Re: Microsoft Manual of Style

["Parks, Beverly" <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

>Mary Shaw:
>>> >>         "Avoid using the plural "mice"; if you
>>> >>         need to refer to more than one mouse,
>>> >>         use "mouse devices"."
>>> >>
>>> >>  The word "mouse" is acceptable for the singular.
>>> >> Makes sense to me.
>
>Tracy Boyington replied:
>>>  Why?

     Mary Shaw:
>>People are used to calling it a mouse.  Fine for singular.
>>For plural, I think "mice" sounds dopey.  "Mouses" sounds worse.
>>"Mouse devices" makes for an elegant workaround, IMO.
>
But if the device has been labeled a "mouse" because of its vague
resemblance to the rodent, why not extend the metaphor to all forms of
the word. More than one mouse is mice, whether you're talking about the
mammal or the pointing device. If, instead of mouse, the inventor had
decided to call it a mole, I bet no one would have any problem with
referring to more than one as moles.

>Bev Parks
>parksb -at- emh1 -dot- hqisec -dot- army -dot- mil
>

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