http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enXMOD (Build: 3598.39794)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/4/bvqjm/Post.htm#575139Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:575139Clive0http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/4/bvqjm/Post.htm#575139http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-575139.xmlHi, If you say something like 'Einstein and Newton were genii' to native speakers, they are going to think it sounds pretty odd. best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#575135Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:575135Anonymous1http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#575135http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-575135.xmlTHE PLURAL IS genii . IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MYTHOLOGY BUT WITH THE LAST TWO LETTERS OF THE WORD. THE PLURAL OF MOST WORDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ENDING WITH THE LETTERS us ARE CHANGED TO i SINCE MOST ENGLISH WORDS ARE DERIVED FROM LATIN. RADIUS - RADII OCTOPUS - OCTOPI although some say it is OCTOPODES because the orgin of the word is GREEK and not LATIN. HIPPOPOTOMUS - HIPPOPOTOMI NUCLEUS - NUCLEI SYLLABUS - SYLLABI CACTUS - CACTI GLADIOLUS - GLADIOLIhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#564836Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:564836Anonymous2http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#564836http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-564836.xmlYes, it is genii, the 'Torygraph' does teach you something I suppose.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#536423Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:536423Anonymous3http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#536423http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-536423.xmlGeniuses is correct when speaking about intellegent humans. Genii is plural for demons, spirits or diety with any evil or good intellect. ***http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#529174Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:529174Anonymous4http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#529174http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-529174.xmlBut Octopus only becomes Octopi because of the mistaken belief that it's a Latin word when actually it's Greek in origin and so probably actually Octopuses.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#523957Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:523957Anonymous5http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#523957http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-523957.xmlto 418241 (13 Sep 07), it's actually octopuses. The word octopus is derived from greek, not latin, so in the correct greek, the plural would be 'octopodes', But we're speaking english, so that turns into 'octopuses'.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#522610Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:522610Anonymous6http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#522610http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-522610.xmlYou see, that would be logical except for one thing. Locus is a Latin second declension noun, and thus is pluralised to loci . Octopus is a Romanised form of the Greek oktopous , not just a second declension noun. The plural of octopus is, technically, octopodes . Just as it isn't rhinoceri for rhinoceros , but rhinocerotes , and platypodes for platypus . I went through a phase of obsession over etymologies and obscure words and plurals, and there is more of a wealth of odd plurals out there. So try to steer clear of the pseudo-Latin and, if you're unsure or don't want be condescending, just rely on sticking a good ol' -s or -es at the end. And our limey friend was probably the most correct on using geniuses for people...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#515865Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:515865Anonymous7http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#515865http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-515865.xmlgenius / jee ni ss/ • noun ( pl. geniuses ) 1 exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability. 2 an exceptionally intelligent or able person. 3 ( pl. genii / jee ni-i/) (in some mythologies) a spirit associated with a person, place, or institution. 4 the prevalent character or spirit of a nation, period, etc. — ORIGIN Latin, also in the sense ‘spirit present at one’s birth’, from gignere ‘beget’.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#486205Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:486205Anonymous8http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#486205http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-486205.xmlI guess it's like the plural of moose. I, myself, say moosi just because it sounds cooler and more intellectual. Genii is a good word.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#418388Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:418388Yoong Liat9http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/3/bvqjm/Post.htm#418388http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-418388.xml'genii' is the plural of 'genie', a spirit with magical powers, especially one that lives in a bottle or lamp.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418247Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:418247Anonymous10http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418247http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-418247.xmlI am English (i.e. from England). Sadly our definitive Dictionary's online presence is a charged for service. Presumably this is to keep speakers of lesser English languages where they belong intellectually That being some of the reason the two languages are subtly different ("subtle" itself being a word only proper English speakers would properly understand, like sarcasm). Not having the OED to hand, my own British-English (real English, as opposed to borrowed) dictionary informs me that "geniuses" is correct, unless speaking about Roman myth, guiding spirits (present at birth and death), guardian spirits or Arabic myth, in which case "genii" is correct. Rather amusingly this is the exact definition the "American...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418241Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:418241Anonymous11http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418241http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-418241.xmlif locus becomes loci and octopus becomes octopi the genius becomes geniihttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418239Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:418239Anonymous12http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418239http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-418239.xmlEither is correct. It is commonly debated that "Genii" is the correct term. This is true, although it is also true that "Geniuses" is the correct plural. Genii is a lesser translation of latin, whilts Geniuses is a completely english interpretation.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418237Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:418237Anonymous13http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#418237http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-418237.xmlcorrecthttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#399218Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:399218Anonymous14http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#399218http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-399218.xmlI dont think it matters how many search results "Geniuses" or "Genii" get, it matters that the real plural word for Genius is Genii. FULL STOP Learn real english, not American englishhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#349423Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:349423Clive15http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#349423http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-349423.xmlHi, Newton and Einstein were geniuses. Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#349398Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:349398Anonymous16http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#349398http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-349398.xmlI droped in after looking the question up... I'm writing a school assignment so I need the academic form of the word's plural.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#345941Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:345941Anonymous17http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#345941http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-345941.xmlgrammar police should be shot either way. No, not shot, tortured, then slowly deprived of oxygen until deathhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#301001Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:301001Anonymous18http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/2/bvqjm/Post.htm#301001http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-301001.xmlYes you are actually correct. This from is in Latin and is not commonly used. So when you are conversing with someone else, I suggest you use geniuses.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#250388Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:250388Anonymous19http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#250388http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-250388.xmlwas just wondering myself perhaps no one was never meant to know. perhaps there's only supposed 2b onehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#132976Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:132976Anonymous20http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#132976http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-132976.xmlFound this page by researching the same question, then researched a little more. Currently, popularly, no, but originally, maybe, yeah. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=genius Maybe it would be better to say that genius is the singular of both geniuses and genii. I've always thought the genii of legend were probably related to a genius loci.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108048Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:108048pieanne21http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108048http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-108048.xmlhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108022Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:108022julielai22http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108022http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-108022.xmlhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108019Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:108019pieanne23http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108019http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-108019.xmlI thought the plural of "genius" was "mods mods mods mods"? (Sorry, sorry, couldn't help it)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108010Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:108010MrPedantic24http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#108010http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-108010.xmlTo judge by the first few pages on Google, most of the hits for 'genii' don't relate to 'the plural of genius'. As Julielai says, 'geniuses' is the usual plural. MrPhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#107993Fri, 08 May 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:107993ranchhand25http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#107993http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-107993.xmlGoogled www: 1,090,000 English pages for "geniuses". 126,000 English pages for "genii". Googled UK pages only: 65,400 for "geniuses". 14,300 for "genii".http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#107992Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:107992julielai26http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htm#107992http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-107992.xmlPlural of genius is geniuses. Genii: pl. Roman Mythology. A tutelary deity or guardian spirit of a person or place. (Source: dictionary.com)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htmThu, 08 Jan 2009 13:17:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:107962niallj27http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThePluralOfGenius/bvqjm/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-107962.xmlPlural of genius Yesterday's Staurday Telegraph caused me to question my current belief, that it is in fact genii, not geniuses. Could anyone give me any guidance on this matter?