Forums or fora?

[Spartiate]

I didn't quite know where to put this, so I'll stick it here. I was just wondering if we are supposed to say forums or fora, as I never quite know which to use (I'm referring to the plural of the word forum of course)...

[Merlock]

They're both correct. "Fora" is the Latin original, so to speak. Where as in English, saying "forums" is just as acceptable, it's the modern plural form of the word in English.

[Spartiate]

But which would you use? Personally, I think that "forums" is a slap in the face to the Latin language, but I don't know if newbies will know what the hell I'm talking about if I say "Welcome to the fora!"...

[Merlock]

Heh, well, technically, this is one forum. >.> But, aye, I'd use "forums" just like I use "mages" instead of "magi".

[CryoDragoon]

Forums is only a slap to the face of the latin language when the context is latin. If the entire sentence is latin. (example: eo fora (I go to the forums) ---> Eo Forums... yuck) And why? Because 'forums' isn't latin... BUT!!!! 'Forums' IS an ENGLISH word Because the fact is that, while 'Forum' WAS just a latin word, it now also is an english word... It is part of the english language, and therefore, also has to abide to the rules of the english grammar, which, in turn, allows the plural form of 'forums'. Just to illustrate your point in a different way: If 'forums' was a slap to the face of the latin language, then the plural form of the word 'dam', should in fact be 'dammen' , or else it'd be a slap to the face of the dutch language Etc. etc. ... I hope you get my point... there are alot of loan words in the english language... but we don't really think of them to be loan words. We think of them to be english words, as they have become such a part of the english language. Therefore, I think that the correct english plural forms of latin derivatives are: the official latin end as the ending of the word (Fora, Aquaria, Camerae, Mementote (!), etc.) '-s' at the end of the nominativus singular of the latin word (Forums, Aquariums, Cameras, Mementoes/Mementos, etc.)

[TweaK]

Forums, plain and simple.