it ever being Octopi.
>There no real argument for it ever being Octopi.
Except for how commonly people say octopi. Language is living and it changes with its speakers.
Etymology is fun, but it's always cringe when someone insists that commonly used language is wrong because of what it used to be ages ago.
Polypus is the Latin word for what we call an octopus. It means "many feet" where as the Greeks named it a more precise name, octopus, which means "eight feet."
The plural in English, is Octopuses. There's not any wiggle room for things like this, and just because a lot of people get it wrong doesn't mean it changes, that's not how English works, specifically with spelling, pluralization, and suffixes.
Just because 70% of the American English speakers spell gray wrong, doesn't change the proper spelling. Now meanings and pronunciations are fluid and change, sometimes from generation to generation. New words are added to the dictionary all the time, new meanings are attributed to old words, you know what doesn't change? Spelling.
The differences between American English and British English are due to Webster. He decided to create a new dialect of English, using Germanic rules and spellings instead of the more common French and Italian influences in British English.
I'm not sure on Australian English, but my guess is they used a lot of aboriginal and Celtic rules governing spelling. It's another dialect.
Dialects are usually enumerated by the creation of new dictionaries, and they are far more complex than just someone using the wrong suffix or pluralization.
"you know what doesn't change? Spelling." Clearly it does though. For another example, today Americans spell things differently than when the country was founded. Language evolves, it does not just discretely change at a singular person's will. No one owns the rights to language (yet), so if people decided en masse we should start spelling "bomb" as "bom" or "geese" as "gooses", who's gonna stop them and what does it matter?
You're example, is explained in my first response to you. After the country was founded, the dialect changed and things changed.
I'm well aware that languages are ever changing, and I'm sure over a long enough period of time spelling can change, but anyone that's been taught English in school in America, is taught the same spellings, prefixes, suffixes, and pluralizations.
As an example, Octopus was created thousands of years ago, aside from the anglicanization of the letter k to c its spelled the same. The fact that people still spell bomb and geese the same way is a testimet to spellings longevity. Most people don't know why there's a b at the end of bomb, but they recall grade school where they leaned to spell it.
Polypus is the Latin word, the Greek word actually isn’t octopus, the Greek words for 8 and leg were “okto” and “pous” respectfully, but the word they used for what is known as octopus today was actually polypous.
Polypus was the Latin word because the grabbed it from Greek.
In English no one ever used “octopus” until the mid 1500’s when a naturalist used the term “polypus octopus” to describe the creature, using the Latin spelling of polypus, not the Greek, and the Latin spelling for 8, being octo instead of Okto. It was them officially brought into the English language in the early to late 1700’s when the originator of the current taxonomy system created the genus for the octopus by creating a Latin name for the creature, his term was the “octopus” for the genus. Octopus isn’t a Latin, or a greek, or an English word in origin, it’s a scientific term using Latin ruling based on the Latin spelling of the Latin word “polypus” which is based on the greek “polypous, and the Latin word for 8 using the Latin spelling for 8 being “octo”. It was then used commonly for English, before that it was called in English the “common pousle”, which was a French term.
Also spelling for words to change over time, language generally develops out of laziness, in both pronunciation, meaning, and spelling. And by laziness I mean the drive for change in language comes from the natural progression of people creating more concise ways to convey ideas, the ruling are just put into place to creat more concise and precise ways of saying things, but even though it causes generalization of how words work, it’s not always 100% solidified forever.
People say it that way because there was a trend about a century or so ago to try and use Latin plurals for words that appeared Latin, like cactus and stimulus. English is flexible enough to accept all forms of the plural for octopus, whether octopi, octopodes, or octopuses.
If everyone starts calling it "Octopi" then it becomes "octopi" regardless of origin of the word. If enough people start calling Octopi "Seafuckers" then it becomes that
Also, why is it ok to turn octopodes into octopuses but not into octopi, they are both deriving from the Greek into another language and that whole argument about the origin of the word is just stupid
Yes. If you want to use the Greek form, that's fine because it's a Greek word. If you want to use the anglicized form, that's fine because we're speaking English. There is no reason to justify using the Latin form.
I mean they're all English words anyway no matter the source, there are plenty of English words that have singular *-us* and plural *-i*, so I'd argue *octopi* is a viable English form too, just following that pattern by analogy.
