Computer mouses or mice?

[MardyBra]

So I went to buy a new mouse today. When I couldn't find what I wanted I asked the adolescent man in the shop and he took me to the section where the "mouses" were displayed.

It's not really something I've thought about before (not ever having had to pluralise a computer mouse), but is the plural mouses or mice?

You'll be pleased to hear that I resisted the urge to interrogate and embarrass quiz the small boy young man.

[MardyBra]

No pedants out and about today then?

[Frontpaw]

Meeses.

[MardyBra]

Thanks Frontpaw. Very helpful.

[lalalonglegs]

Mouses, mice sounds twee

[Frontpaw]

I likes to 'elp.

Actually, I think it is 'mice'.

[OneOfMyTurnsComingOn]

Mice.

[MaryZed]

Mice.

[MardyBra]

Maybe I should post in the Geeks' Corner (or whatever it's called) too...

[KatieScarlett2833]

Computer click on stuff thingies?

[MaryZed]

Is that a technical term Katie?

[KateByChristmas]

I once ordered 50 mice. It's definitely mice!

[KatieScarlett2833]

It's what I would say Maryz

"Excuse me young man with the improbable hair, yes you. Where are the computer click on stuff thingies?"

[nickeldaisical]

it's mouses in computer speak.

[Frontpaw]

Isn't it computer squeek?

[WMittens]

From wiki:
"The online Oxford Dictionaries entry for mouse states the plural for the small rodent is mice, while the plural for the small computer connected device is either mice or mouses. However, in the use section of the entry it states that the more common plural is mice, and that the first recorded use of the term in the plural is mice as well (though it cites a 1984 use of mice when there were actually several earlier ones).[2] The term mice was seen in print in "The Computer as a Communication Device", written by J. C. R. Licklider in 1968."

[MirandaGoshawk]

I've seen this discussed elsewhere and the gavel came down on mouses, not mice. It's because it's not the original use of the word (small furry creatures)and so the irregular plural doesn't apply to the new use.

Similar to forum - the original plural would be fora, but now we have a different use for the word we use forums.

Having said that, I would feel an idiot going up to a spotty youth in Computer World and asking where the 'mouses' are.

[MardyBra]

Interesting point Miranda but I don't think there is a parallel with forum/fora, as that is a Latin word which we've anglicised and then applied the standard plural. We would talk about two cappucinos rather than two cappucini, for example (although of course there is the favourite pendant debate over panino/panini/paninis ). Mice is from old English rather than imported.

I've just found the wiki page on irregular plurals. Mice is in the ablaut section. According to this you can have computer mouses or mice.

[MirandaGoshawk]

The thing about fora, for example, is that we would use it in the original sense if we were talking about different fora in different ancient cities, but forums for different internet forums. Same, I think, with stadiums. Stadia if we were talking about the old ones in e.g Greece but if modern Olympics would be stadiums. So that's what I mean about new meanings for old words and different (simplified) plurals now attached to them.

Ah, panini, yes. Panino sounds a bit pretentious and I can cope with paninis but not with panini's a misplaced apostrophe which is how they seem to do it round here. Sigh.

[Littlesurprise]

Mouse -> mice

Computer mouse -> computer mouses

Goose -> geese

Mongoose -> mongooses

[EdithWeston]

I think I'd use either, but feel self-conscious about whichever one I chose.

So perhaps I'd recast the enquiry: "I need a mouse. Where would I find some to choose from?"

[Snorbs]

I used to hear "mouses" used a lot but over the last 10 years or so it just seems to be "mice". "Mouses" strikes me as being unnecessarily twee.

As an analogy, a carpenter might use a saw horse. and if there were lots of them she'd just call them horses. She wouldn't call them "horsies" or similar just to make a clumsy point about word origins and plurals.