(no subject)

[spatch]

I just used the phrase "dorkus malorkus" in conversation but needed to pluralize it. So I wrote "dorkus malorkuses" but then I thought you know, that can't be right.

I mean, "dorkus" is the obvious noun in this. One can be a dorkus and one can be a dorkus malorkus but I don't think anyone outside of Dr. Seuss could've called someone a standalone malorkus. So obviously "malorkus" is the modifier here. And considering the proper plural of "Whopper Jr." is "Whoppers Jr." I am now well and truly stymied so I turn to you, the smart ones.

[Poll #773299]

LET'S DO IT! FOR ENGLISH!

Comments

[piemancer]

http://www.math.ohio-state.edu/~econrad/lang/ln4.html

I'd like to change my answer. I think D. malorkus would fall under the category of neuter fourth declension nouns.

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

Since it seems to have a latin root, and is obviously a separate genus and species, it probably pluralizes like h. sapiens or h. erectus, and you should hereafter refer to it in print as d. malorkus. Singular or plural.

Then if someone isn't quite malorkic enough to qualify for the complete species, he might just be referred to as d. sapiens, and you can write your doctoral thesis like so:

"Analyzing Societal Predilictions Towards Gay Marriage Amendments Among D. Sapiens: Something Clever and Rhyming."

[aliiyf.livejournal.com]

If I'm remembering that Simpsons episode correctly, it's Bart's genus and species name for Lisa, so like fancycwabs said, whether you're referring to a single Lisa or a gaggle of Lisa the binomial nomenclature remains the same.

And I'm a linguist, so I should know!

[archangelsk.livejournal.com]

JESUS, BEEZUS.

[spatch]

I think this could very well be definitive, then!

[spatch]

Jesi beezi?!

[iheartoothecae.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right. I change my answer!

[cynicalgal.livejournal.com]

I voted for Dorkus Malorkuses. I don't know why, except that the other two didn't sound right to me, and I always trust my instincts. Plus, I got in the 100th percentile on some English grammar thingy once, or maybe twice, so I'm wicked smaht.

[cynicalgal.livejournal.com]

No, I totally lied, there. I actually voted for Dorkuses Malorkuses, which wasn't one of the choices. Otherwise, my previous comments make no sense, and since I'm so allegedly wicked smaht, that would be unseemly.

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

Assuming one accepts that specific epithets can be pluralized at all, which is hardly an uncontroversial philosophical position.

[off_coloratura]

Looking at the fill-in answers, I am either right or INCREDIBLY unoriginal.

Pig comedy Latin

[bostonista.livejournal.com]

Orkdii Olurkmii.

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, Eh, Steve Spatch! You've just won first prize in the Internet Dorkus Malorkus Championship by causing the most people to say "Dorki Malorki" in response to an LJ entry ever! What are you going to do with your fabulous prize?

[mr-bad-example.livejournal.com]

Someday I hope to be a Dorkus Malorkus Emeritus.

[piezocuttlefish.livejournal.com]

I disagree. A dorkus is a human, or at least an entity with gender, so it would be 2nd declension masculine or 1st declension as the gender of the dorkus/dorka. Then again, yo, Latin doesn't even have a letter "k". Dorci malorci doesn't carry the same weight.

aliiyf has the best answer, of course.