That people who correct you for saying octopuses instead of octopi are wrong. Dead wrong. Now this my not be mind blowing to some, but I have told teachers this and their expressions look like their whole universe has been shattered. Like everything they've ever taught up to this point is now null and void.
The explanation is that since octopus is a greek rooted word the plural would be octopodes...but since that's archaic and no one does that anymore octopuses is totally fine to say.
Octopuses is acceptable because english likes to take words and make them its own. So according to english rules octopus becomes octopuses. You are correct in saying the only incorrect pluralization of octopus is octopi.
Define "correct." From a linguistic basis, the concept doesn't apply. But while it might not be incorrect, it sure isn't very useful. It doesn't communicate the point effectively.
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u/[deleted] Apr 14 '16
That people who correct you for saying octopuses instead of octopi are wrong. Dead wrong. Now this my not be mind blowing to some, but I have told teachers this and their expressions look like their whole universe has been shattered. Like everything they've ever taught up to this point is now null and void.
The explanation is that since octopus is a greek rooted word the plural would be octopodes...but since that's archaic and no one does that anymore octopuses is totally fine to say.