[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Octopus, octopi, octoporum

[Amanda Lewanski]

Jen wrote:

> It's as silly as becoming incensed with those who say 'the hoi
> polloi', on the grounds that 'hoi' already means 'the' in Greek. 'hoi
> polloi' is now a phrase being used in English, and it needs an English
> definite article.

What about a favorite of mine, "ATM machines"? Even funnier, because
it's an acronym of English, which most people can be expected to know,
whereas I don't know just boatloads of people who know that "hoi" is
"the" in Greek.

> --jen, who also happily uses data as a singular noun :)

--Amanda, descriptivist, who does too (except when I'm editing!)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://archive.hpfgu.org/pipermail/hpfgu-otchatter/attachments/20010319/5d2ca2a2/attachment.html>