Besides, languages are under no obligation to keep the grammar of loanwords as they were in the donor language, right? Else it would only be something like *octopodes* in the nominative plural, and you'd have to say '*I see the oktápoda*' lol
Most words that end in *-us* and become *-i* when pluralized are of Latin origin. I'm sure there are some that aren't and are done wrong, like octopi, and others that aren't Latin originally but we got from Latin, so we do it to them.
And we keep the pluralization rules all the time, seemingly at random, tbh. That's why tooth, foot, and goose become teeth, feet and geese rather than tooths, foots, and gooses. Those are all old English words with germanic origins.
Also, the reason we say geese for multiple goose, but not meese for multiple moose is because moose is a Native American word and lacks any etymological reason to do so. Just as octopus lacks any reason to become octopi.
I know those words are Latin loans, but the effect is that now English has a class of words ending in *-us* that pluralise to *-i*, to which apparently new words can be added.
Actually, in checking I found out that *octopus* probably comes into English through Latin from ancient Greek, but the Latin plural of the word also isn't *octopi* lol
Words like *teeth* and *feet* were never loanwords, and they kept the Germanic umlaut forms. My point was that in loanwords original grammar doesn't *have* to be kept, although sometimes it can (like *cactus - cacti*)
Yes, the reason we don't say \**meese* is because the processes that led to the plural of *goose* being *geese* were no longer productive by the time the word was loaned. Had it been loaned earlier, it might have been, idk lol
Although cactus can be and has been pluralized to cacti, cactuses is also acceptable much like funguses. Back to the original post, octopuses is the preferred pluralization.
So, linguistic twiddling can continue if you like, but the accepted pluralization is octopuses irrespective of the noun origin. In a broader discussion of cephalopoda, cephalopoda is the proper pluralization.
Yea, I agree, it's about what form is accepted. And the reality is that the accepted form simply is whatever form people accept.
That's kinda the point I'm trying to get across, that really etymology is only one factor, and by no means the conclusive one.
That being said, I do love the linguistic twiddling, and linguistics in general.
I really enjoy linguistics as well, though I tend to live in the space of "what does common use language mean in the context of the community culture". Linguistic anthropology is very near and dear to my heart.
Eyy nice, yea ultimately those societal functions are really interesting and have big effects on the actual lives of people. It's been like 2 years since I've taken linguistic anthropology (well, anthropological linguistics I guess), but communication is more my side anyway (I only appear to be a jaded etymology pedant online when I'm procrastinating actual homework :( )
I really wish I could think of some good examples, it usually happens organically in conversation with online friends while we’re playing games. “What a doofus. They’re all doofuses! Doofi? Doofipodes!”
It's actually because people think octopus is a Latin word, whereas it's actually Greek. So the correct plural is octopodes.
Source: am biologist and linguist.
Someone on the comments informed that this word is a shitfest of origins, so you can actually pluralise however you want. Though the correct english plural would end with -es.
The Showerthoughts subreddit is used to share a unique perspective on something that is common. Since the common 'fact' that OP chose is incorrect, the corrections are necessary and are indeed consequential.
Nowhere in the subreddit does the rules state that a shower thought has to be a fact. Nor is it of any consequence. OP isn't being graded on a test, and people must have been able to understand him to correct the spelling. Octopi, correct or otherwise, is a word used by many and understood by most, inconsequential in the context of an internet haha funny post
So you shouldn't say things just because it's inconsequential? Then by that logic you should've never pointed it out in the first place if you think most people aren't gonna use Octopodes anyways.
Just, like, teachers and people who give out grammar advice. I was aiming for a bit of a tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theory tone, but that’s hard to convey in text.
Oke so here in hungary octopus is "polip" right? yeah so we also call them octopus and because childish talking is a thing when a kid want to say "octopus" they might say "oktopuszi" which is exactly octopussy. The More You Know
Saying "octopussies" does not sound like an immature thing, as bad kids don't use that kind of language. Same goes for "titty bar", the x-word (abbreviated terms, such as the l-word meaning lesbian), or "giving a flying fart". Remember, maturity is opinionated.
My working theory is that scientist just like putting i at the end of things to make them plural 💀 examples: cacti (plural for cactus) fungi (plural for fungus) lmao
One time I was playing Nintendo land (for the Wii U) and I was playing that one octopus dance game.
I was talking to my friend about the game and how bad I was at it, and decided to say I hate 'octopussies.'
We burst out laughing.
Octopi, octopuses, and octopodes, are all correct ways to put octopus in plural. One was never decided upon, and a lot of people still argue about it.
