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kiwi
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Likes it here |
Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
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Here's a truly insprational story, a former street-kid from London was last-night named 'New Zealander of the Year'. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3290946/From-streetkid-to-New-Zealander-of-the-Year
Richly deserved too. Our gain, your loss ;-D
However, his acceptance speech had me cringing. He distinctly said that NZ is a nation of geniuses. Shouldn't that be genii?
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
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Kiwi, I think only an extreme pedant would demand 'genii'.
I'd be more concerned about the missing apostrophe in >The awards chief judge<.
Heigh-ho, it looks as if I've become a legend in someone else's mind now.
Hugs
Nigel
I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.
…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.
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Nope, Kiwi. We speak English and when a word is naturalised as genius is, it is declined like other English words of the same form. So I say 'hippopotamuses'. I've seen 'hippopotami' but putting a latin plural on a greek word isn't a good idea.
There are lots of these anomalies, though. 'Data', for example is a collective noun, like sugar and it takes a singular verb ("The data is conclusive) and 'datum' is not its singular.
And of course there are lots of words like 'ignoramus' that look as if they might be Latin and aren't - and people give themselves away by making the false assumption.
It's much easier just to eschew the smarty-pants stuff and say "Stuff it, I'm speaking English and I'll anglicise any foreign words that I use."
And if anyone cavils at geniuses ask them whether they understood - and if they did what's wrong.
Love,
Anthony
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Don't feel bad,kiwi...in America we haven't spoken English in years 
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
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At last! A confession.
Hugs
N
I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.
…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.
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Macky
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Really getting into it |
Location: USA
Registered: November 2008
Messages: 973
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Hmmm-Hmmm. Of course, English itself is just badly spoken Anglo-Saxon, bastardized by Old Norse and Norman French speaking conquerors. La langue original est verschwunden, aussi wie the tower de Babel.
Maxientius
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1 NASB
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kiwi
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Likes it here |
Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
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Thanks Guys.
You're all, umm, genii - yeah, extreme pedant here.
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
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He speaks!! Hello Kiwi, All:
I just arrived, thank you gmail, and that said, I'll go read about what must be a wonderful, genius of a boy. That's makes him the second NZ genius I know for sure.
Tracy
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kiwi
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Likes it here |
Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
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Welcome to iomfats/apos.
I'm delighted to see you here,(at last!), and i know we'll all benefit from your wit & wisdom.
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
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Welcome to Timmy's house. 
Youth crisis hot-line 866-488-7386, 24 hr (U.S.A.)
There are people who want to help you cope with being you.
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Thanks, Paul. It's always nice to see a familiar face in a new place.
Tracy
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