forums or fora?

[JonRB]

Which is better to use for the plural of 'forum' in modern English?

'Fora' is the correct Latin plural of 'forum', but many people won't recognise that word but will recognise 'forums'.

My classical education compels me to want to use 'fora' but I just know it will cause confusion if I do. :(

[zaktoo]

I agree that it's "fora", but unfortunately it's a toss-up between being correct & being understood, as you point out. Just another example of the language being "dumbed-down"

[off_again]

Focus' or Foci?

[dtuson]

This is a car enthusiasts website, so never use the word "Focus"!

Along the same lines, "Mondi" would be preferable to "Mondeo".

IMHO.

[JonRB]

I really thought the PH Pedants would leap on this thread.

Ah well.

[simpo two]

Ponder this:

Flora
Fauna
Fora


Florums
Faunums
Forums

*Forae* anyone?

[kenny320]

The big one though has to be, what's the plural of Lotus?

[simpo two]

kenny320 said:

The big one though has to be, what's the plural of Lotus?

Loti.

[kenny320]

simpo two said:

kenny320 said: The big one though has to be, what's the plural of Lotus? Loti.

That's what I thought. Glad I've been proved right

[glocko]

kenny320 said:

simpo two said: kenny320 said: The big one though has to be, what's the plural of Lotus? Loti. That's what I thought. Glad I've been proved right

It's double i.....Lotii

does that make penuses penii???....Hippopotomii, Rhinosaurii?

Best not go there!!!

[dilbert]

Referenda!

[JonRB]

Well if we're broadening the thread, then how about singulars (or is it singulae) that people habitually get wrong, namely:

die (singular of dice)
datum (singular of data)

[FunkyNige]

JonRB said:

datum (singular of data)

Well I've had a professor of statistics tell me data is both singular and plural, like sheep.

But a quick Google throws up datum being the correct version, how queer.

[MilnerR]

The data is wrong, the correct term is these data......

That's all i'm contributing.....

[FourWheelDrift]

This all sounds a bit too much like an Alan Partridge sketch for my liking.

[lightningghost]

glocko said:

does that make penuses penii???

penis


might have missed a joke here

[D_Mike]

"the data are wrong" also works...

I think its "Fora"

What annoys me is when people say "spectrums" instead of "spectra" (i'm not talking about the computers here).

[Eric Mc]

Lotus is not Latin so the plural should be Lotuses.

How about Indices for Indexes and Furmulae for Formulas?

[-DeaDLocK-]

Most of language is defined by common usage - colloquial words and popular grammar and punctuation lead rise to evolution of the language.

Use old English in a modern text today and try getting away with it.

Hence, though in strict terms "forums" may be incorrect, but its very popular usage against "fora" it must therefore be deemed correct.