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The Conundrum Conundrum

What's the plural?

Conundrums	5 votes
Conundra	2 votes

Edgy DC Oct 30 2008 09:09 AM

Our style guide says to obey the pluralizing rules of the original language when using borrowed words. But we make execeptions when a borrowed word becomes an adopted word. The gray area is when one becomes another. So I look up "conundrum" and find out that it's neither, but a mock-Latin coinage. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conundrum Should that compel me more towards using the Latin plural, or less?

DocTee Oct 30 2008 09:13 AM

I'd have thought that the plural of conundrum was conundrum. (1 conundrum, 2 conundrum, three conunudrum, four...") I say go with multiple conundra

Gwreck Oct 30 2008 09:20 AM

Nope. Go with the s. It's an adopted word, not a borrowed word.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 30 2008 09:24 AM

If I ever use any form of that word you all may punch me in the face.

Edgy DC Oct 30 2008 09:25 AM

Gwreck wrote: Nope. Go with the s. It's an adopted word, not a borrowed word. Check the link. It's neither! ="JC Bucket"]If I ever use any form of that word you all may punch me in the face. Always looking for a reason.

Willets Point Oct 30 2008 09:29 AM

Maybe it stems from Vatican II, but I have a deep dislike for Latin usage in the English language, and well, Latin in general. I think popular usage should be the guide in any language because language belongs to the people. And how do you find out if something is popular? Google of course! Here are the search results: 914,000 for conundrums 16,700 for conundra Also, the spell check in FireFox is giving me an error for "conundra". So I say "conundrums" wins!

Gwreck Oct 30 2008 10:20 AM

Edgy DC wrote: ="Gwreck"]Nope. Go with the s. It's an adopted word, not a borrowed word. Check the link. It's neither! I did. If you had to choose between one of the two descriptions, the correct chose is adopted.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 10:22 AM

I'm tempted to say "conundra" on the "if WP says it, it must be wrong" theory. but "conundra" is what we used to call the frozen, desolate Boardwalk in Coney Island, during the winter months. So it already has a separate meaning for me.

Edgy DC Oct 30 2008 10:26 AM

Easy, Tiger.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 10:55 AM

aww, WP knows i'm only kidding.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 30 2008 11:14 AM

The title of this thread makes me think of a Robert Ludlum novel.

Willets Point Oct 30 2008 11:18 AM

Vic Sage wrote: aww, WP knows i'm only kidding. Of course! Vic's a schmuck at times and sticks his butt into far too many things, but deep down I love him like a half-brother that came out of dalliance between my father and Ann Coulter.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 11:49 AM

how is dad these days? he never returns my calls.

Willets Point Oct 30 2008 12:51 PM

That would be because he is dead at this present time. You should try ringing up Ann though if you're looking for a father figure.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 30 2008 12:54 PM

Please tell me that Ann hasn't really reproduced.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 01:04 PM

Don't be dissin my moms, yo.

Frayed Knot Oct 30 2008 01:06 PM

]Maybe it stems from Vatican II, but I have a deep dislike for Latin usage in the English language, and well, Latin in general. Obviously English borrowed wholesale both words and roots of words from Latin, particularly concerning scientific topics as Latin was considered the "learned" language at a time when English was a peasant tongue relegated to the 2nd (or even 3rd) language in its own land. Later, as English started to gain traction on the homeland, there was a movement to start doing things like standardizing spelling. But those in charge of such stuff did so cautiously and care was often taken to retain original spellings for words based on where they came from (or even sounded like where they came from) as if to do otherwise would somehow soil the source and represent too radical a change. Stuff like that is part of why spelling rules and tendancies in the English language are so fucked up.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 01:20 PM

]tendancies um, that's "tendencies".

Frayed Knot Oct 30 2008 01:42 PM

Told ya they're fucked up! Either that or I am.

Vic Sage Oct 30 2008 01:44 PM

fuck-uppedness does not have to be mutually exclusive.

Frayed Knot Oct 30 2008 01:46 PM

Particularly for those of English descent. I'm doubly fucked up.