This has been a question on my head for about two years. I asked all of my teachers and they aren't sure. If the plural form of 'cactus' is 'cacti' and the plural form of 'octopus' is 'octupi', then shouldn't the plural form for 'walrus' be 'walri?'
If the plural form is 'walruses' why doesn't it work on the previous two words mentioned above? All of the words have consonants before the 'us' part, should anyone look at that.
2007-01-15 08:49:18 · 9 answers · asked by Josh R 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It is never wrong to use an English plural for any word in English. Cactuses, ocopuses and walruses are all correct. Walrus is a Germanic word and cannot have the Latin plural so "walruses" is the only option (although you could use "walrus" for both singular and plural). "Cactus" is Latin and can have the plural "cacti" but "octopus" is Greek so the plural should be "octopodes".
Unless you know for certain what the classical plural is, stick to English plurals, you can't go wrong.
Here are a few classical singulars and plurals to show you some of the snares if you use classical plurals without knowing what you are doing.
genus/genera
thesis/theses
miasma/miasmata
forceps/forcipes
index/indices
medium/media
rhinoceros/rhinocerodes
mantis/mantids
platypus/platypodes
On top of that there are many words that end in "-us" that cannot take the Latin plural form "-i" because although they are Latin words, they are not Latin nouns. Probably the two most well known of these are "omnibus/bus" and "virus". The only possible plurals in English are "buses" and "viruses"
2007-01-15 12:28:58 · answer #1 · answered by tentofield 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Walrus Plural
2016-12-12 11:37:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plural Of Walrus
2016-10-30 06:20:13 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, that's a very complicated question. I mean, I always thought that the plural form of octupus is octopuses, no octupi. I also thought the plural form of walrus is walruses. Maybe there could be more than one plural form for the words.
2007-01-15 08:54:54 · answer #4 · answered by Dee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Walruses. English is a crazy language. Say octopuses out loud and you will understand why people don't want to use that as the plural.
2007-01-15 08:55:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know what you mean.
But we don't say 'bi' for the plural of 'bus', or 'martinus' for the singular of 'martini'. Also, the plural of 'syllabus' can be 'syllabuses' (some people prefer 'syllabi').
Just one of the many inconsistencies of the English language.
Take the word 'slaughter' for instance. Take off the first letter and you get 'laughter' - completely different sound. Sword/word; islander/slander; thought/though; spear/pear; danger/anger; wear/ear; cover/over.
We have 'mouse and mice' so why not 'house and hice'?
It all makes our language very interesting.
2007-01-15 10:45:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in some languages, you are right, in common kings grade english, the word walrus doesn`t change, not yet anyway, the way words and syntax`s change over time, it may happen yet especially if the animals move towards extinction, or the common press decides to make an issue of changing the language to fit thier fancy ie naming a popular nightclub band the WARRING WALRAI AND FRIENDS or similar ways
2007-01-15 09:01:29 · answer #7 · answered by robert r 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Walrus (plural walruses or walrus)
2007-01-15 08:54:39 · answer #8 · answered by Braden J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know what you mean. I believe it is "walruses".
English is a funny language.
We say "over" and "hover" with two different "o" sounds even if the only difference is a letter.
2007-01-15 08:53:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Walrii. A little-known (and lesser used) plural.
2007-01-15 08:57:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