What is the correct plural for cars ending in "s"? | FerrariChat

What is the correct plural for cars ending in "s"?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by sjb509, Jul 18, 2005.

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  1. sjb509

    sjb509 Guest

    This is something I have always wondered:
    Car names like Lotus, Lexus, Stratus, etc.

    Is it Lotuses, Loti, or Lotus (like deer or fish, plural is the same)

    I would say the singular and plural are the same, but does anyone have an opinion?
     
  2. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    According to Toyota the plural of Lexus is Lexus
     
  3. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Lexui, Lotui, Stratui, Airbui...
     
  4. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 26, 2005
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    Audii... hmmm.

    Porsches, Lamborghinis, Lotuses, Ferraris, Aston-Martins, Volkswagens, Audis, BMWs, Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Morgans, Jaguars, Nissans... Lexus should be Lexuses, even if it sounds weird.

    I'm an editor and use Associated Press (AP) guidelines. Usually you stick an 's' at the end, unless (like Lotus) grammatical rules require an 'es'. You're not supposed to change the spelling of the proper name when you make it plural.
     
  5. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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  6. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 wax, Jul 18, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  7. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    Ford Focus x 2 = Ford Foci imo and not Focuses (wtf?).
     
  8. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    Wouldn't it be Lexi, Loti, Starti, Airbi? :p

    Edit: But as said above, I've always learned to add the S for proper names. I only say Foci instead of Focuses because the word focus came before the car.
     
  9. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    I knewi I could count on youi!
     
  10. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Focuses is correct. And it's also a real word.

    The problems with 'Foci' are (1) it changes a proper name - a capitalized name of something - into another word, against style guidelines and (2) guys without degrees in English will knock you to oblivion if you start talking about your Foci in a bar.
     
  11. imperial83

    imperial83 F1 Rookie
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    May 14, 2004
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    This is correct. The spelling of the official names cannot be changed. An "es" must follow to represent a plural.
     

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