Re: A true touch of insanity?

Wildepad wrote:

> The OED and Webster's Instant Word Guide both list virii (I'm too lazy
> to check the dictionaries in the other room), but those are
> authoritative texts, rather than Internet pseudoinfo, so you probably
> wouldn't know anything about them.

Miriam-Webster Online is "Internet pseudoinfo"?  Tell us another one.

>> The plural of _genius_ is _geniuses_.
> 
> Wrong again -- it's also genii. 
>
> This time I can put it into terms you'll understand:
> 
> <http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/genii?view=uk>
> <http://www.bartleby.com/61/45/G0084500.html>
> <http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/genii>
> <http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=genii&r=66>
> <http://www.onelook.com/?other=web1913&w=Genii>
>
<http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861674880>
>
<http://www.allwords.com/query.php?SearchType=3&Keyword=Genii&goquery=Find+it%21&Language=ENG>
> <http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genii>
> <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/genii>
> <http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/genii>
> <http://www.yourdictionary.com/genii>
> <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=genii>
(you
> have to select from the box for 'genius')

_Genii_ is (sometimes) listed as a possible alternate spelling.  It's 
not the only one.  _Geniuses_ is still completely valid, and is vastly 
more common.  Many of your own citations above here don't even list 
_genii_ as an alternate plural spelling in the entry for _genius_ -- 
even though they have a separate entry for _genii_ -- showing you how 
common your spelling is.

_Virii_, however, is not.  Any dictionary listing it will be listing it 
as a deference to a common misspelling.  To turn your own brilliant test 
back on you, try using each of these resources to look up the plural of 
the word _virus_.  _Not one_ of them lists _virii_ as a valid alternate 
spelling of the plural.  They all list it as being _viruses_.  One -- 
including Wiktionary of all things -- even explicitly points out that 
_virii_ is an improper spelling.  Oops.

-- 
Erik Max Francis && max@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
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   A man's life is what his thoughts make it.
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