Wordie: Octopus: Comments

Comment by travismcdermott, about 1 month ago

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:52:03 +0000

1759 Philos. Trans. 1758 (Royal Soc.) 50 778 The Polypus, particularly so called, the Octopus, Preke, or Pour-contrel.

Comment by shbhrsaha, 3 months ago

Sat, 24 May 2008 13:08:56 +0000

wow

Comment by Asativum, 7 months ago

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:21:19 +0000

Thanks! Always wondered about that. (See mongoose.)

Not sure I'd get too jocular with octopuses, or octopi for that matter, given then Mr. Potatohead story; they don't seem to have much of a sense of humor.

Comment by mollusque, 7 months ago

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:02:13 +0000

The preferred plural in English is "octopuses". "Octopus" comes from Greek, not Latin, so if a classical plural is used it should be "octopodes". "Octopi" is a well-established back-formation, often used in jocular contexts.

Comment by Asativum, 7 months ago

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 01:39:29 +0000

Oughtn't it be octopi?

Comment by mollusque, 7 months ago

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:58:52 +0000

Octopuses have personalities.

Comment by Treeseed, 7 months ago

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:04:21 +0000

I read about a little octopus who was given a small toy figure of Mr. Potato Head and the little octopus became so attached to this toy that he would become aggressive if his keepers tried to remove it from him. He became adept at opening and closing a small compartment in the back of the toy. Somehow this story makes me love octopuses and appreciate them in a whole new way. I think it is a sad tale.

Comment by mollusque, 9 months ago

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:13:41 +0000

{G}etting all of one’s addictions under control is a little like putting an octopus to bed.
--Anne Lamott, 1994, Bird by Bird, p. 93

Comment by reesetee, 10 months ago

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:47:13 +0000

Love the quote and the book!

Comment by mollusque, 10 months ago

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:23:10 +0000

Have you ever heard a blind-folded octopus unwrap a cellophane-covered bathtub?
--Norton Juster, 1961, The Phantom Tollbooth

Comment by reesetee, about 1 year ago

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:52:39 +0000

THE OCTOPUS
Tell me, O Octopus, I begs
Is those things arms, or is they legs?
I marvel at thee, Octopus;
If I were thou, I'd call me Us.
Ogden Nash