[Date Prev][Date Next][Subject Prev][Subject Next][ Date Index][ Subject Index]

Re: Status, Portable

Reply to note from Patricia M Godfrey  Wed, 19
Jun 2002 15:32:36 -0400

> Plural of status in Latin would be status.

This reminds me of a pet peeve of mine: the pseudo-Latin plural
"viri" or, worse yet, "virii". Fact is, the Latin virus (meaning
slime or poison) has no plural. The correct English plural is
"viruses".

This would be true, IMO, even if the Latin "viri" did exist. The
more assimilated a word, the more loudly it cries out for an English
plural. Take "genus". Who, today, says "genera" with a straight
face?

OTOH, if you're gonna appropriate a Latin word, at least use it, er,
appropriately.  "Data" is singular? I don't think so. "Momento"
(for keepsake)? "De minimus"? Gimme a break!

And remember: Semper ubi sub ubi!

--
Carl Distefano
cld@xxxxxxxx
http://users.datarealm.com/xywwweb/