OT: Grammar (was Re: Re: [Fedora] Re: Help me find 5 mistakes and than solution to thoes mistakes!)

[Aaron Gaudio]

On Fri, 2004-08-20 at 16:07 -0700, Scott Talbot wrote:

> 	Just curious as to why we must use proper Latin grammar just because we
> borrowed the word from them?  It's not like anyone speaks the language
> anymore.  Do we also learn the grammar of every other language we borrow
> words from.  Judging by this list, few of us even know English grammar.

True. "Viruses" (the supposed correct pluralization of "virus") is
obviously also not from latin. I think the rationale behind not
accepting "viri" is that using "-i" to pluralize is uncommon and
reserved only for words which inherited it from Latin. Since the
"standard" (if anything in English is standard) way of pluralizing is to
add -s or -es to the end of the word, that is to be preferred.

> 
> > But I guess the really important thing is that someone understands you.
> > If they can correct you when you say "virii" then you probably got your
> > message across. :)
> 
> Possibly the smartest off topic sentence seen here today!
> 

Heh heh thanks. Don't try using that argument on the French though!

-- 
Aaron Gaudio <prothonotar at tarnation.dyndns.org>