Shui August 22, 2013 Share August 22, 2013 Both pluralizations are equally wrong, of course. "Tulpa" is ostensibly a Tibetan word, but -s is English pluralization, and -ae is Latin pluralization. The problem is that in Tibetan, it's often unclear whether a word is singular or plural without adding another word on to clarify. So in Tibetan, we'd be saying something like "two tulpa", or "multiple tulpa" or "plural tulpa". You could argue that we've made tulpa into an English word, and thus the English pluralization is correct. But then you could also argue that English does not have any consistent rules of pluralization. Compare "antennae", "sheep", and "octopi". "Octopi" in particular is worth mentioning, because it's wrong -- it's Latin pluralization being applied to a Greek word. Although far less commonly used, the Greek pluralization "octopodes" is more correct. On the other hand, Latin plurals have become almost a second system for English pluralization, and many sources list "octopi" as more correct than "octopodes" based on common usage. Similarly, the Jargon File lists "Unices" as the correct pluralization of "Unix". Also interesting is the case of "fish" which has two correct plural forms: "fish", and "fishes". "Fish" is the correct plural for multiple individuals of the same variety, while "fishes" refers to multiple varieties. I've been using both "tulpas" and "tulpae", thinking that it's like "fish", with two plurals for different uses. I realized yesterday that the only way this would be correct is if you could say "three pony tulpas" and "anthro and anime tulpae", which isn't quite what I had in mind, but maybe it works. What do you think? "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you.'" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sands August 22, 2013 Share August 22, 2013 It's funny how everything you have said has been said before. (post merged with previous thread) The THE SUBCONCIOUS ochinchin occultists frt.sys (except Roswell because he doesn't want to be a part of it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shui August 23, 2013 Share August 23, 2013 Oh damn. I looked for "tulpa" and "tulpae" appearing in the same title, and searched for "grammar", but I didn't think to search for "pluralization". ...And apparently I missed a topic with both words in the title. Though to be fair, that topic is still not coming up in searches. Sorry. It seems I don't have permission to delete the thread. (post merged with previous thread) "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you.'" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spartanelete August 23, 2013 Share August 23, 2013 I use both, as wrong at both may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left blank August 23, 2013 Share August 23, 2013 I really, really dislike "tulpae". Unfortunately, most of the invented lexicon found within this site irks me for one reason or another. I think the word "tulpa" can encompass both singular and plural forms very easily, similar to "deer" or "moose". But if that doesn't suffice, "tulpas" seems a perfectly viable plural form of a word that is already an unavoidably anglicized neologism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuessWho August 23, 2013 Share August 23, 2013 I speak English, not Latin. 'Tulpas' it is. It's just stupid to have it any other way. Also... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero August 24, 2013 Share August 24, 2013 "tulpae" to me is just for people who want to sound smart, like those people that like to overformulate their sentences using unnecessary words to show others what complex individuals they are. But that's just me. I say tulpas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Faust August 24, 2013 Share August 24, 2013 I use tulpae simply because I saw it used within the forum hierarchy. I didn't know it was a sort of "in-joke". Regardless, I think I'll use tulpai henceforth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left blank August 24, 2013 Share August 24, 2013 Regardless, I think I'll use tulpai henceforth. I will pay you not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreativeMind August 24, 2013 Share August 24, 2013 One tulpa = tulpa two tulpa = two tulpa all the tulpa = all tulpa I used tulpae when I saw others using it here because I literally had no idea. I was just kind of like 'huh'. Then I was put into my place in the irc. i good grl now k? only sai 'tulpa'. I think the most I'd slip now is 'tulpas'. New? Need Knowledge? - List of Guides - Creative's Creation Handbook Have you hugged your tulpa today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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