Posted by cameronhawkins on 2014-07-31 06:48:37

I have been holding my tongue on this matter for so long.... watching people I like and respect go on about their "sauri" or "sauruses" or even the unfathomable "saurii"... (really, what's the thinking there??)
I am just so happy that someone else said something!
Now I feel like I won't be alone ever again...

Posted by Cavetroll on 2014-07-31 07:02:07

I think it's a Latin thing. Saurii.

Posted by NerdBird on 2014-07-31 07:25:03

I believe it would be correct to say Sauruses.

Posted by Badoek on 2014-07-31 07:28:25

Sauridae

Posted by Badoek on 2014-07-31 07:32:38

Is it because you refer to the taxon? That shouldn't work for "our" Lizardmen imho.


Another option: Saurids

Posted by Roland on 2014-07-31 07:58:23

Saurusar

Posted by harvestmouse on 2014-07-31 08:04:21

Just checked an army book and the official plural is Saurus. There are several instances of 'Saurus are...' or such. Disappointing really, Sauri sounds more authentic. Curiously although the are Terradons and Stegadons there are also instances of 'Kroxigor are......' So the plural of Kroxigor is also Kroxigor and not Kroxigors....

Posted by Badoek on 2014-07-31 08:07:43

Well, at least it's consistent

Posted by cameronhawkins on 2014-07-31 09:45:05

Cavetroll, some Latin words do indeed end with a double-i, but only a 2nd declension noun/adjective that already has one 'i' to start with; the first 'i' is part of the root, not the suffix (e.g radius => radii).

Now, here's some more etymology than you'll ever want––
Contrary to the internet's belief, 'saurus' is not actually a Latin ending (even though it resembles a 2nd declension noun, like 'dominus') –– it's actually a bastardization of a Greek word–– sauros, which means lizard. But when the Romans appropriated Greek words, they didn't bother with the plurals (kinda like when English took 'data' and 'agenda' it didn't bother taking the singular forms) so saurus is used for both the singular and plural forms. Of course, you could go back to the original Greek, where the plural of σαῦρος (sauros) is σαῦρᾰ (saura, with the final vowel resembling the vowel sound of the English word 'nut').

However, the real answer is that saurus has never really existed as an independent word, not even in Latin, which means it's as fabricated as 'palantir', and that makes Games Workshop the only authority on the matter. And what does GW say the plural is? Saurus. Case closed.

Posted by dode74 on 2014-07-31 10:08:47

One Tyrannosaurus, many Tyrannosaurus, even more Tyrannosaurs ;)

Posted by JimmyFantastic on 2014-07-31 10:14:21

Yes I have said this forever. I also hate Saurii!

Posted by jamesfarrell129 on 2014-07-31 10:28:20

So is Fidius a singular or plural? Or both?? :-)

I used to have sauri but then I went to the doctor

Posted by pythrr on 2014-07-31 10:39:33

[1] GW are not linguists

[2] even if they were, they ahve abandoned BB, so their opinion no longer matters

[3] The true plural is Mighty Saurus-mens.

The end

Posted by DukeTyrion on 2014-07-31 11:12:20

I think the Plural of Saurus is Rotters ...

... after enough games against Nurgle :-P

Posted by Garion on 2014-07-31 11:19:07

Sauri

Posted by Overhamsteren on 2014-07-31 12:33:02

In Danish you say:

Saurussere (saurussians)

Skinker (hams)

Posted by fly on 2014-07-31 13:40:41

if sauros then sauroi!
so sauri-arebikians is the right pseudoral (fake plural)

Posted by cdassak on 2014-07-31 15:17:37

Actually the greek word for lizzard is σαύρα (female) and the plural of that is σαύρες.
There is no word σαύρος, the term is used in various compound words - for dinosaurs basically (e.g. τυραννόσαυρος )

Posted by Jeffro on 2014-07-31 15:35:36

rated 6 for making my brainses more smarter

Posted by Lorebass on 2014-07-31 16:31:48

+1 to "Mighty Saurus-menz" but I still say Saurii! 'Cause they are freakin' lizards!