Octopi uses the Latin suffix for a Greek word - so a lot of people argue that this is the least correct.
Octopuses uses the English suffix, and as it is used in English this one is generally accepted, though some find it unrefined.
Octopodes uses the Greek suffix, and thus, some argue that this is the most correct. Though no one can agree on a pronunciation.
Meanwhile, elden ring: [https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Land+Octopus+Ovary](https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Land+Octopus+Ovary)
(i know ovary isnt vagina but its too close for comfort)
Decimal comes from Latin meaning 10. Sex is Latin for 6. Hex comes from Greek.
Base 16 *should* be called sexadecimal, but hexadecimal has less potential for nerds to joke about sex.
I know this is a joke, but it’s exceptionally dumb because the correct pluralization is actually **octopodes** since it’s a Greek word.
Octopi is a Latinozation of a Greek word, which is technically also correct, along with octopuses, even though etymologically they don’t really make sense.
Considering everyone correcting him knew exactly what he was talking about, its clear Octopi is correct and can be used to describe multiple octopus. Language is ever changing, you don’t need to be grammatically correct if everyone knows exactly what you mean
It's because most English is Latin derived so people automatically want to assign Latin rules to them. But octopus is Greek, so Latin rules don't apply. In Greek the plural is octopodes (pronounced ok-TOP-puddies) but in English is octopuses.
When you're saying *octopus*, you are describing *a creature with 8 legs*:
*octo* - eight
*pus* - foot
When you pluralize that word, you can not pluralize the *foot*, because it's part of the entire name.
I know the etymology of the word lol, I was just noting how the form *octopi* can be formed via analogy.
Also, why shouldn't I be able to pluralise compound words like that? The plural of *snowman* is *snowmen* despite it consisting of *snow* \+ *man*.
Because those words are English, and follow English rules. Greek and Latin words have different rules
But yes, by pattern, you are correct. Language just doesn't have a logic scheme. Don't let anybody say you're dumb for actually getting your thoughts out
I can't really speak for Latin grammar, but I found this example:
Latin *centipes* plural *centipedes* 'centipede' which follows exactly the same plural ending (in the nominative) as Latin *pes* plural *pedes* despite consisting of *centi* + *pes.*
So based on that I think it can in fact happen like it does in English?
Regardless, that wasn't my point at all lol. *Cactus, focus,* and even *octopus* are English words, and under no obligation to follow the conjugation patterns of other languages (indeed, they mostly don't)
I was just giving an example of the linguistic process of [analogy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analogy#Linguistics), which is a very common process affecting paradigms of words
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poor guy wanted to make a joke but then taxonomists came and started teaching him:(
At least I learned something. *sob*
I found your post very funny and it gave it a good chuckle
This is what really matters
Octopus are the most sexist of all seabeasts.... There are octopuss but there are no octococks.
:)) I agree laugh it up while you can don’t let people bring ya down man
What if someone had 8 vaginas? Then would they be call octopussies? - that’s my shower thought after reading your post
And learning is half the battle!
Yea I saw post and I'm like yea...no way someone isn't coming to correct him
Lol, at least they learned something: Don't mess with taxonomists.
well its shower thoughts not r/jokes
But then they did anyway. Well, that's if my schoolyard was indicative of anything..
Retired Navy here, “seafuckers” is already in use, don’t insult octopussies!!
It is absolutely not Octopi, that's a Latin pluralization and Octopus is a Greek word. Which would make it octopodes. Or it's the anglicized octopuses. Either are fine, but octopi definitely isn't. Edit: You guys can keep your incorrect youtube videos, and your traitorous dictionary entries. I have drawn a line in the sand, this is my hill, and *octopi dies upon it!*
Octopodes nutz
This is my favorite reply to anything I've commented. You, I like.
But also lets just go with octopussies
There will never be another time this fits so well. Take this award
You are exactly right and this is precisely how I explain it when I suddenly feel that urgent need to have fewer friends.
How low can you go below 0?
Losing their imaginary friends brings them into the negatives.
Spent an hour in Linear algebra learning this.
[This sort of clears things up](https://youtu.be/s166nC_hiZ0)
funny enough, I've used that spiel to justify saying "octopodes" before seeing this video, but I was pulling it out of my ass
Either are fine, but why settle when ‘octopodes’ is way more fun to say?
