atw: Re: Oh no, not 'mouses' again! (on behalf of Petra) [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[ Petra asked me to send this on her behalf (just when I was wondering how 
we could forcibly shut the thread down!) ]

Hi All,

 

I tried to post 3 times yesterday but couldn't get through. Most 
frustrating. Will try again.

 

I would never quote google returns to prove any usage is right or wrong. I 
quoted it only because it was suggested that the Australian ratio of use 
of mice/mouses is different to elsewhere when google returns would suggest 
otherwise. I like to see whether incorrect usage ever wins over correct 
usage and so far I've never found it. For example, a very large percentage 
of people I know insist on saying "between you and I" even when I explain 
why it’s "between you and me" – the correct versions wins by far in google 
returns. Like Terry, I notice a lot of "was laying on the bed" instead of 
"was lying on the bed." However, when I google I find 52,000 returns for 
"was lying on the bed" and only 14,000 returns for "was laying on the 
bed". If anyone ever finds an incorrect usage producing more returns in 
google than correct usage I'd be fascinated to know about it.

 

What I would almost always use is the DICTIONARY as an AUTHORITY and the 
dictionary quotes from Howard in a much earlier post seem to have been 
lost. I quote them again below.

When a dictionary gives one word first and then another after the word 
"also" the inference is that the first word is the more commonly used term 
and the word after "also" is less often used (supported in the case of 
mice/mouses by the google return result), although there could be a 50/50 
situation too I guess.

 

Thus, should the need ever arise, I will feel perfectly confident in using 
my preferred term, mice; those who prefer mouses will also be sanctioned 
by the dictionary.

 

I asked one of my flatmates whether she would use computer mouses or 
computer mice – she said, "I'd say computer meeces" – I just googled and 
guess what? There are 4 returns!

 

Regards,

Petra

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