I understand when people speak about the ethical problems with eating meat, but I think they do not apply to fish.

  • Beemo Dinosaurierfuß
    link
    fedilink
    69 months ago

    Just to be the super-nerd, octopus is not a regular latin word.
    I think it is actually a greek loan word in latin.

    So the plural is either octopodes to follow the original greek or octopuses in regular english.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      79 months ago

      The correct plural is whatever word you say that people understand as meaning more than one octopus. That’s how language works.

      • Beemo Dinosaurierfuß
        link
        fedilink
        19 months ago

        I mean I get your point and for all intents and purposes I don’t even necessarily disagree.

        I just wanted to add this little factoid, since I think using “octopi” instead of the at least equally as correct “octopuses” shows that one tries to follow the etymology of the word.
        And if you try to do that, the etymologically correct plural is “octopodes”.

        Then again I hesitated even answering you, since I am by no means one of those weirdos that has a problem with language changing.

        For all I care we can talk about octopussies and octopiarians or whatever, but as someone that had to learn latin as a child, the use of octopi just kind of itches my brain.

        But it is all good, I get what you are saying and my first post was never meant as a negative critique of OP and more as a fun fact.