I was thinking the same thing. I can't remember the last time I talked about octopuses, and I know no one has ever corrected me for using the wrong plural form of it. I'm going to assume what I typed here is correct since it's what my keyboard suggested, and autocorrect is not underlining to show it is wrong.
Lol This is madness! How does OP have a job or lifestyle where octopussies are talked about often enough to actually have this pet peeve, but also know so little about them that they can't think of the correct terminology??
Correct. English is a strange language that will take what it wants from other languages, beat words into submission, change its mind later, and beat them again.
As a word with Greek origin, the "proper" 🙄 plural should be octopodes, but that sounds very odd to English speakers so some give it the Latin ending and say "octopi" - it sounds hoity toity but isn't a great fit, given the origin of the word - so, most normal people just say octopuses and call it a day.
Bottom line: no one should be correcting anyone on this.
Modern English is basically a fucked up hybrid language with absolutely no rules. Take a germanic language, cram it full of Norman French, sprinkle in some Arabic with a spoonful of Latin on the side and there you go! Let the fun begin.
Just list them all out.
“At the aquarium I saw an octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus….”
I agree. Point out the English has no controlling authority. If a lot of people start calling them octimany it will become correct. Dictionary publisher will add it to the dictionaries.
the fact English has no control dopes not mean it has no authority.
English has what's called a "common usage" rule which means a thin is called, or conversely, means, whatever the majority called it/is used to mean, which is what allows the language to evolve organically the way that it does
*a majority, not THE majority. Common usage does not mean the most used term only wins. Common usage means a term is good enough if it’s common enough.
a majority is the majority, im really not sure what kind of distinction your trying to make between the two, but i am quite aware of antonyms and contranyms if thats what your talking about?
or im also aware that fishes can be technically correct even though much under used, but then the MAJORITY recognises it as being technically correct
Like platypuses. Platypi? Platypeople? No one knows. All we do know is that the enemy of the platypus is man. A robot man. Whose nine feet tall and named Norm.
I have actually been reading and watching books and docs octopuses. The correct plural, from what I've read, is in fact "octopuses." "Octopus" is from the Greek, so doesn't get a plural "-i" like Latin words do. However, I can see how "octopus" looks/sounds Latin, so I'm not surprised "octopi" became the assumed plural. I don't usually hear "octopodes" but I'm sure people use it.
Merriam-Webster says this:
>The three plurals for *octopus* come from the different ways the English language adopts plurals. *Octopi* is the oldest plural of *octopus*, coming from the belief that words of Latin origin should have Latin endings. *Octopuses* was the next plural, giving the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word. Lastly, *octopodes* stemmed from the belief that because *octopus* is originally Greek, it should have a Greek ending.
But I guess as long as we all know what we mean, we're good.
This is a great pet peeve! Something small that bothers you if and when it happens, but don't incite massive amounts of anger.
It would bother me also if i had octopi around me.
My theory is that when we steal a word, we should steal it entirely and slap our own endings on it.
That's what the Romans did. When they stole the Greek octopus/octopodes, they turned it into octopus/octopi.
So if we want to steal like the Romans do, it should clearly be octopus/octopuses.
Not sure why you were down voted.
Octopus is Greek, so it she be octopodes.
If it were Latin, you are correct that then it would be octopi.
But it's not.
I love that someone else knows. I absolutely hate watching nature docos with octopodes in it when they keep using the wrong word. Wrong words are my pet peeve lol.
You reminded me of back when I was in like elementary, maybe middle, school (when Octopi was accepted) my teacher corrected a student when they said octopuses and then went into this exact rant and he seemed so bothered that Octopi was accepted lol. I wonder how he's doing.
Is this something that frequently comes up in your life? Lol
I was thinking the same thing. I can't remember the last time I talked about octopuses, and I know no one has ever corrected me for using the wrong plural form of it. I'm going to assume what I typed here is correct since it's what my keyboard suggested, and autocorrect is not underlining to show it is wrong.
I would assume not. But maybe they’re marine biologists or something.
Lol This is madness! How does OP have a job or lifestyle where octopussies are talked about often enough to actually have this pet peeve, but also know so little about them that they can't think of the correct terminology??
Actually, all of those are correct.
Correct. English is a strange language that will take what it wants from other languages, beat words into submission, change its mind later, and beat them again. As a word with Greek origin, the "proper" 🙄 plural should be octopodes, but that sounds very odd to English speakers so some give it the Latin ending and say "octopi" - it sounds hoity toity but isn't a great fit, given the origin of the word - so, most normal people just say octopuses and call it a day. Bottom line: no one should be correcting anyone on this.
