EGONONDICOLATINA

 

      The English language is great.  A blend of many different languages, its foundations in Latin, Greek, German, French and many others.  I love how the same thing can be said so many different ways.  It makes writing and reading more enjoyable. But I have just recently noticed, although it has been going on for years, that some of the old singular and plural usage of Latin and other words are being "Englishized."

 

      I was listening to a business report a few months ago and the commentator said, "... and now let's look at the market indexes..."  The plural of the word index is indices.  Ever since when I hear "indexes" it bugs me.  I was watching a sports show that was gives a weather report for the football "stadiums" around the country.  It's not stadiums, it's stadia!  I was happy to hear on a medical show that they did correctly use the words bacteria and bacterium.

 

      The plural of virus should be viri not viruses; formula, formulae not formulas; matrix, matrices not matrixes; axis, axes not axises; crisis, crises not crisises; forum, fora not forums; fungus, fungi not fuguses; stigma, stigmata not stigmas, etc.

 

      Accipe Hoc!

 

           

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