What's the Plural of Virus?
"Another theory holds that virus, being a 2nd declension neuter--which we are 100% certain of because its nominative singular is -us and its genitive singular is -i--must go to *vira in the plural as do its -um neuter brethren in the 2nd declension. However, that assumes that it works like a -um form, not as a -us form does. And it really seems to do
neither. If it were a -us form (again, as a 2nd declension nominative), then its vocative would have to be *vire; but it's really only virus. You also expect an accusative form *viros, but that too is missing; it's still just virus in the accusative. And if it were a -um form, then its vocative would have to be *virum. But it's not--here again, it's only virus. (Vocative examples of virus are not particularly common. Apparently the Romans seldom addressed their slime in a personal fashion. :-)" It all starts to sound like
new math to me.
Tom Lehrer : The Political Musician That Wasn't
"All my life I was reading about this stuff, oh Dylan did this and the Beatles did that, and I'm thinking 'well I don't know, I didn't see it.' You know, we're all going to hold hands and be beautiful and change the world... well that's nice, but then you go back to the dorm and get stoned."
Le Devoir : Le frigo a 100 ans
"Or, ce dimanche, le frigo domestique fêtait ses 100 ans. Petit rappel de tous les changements sociaux, sanitaires et économiques qu'il a rendus possibles et survol de son évolution à lui."
Live Ani DiFranco MP3s
of questionable legality.
William Safire : Killer E-speak for the 24/7 Generation
Hunter S. Thompson : He Was a Crook
"I have had my own bloody relationship with Nixon for many years, but I am not worried about it landing me in hell with him. I have already been there with that bastard, and I am a better person for it."