Re: CHAT: minimal pair of English Interdentals

=?iso-8859-1?q?bnathyuw?= scripsit:

> it's a funny extension of the regularisation of
> headless compounds, altho i can't think of any
> examples off the top of my head
I don't think it is.  "Mouse" the computer auxiliary is a straightforward
metaphorical extension of "mouse" the rodent, and as such should remain
irregular.  That was the point of my 0a, 0b examples: the metaphorical
extension of "set" from "set flagpole in socket" to "set flag to 'true'"
does not affect its irregularity.

For some folks (Padraic) there is no issue, and "mice" it is.  For me,
both "mice" and "mouses" are problematic, and I find a way to reword.
For you, evidently, "mouses" is the Right Thing.  (I tried to shift to
"mouses", but I just couldn't respect myself in the morning.)

--
Evolutionary psychology is the theory           John Cowan
that men are nothing but horn-dogs,             http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
and that women only want them for their money.  http://www.reutershealth.com
        --Susan McCarthy (adapted)              jcowan@reutershealth.com

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