# Crab or crabs? (Grammar Question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501 "2010-07-13T04:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/41 "2010-07-15T18:10:13Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > A crustacean walks into a bar. The bartender says: “Why so crabby?” A horseshoe crab walks into a bar. The bartender says: “Why the long face?” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/42 "2010-07-15T18:31:40Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > If you say “I want an octopus” you are probably referring to a pet for your aquarium. Same if you say “I want some octopii”. We just don’t use the plural for octopus dishes, even if they are tiny octopi. > > Yes, you would say “I want an octopus. Do you have them”. The mismatch of singlular and plural here is because you are asking if the restaurant has "one or more octopi available, and if so you would like one. These two paragraphs conflict. Consistent with the first, the second should quote, “I want octopus. Do you have it,” right? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/43 "2010-07-15T20:10:08Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Octopi is just wrong. Octopodes is pedantic. Octopus works. Straight from the cephalopod’s mouth!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/44 "2010-07-15T20:38:38Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Octopi is just wrong. Octopodes is pedantic. Octopus works. The Squid is just jealous that he dosen’t have a fancy soundin’ plural of his own. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/45 "2010-07-15T20:52:30Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > The Squid is just jealous that he dosen’t have a fancy soundin’ plural of his own. 😉 Well, there is _calamari_ (plural of _calamaro_). While octopus are octopods, squid are decapods (having 10 legs). However, scientifically it’s the crabs and shrimp that are known as decapods. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/46 "2010-07-17T09:33:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Thankfully, octopi hasn’t reached that stage yet. As has been noted, it is rejected by some dictionaries and many usage guides, and even those which include it note that it is the less-preferred form. So at the very least, people should be discouraged from “correcting” the preferred form octopuses to octopi. While some dictionaries may accept it, it’s the kind of thing that makes you look knowledgeable to the ignorant, but ignorant to the knowledgeable. Of course, people can decide for themselves which they prefer to be.😉 Yes, but neither should you correct someone for using it, either. Whether it is preferred or not, it is not incorrect. But, even if it were, you should still be discouraged from correcting people, as it makes you come off as a pretentious jerk. And I’m disappointed in this thread that it was mentioned so many times. You said it once, so now let the people that actually use the word decide whether they want to change it. In my mind, correcting the same thing more than once is definitely jerkish behavior, as the purpose clearly shifts from helping the other person out, to tooting your own horn about how right you are. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/47 "2010-07-17T16:59:04Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Yes, but neither should you correct someone for using it, either. Whether it is preferred or not, it is not incorrect. But, even if it were, you should still be discouraged from correcting people, as it makes you come off as a pretentious jerk. > > And I’m disappointed in this thread that it was mentioned so many times. You said it once, so now let the people that actually use the word decide whether they want to change it. > > In my mind, correcting the same thing more than once is definitely jerkish behavior, as the purpose clearly shifts from helping the other person out, to tooting your own horn about how right you are. [Moderator Note] **BigT** , accusing other people of “jerkish behavior” is not appropriate for GQ. If you want to tell people that you think they are behaving jerkishly, do so in the Pit, not here. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ETA: If you wish to discuss this note, you may do so in ATMB. Do not do so here. ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501/48 "2010-07-19T00:23:09Z")
Someone already said this, but “I like clam” just sounds unidiomatic. “I like clam chowder” or “I like clam sauce,” yes. That’s “clam” used adjectivally. “Clam” as a mass noun, though, it’s just not right. Same with oyster, mussel, or any other small shelled mollusk. Doesn’t come up much, but it would be “I like conch,” or “I like abalone,” though, probably because one doesn’t usually eat those whole. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crab-or-crabs-grammar-question/546501.md?page=2)