A question of plurals
 

This is kinda random, but I notice the main site and the banner at the top of this page say "forums." Isn't it supposed to be fora? Like Data and datum?

Supposedly this debate has raged at this forum before.

I still think it's forums, though. Everyone else says fora. I've NEVER heard fora, though. Ever.

The problem stems from the fact that the English word forum is the exact same as the Latin word forum, but the languages handle plurals differently. English typically makes a word plural by sticking -s or -es on the end of the word, whereas Latin is completely insane. So which version is right? The snobby intellectuals who study Latin say fora, the snobby intellectuals who study English say forums, and the rest of us just decide to call them bulletin boards since the plural isn't as confusing.

(cf. octopus, virus, medium)

Hope this helps.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Not again!

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

:twisted:

Heck, and they still aren't filled with cream!

Octopi, virii and media. Those I think are easy to solve.

I usually go with forums, though.

Gatac

Yes, but look them up in an English dictionary. Octupuses and mediums are listed as valid plurals. And viruses is the only accepted plural for virus in most (if not all) English dictionaries.

Virus is a bit odd since it doesn't have a plural in Latin. Broadly (and somewhat inaccurately) speaking, it means gunk, which is...the correct nomenclature escapes me, but I want to say partitive.

Basically, you don't say one gunk, many gunks, you say ewwww, some gunk. Hence, virus as we use it to describe infectious agents has nothing in common with the Latin word.

Also, I come down on the fora side of the debate.

Octopuses, I kinda understand, though I think it sounds stupid as heck. But mediums? Why? Media is already in widespread usage, why use another word for it?

Gatac

^EXACTLY! IT'S SILLY!
I say fora, you say forums, YOUR WRONG! IT'S FROM THE LATIN!
Ahem. Forums may be technically valid, but there are some words and constructions in the English language which are ugly, and should not be used as such.
And latin is hardly "snobby" - just useful. I would go on to point out that roman prostitutes, slaves, etc used the language as well........but I can't be bothered :wink:

Octopodes, actually. "Eight legs."

Declensions, people, declensions!

My doctor said I should avoid doing those.

How does one decline a noun? Like so:

No thanks, I filled up on adjectives at lunch.

Well, it only took 12 posts to take this from a question to ramblings about eating words. Good, but we can do better!

I land on the forums side, as it is the more widely accepted form of the word. We just happen to have more people who study latin here than the average forum. While I feel that everyone is free to call it whatever they choose, all I have to say is this:

Fora sounds silly.

Well, I like fora better personally, but it's not a big deal.

Using that you could also say foras for a collection of multiple message board sites, where forumses just sounds silly. ;)

GHAA!

Thanks ever so much. Now my eyes are on fire. Ow.

This made me laugh just as much as "swoopy" did.

Looks like someone has the case of the swoopies

I used to have a bus driver named swoopy.

Well, that's what we called him.

He was old, senile, and irratible.

He soon quit and started working at mall security.

"Forumses" makes you sound like Gollum, yesssss ...