What's the plural of mouse??

Originally posted by putamare
The plural of walkman is not walkmen, more than one Bigfoot is not Bigfeet. The plural of index (as found in the back of books) is indexes, but the plural of index (as the little numbers hung onto variables) is indecies. The only thing "obvious" is that a case can be made for all the alternatives, and there isn't any room for absolute truth in English linguistics.
Click to expand...

i'm sorry, simX, but you got told. :D
the irony of the "end of discussion" bit with the period and everything... hehe.
sorry, i'll shut my yap now. :p
 
i will admit that my logic was shortsighted in my previous post. However i will be quite happy if we all simply agree not to call them "mouse devices". Use any other plural form you would like (i admit i too like meece even if it still isn't right). but avoid complying with m$ and i will be on your side.:cool:

i will use mice because that makes the most sense to me.:)
 
Originally posted by simX
How about "speaker"? When you pluralize it in the form of many people who are delivering speeches, you say "speakers". When referring to the object that attaches to your computer that produces sound, you still say "speakers" in the plural form. (Here's something that both relates to computers and is a word that refers to two different things but is spelled and pronounced in exactly the same way)
Click to expand...

Actually a speaker and a speaker is exactly the same thing, just like a dog and a dog. The dogs could be different races, in other words look completely different and act different, just like a speaker and a speaker, an object that produces sound and a human who speaks.
Also, "speaker" (used about an object that produces sound), is short for "loudspeaker". In norwegian it's "loudspeaker", too, translated directly to "høyttaler".
 
"If the plural of mouse is mice, and the plural of louse is lice, shouldn't the plural of spouse be spice?"
Think about it...
;)
 
OK, fine. Maybe I was wrong about the whole "obvious" thing and the "end of discussion" thing :p, but I still think the plural of "mouse" should be "mice". It just sounds right. And I agree about the stupidity of the "mouse devices" thing.

Originally posted by ksv
Actually a speaker and a speaker is exactly the same thing, just like a dog and a dog. The dogs could be different races, in other words look completely different and act different, just like a speaker and a speaker, an object that produces sound and a human who speaks.
Also, "speaker" (used about an object that produces sound), is short for "loudspeaker". In norwegian it's "loudspeaker", too, translated directly to "høyttaler".
Click to expand...

Didn't you just contradict yourself? You said a "speaker" is short for "loudspeaker" in the context that it's "an object that produces sound". But I highly doubt that a "speaker" as in someone that makes a speech is short for "loudspeaker". This is mainly because 1) I wouldn't describe a person as an object and 2) some speakers are quiet and you have to strain to hear them.
 
Originally posted by simX
Didn't you just contradict yourself?
Click to expand...

Oh, aha?
OK, let's say "an object/a person that produces sound" instead, and you'll get my point ;)
You know, I'm always right and I'm the best.
A person who makes a speech could still be a LOUDspeaker, if he speaks loud. And an object that produces sound could just be a speaker, if it isn't especially powerful :rolleyes:

Heh hee! Seems like I won that discussion, eh? :D
 
If Microsoft says it's Mouse Devices, then they are wrong. Therefore, we should invent our own. I personally think the world would be a lot better off if we referred to "meeces". :)

Bill Gates works at a large Software Device. In the Software Device, they assemble and package Code Fragments into large Computer Code Objects and sell them in Retail Devices. These Retail Devices then sell them to their Human Devices, who enable the Computer Code Objects to rename their Mouse Devices.

OK?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top