MARGARET Ford’s letter on the plural of octopus (TES, June 5) made me reach for my Greek lexicon. I found a dative plural form possi, as used by Homer.
Adding possi to okto (eight) gives us the Greek word oktopossi. Making the usual changes from k to c and os to us would give octopussi as a genuine plural form in English.
This is a much prettier word than octopi or octopodes. A large number of octopus would be “octopussi galore”. Sorted!
Ted Guyver
41 Meon Road
Mickleton
Chipping Campden
Gloucestershire
