# Newsflash, all Octopuses decended from a pokemon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 9, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948 "2008-11-09T22:50:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/21 "2008-11-10T19:36:47Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Please, read through the thread I linked. I covers most aspects of the debate pretty thoroughly. **Johnny L.A.** used an acceptable but not the prefered. You also wrote that \*\*The Punkyova \*\*was correct when the OED itself supports _octopuses_ showing he was wrong by almost any standard. > Pedants should really verify they are actually correct before posting. We need a new message board corollary to Gaudere’s law that states “Pedants posting corrections and objections are wrong more often than not.” 😉 This is what Angry Octopus™ does to pedants: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bNaRbh2dl6I/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/bNaRbh2dl6I?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque “Call us ‘octopodes’, will ya? Take THAT!” ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/22 "2008-11-10T19:45:55Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > So where does Cthulhu fit into the family tree? That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange æons even baby Yoggy goes beddy-bye. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/23 "2008-11-10T19:49:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Pedants should really verify they are actually correct before posting. I was. Just because I didn’t read your thread makes it no more less so. I’d still like to meet you. But as long as we don’t discuss plurals of words. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/24 "2008-11-10T19:56:09Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I was. Just because I didn’t read your thread makes it no more less so. > I’d still like to meet you. But as long as we don’t discuss plurals of words. You weren’t the one I was talking about being a pedant. But you supported [QUOTE=The Punkyova] One octopus, two octopods, or two octopodes. It’s Greek, not Latin. [/QUOTE] . Even if we disagree on \*Octopi \*he is still wrong as \*Octopuses \*is correct. The statement you quoted was aimed at him and not you. I also agree that the OED is the best resource. I would be most happy to meet you and happier still not to discuss plurals of words. I rarely do anyway. 😃 Hopefully I get back to Boston again next March or April. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/25 "2008-11-10T22:19:43Z")
> [@The\_Punkyova](#): > > One octopus, two octopods, or two octopodes. It’s Greek, not Latin. > Slinks off to be pedantic elsewhere. Actually, it’s ENGLISH. As a clue, you may note the entire absence of Greek script in the word “octopus.” Let’s just say “octopuses,” as the OP did in all his or her wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/26 "2008-11-26T12:40:53Z")
I didn’t see this until now, sorry. Cal Meacham and I are right. Also, I want to point out that my post is a direct quote from “The Pyrates” by George MacDonald Fraser, a wonderful book, and a cite that trumps anything labeled “dictionary.” Finally, I love the Dope. Cute pokemon, Cthulhu rising, and linguistic discussion, all in one thread! ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/27 "2008-11-26T21:02:18Z")
Well that little _Megaleledone setebos_ is cute an all, but is he the ancestor to [these guys?](http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/28 "2008-11-26T21:39:49Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > So where does Cthulhu fit into the family tree? He doesn’t fit into it – he uses it as a toothpick. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948/29 "2008-11-27T11:54:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Actually, it’s ENGLISH. As a clue, you may note the entire absence of Greek script in the word “octopus.” Let’s just say “octopuses,” as the OP did in all his or her wisdom. He and I was falling back on the BBC for that spelling 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newsflash-all-octopuses-decended-from-a-pokemon/471948.md?page=1)