Re:Octopuses, crabs and lobsters to be recognised as sentien...
by thelibrarian on Sunday November 21, 2021 @09:17PM
(#29301991)
I have a friend who says using the word “octopi” displays ignorance of three languages at once - English, Latin, and (ancient) Greek.
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Re:Octopuses, crabs and lobsters to be recognised as sentien...
by Igelau on Sunday November 21, 2021 @10:25PM
(#29302391)
Eric Weinstein says some crazy stuff, but I remember hearing him once say that the best debate strategy for Republicans would be to mention the "noo-kyoo-lar" family, and let them correct you to "nuclear". Then you win because the other side looks like pedants and elitists. This "octopi" is definitely such a word.
Re:Octopuses, crabs and lobsters to be recognised as sentien...
by sfgweilr4f on Sunday November 21, 2021 @10:44PM
(#29302484)
Side note: all this off-topic pedantry about octopi vs octopuses is an old discussion already resolved. It is clouding discussion about what the full implications of what it actually means to treat octopus (ha!) as sentient.
Re:Octopuses, crabs and lobsters to be recognised as sentien...
by jjeaff on Monday November 22, 2021 @01:16AM
(#29303396)
I don't think the Democrats have cornered the market on pedantry just yet.
Re:Octopuses, crabs and lobsters to be recognised as sentien...
by kortex on Sunday November 21, 2021 @10:12PM
(#29302328)
I realize they are being cheeky but the ironic thing is "ignorance of N languages" is one of the primary drivers of linguistic cross-pollenation and drift. Taking loanwords, shoehorning them into your phonology, writing, and grammar is just how these things work.