Odd plurals

What's the plural of "octopus"? There's more than one correct answer

Usually, plural English nouns are pretty straightforward. Just add an -s or -es, and you're done. However, there are more than a few odd ones out: words that change their vowels, acquire unexpected endings, or become almost unrecognizable. These irregular nouns are not random: they are linguistic leftovers from older forms of English and from the many languages that contributed to its vocabulary. Here's a list of 10 irregular plurals that are considerably more interesting than simply adding an -s.

While the plural of mouse looks like an exception today, it is actually a survivor from a much older way of forming plurals called i-mutation, common in Old English and many Germanic languages. It's the same process that gave us geese, feet, teeth, and lice, among others.

English eventually abandoned this system in favor of the -s and -es mechanism for building plurals, but these words survive as remnants of the old times.

Children is an interesting case of what linguists call double plurals: words that conserve two different marks of plurality in their construction.

The Old English word cild was pluralized as cildru originally, and eventually as childre. As the language evolved, speakers added the plural suffix -en (also found in words like oxen and brethren) to form the word children. In effect, the word accumulated two markers of plurality.

English normally has a strong tendency to simplify these cases, which makes the survival of the word children (instead of childs) especially remarkable.

Cactus is a good example of what happens when English borrows a word, but speakers can't quite decide whether to keep the original language's grammar. The word entered English from Latin, and the traditional Latin plural of cactus is _cacti.

_However, English has its own perfectly sensible way of making plurals, and that has produced the word cactuses. In modern English dictionaries, both words are accepted. Cacti sounds more traditional and is particularly common in botanical contexts, while cactuses sounds more natural to everyday speakers.

Few English plurals generate as much debate as octopus. You'll commonly encounter octopuses, octopi, and, more rarely, octopodes. So which one is correct?

The popular form octopi comes from the mistaken assumption that octopus is a Latin word ending in -us and should therefore form its plural with -i, just like cacti. In reality, the word comes from the Greek oktōpous, meaning "eight-footed." Following Classical Greek rules, the plural should be octopodes.

While octopodes is closer to the original Greek, it's only common in specialized discussions. For ordinary English, octopuses is the simplest and most widely accepted choice.

In Latin, the singular datum means something that has been given, and data is its plural. English borrowed both forms, particularly in scientific and academic writing, where the distinction has remained important for centuries.

Today, datum is much less common outside of specialized contexts. While in formal scientific writing data is often still treated as plural, in everyday use many speakers treat it as a singular mass noun, as in "The data is stored on the server." The plural has effectively become more widespread than its original singular.

Phenomenon is another Greek word whose traditional plural has survived intact. In Greek, phainomenon referred to something that appears or is observed, while phenomena was its plural. English borrowed the pair through Latin and preserved the Greek-style ending.

Unlike cactus, where English developed an alternative plural, phenomena remains firmly established in educated and technical writing. It is especially common in science, where researchers may discuss multiple natural phenomena.

Both brothers and brethren are perfectly valid plurals of brother. However, in a surprising twist, they took on different nuances: while brothers is used for male siblings ordinarily, brethren (the older form) survived mainly in religious, fraternal, and formal contexts.

Brethren was once a normal plural of brother, but as English developed, the regular -s plural became increasingly dominant. Rather than disappearing completely, the older form became specialized. That gives us a fascinating example of a word developing two different plurals that coexist because they acquired different meanings.

The word die, referring to a single numbered polyhedron (most commonly a cube) used in games, entered English through the Old French dé, while dice developed from the French plural dés.

While the distinction is still very much in use, the singular die is losing strength in everyday English, and dice is increasingly being treated as both a plural and a singular noun. In time, the singular form die may disappear from everyday English vocabulary.

People is an especially interesting plural because it didn't originally come from the same word as person. The two words have completely different Latin origins.

Person ultimately comes from Latin persona, meaning a person, character, or role. People comes from Latin populus, meaning a population or nation, passing into English through French. Over time, English speakers began using people as the ordinary plural of person, even though the two words had separate histories.

The regular plural persons still exists and is perfectly legitimate, particularly in legal and formal contexts when referring to a group of individuals. But in ordinary conversation, people has become overwhelmingly dominant.

Index has two established plurals, and the choice between them often depends on what you're talking about. Indexes is the ordinary English plural, while indices preserves the Latin form and is especially common in mathematics, science, and economics.

