224
octopus
(lemmy.world)
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2024
224 points (100.0% liked)
Memes
51765 readers
848 users here now
Rules:
- Be civil and nice.
- Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.
founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
Why is octopi correct? Based on what?
Because people use it, and if you say it everybody will understand without any ambiguity.
Then the meme is formatted incorrectly. Or "correctly", if we define correct as "incorrect, but, you get it, so..."
Except, usage defines language. If it didn't, English wouldn't exist. Therefore, usage is correct when people understand and use it.
That's what I said.
Then why are you saying it's incorrectly formatted? I'm directly backing its premise.
"Octopi" is only "correct" because of common usage. Octopus does not have a Latin origin, so it doesn't make sense to pluralize it that way. Which is to say it's not technically correct, it's just "correct".
In the proper format of this meme, the wojack in the middle should be obsessed with technical correctness, while the one on the right is fine with merely "correctness" (as in, enough people use it to make it understood).
But since you can understand it, the format is merely "correct" (I'm being tongue-in-cheek to make a point)
The Latin origin. Words ending on -us turn almost always into -i in plural in Latin. And that's where it comes from (octo eight, pus/pes foot).
It's Greek, not Latin. It should be octopodes.
Octopuses is correct if you're referring to many different species of octopus. Octopi would be correct if you're referring to a cluster of one species of octopus.
Based on what?