Le Emily le Geek

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I have been corrected so many times about the plural word for Octopus! Especially in London at the pub, when my British friends thinks its funny that the lil American girl can’t speak properly (only the men btw, specifically Anthony & Chris). I only speak incorrectly once I’ve had a few pints and begin speaking with my British accent….. and that’s something you’ll just have to experience in person….or not.

johncabrera:

Sorry, it’s just not. It’s Octopuses.

In Latin, when a word ends in ‘us’ its plural form is often ‘i’.

An example of this is Cactus… whose plural is Cacti. Or Fungus whose plural is Fungi.

However…

Octopus is not a Latin word. It’s originally from the Ancient Greek word Oktopous, and so technically it’s plural form is Oktopodes. But no one uses this, since Octopus has long been an accepted English word, pluralized with ‘es’ (the modern Greek word is something totally different.)

If it had been a Latin word, it would have been Octopes and therefore pluralize Octopedes… like Centipedes.

It’s also Platapuses, Hippopotomuses… and although these next five are derived from Latin, it’s Viruses, Bonuses, Anuses, Campuses, and Statuses.

This isn’t a pet peve of mine… just some useless info to help you sound like a total language snob when people get it wrong.