Mumsnet Talk

Ill blame my dh who can't spell

I was taught rooves and hooves in the 70s as well. Archaic? How dare they? although I am ancient

A buss is an electrical thing so busses would be more than one of those

Nope, it's still 'bus' in computing. According to google, 'buss' means a kiss.

Ooh, is that what it means? I thought it meant bum pinch!

'Buss' is also an archaic word meaning 'kiss'.

A buss is an electrical thing so busses would be more than one of those

Fellatio, I agree that 'Chieves' doesn't sound right as plural for chief, but I've always said 'Handkerchieves'

So - is there any way 'busses' would be right? (I have to admit I didn't even know it was an option until I saw it.)

Trying to be generous here . . .

Buses?

Rooves, hooves and dwarves here . Am 31
Interestingly my phone left hooves and dwarves but didn't like rooves and changed it to robes.

What would you do for plural of 'bus'? Got very confused yesterday . . .

(In a related and massively un-PC matter, I have seen copies of Private Eye from the 60s which pluralised 'poof' to 'pooves'.)

Conversate??

<faints>

It seems things change with time. Shouldn't be so with grammar, however.
I too was taught "rooves". Was also taught "hooves".
Chief was an exception...kind of like i before e except after c.
Can't recall how dwarf is affected. A clue might be in the snow white story if someone can find an old version of it. I think it might be dwarves, but not sure.
While we're on the subject, what about pleaded guilty? We were taught that pled was the past tense for plead. Now all I hear and see is "pleaded".
While I'm here how about conversate vs. converse? Where did it all come from?

Dwarves is the UK version - I think we've got used to Dwarfs because the Snow White film uses it, the US version. But yes, hooves, shelves, wharf/wharves, half/halves etc., although personally I would use roof, with rooftops for plural

Shelf/ shelves?

I think I have too much time on my hands!

www.wordsforbreakfast.co.nz/blog/rooves-or-roofs-or-how-to-make-a-writer-die-inside/

Calf/calves?

I think I would too 3b - chieves sounds wrong.

I've confused myself now.

I say rooves and would write it. I'm 34.

If there were more than one chief then I would definitely write 'chiefs' not 'chieves'. Not that the situation has ever arisen!

Well I think we probably all say it, but you never see it written/spelt that way these days.

I'm 31 and say rooves! not sure ive ever seen it written though. i'm typing with one hand, and breastfeeding, sorry for crap punctuation etc.

Yes, dwarves! I knew there was another cracking example but I was struggling to think of it.

I am not wrong am I - no-one says 'rooves' these days.

But is it dwarfs, or dwarves? Or is that something completely different....

Erm, I'm 36 and was taught rooves. I too have wondered where this word disappeared to.