494 replies to this topic

[Dataman]

is this the dead end of internet?

[MustrumRidcully]

Arikiel, on 01 August 2012 - 09:12 PM, said:

Where's the "Don't care" option?

It's unpossible to not care about this. So I assume this is a rhetorical question.

[BlackAbbot]

My natural desire to join the troll side of the argument fought a losing battle with my rabid linguistics OCD.

It's not Latin, noobs. THIS. IS. SPARTA!! (ish)

See also octopuses/octopodes.

Edited by BlackAbbot, 02 August 2012 - 01:08 AM.

[Scytale]

Skadi, on 02 August 2012 - 12:16 AM, said:

But a Murder of Atlai sounds so much better...

I think we can come to an agreement, namely a Steiner Murder of Atlai.
In fact, let's go one better. "A Steiner Murder-of-all-Opposition of Atlai"

[Deceptor]

LittleGrim, on 02 August 2012 - 12:15 AM, said:

I was wondering what we would be calling a group of Atlai, you know we have murders of crows, pods of whales and mobs of kangaroos so on and so forth. A steiner of atlai it shall be.

I suggested an ABOMINATION, but it didn't take. Do I smell a new poll?

btw, my favorite is a "business" of ferrets.

Edited by Deceptor, 02 August 2012 - 01:10 AM.

[Tarrax]

IMO both are wrong. It the same for plural as it is for singular. One Atlas approaching or three Atlas approaching. Based on this, I have chosen neither option.

[errmoop0]

Skadi, on 01 August 2012 - 10:47 PM, said:

is it not abvious? a poll debating the most imporant question the forums at this time, is the plural form of alas, atlai, or atlases?

Ah, wasn't really paying attention. So, does it even matter?

[AlexEss]

Neither
1 atlas mech
2 atlas mechs
3 atlas mechs

and so on and so forth.

And that is how i will keep saying it, right or wrong.

[Scytale]

Deceptor, on 02 August 2012 - 01:09 AM, said:

I suggested an ABOMINATION, but it didn't take. Do I smell a new poll?

btw, my favorite is a "business" of ferrets.

An abomination of Atlai murder Steiner Atlai Steiner.

[Deceptor]

I'd just as happily call them boneheads...

[Delthan]

rebel againt the rules of grammar, lets take this further and claim the rightful words of mouses and gooses as the pluralized verions of their respective base words.

for the atlases!! and gooses, and mouses!!!

[Duncan Jr Fischer]

I guess you speak English, not Latin, and you can treat this word as assimilated into English, using it by the general rules.
For instance, Russian grammar enslaves and subdues most of the foreign words to its rules and in Russian no latin word maintains its special forms. And we are fine, look)

[Scytale]

Ok so wait... what's singular for Atlai then? Like if you had to identify a single mech out of a Steiner scout lance?

[Bagheera]

Has anyone made an "Atlai to the knee" joke yet?

[Scytale]

Bagheera, on 02 August 2012 - 02:03 AM, said:

Has anyone made an "Atlai to the knee" joke yet?

*sigh*
I tried a DFA once, but then I took some Atlai to the knee.

[OpCentar]

Atlai doesn't sound right, it actually sounds weak.


"We are getting pounded by three Atlai" - not very intimidating

"We are getting pounded by three Atlases" - run for your life

[cinco]

"atlai" doesn't even make sense. it should be atli if you want to go with that convention.

it should really be called atlipodes btw.

Edited by cinco, 02 August 2012 - 02:46 AM.

[Fl3tcher]

It's "Atlases" pure and simple. Don't they teach English in High School anymore?

[Incunabulum]

Atlas - its not a bloody latin noun its a greek name adn you'd need to follow either english rules or *greek* (not latin) pluralization.

Its why the proper plural of octopus is octopuses (english) or octopode (greek) and not dog latin octopi

Edited by Incunabulum, 02 August 2012 - 04:03 AM.

[Boarneges]

Some day some poor bloke will stumble across this poll and wonder where it all went wrong. Also, I'd like to add I second Deceptors motion to just call them boneheads.