Fora vs Forums

We do in fact take on board some non-English grammar when lifting 'foreign' phrases into English, like "al fresco", "literati" and so on.

@jayles - Of course we do, but we don't make a rule of it. And there are good reasons for both your examples - 'al fresco' is an expression, not a word, and 'literati' is virtually only ever used in the plural - when did you last hear anyone mention a literatus (Latin) or literato - (old Italian)?

And then we play with them: to eat 'al desko' ; the 'glitterati', not to mention the 'latterati'.

And most of us, no doubt, refer to 'the hoi-polloi', even though 'hoi' already means 'the'. (Funny how those pedants who object to 'the' hoi-pollo never seem to worry about things like 'the' albatross, 'the' alcove or 'the' alcohol).

The only rule at play here is usage - and often both are possible, although we seem to have our preferences. Forums leads fora, but millennia (despite Firefox red-lining it) totally outstrips millenniums - which hardly registers in British books:

http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=forums%2Cfora%2Cmillenniums%2Cmillennia&year_start=1800&year_end=2005&corpus=18&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cforums%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cfora%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cmillenniums%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cmillennia%3B%2Cc0

Americans seem to prefer referenda to referendums by quite a margin, while Brits less definitively prefer referendums (I'm with the Americans on this one). On the other hand, I doubt many people say 'musea':

http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=referendums%3Aeng_us_2012%2Creferenda%3Aeng_us_2012%2Creferendums%3Aeng_gb_2012%2Creferenda%3Aeng_gb_2012&year_start=1800&year_end=2005&corpus=18&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Creferendums%3Aeng_us_2012%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Creferenda%3Aeng_us_2012%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Creferendums%3Aeng_gb_2012%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Creferenda%3Aeng_gb_2012%3B%2Cc0

Richard Chenevix Trench in "English Past and Present" writes: ... they were made to drop their foreign termination, or otherwise their foreign appearance, to conform themselves to English ways, and only so were finally incorporated into the great family of English words.

Thus a word is not truly English til it loses it foreign look.

To WW's list, I'd add other words like 'czar' ... in Russian, the plural is 'czari' (цари́) and the genitiv ... 'czar's' is 'czarya' (царя́) ... There were two czari and the men czarya (the czar's men) ... The administration's last two health czari ...

Naw, they don't hit the ears right. Once a word is fully English'd, it should take an English plural. Learning the sundry plural shapes from sundry tungs would be great, big pain in the ass ... Not gonna do it!

@Skeeter Lewis - Thanks for that, I'd never realised that's where it came from. You can still find modern examples of it being used in the more general 'legal' sense at Google Books -

"His forensic skills helped him to a number of courtroom victories, but they left him with little sense of personal fulfillment" - D.W. Griffith's the Birth of a Nation, London Melvyn Stokes University College - 2007

This one is not so much legal as going back to idea of a/the forum - "Nixon was an effective debater, but his forensic skills were overwhelmed by the television images of a sweating, shifty—eyed politician which marked the return of the original Tricky Dick" - Presidential Upsets, Douglas J. Clouatre - 2013

And one, appropriately enough, from an account of Ancient Athens:

"His forensic skills had been tested in his litigation with Callippus and his neighbour, Nicostratus" - War, Democracy and Culture in Classical Athens, David M. Pritchard - 2010

I think that even if the speaker knows the correct plural form of a word borrowed from a foreign language (including Latin), then the speaker should not use the correct foreign plural form of the word when speaking or writing English. Why disregard the rules of English grammar? I promise always to use innuendos rather than innuendi.

In fact I've never heard anyone use innuendi which I really could not say without laughing and would not be at all surprised if someone else in earshot made a sarcastic comment, probably including such derogatory terms as "tosser" and "pretentious", aimed at anyone who did use it. Not me of course. Far too polite and well brought up.

I confess to being rather fond of the singular of scampi.....'scampo'.
Skeet

Well the Latin plural of innuendo might be innuendis; but really best avoided; hints would be a better word-choice.

Latin is not a dead language, it is actually the language used in the Vatican City. Language is fluid and morphs all the time, fora will become forums, stadia will become stadiums and the originals will be forgotten. Who says'refrigerator', 'perambulator' or 'influenza' any more?

Sorry to revive this ancient thread, but i was looking online and i think it is interesting that the 'octopodes' plural is getting some support here and there. I thought it was worth highlighting the fact that 'antipodes' follows the same declension - but here we never use the singular form 'antipous'.

