Get Your Premium Membership

Critterature: Of Mice and Moose

If the plural of mouse is mice, And more than one louse is lice, Then it seems to me, that logically, The plural of grouse should be grice. A single goose duplicates into geese, A mongoose produces mongooses, So let me stick out my neck And ask why the heck The plural of moose is moose, And not meese, Or much better yet, Why not mooses? Author's note: Dear reader, if you're interested in a little more along this line, I invite you to take a look at my article/essay, "The Wonderfully Awful English Language".

Copyright © | Year Posted 2023




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 1/27/2024 4:46:00 PM
Jim : I remember the collective tables of all the animals and birds, some of those made me scratch my head, LOL A gaggle of geese. I made one up for joggers, A jiggle of joggers, SuZ
Login to Reply
Slaughter Avatar
Jim Slaughter
Date: 1/28/2024 10:55:00 AM
Thanks, SuZ. Yes, and "a murder of crows" ??? I have never understood that one. I do rather like "a jiggle of joggers", though.
Date: 12/7/2023 10:52:00 AM
our language has many cuckoo things like that, so hard to explain to my ESL students!
Login to Reply
Slaughter Avatar
Jim Slaughter
Date: 12/7/2023 1:55:00 PM
Thanks, Andrea. I had the same/similar experience with my ESLers.
Date: 12/4/2023 2:24:00 PM
I’m sure many a student (especially one learning English as a second language) wonders the same thing, Jim! Love the humorous way you’ve presented this…
Login to Reply
Slaughter Avatar
Jim Slaughter
Date: 12/6/2023 11:15:00 AM
Thanks, Ilene. If you haven't already done so, I invite you to take a gander at my article/essay, "The Wonderfully Awful English Language.....". And, yes, I taught ESL here for two years a few years ago, and it is/can be very challenging for some.
Date: 12/4/2023 1:54:00 PM
You really make me smile...this one is clever...oh that mind of yours..
Login to Reply
Slaughter Avatar
Jim Slaughter
Date: 12/6/2023 11:13:00 AM
Thanks, S O....I think!
Date: 12/4/2023 10:53:00 AM
Yes, where's the logic? And the plural of sheep is sheep. Can't work it out.
Login to Reply
Slaughter Avatar
Jim Slaughter
Date: 12/4/2023 1:07:00 PM
It's too many for me. Thanks, Tony.

Book: Reflection on the Important Things