On 29/01/11 12:17, Zaphod Feeblejocks wrote:
....
I'm not American. If any distributor tells me I have a choice of
American-English or no
English, they are saying to me they are not interested in my business. I know
Canadians
who feel the same. When (for example), an interface tells me about spreadsheet
'formulas'
and not 'formulae', I think the people responsible have forgotten the user.
Splattering
...
I totally sympathise.
But 'formula' is a particularly bad example, I regret. Fowler's Modern
English Usage (at least in my 1978 edition) is clear that either plural,
formulas or formulae, is proper usage in current 'English' English. And
indeed (on latin plurals in general), ".... when one is really in doubt
which to use, the English form should be given the preference" (page 325
in that edition).
I disagree - but Fowler is the authority, not me :-{
--
Mike Scott
Harlow, Essex, England
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