Re: Need help downgrading wii 4.0u to 3.2u.

Technically, since it's an acronym, one is pluralising the word "system". Therefore, the plural of IOS would be IOS ("Input-Output Systems"). Since this is not useful, we tend to treat the acronym as a word in itself, and in the case of IOS it is more natural to pronounce it phonetically (that is, Eye-Oss, rather than Eye Oh Ess). Given this, one should pluralise it as one would a similar word, thus adding "es".

"IOSs" is not a correct rendering because, regardless of whether one pronounces it "Eye Oh Ess" or "Eye Oss", one still has to account for the final syllable of the plural word, and you need an "e" to do that. "IOSs" would have to be pronounced "Eye-Osss". This is not like "CDs", which is correct ;)

You could make an argument for the word IOS being treated like a Greek noun (like logos, sophos etc.), and thus make the plural "IOI", but then you've gone too far.

Or the plural of "IOS" could be "IOS"

(I prefer "IOSes")



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2009 02:33AM by daniel_c_w.

Quote
alainvey

Quote
alainvey
Technically, since it's an acronym, one is pluralising the word "system". Therefore, the plural of IOS would be IOS

Sorry, I missed that.
But I was thinking in a different path, then you.
I thought, one could consider "IOS" as a normal word, and some words have a plural form identical to the singular form.

Sounds like a language major to me...

Critical Theory MA

Like sheep and fish?

Yes.
I was thinking of "status", though