From: "Gary S. Callison" Newsgroups: alt.humor.best-of-usenet Subject: [alt.fan.cecil-adams] Re: OT: Time for a quiz!!! Date: 31 Aug 2000 09:47:07 GMT Subject: Re: OT: Time for a quiz!!! From: wald@ford.uchicago.edu (Kevin Wald) Newsgroups: alt.fan.cecil-adams In article , Michael Lorton wrote: >colton@socrates.berkeley.edu (John S. Colton) writes: > >> That's funny, because of course "dwarves" is the incorrect spelling of >> the plural of "dwarf". The correct spelling is "dwarfs". The "dwarves" >> variation was made popular by Tolkien, who intentionally used it >> because of the similarity with "elves". Personally, I prefer the "v", >> too. > >And every other English word that ends with a single f or with fe is >pluralized as "-ves". Assuming, of course, that this isn't a spoof, But your honest belief -- do you have any proof? Can you try to convince us with arguments, chief? On each letter and serif of some legal brief There is no need to toil and strain (like a serf On a nobleman's fief or his own patch of turf); Merely cook up some reasons ad hoc, like a chef -- Maybe sing them out loud in your favorite clef While some goof plays along on a trumpet or fife, Just to soothe every oaf who might elsewise cause strife And (as surf in a gulf overwhelms every reef) Overwhelm him. (We're done now? Well that's a relief.)