On Mon, 19 Aug 2024 at 10:01, Martin Guy via cfarm-users
<cfarm-users@lists.tetaneutral.net> wrote:
>
> [off list]
>
> > unixen
>
> Unices, at least since 1982
Ah yes, quoth the jargon file:
"On a similarly Anglo-Saxon note, almost anything ending in `x' may
form plurals in
`-xen' (see {VAXen} and {boxen} in the main text). Even words ending in
phonetic /k/ alone are sometimes treated this way; e.g., `soxen' for a
bunch of socks. Other funny plurals are `frobbotzim' for the plural of
`frobbozz' (see {frobnitz}) and `Unices' and `Tenices' (rather than
`Unixes' and `Tenexes'; see {UNIX}, {TENEX} in main text). But note
that `Unixen' and `Tenexen' are never used; it has been suggested that
this is because `-ix' and `-ex' are Latin singular endings that attract
a Latinate plural."
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