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In response to
"Octopi. -- nm"
by
Spawn
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octopuses
Posted by
marcel (aka marcel)
Nov 23 '11, 12:29
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The term "octopus" is from Greek ὀκτάπους[34][35] (oktapous, "eight-footed"), with traditional plural forms "octopuses" (pronounced /ˈɒktəpʊsɪz/) from English grammar and "octopodes" (pronounced /ɒkˈtɒpədiːz/) from the Greek. Currently, "octopuses" is the most common form in both the US and the UK. The term "octopod" (plural: "octopods" or "octopodes") is taken from the taxonomic order Octopoda but has no classical equivalent. The collective plural "octopus" is usually reserved for animals consumed for food.
Some authorities find that octopi is an objectionable[36] hypercorrection, feeling that the form arose from the incorrect assumption that "octopus" is a Latin form. However, "octopus" is a Scientific Latin word, while the Latinized spelling of the Greek word is "octopous." The word came into English via Neo-Latin rather than directly from Greek.[37] Perhaps reflecting the amount of scientific literature that was written in Neo-Latin, the Latinate plural remains more common than the original Greek one.
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