<p>"Prii" is right only if we're treating it as a noun, when its origin is as an adverb (as in, nisi prius). Since it's not a word that existed in Latin in noun form, we should pluralize it as the English word it is, thus Priuses. This is why 'Octopi' is actually wrong, as the word itself is not Latin but Greek. Had the Romans used Prius as a noun, without changing it, Prii would make sense, but they didn't. Priuses. </p>
"Gins and tonic" is wrong. Both gin and tonic, as indivisible liquids, can be either singular (if you're talking about quantities of the ingredient; i.e., a glass of gin, two buckets of gin, as opposed to a pot of potatoes, three bowls of grapes) or plural (if you're talking about "gin" as the name of a drink, i.e., I need three gins and a Shirley Temple). In this case, "gin and tonic" does not refer to two drinks (a gin and a tonic), but a single drink. So the name is "gin and tonic," and to pluralize it, you just add an s on the end of the whole name.
The phrase "gins and tonic" suggests that you are getting a bunch of gins (which would be separate drinks), all diluted with a single tonic. That doesn't make any sense.
The plural of Wii is Wiii. When Nintendo comes out with the next-generation Wii, it will be Wii:ii.
Prii is cute, but wrong.
ReplyDeleteAlso, autoblog doesn't know what "majority" means.
-Ted
Prii is cute, but incorrect.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Autoblog doesn't know what "majority" means.
I know it's technically right (radius/radii), but I don't like it.
ReplyDeleteThis is great, because I was worried that the Prius and all things associated with it were becoming insufficiently smug.
ReplyDeleteOops -- that was me.
ReplyDelete(And nothing personal against Ted or other Prius drivers!)
ReplyDelete<span>Priores? Priora? My Latin is rusty, but I think that's how it would work for an abverb, even for one as clumsily adapted as Prius is.</span>
ReplyDelete<p>"Prii" is right only if we're treating it as a noun, when its origin is as an adverb (as in, nisi prius). Since it's not a word that existed in Latin in noun form, we should pluralize it as the English word it is, thus Priuses. This is why 'Octopi' is actually wrong, as the word itself is not Latin but Greek. Had the Romans used Prius as a noun, without changing it, Prii would make sense, but they didn't. Priuses.
ReplyDelete</p>
I'm quite happy about this, as I've been calling them Prii for some time. Vindication!
ReplyDeleteThat's so Winklevi
ReplyDelete"Gins and tonic" is wrong. Both gin and tonic, as indivisible liquids, can be either singular (if you're talking about quantities of the ingredient; i.e., a glass of gin, two buckets of gin, as opposed to a pot of potatoes, three bowls of grapes) or plural (if you're talking about "gin" as the name of a drink, i.e., I need three gins and a Shirley Temple). In this case, "gin and tonic" does not refer to two drinks (a gin and a tonic), but a single drink. So the name is "gin and tonic," and to pluralize it, you just add an s on the end of the whole name.
ReplyDeleteThe phrase "gins and tonic" suggests that you are getting a bunch of gins (which would be separate drinks), all diluted with a single tonic. That doesn't make any sense.
The plural of Wii is Wiii. When Nintendo comes out with the next-generation Wii, it will be Wii:ii.
How about "Postus"?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/v/wFyY2mK8pxk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="170" height="140
ReplyDeletewe too or we few. is that a hidden shakespeare reference?
ReplyDelete