It's octopuses not octopi, right?

[EleutheraRox]

Since "octopus" stems from the greek? Just making sure I'm not crazy...

Thanks!
Mike

 

[papagimp]

Heck if I know, I still refer to my fish as "fishies". Something tells me it would just be "octopus" wheather it's just one or a bunch, but english was never my best class. Octopuses just doesn't sound right. of course neither does Octopi.

 

[Reefers4U]

either will work.

Main Entry: oc·to·pus
Pronunciation: 'äk-t&-p&s, -"pus
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -pus·es or oc·to·pi /-"pI/
Etymology: New Latin Octopod-, Octopus, from Greek oktOpous
1 : any of a genus (Octopus) of cephalopod mollusks that have eight muscular arms equipped with two rows of suckers ; broadly : any octopod excepting the paper nautilus
2 : something that resembles an octopus especially in having many centrally directed branches

 

[Gonodactylus]

Convention has come around to octopuses.

Roy

 

[olivia640]

I read somewhere that it's octopuses if your talking about more than one octopus of the same species, but if you're talking about multiple species it's octopi.

 

[B. Fishy]

Actually, "octopodes", "octopi", or "octopuses" are all legitimate plurals. Since "octopus" is Latinized Greek, "octopodes" is arguably the most correct (!) plural.

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/plurals

 

[Gonodactylus]

Logically, it is difficult for something to be most correct.

Roy

 

[B. Fishy]

"Logically, it is difficult for something to be most correct."

What was the purpose of this post?

 

[justinl]

lol i dunno but it was pretty funny. relax, a bit of humour didn't kill anyone.

 

[LeslieS]

Sorry, that wasn't B. Fishy. It was me using his computer.



As this is not the grammar forum, I'll chill ;-)

 

[sharkdude]

I vote for Octopussies!

http://www.scootermydaisyheads.com/fine_art/drawings/09/zoom.htm

 

[acroboy]

I thought Octopus was already plural. 1 octopus, 2 outopus , 3 octopus, Dinner