Ralph Zeller wrote:
Mike is correct, according to the definitive source, the Oxford Latin
Dictionary. Virus is a 2nd declension neuter noun that appears almost
exclusively in nominative & accusative singular forms (both virus), with
one use each of ablative singular (viro) and genitive singular (viri) by
Lucretius, no plurals.
Very well, a convincing argument.
If a Latin plural were to be created, it would
have to be *vira*, since virus is neuter.
Not necessarily ; Allen & Greenough's grammar cites the example of the
second declension neuter "pelagus" (sea) which has a rare but attested
plural "pelagē"; "cētus" (sea monster, or maybe whale) also has an
attested plural "cētē".
When neither ancients nor
creators of biological classification Latin terms used a plural, an
English pluralization is usually preferred; to out-Latin the Latinists
themselves can make one seem pedantic.
You say that like it's a bad thing :-)
http://www.goats.com/archive/020826.html
--
Bullet points won't stop them...
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