What sounds better: Moose, elk or älg?

What name sounds better?


  • Total voters
    44
  • Poll closed .
I suggest what I will term the Norwegian Compromise - we call it an Elg. :lol:

I had a similar sort of thing with Mongoose, particularly in trying to work out what the plural was. It's Mongooses, but for a while I had hoped it would be Mongi/Mongeese :(
Sigh.

You have far to go, young grasshopper.

I will give you a step on the path. The word you seek is polygoose.

(From the Jargon File. Details below.)
Spoiler :
Further, note the prevalence of certain kinds of nonstandard plural forms. Some of these go back quite a ways; the TMRC Dictionary includes an entry which implies that the plural of `mouse' is meeces, and notes that the defined plural of `caboose' is `cabeese'. This latter has apparently been standard (or at least a standard joke) among railfans (railroad enthusiasts) for many years.

On a similarly Anglo-Saxon note, almost anything ending in `x' may form plurals in `-xen' (see VAXen and boxen in the main text). Even words ending in phonetic /k/ alone are sometimes treated this way; e.g., `soxen' for a bunch of socks. Other funny plurals are `frobbotzim' for the plural of `frobbozz' (see frobnitz) and `Unices' and `Twenices' (rather than `Unixes' and `Twenexes'; see UNIX, TWENEX in main text). But note that `Unixen' and `Twenexen' are never used; it has been suggested that this is because `-ix' and `-ex' are Latin singular endings that attract a Latinate plural. Finally, it has been suggested to general approval that the plural of `mongoose' ought to be `polygoose'.

The pattern here, as with other hackish grammatical quirks, is generalization of an inflectional rule that in English is either an import or a fossil (such as the Hebrew plural ending `-im', or the Anglo-Saxon plural suffix `-en') to cases where it isn't normally considered to apply.

This is not `poor grammar', as hackers are generally quite well aware of what they are doing when they distort the language. It is grammatical creativity, a form of playfulness. It is done not to impress but to amuse, and never at the expense of clarity.
 
It's a moose!
 
Is that even a question? Nothing sounds better than Moose. Nothing.
 
I suggest what I will term the Norwegian Compromise - we call it an Elg. :lol:


Sigh.

You have far to go, young grasshopper.

I will give you a step on the path. The word you seek is polygoose.

(From the Jargon File. Details below.)
Spoiler :
Further, note the prevalence of certain kinds of nonstandard plural forms. Some of these go back quite a ways; the TMRC Dictionary includes an entry which implies that the plural of `mouse' is meeces, and notes that the defined plural of `caboose' is `cabeese'. This latter has apparently been standard (or at least a standard joke) among railfans (railroad enthusiasts) for many years.

On a similarly Anglo-Saxon note, almost anything ending in `x' may form plurals in `-xen' (see VAXen and boxen in the main text). Even words ending in phonetic /k/ alone are sometimes treated this way; e.g., `soxen' for a bunch of socks. Other funny plurals are `frobbotzim' for the plural of `frobbozz' (see frobnitz) and `Unices' and `Twenices' (rather than `Unixes' and `Twenexes'; see UNIX, TWENEX in main text). But note that `Unixen' and `Twenexen' are never used; it has been suggested that this is because `-ix' and `-ex' are Latin singular endings that attract a Latinate plural. Finally, it has been suggested to general approval that the plural of `mongoose' ought to be `polygoose'.

The pattern here, as with other hackish grammatical quirks, is generalization of an inflectional rule that in English is either an import or a fossil (such as the Hebrew plural ending `-im', or the Anglo-Saxon plural suffix `-en') to cases where it isn't normally considered to apply.

This is not `poor grammar', as hackers are generally quite well aware of what they are doing when they distort the language. It is grammatical creativity, a form of playfulness. It is done not to impress but to amuse, and never at the expense of clarity.

I've never heard the term and everyone I know says Mongooses? If it is polygooses, I've never heard it, and frankly it should be changed to reflect what the consensus use which is mongooses. As an example my spell checker picks up polygooses but not mongooses. Although I think you were joking?

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source
mon·goose (mŏng'gōōs', mŏn'-) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. mon·goos·es
Any of various Old World carnivorous mammals of the genus Herpestes and related genera, having a slender agile body and a long tail and noted for the ability to seize and kill venomous snakes.

mon·goose /ˈmɒŋˌgus, ˈmɒn-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mong-goos, mon-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -goos·es.
1. a slender, ferretlike carnivore, Herpestes edwardsi, of India, that feeds on rodents, birds, and eggs, noted esp. for its ability to kill cobras and other venomous snakes.
2. any of several other animals of this genus or related genera.
[Origin: 1690&#8211;1700; < Marathi mang&#363;s, var. of mun&#775;g&#363;s]

Whoever wrote that nonsense can swivel on the dictionary plural, approval my ass. Since when do a minority get to change the language as they see fit :)

Call it what you like, today I'm going to call it a big deer.
 
They're all camels to me. :crazyeye:

I prefer to use Elk, since I might confuse Moose with this

doubchocbrownie_3.jpg
 
I like "elk". It's more concise.
 
I prefer 'moose' but that's probably only because I'm so used to it. Besides, "Look out for the moose!!!!" sounds more comprehensible when screamed by a passenger in your car than "Look out for the elk!!!!" which ends up sounding like "Look out for thelk!!!!" and you start wondering what the heck a thelk is while you take an antler through the windshield...
 
I prefer 'moose' but that's probably only because I'm so used to it. Besides, "Look out for the moose!!!!" sounds more comprehensible when screamed by a passenger in your car than "Look out for the elk!!!!" which ends up sounding like "Look out for thelk!!!!" and you start wondering what the heck a thelk is while you take an antler through the windshield...
...in that case "älg" better, you'll only have to say "se upp för älgen!" :lol:
 
It's '&#198;lj' where I live. ;)

And I use the English word Moose for this creature when I'm talking here.
 
...in that case "älg" better, you'll only have to say "se upp för älgen!" :lol:

Except my response to that would be "Sorry, I can't perform the Heimlich Maneuver while driving a car." :p
 
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