Octopi vs Octopuses vs Octopodes vs Octopus
I like Octopi. Octopuses. Octopodes.
Whatever. The sea leggy things.
The problem is, whenever I try to tell someone I like octopus plural (because people are always asking me about octopuses) I never know how to use the plural for octopus. I say “octopi” but I mumble it, because it sounds pretentious, and then I say “octopuses,” but then assume people are thinking, “Did she just call octopi octopuses? What an idiot!” and then I get all embarrassed and shuffle out of view, which happens a lot, for a myriad of reasons. I go through a lot of shoes.
Turns out, “octopi” is not the plural of octopus. People assumed “octopus” was from the Latin, and gave it the Latin plural “octopi.” But the word is Greek, and the plural is technically “octopodes,” but after years of “octopi” and “octopuses” any or all of them is as right as the other. (I learned this from the Grammarist, where I read many things I don’t retain for more than a few minutes.)
A plethora of octopus gifts:
(the word “plethora” used to be pretentious, but then people started saying it all the time and it got really popular, so now I use it ironically, like a verbal hipster.)
“Octocurls” tee from Designed by Humans. —>
and this tee, “Deep Creature” also from Designed by Humans.
I don’t know these women. They are from the Designed by Humans web site. It was kind of them to stop by.
And I have and love this tee from Threadless: “Loch Ness Imposter” He kind of looks like a squid, but he has eight legs, so we’re going to let that slide.
This glass octopus by Jennifer Umphress which we bought at Cocco and Salem Gallery in Key West. They shipped it to us unbroken, which I still think is the most amazing thing since the Khardashians became famous people. I wake up every morning fearing this will be the day I accidentally break the octopus somehow. I have some anxiety issues.
This steampunk octopus drawer pull we got from DaRosa Creations on Etsy to try and give our old dresser a little panache.
This is technically a shower squid, from Uncommon Goods, not a shower octopus, but not only do I love it because it is unique, but it is crazy useful. We don’t have much shelf space in our shower and this little guy holds all the shampoo and soaps we buy thinking they will instantly turn us into models, that then sit there untouched for months.
Friend and artist Debby Carman usually paints dogs, but I asked her if she would make me an octopus mug…
LOVE MY OCTOPUS MUG!
If you ask me nice, she might make one for you, too.
If you have a favorite octopus thing let me know! I want it.
