Heracles wrote:
> 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
>
Why not? Microsoft do it with their error messages.
David.
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