Re: Adopting a plural
| From: | John Cowan <jcowan@...> |
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| Date: | Saturday, October 9, 2004, 20:45 |
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Philip Newton scripsit:
> > Or "omnibi"?
What is it that roareth thus?
Can it be a Motor Bus?
Yes, the smell and hideous hum
Indicat Motorem Bum!
Implet in the Corn and High
Terror me Motoris Bi:
Bo Motoris clamitabo
Ne Motore caeder a Bo --
Dative be or Ablative
So thou only let us live:
Whither shall thy victims flee?
Spare us, spare us, Motor Be!
Thus I sang; and still anigh
Came in hordes Motores Bi,
Et complebat omne forum
Copia Motorum Borum.
How shall wretches live like us
Cincti Bis Motoribus?
Domine, defende nos
Contra hos Motores Bos!
--A.D. Godley, January 1914 (presumably an Oxonian)
This works best if vowels are given the English pronunciation.
> (The fact that the plural of "Status" should probably be "Status" in
> German, and that this is not particularly helpful to keeping sg. and
> pl. apart, may also have contributed.)
In English "status" has a native plural, "statuses", but it's not
often used.
Cross-thread note: TOFU has been assimilated into English as
"text over, full-quote under."
--
"By Elbereth and Luthien the Fair, you shall jcowan@reutershealth.com
have neither the Ring nor me!" --Frodo http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
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