The plural of mouse

[Anonymus Kline 2]

I recently found a very debated subject, whitch is correct, computer mice or mouses?

 

I will let you decide.

[deleted 1]

I recently found a very debated subject, whitch is correct, computer mice or mouses?

 

I will let you decide.

I think the correct plural is mice. I say mouses though just cos is sounds funny :roll:

[RadrianO 0]

I recently found a very debated subject, whitch is correct, computer mice or mouses?

 

I will let you decide.

 

 

There is nothing to decide here. The right form is mice. Period.

[Shadowdancer 4]

not if you ask jessica simpson, though :) :)

[Anonymus Kline 2]

Also, not if you ask Wiki answers:

 

"Here are opinions and input:

 

* According to the PC Dictionary it is "mice." For your reference: PC Dictionary. However it has also been said that because it is a name it is "mouses."

 

* Without a doubt the plural of compute mouse is: MOUSES

 

* MOUSE is an acronym, and is short for Manually-Operated User-Selection Equipment so technically MOUSE is already the plural (... Equipments?) Most people, however pluralise acronyms, and initials in general, by adding a small s, so it would be MOUSEs, which seems a bit silly. Mice is also wrong, as it doesn't stand for anything, but it does make more grammatical sense than calling them MOUSE or MOUSEs. (NB: If a MOUSE was so called because it looked like the animal, then mice would be correct, but that isn't the case, although small body, long tail, who knows...)

 

* It's definitely "mouses". See: http://www.saugus.net/Computer/Terms/mouse/view

 

* If in doubt use "pointing devices" (although the term may be a bit too general) :flowers:)

 

* I have been involved with computers since 1985 and have always used "mice" when referring to more than one of them. "

Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_plur...;_on_a_computer

 

Also, on other forums they seem to conclude that Mice is the most popular form, but mouses would be correct.

But, I think both are correct, use the one that sounds better at that point in time. I wouldn`t ask someone if they have mice in their store... They might be upset.

Editat Mai 1, 2007 de Anonymus Kline

[deleted 1]

The trouble is with the internet is that the information is only as good as the user who put it on there :flowers: I am not saying you are wrong but I found these....

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_%28computing%29 This site say mice or mouses is ok.

"The name mouse, coined at the Stanford Research Institute, derives from the resemblance of early models (which had a cord attached to the rear part of the device, suggesting the idea of a tail) to the common eponymous rodent."

 

http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa081898.htm

"In 1964, the first prototype computer mouse was made to use with a graphical user interface (GUI), 'windows'. Engelbart received a patent for the wooden shell with two metal wheels (computer mouse U.S. Patent # 3,541,541) in 1970, describing it in the patent application as an "X-Y position indicator for a display system." "It was nicknamed the mouse because the tail came out the end," Engelbart revealed about his invention. His version of windows was not considered patentable (no software patents were issued at that time), but Douglas Engelbart has over 45 other patents to his name. "

 

In my opinion the acronym was made up to fit the name!

[lupini 4967]

The debate is over.

 

Topic closed.