Bonsai trees cannot be minted in specie.

[Gabler]

At first I thought it was a typographical error, but I keep seeing it in thread titles: specie erroneously used as the singular form of species. Specie means money in coin, typically metal of a standardized purity and weight, stamped to signify a uniform value. Even so-called "mallsai" aren't sufficiently uniform that they're perfectly fungible as currency. Bonsai are, in formal economic terms, a good example of the opposite of specie. Each is unique, and depending on the skill of the owner/caretaker, the value of an individual tree can fluctuate wildly over a long period of time. Use the word species with an "S" at the end when you're classifying genetically-related organisms. Use the word specie without an "S" at the end for money in coin. The plural of species is species. Specie is uncountable. You can't have three "species" (taken as a hypothetical plural of specie), any more than you can have three equipments, three advices, three politics, or three maths.

Specie:




Species:

 

[leatherback]

I keep seeing it in thread titles

Really? Never consciously saw that!

 

[penumbra]

Really? Never consciously saw that!

I didn't notice it either. I must have missed it because things like that make me nuts. If I see one more to instead of too. Seriously, do they no longer teach grammar in schools?

 

[Zach Smith]

I didn't notice it either. I must have missed it because things like that make me nuts. If I see one more to instead of too. Seriously, do they no longer teach grammar in schools?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

 

[leatherback]

Seriously, do they no longer teach grammar in schools

Bute they do that insted ye!

 

[penumbra]

That's a rhetorical question, right?

Yes, partially so and partially just venting.

 

[Zach Smith]

Yes, partially so and partially just venting.

Understood.

 

[Vance Wood]

It keeps them from actually having to grow bonsai, the plural form.

 

[leatherback]

bonsai, the plural form.

That would be bonsais then?


Maybe in line with this discussion, good to keep in mind: Not all are native speakers and/or use English in their day-to-day lives. As such I try to read with understanding, instead of getting annoyed with frequent errors (Do I need to mention repotting / reporting?)

 

[penumbra]

That would be bonsais then?


Maybe in line with this discussion, good to keep in mind: Not all are native speakers and/or use English in their day-to-day lives. As such I try to read with understanding, instead of getting annoyed with frequent errors (Do I need to mention repotting / reporting?)

I always make allowances for for non native speakers. They are doing much better in my language than I could ever do in theirs.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm voting for Roman/Latin plurals: speciei and bonsaii.
Just like Hawaii, nuclei, and triarii.

 

[leatherback]

I'm voting for Roman/Latin plurals: speciei and bonsaii.
Just like Hawaii, nuclei, and triarii.

I am voting against!
NooooooooooooO!!!!

 

[HorseloverFat]

This is interesting!

I am guilty of the “specie” mis-nomenclature..

Whoops!

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

 

[penumbra]

I'm voting for Roman/Latin plurals: speciei and bonsaii.
Just like Hawaii, nuclei, and triarii.

A departure,
When in Rome ......
Latinization should only be used for words with Latin roots. Its why the plural of octopus ins never octopi because octopus is from the Greek. Octopuses is acceptable because it is a word adopted by English, but octpodes would be the proper Greek plural for octopus.
Bonsai is from the Japanese which has its own set of rules, thus the plural of bonsai is bonsai.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I've seen it also. I may even have been guilty of it in the past. But you are correct in that the singular of species is species.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I vote for "THINGY."

As in, "what sort of THINGY is this?"

Plural is "thingies."

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

A departure,
When in Rome ......
Latinization should only be used for words with Latin roots. Its why the plural of octopus ins never octopi because octopus is from the Greek. Octopuses is acceptable because it is a word adopted by English, but octpodes would be the proper Greek plural for octopus.
Bonsai is from the Japanese which has its own set of rules, thus the plural of bonsai is bonsai.

specie - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

en.m.wiktionary.org

Says it's Latin.
Specie is commonly used in my country to describe cement/mortar.

 

[Vance Wood]

A departure,
When in Rome ......
Latinization should only be used for words with Latin roots. Its why the plural of octopus ins never octopi because octopus is from the Greek. Octopuses is acceptable because it is a word adopted by English, but octpodes would be the proper Greek plural for octopus.
Bonsai is from the Japanese which has its own set of rules, thus the plural of bonsai is bonsai.

Go figure!!! I was right, the plural of bonsai is bonsai.

 

[penumbra]

specie - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

en.m.wiktionary.org

Says it's Latin.
Specie is commonly used in my country to describe cement/mortar.

I know species is from a Latin root, but I was referring to the word bonsai which is a Japanese word that can be traced back to a loose translation of the Chinese word penzai which has the same meaning as penjing.