Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 (USS@Tek, v1.1) based on 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site tektools.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!hplabs!tektronix!tektools!steves
From: steves@tektools.UUCP (steve shellans)
Newsgroups: net.nlang,net.misc
Subject: Use of the plural *VAXEN* from the singular VAX
Message-ID: <870@tektools.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Mar-86 15:27:14 EST
Article-I.D.: tektools.870
Posted: Thu Mar 27 15:27:14 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Mar-86 04:44:11 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR
Lines: 21
Xref: watmath net.nlang:4342 net.misc:9420

Here at Tektronix in Oregon, an informal survey of software engineers
showed that about 60-70% used the word *VAXEN* as the plural form of VAX.

This is an extremely rare plural construction in the English language.
The only other word I know of that forms the plural in this way is oxen.
(I am not counting words like *women*, where the root also changes.)

In German, the *en* suffix is the standard way of forming a plural.

Here are my questions:

  1. Is this construction something peculiar to Tektronix?
     To the Pacific Northwest?

  2. Does anyone really *know* the origin of this rare plural form?

I will summarize for the net.

Steve Shellans
Tektronix, Beaverton, Oregon
{decvax, ihnp4, ucbvax, uw-beaver}!tektronix!tektools!steves