Goki's Random TF Facts Discussion Thread

[GoktimusPrime]

That wouldn't make my next TF fact terribly "random".

But here are some other stats provided by the Top Trumps card set:
Barricade = 4.6m
Jazz = 4.8m
Blackout = 10.2m
Scorponok = 2.7m
And for some odd reason they've got Starscream's height listed as "N/A." :/
There are no cards for Devastator or Bonecrusher.

...I wouldn't recommend buying these cards. (-_-)

[Sky Shadow]

Random TF Fact: Did You Know?
The plural of "Magnus" is "Magni" (e.g.: adductores magni)

It is in Latin, but Latin words don't tend to decline the same way once they're Anglicised. Otherwise, these are the plurals of certain Transformers:

Many Autobot leaders with blue heads would be Optimi;

Many Autobot leaders with blue heads before Alpha Trion got to them would be Orion Paces;

Many two-foot tall Headmaster toys would be Fortress Maximi;

Many fire truck Autobots would be Infernis;

Many Combaticon helicopters would be Vorticis;

Many Transformer gods would be Primi;

And they're just the Latin names I can think of off the top of my head.

[GoktimusPrime]

"Adductores magnus" (a type of thigh muscle) and "serratus magnus" (muscles at the back of the throat) are both words in the English language (in Latin they would be known as "musculus adductores magnus" and "musculus serratus magnus" respectively) and in English the plural for adductores magnus is adductores magni, and likewise the plural for serratus magnus would be serratus magni. That's in English - and obviousl it's derived from Latin, but they've maintained the same convention.

Now I've not heard of these words being pluralised as "adductores magnuses" and "serratus magnuses" in English before, so afaik the accepted plural for "magnus" in English is "magni."

It's possible that "magnuses" could be an accepted plural in English for magnus as both "octopi" and "octopuses" and "virii" and "viruses" are accepted plurals in English for "octopus" and "virus" respectively (although I've never seen "virii" used as a plural for software viruses; I've only ever seen it used in a microbiological/medical context). So I suppose it's possible that "magnuses" could be an accepted plural as well as magni - but I've yet to come across any material in English which pluralises magnus as 'magnuses.'

So afaik the only English plural for magnus that I'm currently aware of is "magni." I'll ask the other members of my faculty (and possibly the English faculty if need be) and see what they say.

[Sky Shadow]

So afaik the only English plural for magnus that I'm currently aware of is "magni."

Fair enough. Thusly I'll recall my plurals of Inferno and Vortex (since they have obvious plurals in English - although even in English, many Combaticon helicopters could be irregular - Vortices.) But I stand by Optimi, Orion Paces, Fortress Maximi and Primi, since I don't think their singular names (Optimus, Pax, Maximus and Primus) have English plurals.

[GoktimusPrime]

Well the plural of gluteus maximus (heh) is glutei maximi, so that would make the English plural for maximus "maximi." Not sure about those others.

[Sky Shadow]

Well the plural of gluteus maximus (heh) is glutei maximi, so that would make the English plural for maximus "maximi." Not sure about those others.

I think it might depend on whether the "name" is actually a name or a title. Since Magnus has been shown to be a title (rather than a 'surname') in Animated, it would make more sense that its pluralisation could be irregular. On the other hand, Agatha is a Latin name that is still used today. It would be odd to refer to a room of people called Agatha as "a room of Agathae" rather than "a room of Agathas". So maybe it would depend on whether Optimus, Pax, Maximus and Primus are names or titles.

[GoktimusPrime]

Overall they appear to be names. We know that "Prime" is a title... Ultra Magnus is more ambiguous though. In Animated "Ultra" is definitely a title. But in Car Robot we have God Magnus which kinda suggests "Magnus" as a title, at least in Japanese continuity. Of course, most Japanese nouns have no plural (hence why "Transformers" is actually called "Transformer" (toransufoomaa) in Japanese).