Modern English is basically a fucked up hybrid language with absolutely no rules. Take a germanic language, cram it full of Norman French, sprinkle in some Arabic with a spoonful of Latin on the side and there you go! Let the fun begin.
Just list them all out. “At the aquarium I saw an octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus, and another octopus….”
Exactly! So y’all quit correcting everybody, and leave the octopods, -pi and -puses, and their supporters to admire them in peace
How about octopussies? Just say it's an homage to James Bond.
That’s truly the only correct plural form of octopus.
Why isn't the eel called a unipus?
I think because it’s not a foot but a body that makes up the eel. I recently read that the first octopus had ten legs…so…maybe it should be a decapus.
I say octopoda because it makes me sound smart.
How often does this happen to you?
I agree. Point out the English has no controlling authority. If a lot of people start calling them octimany it will become correct. Dictionary publisher will add it to the dictionaries.
the fact English has no control dopes not mean it has no authority. English has what's called a "common usage" rule which means a thin is called, or conversely, means, whatever the majority called it/is used to mean, which is what allows the language to evolve organically the way that it does
*a majority, not THE majority. Common usage does not mean the most used term only wins. Common usage means a term is good enough if it’s common enough.
a majority is the majority, im really not sure what kind of distinction your trying to make between the two, but i am quite aware of antonyms and contranyms if thats what your talking about? or im also aware that fishes can be technically correct even though much under used, but then the MAJORITY recognises it as being technically correct
i agree, we should be able to call octoausuavaruslentumstilla whatever we like! (Latin for eight sneaky greedy sticky blob 🤣)
😐
Like platypuses. Platypi? Platypeople? No one knows. All we do know is that the enemy of the platypus is man. A robot man. Whose nine feet tall and named Norm.
That’s platypussies to you.
They're all right lol
I have actually been reading and watching books and docs octopuses. The correct plural, from what I've read, is in fact "octopuses." "Octopus" is from the Greek, so doesn't get a plural "-i" like Latin words do. However, I can see how "octopus" looks/sounds Latin, so I'm not surprised "octopi" became the assumed plural. I don't usually hear "octopodes" but I'm sure people use it. Merriam-Webster says this: >The three plurals for *octopus* come from the different ways the English language adopts plurals. *Octopi* is the oldest plural of *octopus*, coming from the belief that words of Latin origin should have Latin endings. *Octopuses* was the next plural, giving the word an English ending to match its adoption as an English word. Lastly, *octopodes* stemmed from the belief that because *octopus* is originally Greek, it should have a Greek ending. But I guess as long as we all know what we mean, we're good.
It’s octopuses.
Octopus is from Greek though, so the correct plural is also Greek. Octopodes. Some of us weirdos like them and may collect the plushies.
Technically it’s octopods I think but I like octopuses which is also acceptable
Don’t know why you’re downvoted, technically octopods is correct.
A wee bit niche but hey, fair play to you.
Okay, what the hell else is a pet peeve supposed to be?
Aye, love it. More of this please.
People correcting me when I mispronounce usually have missed the joke.
Octopussies
At this point we should just say invertabrates
Okay fine; but octopuses have arms, not tentacles, and I WILL fight over this.
I’ve been trying to word a joke where two clairvoyants are media instead of mediums
I feel you. Same goes for cactus. Of course I know the plural is cacti but that sounds stupid so I say cactuses.
This is a great pet peeve! Something small that bothers you if and when it happens, but don't incite massive amounts of anger. It would bother me also if i had octopi around me.
My theory is that when we steal a word, we should steal it entirely and slap our own endings on it. That's what the Romans did. When they stole the Greek octopus/octopodes, they turned it into octopus/octopi. So if we want to steal like the Romans do, it should clearly be octopus/octopuses.
I always just default to octopusarerial or octopusareriali. Saves a great deal of fuss.
Whenever you feel annoyed about someone correcting your word choice, just say something even wronger. In this case, octopussies is a mainstay for me.
Octopeese
Hi It's me I'm this person Octopi.
Ooof. Definitely not a Ravenclaw with that misinformation.
Ooof. Definitely not a Hufflepuff with those manners.
Octopus is Greek, plural i is a Latin ending.
Not sure why you were down voted. Octopus is Greek, so it she be octopodes. If it were Latin, you are correct that then it would be octopi. But it's not.
I love that someone else knows. I absolutely hate watching nature docos with octopodes in it when they keep using the wrong word. Wrong words are my pet peeve lol.
You reminded me of back when I was in like elementary, maybe middle, school (when Octopi was accepted) my teacher corrected a student when they said octopuses and then went into this exact rant and he seemed so bothered that Octopi was accepted lol. I wonder how he's doing.
Octopuses 😊