matricee

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

from Charles Wells, A Handbook of Mathematical Discourse, version 0.9
(April 25, 2002):

back formation

One may misread a word, perhaps derived from some root by some (often
irregular) rule, as having been derived from some other nonexistent
root in a more regular way. Using the nonexistent root creates a word
called a back formation.

Example 1 The student who refers to a “matricee” has engaged in
back formation from “matrices”, which is derived irregularly from
“matrix”.

... Plurals in s with modified roots
singular plural
matrix matrices
simplex simplices
vertex vertices

Students recognize these as plurals but produce new singulars for the
words as back
formations. For example, one hears “matricee” and “verticee” as
the singular for “matrix”
and “vertex”. I have also heard “vertec”.

Remark 1 It is not unfair to say that many scholars insist on using
foreign plurals as
a form of one-upmanship. But students and young professors need to be
aware of these
plurals in their own self interest.
   http://ljk.imag.fr/membres/Bernard.Ycart/writing/hyperhbk.pdf

.....

then there's "matrice":

How do you find the steady state of a matrice by hand?? Is it even
possible by hand?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080823045238AAPHBed

(and a bunch of others)

arnold

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