Elvises -> Elvi(i)

[Scot LaFaive]

Well, an Elvis is an Elvis. Either way, it's multiple Elvii.


>From: Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU>
>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: Elvises -> Elvi(i)
>Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 21:46:47 -0400
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU>
>Subject:      Re: Elvises -> Elvi(i)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>On 8/6/07, Scot LaFaive <spiderrmonkey at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > >the evidently tongue-in-cheek rendering of "Elvises" as "Elvi", which
>has
> > >been going on for I'm not sure how long (anyone?)
> >
> > Found one on Google Groups from 1982: "no more griping about Elvi
>(plural of
> > Elvis) Options."
> >
> >
>http://groups.google.com/group/net.music/browse_thread/thread/d62627eda5565b3f/27e89292f88e93aax
> >
>
>The word "Options" isn't part of the subject line, by the way -- it's
>just "No more griping about Elvi (plural of Elvis)." The Elvises in
>question are Messrs. Presley and Costello, rather than Elvis Presley
>impersonators.
>
>Earliest I've found for "Elvii" is from '86:
>
>1986 _Globe & Mail_ 16 Aug D3 (Factiva/Nexis) Two hundred Elvises -
>the Elvii - were the highlight of the recent Statue of Liberty
>extravaganza.
>
>
>--Ben Zimmer
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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