Hi everyone!
Again, I need your help
I know that correct construction of the sentence:
"I can see how tiny we are"
But is it possible to say?

"i can see how tiny are we"
Like a statement....
Because in my situation it's better for singing, riming and flow in the song. Or it just sounds stupid?

While this is a discussion of Latin words in English, I'm frightened by the inclusion of a German word, Schnapps, the plural of which is not Schnappsen. Until reading this discussion, I have never seen Schnappsen anywhere (not that I'm a regular consumer of such beverages). Also Schnapps, though directly taken from German is spelled with only one 'p' in its original form. The plural in German would be Schnaepse (if you can't make the umlaut), or Schnäpse. Beyond that forums vice fora is a matter of preference though my spell check prefers the former, I the latter.

Hi can someone please translate this for me

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

thanks
that was useful.
any way this is mobotak.com and its a company whom interested in tech and electronic gadgets.our company buy,sell and repair cell phones,tablets and computers ans so sell their accessories,if you have any questions about this kind of staff we will glad to help.
mobotak.com/Categorygrid/id/74/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%20%DA%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C
mobotak.com/Categorygrid/id/80/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%20%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%84
your sincerely,

that was interesting
any way this is mobotak.com and its a company whom interested in tech and electronic gadgets.our company buy,sell and repair cell phones,tablets and computers ans so sell their accessories,if you have any questions about this kind of staff we will glad to help.
mobotak.com/Categorygrid/id/74/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%20%DA%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C
mobotak.com/Categorygrid/id/80/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%20%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%84

Being wife of very wealthy tycoon, it's understandable that she's able to buy an _____assortment of diamonds.

What word best fits 'expensive' or 'extensive'?

@Matthe Ware
It sounds like a school test! To me either would be "correct"; in fact 'extensive assortment of diamonds' comes up about a dozen times as a phrase on google, but 'expensive...' does not, if that is a good criterion.

It's a clue from a Sunday newspaper crossword. I'm supposed to pick one that fits best even though both seem legit.

I am amused by those who play the "we are modern English speakers, therefore forums is right and Fora is old hat and pretentious" card.

Here is a word for those people "Bullshit!" Or two words "Bovem stercore"

Why, if your modern theory is so right, do you bother to use Forums? Why not meeting places?

I heard a so called intellectual expert on the radio recently, sternly damning Latin plurals "No place for pretentious Latin plurals" he said, "aquariums, stadiums, rostrums, it is all quite correct and even preferred today" and he spluttered on. I had to chuckle, when a little later in the conversation, he used the words; data and criteria; Of course, we all know most assuredly that he meant "datums and criterums"

indeed, but is not the real heart of the question's crossroad whether the proper Latin or modern Anglo-modified (ie) use is effective or simply correct? just considering the question to understand answers was my thought.

DamonTarlaei is a great example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. He claims to be a Latin 'scholar', yet does not know that 'octopus' is of Greek origin. The 'correct' plural, therefore, is 'octopodes'. However, 'octopusses' is generally accepted these days. The one plural that is absolutely wrong (always was, always will be wrong) is 'octopi'.

I personally like your post, you have shared good article. It will help me in great deal.
gmail login

This is really a great stuff for sharing. Keep it up .Thanks for sharing.
hotmail login

Octopodia!

And long live fora!

My complements on your hilarious pop up. I just clicked "no" on the "need a proofreader question" and was greeted with "OK genius, Good luck." I love it. The next time I do need a proofreader you will be my first stop. All the best!

I love your pop up. Just clicked "no" on the "need a proofreader" question and was greeted with: "OK, genius. Good luck." The next time I do need a proofreader, you will be my first stop. All the best!

A pop-up asked me if I needed a proofreader. I replied 'No', and got the reply 'OK, genius'. Not very polite from someone who can't spell 'interchangeable'.

'Octopus' is New Latin dating from the 18th century. It may be of Greek origin, but it's not Greek (if it were, it'd be spelled 'oktopous,' with 'oktopodes' as the plural. So 'octopi' is a perfectly fine plural, as is the anglicized 'octopuses.'

