Formulae, anyone?

[caringsharingbristolbilly]

Just a thought, 'cos I'm shockingly bored.

I've noticed people use "Formulas" these days as the plural of "Formula". I always remember from my Maths A-level days - for those Brits out there - that the plural was "Formulae". Fill in the poll - I'd like to know which you prefer!

I'd like to start a movement to Reinstate The Forgotten Formulae! Join me!

As a point of note, both are fine according to my dictionary. "Formula's", on the other hand, is both hideous and reprehensible.

CSBBB.

 

[Legacy 5624]

"Formula's", on the other hand, is both hideous and reprehensible.

In the same way as " 'cos" is hideous and reprehensible?

(Not to mention "Forgotton".)

 

[Todd Bardoni]

Much in the same way that the apostrophe is hideous and reprehensible.

 

[Legacy 5624]

...

 

[barkley]

Much in the same way that people who use hideous and reprehensible in the same sentence are abominable and opprobrious(ible).

 

[Legacy 5624]

Not to mention philippic and contumelious(ible).

 

[caringsharingbristolbilly]

Sorry. I didn't mean to be sesquipedalian.

:wink:

(By the way, thanks for the new words, chaps. I'll make sure I use them all in my meetings today!)

 

[The Tamer]

I like the apostrophe, as long as it's used correctly. If we're going to do away with the apostrophe, why not get rid of all punctuation? (Sorry, I mean "... all punctuation ")

As for "formulae" It just doesn't sound right to me - though i do use it from time to time. So, seeing as "formulas" is allowed according to the law of the dictionary, then that's what I'll be using from now on.

So there!

 

[caringsharingbristolbilly]

I'm a big fan of the apostrophe. It's one of the very few things in the English language which adheres to hard and fast rules. Yet it's one of the things which seems to baffle many people.

For example, our work canteen has started selling Tray Bake's and Pannini's. I just looked at a car website which sold Rover's.

I'm planning on getting some "Apostrophe Catastrophe" stickers printed, and plonking them wherever I see these heinous errors!

It's not that I'm anally retentive, it's just that I have too much time on my hands!! :wink:

AND IF WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF ALL PUNCTUATION I THINK SOMEONE I USED TO WORK WITH WAS WAY AHEAD OF YOU NOT ONLY DID SHE NOT USE ANY PARAGRAPHS OR PUNCTUATION IN ANY OF HER EMAILS SHE INSISTED ON WRITING EVERYTHING IN BLOCK CAPITALS AND HAVING REALLY BAD SPELLING WICH MADE ME WANT TO BEAT HER TO DEATH WITH MY PC MONETOR HER EMAILS WENT STRATE INTO THE TRASH WITHOUT EVEN BEING RED

 

[Cbrine]

Today, with grammer checkers and spell checkers, your lucky if I can spell my own name. I remember, when I was in high school, that I was able to spell and able to create a complete sentance. Now, I don't even remember the rules, except for the verb and noun thing.


Cal