🚀 go-pugleaf

On or about 21 Oct 1996 18:13:08 PST, Tyler Barnes wrote in
comp.lang.asm.x86:

>S_>>Let it be known that the plural form of virus is not virii. It is
>S_>>viruses.
>S_>>(Not that this is an english language newsgroup)
>S_>Not that this is a latin group or anything but I believe that virus is a
>S_>special case, hence male,plural,noun is virii 8).

>I believe you're dead wrong. In fact, I don't think Virus is even a true
>latin word. (Not that I know anything about latin, but so I've been
>told)

Yes it is. It means slime, poison, metaphorically 'sharp taste'. (At
least according to my dictionary) Occurs in classical Latin only as
nominative and accusative (1st & 4th case) *singular*.

However, Latin didn't stop dead with the end of the Rome as an empire.
Which is why it's now a medical term, probably coined in the 19th
century(?). Which might mean that there is an official (i.e.
Latin-based) plural out there. Given that the original is neuter, IIRC
the plural would be vira. Anyone out there remember how to conjugate
neutral nouns ending in -us ?

Crossposted to sci.classics and humanities.classics in the hope of
receiving a definitive answer from that direction.
(Dear classicists; I'm afraid I don't usually read your groups, so
please keep crosspost back to comp.lang.asm.x86 if you've got a better
answer, or email me)

Simon van Dongen

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 Simon van Dongen <sgvd@pi.net>    Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  'My doctor says I have a malformed public duty gland and a
  natural deficiency in moral fibre,' he muttered to himself,
  'and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes.'
                            Life, the universe and everything
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