As cited within the Fighter's cons, this magnificence doesn't have a ton of awesome Skill options. It has 6 alternatives, and handiest two of them are universally useful, even as the rest are pretty situational. Those two recommended choices are Second Wind and Sprint, and that is why:

Second Wind is a 50 percentage HP Heal and also cancels out the facet consequences from Adrenaline Rush. The only drawback is it's miles a one-time use in step with suit. Sprint will increase the Fighter's motion speed by way of 50 percentage for about 5 seconds or so. The Fighter is sort of as gradual as the Barbarian whilst wearing armor, so having this feature in reality gives them the danger to shut in on enemies..

Now a few gamers will swear by Adrenaline Rush over Sprint or Victory Strike over Second Wind. And, at the same time as those are exact options, they're a bit too specific to work as general replacements.

Best Perk Options For The Fighter
Now the Perks are where the Fighter really shines. Each of the Fighter's Perks, of which there are 9, are absolutely possible to apply, with handiest multiple them being tremendously higher than the rest. Additionally, quite a few those Perks upload new mechanics to the Fighter, that is exceptional to peer in evaluation to other Classes which have a group of very minute +five percent-type Perks. In preferred, but, those seem to be the high-quality options for these reasons:

Combo Attack: Each enemy is going to take at least 3 or so hits with any guns below Epic rarity from the Fighter, so this Perk is continuously caused. Defense Expert: A 10 percentage growth may not appear to be an awful lot, however whilst the Fighter is equipping units of Plate Armor that exceed 200, it is without a doubt pretty the buff. Swift: In full armor specifically, the Fighter is pretty sluggish, so this Perk enables counter that on top of using Sprint.

Weapon Mastery: This is via far the Perk that players use the most, as it makes the Fighter so much a laugh to play. When geared up, the Fighter can use every unmarried number one or secondary weapon in the sport, inclusive of Bows, Crystal Swords, or maybe Daggers. The Best Armor The Fighter Can Wear.
All servers of Dark and Darker Gold Coins on MMOexp.com.

The Top 5 Madden NFL Amateur of All-Time

Madden NFL 24 Releases Assay 3 Update

Highlights Madden NFL 24 faced criticism from admirers due to a abatement in all-embracing affection and an accent on Ultimate Aggregation mode. The Assay 3 update, blue-blooded "Run It Back," introduces the Acreage Canyon and allows players to comedy as allegorical playmakers. The amend additionally brings aback Ultimate Aggregation programs like Blitz: PREM1ERE and Harvest, alms dispatch boosts, adapted players, and rewards. MMOexp VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

EA has afresh arise the Assay 3 amend of Madden NFL 24 that offers several new features. Madden NFL 24 was arise in August 2023 and actualization an bigger Ultimate Aggregation and Authorization Mode. The FieldSENSE technology alien in NFL 23 is a allotment of this year's bold as well.

Madden NFL 24 recorded absorbing sales abstracts as anon as it was released, but players weren't adored already they approved out the new game. Admirers commented on how the all-embracing affection of the authorization had declined, and some criticized EA's accent on the Ultimate Aggregation admission instead of authoritative abundant improvements or acclimation gameplay issues. Due to this, Madden NFL 24 was abounding with abrogating reviews.
Best place to buy Madden 24 MUT Coins is MMOexp.com.

In addition to the reveal of the cover EA confirmed that the announcement to FC 24 takes place on the 20th of July. Fans can sign up to receive a reminder of the trailer on FC 24's website. FC 24 web site. The official announcement is likely to showcase the game, announce platforms, and reveal the date of release to FC 24. Because Mbappe and Kerr are in FC 24 Ultimate Edition's cover FC 24 Ultimate Edition front cover it is expected that the reveal will include games played by both players on their respective teams.

This FC 24 Ultimate Edition Cover unveiling provides a peek into EA's last FIFA title and marks the long-overdue debut of a female soccer player. Mbappe and Kerr are among the world's best teams for women and men respectively. EA will continue to highlight female and male soccer stars in the event that EA Sports FC releases in 2023.

FC 24 serves as a significant transition stage for EA and the title must be a hit with fans before EA Sports FC arrives. EA is preparing to release an thrilling FIFA title to the fans for the last time. EA Sports' split from FIFA caused players to have a number of doubts about the most recent FIFA game, FC 24. Thankfully, some key information about FC 24 were revealed online, in the form of Microsoft Store showcases the new game ahead of time.
Best place to buy FC 24 Coins or FUT 24 Coins on MMOexp.com.