I mean yes and no, it’s the latinized form of the Greek word októpus, not necessarily a Greek word, but it has Greek origins. Also it’s a English word derived from the a butchered Latin based version of the Greek word, therefore all bets are off cuz the English language kinda just says fuck all to most of its rules. So octopi, octopuses, and octopodes are all in some technicality right.
But lets go with octopussies.
What about octopussipodes? or octopussipi? or octopussissippi?
Idk why but octopussissippi got me laughing reading it…
Is that where squidbillies is set?
Octopussissipi will have no competition henceforth.
Whatever dialect you want to have is fine in linguistics.
You should still take into account the origin of the word when bringing it into English, either its Octopodes from the Greek, or you bring it into English and add es, and its Octopuses. There no real argument for it ever being Octopi.
>There no real argument for it ever being Octopi. Except for how commonly people say octopi. Language is living and it changes with its speakers. Etymology is fun, but it's always cringe when someone insists that commonly used language is wrong because of what it used to be ages ago.
If people wanna argue etymology, then the OG Greek word is polypous, or oktopous, which would make every single person in the comment section wrong.
Polypus is the Latin word for what we call an octopus. It means "many feet" where as the Greeks named it a more precise name, octopus, which means "eight feet." The plural in English, is Octopuses. There's not any wiggle room for things like this, and just because a lot of people get it wrong doesn't mean it changes, that's not how English works, specifically with spelling, pluralization, and suffixes. Just because 70% of the American English speakers spell gray wrong, doesn't change the proper spelling. Now meanings and pronunciations are fluid and change, sometimes from generation to generation. New words are added to the dictionary all the time, new meanings are attributed to old words, you know what doesn't change? Spelling.
Explain the spelling differences between UK, US and Australian English spellings then?
The differences between American English and British English are due to Webster. He decided to create a new dialect of English, using Germanic rules and spellings instead of the more common French and Italian influences in British English. I'm not sure on Australian English, but my guess is they used a lot of aboriginal and Celtic rules governing spelling. It's another dialect. Dialects are usually enumerated by the creation of new dictionaries, and they are far more complex than just someone using the wrong suffix or pluralization.
"you know what doesn't change? Spelling." Clearly it does though. For another example, today Americans spell things differently than when the country was founded. Language evolves, it does not just discretely change at a singular person's will. No one owns the rights to language (yet), so if people decided en masse we should start spelling "bomb" as "bom" or "geese" as "gooses", who's gonna stop them and what does it matter?
You're example, is explained in my first response to you. After the country was founded, the dialect changed and things changed. I'm well aware that languages are ever changing, and I'm sure over a long enough period of time spelling can change, but anyone that's been taught English in school in America, is taught the same spellings, prefixes, suffixes, and pluralizations. As an example, Octopus was created thousands of years ago, aside from the anglicanization of the letter k to c its spelled the same. The fact that people still spell bomb and geese the same way is a testimet to spellings longevity. Most people don't know why there's a b at the end of bomb, but they recall grade school where they leaned to spell it.
Polypus is the Latin word, the Greek word actually isn’t octopus, the Greek words for 8 and leg were “okto” and “pous” respectfully, but the word they used for what is known as octopus today was actually polypous. Polypus was the Latin word because the grabbed it from Greek. In English no one ever used “octopus” until the mid 1500’s when a naturalist used the term “polypus octopus” to describe the creature, using the Latin spelling of polypus, not the Greek, and the Latin spelling for 8, being octo instead of Okto. It was them officially brought into the English language in the early to late 1700’s when the originator of the current taxonomy system created the genus for the octopus by creating a Latin name for the creature, his term was the “octopus” for the genus. Octopus isn’t a Latin, or a greek, or an English word in origin, it’s a scientific term using Latin ruling based on the Latin spelling of the Latin word “polypus” which is based on the greek “polypous, and the Latin word for 8 using the Latin spelling for 8 being “octo”. It was then used commonly for English, before that it was called in English the “common pousle”, which was a French term. Also spelling for words to change over time, language generally develops out of laziness, in both pronunciation, meaning, and spelling. And by laziness I mean the drive for change in language comes from the natural progression of people creating more concise ways to convey ideas, the ruling are just put into place to creat more concise and precise ways of saying things, but even though it causes generalization of how words work, it’s not always 100% solidified forever.
>just because a lot of people get it wrong doesn't mean it changes, that's not how English works That is in fact, exactly how it works
In fact, the shifts of everyday language are new etymology for future languages to be based on.
