Very important correction indeed

Posted by Lotg on March 25, 2004

In Reply to: Meeces posted by Brian from Shawnee on March 25, 2004

: : : : : : : : : : During lunch today, one of our computer techs used the word "mouses" as the plural form of a computer "mouse." A little while later, a different tech used the word "mice." Which is preferred or more correct?

: : : : : : : : My AP Stylebook doesn't have "mouse" in its Internet section. Merriam-Webster online has computer "mouse" along with the animal "mouse" and the plural is "mice." But that doesn't sound right to me.

: : : :
: : : : : : : Googlefight has the winner as mice at 76,900 vs 15.

: : : : : : Wrong fight.It is still mice at 76,900 vs 8,180

: : : : : I suppose a third possibility could simply be "mouse" as the plural. Of course it would be impossible to do an effective Google search for that form.

: : : : Why didn't they just call it a computer rat and make things easy?

: : : : A Google search using "computer mouse plural" yields many discussions, including this one: www.yourdictionary.com/ library/oxen.html (link below).

: : : Bugger it!!! Sylvester hated those meeces to pieces - and who can blame him. I'm going with meeces!!!

: : No headache for me, I use mice to feed my cat, and trackballs for computers...

: A small but important correction: It was Jinx the Cat who hated "meeces to pieces". His nemeses (another unusual plural!) were Pixie and Dixie. Sylvester was obsessed with Tweety Bird.

Thankyou, I must admit, as I typed it, Sylvester sounded wrong. But I was into my 3rd glass of red...