Difference between revisions of "-is in Latin and Greek"
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| − | Several common words in academic English ending in '''-is''' come from [[Latin]] and [[Greek]], such as analys'''is''', hypothes'''is''' and cris'''is'''. The 'correct' [[plural]] form for these in formal English is '''-es''': in these examples, analys'''es''', hypothes'''es''' and cris'''es'''. Oddly, this form is not correct in the original language. All three of these words (and many others that end in -is) come from Greek, where the plural form would be ''-eis'' (''kris'''eis''''', '' hupothes'''eis''''' and so on - note how strange a strict [[transliteration]] is. English adopted these words from their Latin versions, and the regular Latin plural for words ending in -is is '''-es'''. | + | Several common words in academic English ending in '''-is''' come from [[Latin]] and [[Greek]], such as analys'''is''', hypothes'''is''' and cris'''is'''. The 'correct' [[plural]] form for these in formal English is '''-es''': in these examples, analys'''es''', hypothes'''es''' and cris'''es'''. Oddly, this form is not correct in the original language. All three of these words (and many others that end in -is) come from Greek, where the plural form would be ''-eis'' (''kris'''eis''''', '' hupothes'''eis''''' and so on) - note how strange a strict [[transliteration]] is. English adopted these words from their Latin versions, and the regular Latin plural for words ending in -is is '''-es'''. |
So now it is correct for us to use this incorrect form. | So now it is correct for us to use this incorrect form. | ||
[[category:Latin plurals]] [[Category:Greek plurals]] [[category:Plurals]] [[category:Academic English]] [[Category:suffixes]] | [[category:Latin plurals]] [[Category:Greek plurals]] [[category:Plurals]] [[category:Academic English]] [[Category:suffixes]] | ||
[[category:etymological curiosities]] | [[category:etymological curiosities]] | ||
Latest revision as of 12:21, 29 November 2014
Several common words in academic English ending in -is come from Latin and Greek, such as analysis, hypothesis and crisis. The 'correct' plural form for these in formal English is -es: in these examples, analyses, hypotheses and crises. Oddly, this form is not correct in the original language. All three of these words (and many others that end in -is) come from Greek, where the plural form would be -eis (kriseis, hupotheseis and so on) - note how strange a strict transliteration is. English adopted these words from their Latin versions, and the regular Latin plural for words ending in -is is -es.
So now it is correct for us to use this incorrect form.
