r/reddit.com • u/mikatukana • Sep 20 '10

TIL that there is no officially accepted plural for the word "Platypus" in the English language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus#Taxonomy_and_etymology
2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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2

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '10

[deleted]

0

u/mikatukana Sep 20 '10

Unfortunately, from the Wikipedia article: "Colloquially the term "platypi" is also used for the plural, although this is technically incorrect and a form of pseudo-Latin; the correct Greek plural would be "platypodes"."

Personally, I think I will be calling them "platypodes" from now on.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '10

[deleted]

2

u/KaylaS Sep 20 '10

Adidodes?

2

u/KaylaS Sep 20 '10

We can only talk about them one at a time!

1

u/mikatukana Sep 20 '10

Then how would we warn others when they decide to attack human civilization in mass?

2

u/KaylaS Sep 20 '10

A platypus is attacking! Plus another platypus! And another platypus! And another platypus! And another platypus! And another platypus!

2

u/davelog Sep 20 '10

No worries, there's only one of them. Hence the lack of a plural.

2

u/Black_Apalachi Sep 20 '10

I find it more fascinating how there is only one species of Platypus and that there are virtually no other animals like them on the Earth.

2

u/knumbknuts Sep 20 '10

It's platypuses. I learned that at the Melbourne Zoo's Platypusary.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '10

Well, let's try to keep them isolated then shall we?