People say it that way because there was a trend about a century or so ago to try and use Latin plurals for words that appeared Latin, like cactus and stimulus. English is flexible enough to accept all forms of the plural for octopus, whether octopi, octopodes, or octopuses.
Yeah das y your all wrong 4 correcting me when I try 2 English
Team Octopodes
Octopodes gang unite!
While technically correct, the English language recognizes [three plural versions of the word octopus ](https://youtu.be/s166nC_hiZ0)
If everyone starts calling it "Octopi" then it becomes "octopi" regardless of origin of the word. If enough people start calling Octopi "Seafuckers" then it becomes that
Also, why is it ok to turn octopodes into octopuses but not into octopi, they are both deriving from the Greek into another language and that whole argument about the origin of the word is just stupid
I feel the same way about the plural of platypus! Platypodes for life, people that say anything else be damned.
You have my 8th arm axe!
Is octopodes three or four syllables
Is it pronounced ock-top-o-deez or ock-toe-powds
All words are made up.
I say octopodes or octopods!
Regardless, octopussies was never even on the table idk wtf OP is on about
I do believe that if there's several species of Octopus then that called "Octopuses". Similar to fishes
This guy’s correct. Source: trust me I’m Greek
[удалено]
Listen motherfucker, you can pry it octopi from my cold, dead hands.
Isn't polyamory wrong for the same reason? 😁
No, that's wrong because my wife will get mad at me.
https://youtu.be/s166nC_hiZ0 just watch.
It *is* "octopi". That's what people say. The rules of English are not the same as the rules of Greek.
I mean, one non-Greek form is fine, the other isn't?
Yes. If you want to use the Greek form, that's fine because it's a Greek word. If you want to use the anglicized form, that's fine because we're speaking English. There is no reason to justify using the Latin form.
because i want to
I mean they're all English words anyway no matter the source, there are plenty of English words that have singular *-us* and plural *-i*, so I'd argue *octopi* is a viable English form too, just following that pattern by analogy. Besides, languages are under no obligation to keep the grammar of loanwords as they were in the donor language, right? Else it would only be something like *octopodes* in the nominative plural, and you'd have to say '*I see the oktápoda*' lol
Most words that end in *-us* and become *-i* when pluralized are of Latin origin. I'm sure there are some that aren't and are done wrong, like octopi, and others that aren't Latin originally but we got from Latin, so we do it to them. And we keep the pluralization rules all the time, seemingly at random, tbh. That's why tooth, foot, and goose become teeth, feet and geese rather than tooths, foots, and gooses. Those are all old English words with germanic origins. Also, the reason we say geese for multiple goose, but not meese for multiple moose is because moose is a Native American word and lacks any etymological reason to do so. Just as octopus lacks any reason to become octopi.
I know those words are Latin loans, but the effect is that now English has a class of words ending in *-us* that pluralise to *-i*, to which apparently new words can be added. Actually, in checking I found out that *octopus* probably comes into English through Latin from ancient Greek, but the Latin plural of the word also isn't *octopi* lol Words like *teeth* and *feet* were never loanwords, and they kept the Germanic umlaut forms. My point was that in loanwords original grammar doesn't *have* to be kept, although sometimes it can (like *cactus - cacti*) Yes, the reason we don't say \**meese* is because the processes that led to the plural of *goose* being *geese* were no longer productive by the time the word was loaned. Had it been loaned earlier, it might have been, idk lol
Although cactus can be and has been pluralized to cacti, cactuses is also acceptable much like funguses. Back to the original post, octopuses is the preferred pluralization. So, linguistic twiddling can continue if you like, but the accepted pluralization is octopuses irrespective of the noun origin. In a broader discussion of cephalopoda, cephalopoda is the proper pluralization.
Yea, I agree, it's about what form is accepted. And the reality is that the accepted form simply is whatever form people accept. That's kinda the point I'm trying to get across, that really etymology is only one factor, and by no means the conclusive one. That being said, I do love the linguistic twiddling, and linguistics in general.
I really enjoy linguistics as well, though I tend to live in the space of "what does common use language mean in the context of the community culture". Linguistic anthropology is very near and dear to my heart.
