Re: OT: Plural of octopus
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: OT: Plural of octopus
- From: A* P* <a*@academy.net.au>
- Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 09:24:08 -0600 (MDT)
Ian wrote:
>Ann, you are correct in your statement that the word octypus comes from
>the Greek and that the Greek plural is octypodes. I would suggest,
>however, that this plural is very rarely used, even in Australia.
Yes, you are right in thinking that it's rarely used. I must confess, my
reason for using it comes from a book I read at an early age. I can't
remember the title, but it was a children's book by Eric Linklater. One of
the main characters was an octopus, who got very upset whenever anyone used
a plural other than octopodes. My father, who has some knowledge of both
Greek and Latin, confirmed that this was a legitimate plural, so my sister
and I have used it ever since! It's amazing the effect a work of fiction
can have on impressionable young minds...
>Again, the OED states that the plural of iris are both irides and irises
>with approximately the same etymology, however, it also states that the
>use of irides is usually restricted to the eye.
Thank you for clarifying this usage for us.
Ann Pearce
Adelaide, South Australia.
