Plural debate - Forum?

[Ding]

As we was havin 'n intelektual debate last night, like wot we do, up here int norf. At TVRCC meetin's.

The question came up
What is the plural of Forum?

I have now checked with the other source of all information (other than the great and good PH massive ) (internet) and the plural of Forum is Fora.

Obviously those who said they were going to post this have better things to do this morning with their time, unlike some of us!!!!!!!
(accountancy is the most mind numbingly boring thing. I have to treat myself for each hour of work I get to look at PH or occasionally ebay )

Elizabeth

[wolves_wanderer]

I thought either Forums or Fora was acceptable, same as with Stadium, could be wrong though as A Level English is receding into the mists of time for me.

[Size Nine Elm]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=forum says either Forums or Fora too.

[beano500]

Do we give a fora-X about that......

[jimothy]

Latin, group 2, non genderised noun. Singular nominative ends in um, plural ends in a.

Same logic as -us becoming -i (group 2 masculine noun) as in octopus and octopi.

[birdbrain]

I thought it was fora.

What's the plural of Golf? Is it Golves or Golfs?

[beano500]

birdbrain said:

I thought it was fora. What's the plural of Golf? Is it Golves or Golfs?

Let's think this through......

Elf = Elves

Half = Halves

Calf = Calves




Ah-ha









So it must be:


Golf = a stupid game to ruin a good walk.

[JonRB]

Going by the latin, it is clearly fora.

However, in the same way that writing 'gaol' rather than 'jail' will make many people think you are a pretentious arse, so too is using 'fora' rather than 'forums'.

All part of the dumbing-down of the English language, I'm afraid.

[D_Mike]

people who say "spectrums" when they mean "spectra"
people who say "quantums" when they mean "quanta"

too many of them about.

[beano500]

D_Mike said:

people who say "spectrums" when they mean "spectra"

So what's the plural of tantrum?

[D_Mike]

Thats different

you know,
its so unfair
i hate you

[aletta]

Now you had all better stop this before I have one of my many tantra!!!

If we look into the Etymology of this thouroughly, we see that though both "forums" and "fora" are acceptible in the OED, the proper latin plural is indeed "fora". The word "forums" was added much later.

However, as much as I would like to start an uprising to change forums to fora on this site (I much prefer the latin), we really can't get on our high horses about the correct usage of borrowed foreign words unless we apply it across the board. Let's face it, how many people know the Inuit pluralisation of anorak?

I know that I never ring Dominos and ask for a couple of pizze?

[lotuslad]

aletta said:

Now you had all better stop this before I have one of my many tantra!!!

You, er, know Sting then?

[minimax]

lotuslad said:

aletta said: Now you had all better stop this before I have one of my many tantra!!! You, er, know Sting then?

no no, she knows Ricardinho but I gather the effect is much the same

[maxrider]

aletta said:

I know that I never ring Dominos and ask for a couple of pizze?

...or order 2 'guinnii' in a pub

[andymadmak]

I know they say that history repeats itself, but BLIMEY!

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=37860

Andy

[nonegreen]

minimax said:

lotuslad said: aletta said: Now you had all better stop this before I have one of my many tantra!!! You, er, know Sting then? no no, she knows Ricardinho but I gather the effect is much the same

Depends how much champagne he has had.

[Pigeon]

jimothy said:

Latin, group 2, non genderised noun. Singular nominative ends in um, plural ends in a. Same logic as -us becoming -i (group 2 masculine noun) as in octopus and octopi.

Except that "octopus" is derived from Greek and the correct plural is "octopodes"

[Pigeon]

beano500 said:

birdbrain said: I thought it was fora. What's the plural of Golf? Is it Golves or Golfs? Let's think this through...... Elf = Elves Half = Halves Calf = Calves

But Dwarf -> Dwarfs (not Dwarves)

So... er... Golf -> Rabbits.

[simpo two]

Pigeon said:

jimothy said: Latin, group 2, non genderised noun. Singular nominative ends in um, plural ends in a. Same logic as -us becoming -i (group 2 masculine noun) as in octopus and octopi. Except that "octopus" is derived from Greek and the correct plural is "octopodes"

So many ants must be the Antipodes?

I hate grammar. The past impossible was particularly hard. However I still remember 'Subject Object Anything else Verb' from Latin.