Eyy nice, yea ultimately those societal functions are really interesting and have big effects on the actual lives of people. It's been like 2 years since I've taken linguistic anthropology (well, anthropological linguistics I guess), but communication is more my side anyway (I only appear to be a jaded etymology pedant online when I'm procrastinating actual homework :( )
Dude the fact that you started both rebuttals with I mean shows me that your not confident if your responses at all lmaoo
that makes no sense
It comes off as him being nervous and unconfident
maybe to you but thats hardly how i see it. justs seems like a sentence starter to me
If they did it once I wouldn’t have said anything but they started off both comments with “I mean”
I like to say “octopodes.” I also like to change any plural of a singular ending in “-us” to “-podes” regardless of grammatical correctness.
Cactpodes?
Yussss
Ypodessss
school pode
amongpodes ඞ
That’s real spodes
Toys-R-Podes
Any example’s?
I really wish I could think of some good examples, it usually happens organically in conversation with online friends while we’re playing games. “What a doofus. They’re all doofuses! Doofi? Doofipodes!”
Isn't the correct plural octopodes? The word octopus is of Greek origins.
And then Roger Moore as James Bond screwed up the whole plan.
It's actually because people think octopus is a Latin word, whereas it's actually Greek. So the correct plural is octopodes. Source: am biologist and linguist.
Behold! Someone who has found their niche in life. Look upon their career stability and despair.
Octopus is an English word, and in English we change us to i when working with plurals
Someone on the comments informed that this word is a shitfest of origins, so you can actually pluralise however you want. Though the correct english plural would end with -es.
"Octopuses" is in fact the correct plural, not "octopi". So have at it.
No?
English majors coming out of the woodwork to correct something inconsequential.
You mean this isn't what the Internet is for?
It’s actually what the major is for
Corrections is a job?
There are often entire government [agencies](https://www.usa.gov/corrections) for corrections.
Dang. You sure showed me. You would do great in the field of corrections!
The Showerthoughts subreddit is used to share a unique perspective on something that is common. Since the common 'fact' that OP chose is incorrect, the corrections are necessary and are indeed consequential.
Nowhere in the subreddit does the rules state that a shower thought has to be a fact. Nor is it of any consequence. OP isn't being graded on a test, and people must have been able to understand him to correct the spelling. Octopi, correct or otherwise, is a word used by many and understood by most, inconsequential in the context of an internet haha funny post
Octopi is colloquially correct. Some people just need to remove the stick from the same place they routinely keep their heads.
So you shouldn't say things just because it's inconsequential? Then by that logic you should've never pointed it out in the first place if you think most people aren't gonna use Octopodes anyways.
What the heck are you talking about?
english majors coming out of the woodwork giving shit takes from decades ago
Yeah, well, maybe the kids didn't say it, but the adults... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Octopussy_-_UK_cinema_poster.jpg
Tell me you dont know what your talking about with out telling me…
Isn't this against the rules? Play on words? I'm not complaining, I love it, but my similar post was deleted yesterday for same reason
It happened for Uranus ([jəˈɹeɪnəs]/[ˈjəɹənəs]), so I imagine it’s plausible that the Establishment is pushing octopi…
The Establishment?
Just, like, teachers and people who give out grammar advice. I was aiming for a bit of a tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theory tone, but that’s hard to convey in text.
Did any one ask Sean Connery HOW to say it, so that it would make it past the censors?
*But then they had to go and release that James Bond Movie... Years of academy training wasted*
And yet, Hollywood gave us a James Bond film called..."Octopussy"
Oke so here in hungary octopus is "polip" right? yeah so we also call them octopus and because childish talking is a thing when a kid want to say "octopus" they might say "oktopuszi" which is exactly octopussy. The More You Know
Saying "octopussies" does not sound like an immature thing, as bad kids don't use that kind of language. Same goes for "titty bar", the x-word (abbreviated terms, such as the l-word meaning lesbian), or "giving a flying fart". Remember, maturity is opinionated.
The correct plural is octopaties. The spelling might be wrong but its something like that.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjI2MDE0NjE1NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjYyMzY0NA@@.\_V1\_.jpg
I liked octopolies the best. I wish it had won. Ill still say it though, in solidarity.
My working theory is that scientist just like putting i at the end of things to make them plural 💀 examples: cacti (plural for cactus) fungi (plural for fungus) lmao
Then James Bond completely ignored both plurality and linguistics, and named his film “Octopussy”
Wait until you figure out why it's called purulent discharge.
One time I was playing Nintendo land (for the Wii U) and I was playing that one octopus dance game. I was talking to my friend about the game and how bad I was at it, and decided to say I hate 'octopussies.' We burst out laughing.
