Jeff Waugh wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> > There is no "English convention". English took plural forming
> conventions
> > from many languages, e.g. ox -> oxen from Germanic languages.
>
> Which begs the question (one which I've been dying to ask for
> ages):
>
> What is the story behind geeks calling multiple computers "boxen"?
> Could it be that ox is to oxen as box is to boxen?
Actually there are conventions in English. This is why we don't spell
fish "ghoti" even though the sounds are all there. Over the centuries
as English has developed it has taken many wierd and wonderful words
from other languages and indeed created many new words (even some sudo
Latin words). However, usage has gradually changed many of them to
conform to the commonly accepted declensions.
I stand corrected on my eight legged error, but I still contend that
there are conventions created by common usage that we tend to accept.
Without these conventions there would be no point learning to read as
there would be nothing to read. Imagine how it would be if we all chose
how we would spell what we wrote and made our grammer up as we went.
Chaos ;o}
Stay well and happy
Heracles
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