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octopus (lemmy.world)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Because people use it, and if you say it everybody will understand without any ambiguity.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Then the meme is formatted incorrectly. Or "correctly", if we define correct as "incorrect, but, you get it, so..."

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Except, usage defines language. If it didn't, English wouldn't exist. Therefore, usage is correct when people understand and use it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That's what I said.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Then why are you saying it's incorrectly formatted? I'm directly backing its premise.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

"Octopi" is only "correct" because of common usage. Octopus does not have a Latin origin, so it doesn't make sense to pluralize it that way. Which is to say it's not technically correct, it's just "correct".

In the proper format of this meme, the wojack in the middle should be obsessed with technical correctness, while the one on the right is fine with merely "correctness" (as in, enough people use it to make it understood).

But since you can understand it, the format is merely "correct" (I'm being tongue-in-cheek to make a point)