Posted by MattDakka on 2014-07-31 16:40:50

The female plural form of σαύρα shouldn't be σαύραι?

Posted by Balle2000 on 2014-07-31 17:23:57

I just check thesaurus.com and it said "sauraii"... also see the forum post about it (just scroll past the bit about occam's razor)

Posted by JimmyFantastic on 2014-07-31 18:22:01

linky?

Posted by roante on 2014-07-31 18:43:06

Sauriiusinkusseses-ids.

Posted by cdassak on 2014-07-31 19:04:50

@MattDakka It is correct, in 'ancient' Greek the plural is indeed σαύραι, however in 'modern' it is σαύρες.

Also, I didn't notice that cameronhawkins did mention that the word σαύρος 'has never really existed as an independent word'

Posted by cameronhawkins on 2014-07-31 19:22:44

cdassak, you would be right for modern Greek, but I'm fairly certain the mama teached me that σαῦρος is the word used in Ancient Greek. The word definitely appears in all the online dictionaries I can find. However, you are somewhat right to correct me because I was not exactly honest about the Greek plural–– I chose a neuter plural rather than a masculine one, on account of the fact that all Saurus in Lustria are purportedly neither male nor female. If we treat the Saurus as masculine, they are indeed σαῦροι

Posted by cdassak on 2014-07-31 19:40:01

I checked greek dictionaries and it was σαύρα in ancient greek too, just don't tell mama :P
Σαύρος does exist but as you said not as an independent word.

Posted by Balle2000 on 2014-07-31 20:02:06

just do a forum search on "sauraii" and a couple of educational reads will appear
like this one: https://fumbbl.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=17023

Btw, speaking og Geek plural, did you know that the collective noun for geeks are 'a fumbbl of geeks'?

it goes like this:
a pride of lions
a gang of elks
a murder of crows
a leap of leopards
a fumbbl of geeks
a gaggle or bouquet of sauraii

Posted by MattDakka on 2014-07-31 20:07:26

Saurai (σαύραι), not sauraii, please.
;)

Posted by cdassak on 2014-07-31 20:41:00

Man, this place is full of nerds :P

Posted by pythrr on 2014-07-31 21:29:50

sausearocerous?

Posted by Gary_Gygax on 2014-07-31 22:32:22

Ma pensare alla fica invece? :D

Posted by Smeat on 2014-07-31 23:48:40

As I remember it, the rule is...

Two mice, one mouse.
Two dice, one douse.

Never say "die".
;)

> so saurus is used for both the singular and plural forms. Of course, you could go back to the original Greek...

But in English "saurus" was originally, and exclusively, a suffix - tyranosaurus, stegosaurus, brontosaurus. But through (over-)usage it morphed into its own noun, like an "ism" or a "phile". And in doing, I believe it became a collective noun, meaning "of a type" - like "fish" - and as such did not (usually) need a plural form.

However, in BB, it becomes (for the first time) a singular noun, and you can have "a (specific, singular) Saurus" - so we must invent a plural.

Altho' it's etymology can be traced back to Greek, it was borrowed directly from Modern Latin, so applying Latin rules is more approp than Old Greek rules (since we are not speaking Old Greek here, but do use Modern Latin forms with ML words).

That said... meh. Sauri, sauruses, even "saurus" as a plural - so long as all are clear, no big woof.

Posted by Beerox on 2014-07-31 23:53:00

The plural of Brachiosaurus is...

Brachiosauruses

just sayin

Posted by Randy_Moss on 2014-08-01 15:42:25

This is why I don't play with lizards.

Posted by harvestmouse on 2014-08-01 16:50:30

Off the top of my head, wasn't Brachiosaurus discovered very late? E.g. parts they discovered they thought belong to Diplowhatsits and Brontethingies. So they're in the same boat. E.g. a modern saurus that's outlived the language it was created in.....who'd have thought dinosauri would outlive a language!

Posted by garyt1 on 2014-08-06 22:03:15

Nouns with the same singular and plural are a pain in the butt. Why risk confusing whether you are talking about one or many?