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Words / Re: Reclassification requests
« Last post by pat on April 24, 2024, 05:52:01 PM »As a matter of interest, how many words are actually in Chi's lexicon? What's the proportion of common vs. rare?
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Whatever / Re: More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)
« Last post by blackrockrose on April 24, 2024, 02:06:12 PM »My daughter has a chocolate –––––––– just like the one in the first picture. His toys explode too!
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Words / Re: Reclassification requests
« Last post by Alan W on April 24, 2024, 01:34:32 PM »Thinking it over, consistency is not such an issue, since begrimed is usually used as an adjective, rather than as a verb. I think it can justifiably remain as common. It can in fact be a seed word for a 7-by-many puzzle, though that hasn't happened yet.
The verb begrime, however, is indeed quite rarely used these days, so I'll make it rare. Begriming actually is already rare.
The verb begrime, however, is indeed quite rarely used these days, so I'll make it rare. Begriming actually is already rare.
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Whatever / Re: More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)
« Last post by auntiemo on April 24, 2024, 11:43:51 AM »
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Word Games / Re: 7 by many club
« Last post by Maudland on April 24, 2024, 07:21:32 AM »I remember the days when getting out the OHP and an ACETATE gave a lesson a certain CACHET … the height of educational technology…
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Words / Re: Reclassification requests
« Last post by Maudland on April 24, 2024, 07:08:54 AM »I’m generally reluctant to reclassify words to rare, when they are used (as per Alan’s examples) even if not every day, and we’ve probably heard of them. I like the challenge of those less familiar words! But even I am not that fussed about this one! Sitting squarely on the fence …
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Words / Re: platypuses
« Last post by Calilasseia on April 24, 2024, 05:57:20 AM »Ah, it's this issue again.
Not every word with the ending -us is of Latin origin, and though most that are of Latin origin are second declension nouns (for which -i would be a correct plural ending), there are exceptions. Such as domus, which is an irregular fourth declension noun.
But words such as octopus and platypus are actually derived from Greek, not Latin, roots, and the declensional rules for Greek nouns are much more complicated than for Latin. Though Greek has technically three, rather than five, noun declensions, Greek second declension nouns are divided into three subsystems, and third declension nouns into no less than eight subsystems. That's before you discover the delights of irregular nouns, and the weird foibles that attach themselves to the use of various neuter nouns (which vary yet again when you move from Attic Greek to Doric, Ionic and Homeric poetic Greek).
From those Greek origins, the correct plurals (pedant hat on!) would be octopodes and platypodes (a consequence of the declension of the Greek word πους, "foot"), and similar rules would apply to other Greek derived nouns according to the root words and their (frequently intricate) declensional details.
You can bet I'm a star at parties with this
Not every word with the ending -us is of Latin origin, and though most that are of Latin origin are second declension nouns (for which -i would be a correct plural ending), there are exceptions. Such as domus, which is an irregular fourth declension noun.
But words such as octopus and platypus are actually derived from Greek, not Latin, roots, and the declensional rules for Greek nouns are much more complicated than for Latin. Though Greek has technically three, rather than five, noun declensions, Greek second declension nouns are divided into three subsystems, and third declension nouns into no less than eight subsystems. That's before you discover the delights of irregular nouns, and the weird foibles that attach themselves to the use of various neuter nouns (which vary yet again when you move from Attic Greek to Doric, Ionic and Homeric poetic Greek).
From those Greek origins, the correct plurals (pedant hat on!) would be octopodes and platypodes (a consequence of the declension of the Greek word πους, "foot"), and similar rules would apply to other Greek derived nouns according to the root words and their (frequently intricate) declensional details.
You can bet I'm a star at parties with this
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Words / Re: Reclassification requests
« Last post by Calilasseia on April 24, 2024, 05:37:00 AM »Begrime and its derivatives do seem to be quaintly archaic usages, of a sort that might have appeared frequently in Jane Austen's era, but fell into serious disuse not long after.
Even with my quixotic history of reading matter, I can't recall seeing any of these being deployed.
Even with my quixotic history of reading matter, I can't recall seeing any of these being deployed.
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Whatever / Re: More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)
« Last post by Hobbit on April 24, 2024, 04:32:51 AM »Sorry I had you burning the midnight oil Jack! I've corrected the number of letters in the second word and added an extra clue. You are quite right it should be five and not four 
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Whatever / Re: More or Les (was Bloody Plurals)
« Last post by Ozzyjack on April 24, 2024, 02:19:19 AM »Sorry, Pen, not enough information there for me to use sleep time on the rebus.
I couldn’t help myself. The second word has five letters. A baby born in the year the film was made would have been 20 by the time you were born.
I couldn’t help myself. The second word has five letters. A baby born in the year the film was made would have been 20 by the time you were born.