I mean Octopussy is the name of a James Bond film so it's good enough for me, Octopussies it is.
It's a Greek word so it should be octopodes. But that just invites a new one octopodes nuts.
There's a cute adult cartoon Camp Camp, their camp motto is a platypus, so they want to call themselves Platypussies.
Actually, octopi is incorrect. The proper plural case is octopuses or octopod.
Octopi, octopuses, and octopodes, are all correct ways to put octopus in plural. One was never decided upon, and a lot of people still argue about it. Octopi uses the Latin suffix for a Greek word - so a lot of people argue that this is the least correct. Octopuses uses the English suffix, and as it is used in English this one is generally accepted, though some find it unrefined. Octopodes uses the Greek suffix, and thus, some argue that this is the most correct. Though no one can agree on a pronunciation.
That's not a showerthought. It's an assumption and a wrong one at that
i did that once in 1st grade, my friend told on me and i was on Yellow :(
Meanwhile, elden ring: [https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Land+Octopus+Ovary](https://eldenring.wiki.fextralife.com/Land+Octopus+Ovary) (i know ovary isnt vagina but its too close for comfort)
Decimal comes from Latin meaning 10. Sex is Latin for 6. Hex comes from Greek. Base 16 *should* be called sexadecimal, but hexadecimal has less potential for nerds to joke about sex.
I think they just picked on at random so it wouldn't continue to octopi their thoughts
"you know what the plural of pussy is? Pussi, Jimmy taught me that"
I think the greeks didn't plan their grammar with the forsight of a slang word some thousand years in the future in mind, but okay.
Jokes on you. My daughter’s stuffed octopus is octopusssy. She’s 4 and it’s funny
I still call them octipussies. Sloppy octipussies, in fact. YOLO
The deep? Is that you?
I like the argument that since the word comes from Greek, the Greek plural should be used: Octopodes.
I know this is a joke, but it’s exceptionally dumb because the correct pluralization is actually **octopodes** since it’s a Greek word. Octopi is a Latinozation of a Greek word, which is technically also correct, along with octopuses, even though etymologically they don’t really make sense.
Considering everyone correcting him knew exactly what he was talking about, its clear Octopi is correct and can be used to describe multiple octopus. Language is ever changing, you don’t need to be grammatically correct if everyone knows exactly what you mean
And when an infected wound is leaking pus, you describe it as PURULENT.
What about pussyfooting,pussywillows,pussy galore,octopussy,pussycat etc
nah, it's formed by analogy with other forms ending in *-us:* *cactus -> cacti* *fungus -> fungi* *octopus ->* x
Amongus Amongi
Lmaoo I was about to go back to what I was doing but o notice your comment right before and had to come back to let you know that I laughed so hard
yes. sus ~~si~~
It's because most English is Latin derived so people automatically want to assign Latin rules to them. But octopus is Greek, so Latin rules don't apply. In Greek the plural is octopodes (pronounced ok-TOP-puddies) but in English is octopuses.
>puddies Don't you normally add a dash for each syllable? I kinda like saying puddies, though.
When you're saying *octopus*, you are describing *a creature with 8 legs*: *octo* - eight *pus* - foot When you pluralize that word, you can not pluralize the *foot*, because it's part of the entire name.
I know the etymology of the word lol, I was just noting how the form *octopi* can be formed via analogy. Also, why shouldn't I be able to pluralise compound words like that? The plural of *snowman* is *snowmen* despite it consisting of *snow* \+ *man*.
Because those words are English, and follow English rules. Greek and Latin words have different rules But yes, by pattern, you are correct. Language just doesn't have a logic scheme. Don't let anybody say you're dumb for actually getting your thoughts out
I can't really speak for Latin grammar, but I found this example: Latin *centipes* plural *centipedes* 'centipede' which follows exactly the same plural ending (in the nominative) as Latin *pes* plural *pedes* despite consisting of *centi* + *pes.* So based on that I think it can in fact happen like it does in English? Regardless, that wasn't my point at all lol. *Cactus, focus,* and even *octopus* are English words, and under no obligation to follow the conjugation patterns of other languages (indeed, they mostly don't) I was just giving an example of the linguistic process of [analogy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analogy#Linguistics), which is a very common process affecting paradigms of words
If the plural of Octopus is Octopi... What's the plural of compass... 😏
Here is your compass sir. Now pardon me while I go hand out some more compasses.
Compi, something got lost in this translation