Mouses or mice?

anarres · 10-09-2003, 15:04

I just had an argument, this is to decide it....

1 Mouse, 2 ???

Shabbaman · 10-09-2003, 15:09

At least that's what they taught me in the first grade.

jack merchant · 10-09-2003, 15:37

Mice. You need to ask a Dutch-dominated forum this ?

anarres · 10-09-2003, 15:56

heh - not that I necessarily agree with it, but here is the argument for calling them 'mouses':

If they invented a new input device and called it a 'sheep', would you get 3 sheeps or 3 sheep? If you say '3 sheep', then it is only from historical use of the word 'sheep'. You have however already changed the meaning of the word by calling a new input device after it: you have created a new noun with the same name as a fluffy animal. Who says the plural form has to match as well?

As I understand it, the plural form of 'mouse' (eaten by cat variety) does not follow any given rules of grammer - it is just an abnormality of the English language. As such, why should an input device of the same name follow the same abnormal rule - why not follow the usual rules of English grammar, and call them 'mouses'?

I guess I should have mentioned that I am not after a grammer lesson, but rather the reasoning behind the grammer itself.

Lt. Killer M · 10-09-2003, 16:25

LOL anarres, you have too much time to think

btw, I today saw an interesting plural form for 'Schlüssel' (key): 'Schlüssels' - that's kinda like saying 'keyers' in English----

DrAlimentado · 10-09-2003, 16:32

Mice is the plural of Mouse.

DrAlimentado · 10-09-2003, 16:44

There are more exceptions to the rules of english grammer than words that actually follow them

I am firmly of the belief that 'correct useage' is modified by common useage. When enough people use mouses instead of mice for the plural of mouse (input device) then I'll agree that it is correct

Do you agree with the notion of standardising the English language btw?

WildFire · 10-09-2003, 20:13

Its micen.

[

]

Puwen · 10-09-2003, 20:21

It's möss!!!!!

ERIKK · 10-09-2003, 20:44

I would say mouses. Mice is for living things, err.. mice I mean.

But looking at the poll, I see I drifting away from reality once again!

View Poll Results: Mouses or mice?
They're called MOUSES!	2	9.09%
They're MICE!!!	19	86.36%
Er, um... ....what?	1	4.55%
Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll

10-09-2003, 15:04	#1
anarres anarchist butcher Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: United States of Whatever. Posts: 4,677	Mouses or mice? I just had an argument, this is to decide it.... 1 Mouse, 2 ??? __________________ <b>Calculate the probability of culture flips: Flip Calc</b>

10-09-2003, 15:09	#2
Shabbaman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Costa La Haya Posts: 8,493	At least that's what they taught me in the first grade. __________________ "Our spam is backed with COMETS!"

10-09-2003, 15:37	#3
jack merchant Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Netherlands. Posts: 479	Mice. You need to ask a Dutch-dominated forum this ? __________________ Twente for the cup !

10-09-2003, 15:56	#4
anarres anarchist butcher Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: United States of Whatever. Posts: 4,677	heh - not that I necessarily agree with it, but here is the argument for calling them 'mouses': If they invented a new input device and called it a 'sheep', would you get 3 sheeps or 3 sheep? If you say '3 sheep', then it is only from historical use of the word 'sheep'. You have however already changed the meaning of the word by calling a new input device after it: you have created a new noun with the same name as a fluffy animal. Who says the plural form has to match as well? As I understand it, the plural form of 'mouse' (eaten by cat variety) does not follow any given rules of grammer - it is just an abnormality of the English language. As such, why should an input device of the same name follow the same abnormal rule - why not follow the usual rules of English grammar, and call them 'mouses'? I guess I should have mentioned that I am not after a grammer lesson, but rather the reasoning behind the grammer itself. __________________ <b>Calculate the probability of culture flips: Flip Calc</b>

10-09-2003, 16:25	#5
Lt. Killer M Emperor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: HAWK!. Posts: 4,365	LOL anarres, you have too much time to think btw, I today saw an interesting plural form for 'Schlüssel' (key): 'Schlüssels' - that's kinda like saying 'keyers' in English---- __________________ One more turn..... just one more turn... one MORE!

10-09-2003, 16:32	#6
DrAlimentado Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: the cookie jar. Posts: 1,568	Mice is the plural of Mouse. __________________ <font color=\"red\">sign up for the best game on the forum</font id=\"red\"> <font color=\"green\">My Army</font id=\"green\"> <font color=\"green\">Help my orcs to prosper</font id=\"green\"> MapTweaker Utility beta (copy/paste/resize biq files)

10-09-2003, 16:44	#7
DrAlimentado Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: the cookie jar. Posts: 1,568	There are more exceptions to the rules of english grammer than words that actually follow them I am firmly of the belief that 'correct useage' is modified by common useage. When enough people use mouses instead of mice for the plural of mouse (input device) then I'll agree that it is correct Do you agree with the notion of standardising the English language btw? __________________ <font color=\"red\">sign up for the best game on the forum</font id=\"red\"> <font color=\"green\">My Army</font id=\"green\"> <font color=\"green\">Help my orcs to prosper</font id=\"green\"> MapTweaker Utility beta (copy/paste/resize biq files)

10-09-2003, 20:13	#8
WildFire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: USA. Posts: 704	Its micen. []

10-09-2003, 20:21	#9
Puwen Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sweden. Posts: 164	It's möss!!!!! __________________ And the lord said to John \"come forth and get eternal life\", but John came fifth a won a toaster. Don\'t buy the RL expansion. It\'s still very buggy. The true

10-09-2003, 20:44	#10
ERIKK Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands!. Posts: 2,636	I would say mouses. Mice is for living things, err.. mice I mean. But looking at the poll, I see I drifting away from reality once again!