The Latin plural indices survived in specialized fields because scholars continued using Latin-derived terminology. Meanwhile, ordinary English speakers naturally applied the familiar -es ending and produced indexes. Both forms are now standard.

From pets to legends

A dog that knew Morse code? 10 amazing animals with their own statues

Image: Point Normal

We all remember a special pet from our childhood for different reasons, and many of us still have a furry friend who happily greets us every time we come home. But beyond being faithful companions, some animals have also made a lasting impact on society. Join us as we discover 10 incredible animals who were honored with their own memorials!

Image: Jessica Tan

One of the most famous presidential pets in America -and even the world- was Fala, the lovely black Scottish Terrier who followed President Franklin D. Roosevelt everywhere he went. And in a way, Fala is still by FDR's side, as his own bronze statue sits right next to the president's at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Image: Alfred Lee

All dogs have a special place in our hearts, but as it turns out, some of them even find a place in government! That was the case for Bosco, a Labrador and Rottweiler mix that was elected honorary mayor of Sunol, California, and held the title from 1981 until his passing in 1994. As it could not be otherwise, after his death, the locals honored him with his well-deserved bronze statue.

Image: Chalo Gallardo

Central Park is where you'll find the statue of Balto, a brave dog who helped save many lives! In 1925, Balto led a team of sled dogs across nearly 700 miles of icy Alaskan terrain. This heroic dog was tasked with transporting diphtheria antitoxin to a remote village facing a deadly outbreak. No one can deny that he deserves a memorial!

Image: Darel Low

Dog loyalty is a serious issue, and Hachiko is the perfect example. Famous not just in Japan but around the world, Hachiko, an Akita dog, faithfully accompanied his owner to work every day and waited for him at the train station. Tragically, his owner passed away while at work, but Hachiko never left the station, waiting for him every day for 10 years until his own death. His story touched many people, and in 1934, a bronze statue of Hachiko was erected at Shibuya Station.

Image: Andréas BRUN

In the streets of Istanbul lived Tombilli, the city's most beloved cat. Known for lounging lazily on the steps of different buildings with one arm comfortably draped, this cat became an icon and was the main character of many stories and photos. After his passing in 2016, Tombilli's fame earned him a memorial in the streets of the Turkish city.

Image: Erik Mclean

This Llewellyn Setter, born in 1925, was particularly known for his exceptional hunting skills, but that wasn't all. It was said that Jim was able to understand and obey commands in multiple languages, and even in Morse code! According to his owner, Jim could also identify cars and people just by hearing their description. Whether this was true or an exaggeration, there's no doubt that Jim was an incredibly intelligent dog, and we're glad he has a well-deserved statue.

Image: Nan Wisanmongkol

We all remember Laika, the courageous dog who became the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Laika was found on the streets of Moscow, and her strength and resilience led her to become a part of this historic space mission. In November 1957, she was sent aboard Sputnik 2, the second spacecraft to be launched into space. Unfortunately, Laika didn't survive. Years later, a memorial was erected in Moscow to commemorate and honor Laika's heroic sacrifice.

Image: COPPERTIST WU

In the early 1800s, explorer Matthew Flinders undertook a series of voyages to circumnavigate and map the coasts of the Australian continent. But Flinders didn't sail alone. Along for the journey was Trim, the loyal cat who stayed by his side throughout the adventure. It's said that as a kitten, Trim once fell overboard but managed to swim back to the ship and climb up a rope. That moment showed his bold spirit, and it's just one of the reasons he earned the statue that was erected in his honor in 1996.

Image: Sean Benesh

It's not just cats and dogs; there's also a statue that honors Winnipeg, a black bear cub. In 1914, Winnipeg was adopted by a Canadian lieutenant who named her after his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The bear cub traveled with him to England during WWI and eventually became a star resident at the London Zoo. There, she captured the heart of A.A. Milne's son and became the inspiration for the lovable Winnie the Pooh. As could not be otherwise, her memorial is in the Canadian city of Winnipeg.

Image: Irina Nakonechnaya

When we talk about heroic animals, we can't forget the many four-legged friends who have served in different wartime conflicts. In London, you can find the Animals in War Memorial, a place dedicated to all those animals that have served and lost their lives under military command throughout British history. They definitely deserve recognition!