Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
ARRRGGGGHHHH!
PLEASE tell me where you get the ghastly non-word "virii" as a plural of virus?
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Depends on what you mean by "non-word". A "word" is simply a linguistic utterance with a mutually accepted definition. Since "virii" is commonly used in the hacker community as a plural of "virus", therefore it qualifies as a linguistic utterance with a mutually accepted definition. It is therefore, just as much a "word" as, say, "yeouch!" or "bling-bling".
Certainly "virii" is incorrect, Latinly speaking (I have three years of college Latin under my belt so, surprisingly, I know whereof you speak). But for that matter, since as you pointed out the Latin "virus" has no plural, you should also object to "viruses". On the other hand, if you're OK with English pluralizing Latin mass nouns, what matters whether it's done via
-es or a pseudo-Latin -
ii?
Do you object to "alumns"; "operas" (Latin plural: "operae"); "irises" (Latin plural: "irides"); "rhinoceri" instead of "rhinocerotes"; "antennas", "podiums" or "pelvises" rather than the correct "antennae", "podia" or "pelves"; "diplomas" or "traumas" in lieu of the more proper "diplomata" or "traumata"; "focuses" rather than "foci"; using Latin plurals such as "agenda", "stamina" or "insignia" as singular in English?
Why restrict ourselves to Latin? "Spaghetti", "broccoli" and "zucchini" are in fact Italian plural forms: "I bought a zucchini" is really trashy Italian.
