On Tue, 01 Apr 2003 08:35:03 +1000, Ron Clarke wrote: (first quoting me)
>> I know it's become a custom to refer to "virii" but the actual >> and correct plural of "virus" in English is "viruses". >> I just looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary. >> Perhaps we can attribute the "virii" usage to the curious folkways >> of the computer world. > Or, we might just say that some of my Latin really did stick - from > 50 years ago. :) I know it seems to make sense. Cactus, cactii; fungus, fungi; virus, virii. Unfortunately language is often inconsistent. In English the plural is "viruses". I never studied Latin, but I know how to use google. Check out this website for all the excruciating details. http://www.perl.com/language/misc/virus.html "Virii" is the Latin plural of "vir" which means "man". "Virus" is another word altogether and doesn't have a plural form in Latin. Something about the "fourth declension". If enough people keep insisting on "virii" it will become accepted usage even though there's no justification for it in either English or Latin. Sheer perversity, but what can you do? <grin> Sam Sam Ewalt Croswell, Michigan, USA -- Arachne V1.70;rev.3, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
